Are there any downsides to using a mountain bike as a commuter bike? I am going to buy a bike soon, and I want to make sure I’m making the right choice.
I will be using it for commuting and light exercise (nothing over an hour of use a day). I’ve been recommended buying a MTB as it can be used for rough terrain and roads. However, I recently read that it won’t give the best performance.
Summary: I want to use a mountain bike for commuting.
Has anyone with a mountain bike experienced difficulty cycling on normal car roads?
And are there any real downsides to this?
Thank you

are there any real downsides to this?

The one thing about a typical MTB that really doesn't work well on the road are soft-compound, deep-thread tyres: they have lots of rolling resistance and wear out quickly. But this is easily fixed because even the burliest enduro bike can be fitted with more road-suitable tyres without problems.
Smaller disadvantages include the higher mass and suspension bobbing. IMO neither of that is really an issue for commuting, though it definitely does mean you get not the best performance. If it's a long commute then maybe you're better off with a more performant bike but for a short commute (< 5 km) honestly just about any bike will do; I'd recommend making longievety / low maintenance more of a deciding factor than performance. Also, a fancy bike is no good if it's stolen.
In summary: an inexpensive hartail MTB makes for a perfectly adequate commuter bike, as well as for “light exercise”. Only if you want to get a bit more adventurous about the MTB part, then I'd recommend rather getting two separate bikes, with a cheap, used, road-only one for the commute job.


Is it alright to put a 25mm tube in a 23mm tyre? I've just bought 23mm wide tyres to replace my current 25mm ones. Do I need to buy 23mm tubes too?

Generally inner tubes will fit a range of tyre sizes, for example 18-28mm. Because both 23mm and 25mm are standard road tyre sizes and close together, you're unlikely to have an inner tube that won't fit 23mm.

Ideally if you can identify the inner tube, you can check on the manufacturers or retailers website.

Failing that, give it a go. Fit the inner tube, and tyre and inflate as normal. If the inner tube is too fat, it will force the tyre away from the rim as it inflates, so after inflation check round the rim on both sides that the tyre is seated properly.


Need a replacement 42 ring for an Ultegra 9 speed triple I am replacing my chainrings on a Shimano Ultegra triple crankset. It is 9 speed circa 2003. I can't find a replacement 42 ring as I don't think they make them any more. (I have the replacement 30 and 52 rings). What current 42 ultra ring will work with this 9 speed triple? Thanks

I recently had a similar problem but with both the 42 and the 30T chain rings.
Bike shop told me they no longer have the Ultra 42 and got me an FSA 42 ring which works fine.
They were able to put on a Shimano SG 30T ring and if anything that sometimes hangs up even though there is a new chain put on. Still working on that one.


How to date my second hand bike I am trying to get an online reference to the exact specs of my second hand bike. What are a) Some good techniques/things to look for? b) Some resources to help the dating process.

E.g I see that https://bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?item=24141 visually exactly matches my bike, however the later models are closer in terms of exact specs, but none are an exact match.

I want to find out for examples which models of tiagra RD were 9 speed (which mine is) but I dont know of any good place to find such information. (This hobby seems to be all about latest/greatest :( )

Alternately I want to find out where to find/locate the model numbers of the various components. Other clues I have is a Truvativ crankset 53/39. FD RD and shifters all tiagra.

I was able to get the Rear Deraileur model number as 4500 and also the brakes were Tektro R350 which both seem to again point towards a late 2000s model. It is possibly the 2007 model which was sold with upgraded components, like what @mikes mentions


How do I lock out the front fork on my RST Neon shock? I have a Trek 7150SE(Scheels Edition) that came stock with a RST Neon front fork. I would like to lock it for road biking but haven't been able to figure out how.

I tried to turn the top of each side of the fork but it wouldn't budge by hand. I then tried a basic plumbing wrench and if started to strip the plastic.

Is it possible to lock this fork, and if so, how?

The RST Neon comes both with a lockout and without a lockout.  If your unit has a lockout, it can be found on the right hand side.  By looking at the image of the top right fork it appears that you do not have the model with the lockout.

You can see an example of what the lockout looks like here: http://rstsuspension.com/en/forks/city-trekking/neon


Pedaling at different gear ratios on flat terrain: what's the point? I have seen many cyclist pedaling at different gear ratios on the same (flat) terrain and cruising at (roughly) the same speed. They move quite fast, but when I look at how fast they pedal, I realize that the gear ratio is much lower than what I'm used to set for same speed and same inclination. To attain the same speed, I must use a higher gear ratio, but somehow they manage to use a lower one by pedaling very fast.

Is there an advantage in cycling this way? How do the different training gear ranges affect my fitness in the aspect of power vs. speed? (Power - fitness in climbing uphill, Speed - highest speed at no inclination). I have attempted this technique, but I find it quite difficult to balance and have a good grip of the bike.

First, different people have different optimum cadence.  So that's one thing that explains different cadence between different cyclists.

Second, to travel at any given speed requires a certain amount of power.  You can get more power by pushing harder at the same cadence, or you can pedal faster at the same level of force (or you can pedal harder and faster..).

Ever lift weights?  Pick a weight you can do ten times, but no more.  You can't lift ten times that much once, can you?  You get much better endurance at lower levels of force.  It's the same with pedaling a bicycle - for a given power level, most cyclists get better endurance by pedaling faster at lower levels of force, at least up to a point where your muscles start getting less efficient because they can't contract fast enough.  There's actually a good bit of research on this, and there are physiological reasons why it's true.

But in general, if you want to go fast for a long period of time, it's better to pedal easy and fast than it is to pedal hard and slow.

It's tough to get used to at first, but after a while it will feel a lot more natural.  Just get something that measures cadence and you can start working on riding at higher cadences.


19 inch frame MTB Issues for a guy standing 6 feet 3 inches tall maybe a noob question.

I bought a 19 inch frame Hardtail MTB. I mostly ride for fitness and leisure. Have done some commutes as well. I faced some issues while riding long. I started having pains in the palms, and then I discussed with other local bicyclers.

The following was the observations by the local members of the community
1. The seat post cannot be adjusted to my height - seat post was already at the max and one of the members said that it may cause frame breakage on longer rides( I have done max 32km only twice or thrice)
2. I went three times on a 32km ride, and post that had problems with my palms going numb, and didn't ride for more than a week(started riding smaller rides ranging from 8 to 16kms)
3. Frame is too small i.e a 19inch MTB is too small for my height i.e around 6 feet 4 inches, would have to buy a 21 or 22 inch MTB considering my height.

My question is

Can i buy parts such that i can make the 19 inch  MTB fit for my height to be ridden.?

One of the members from a local group said the following

I can buy a 450mm seat post to increase the height of the seat post and the maximum amount of the seat post will be inside the cycle seat stem.. Hence it would create lesser impact on the frame.
I am planning to buy a butterfly bar, an adjustable stem, and also some bar tape to change the handles.

Would these be helpful in making for a more comfortable ride?? Help, observations would be great.

Edit

Cost of the bicycle Rs. 28000 - $400 approx.
The cost of the items I am planning to buy are no more than $30.

UPDATE :
@Gschenk

Thanks for the inputs, I tried sitting at the front most position on the saddle, this allowed me to be more upright and seems the COM is definitely at the place that you said, I tried varying hand positions as well(Tried narrowing it to over the brake lever more closer to the stem, this gives great relief, and was able to ride longer today :) ).

Ok tried the following things and the result is truly greatly comfortable.

450mm seat post.
117mm stem raiser.

Additionally I adjusted the saddle so that it's a bit more in front rather than far behind. Went for a 5 mile ride and absolutely loved it. Felt like I was riding a brand new bike ! Below is
Increased stem and seat post

UPDATE : The comfort level has increased so much in the past 3 weeks, that I already crossed more than 200miles on the bike :)


Worries about a gear ratio of 1:1? I'm planning a randonneur-like bike with drop bars, STI shifters, and nevertheless some low gears. The crankset could be a "compact plus" (I guess from Sugino), 44 and 28 teeths, and the cassette a normal Shimano 105 11-32.

With this setup, the second lowest gear ratio would be 28/28 = one.

I can imagine that this could add some particular mechanical stress on the the entire rear wheel, from the cassette to the spokes. But on the other hand, given that it's not the lowest gear, I probably won't use it for more than a few minutes in a row.
Should an exact gear ratio of 1/1 be strictly avoided ?

Edit: imagine a cyclist pushing from side to side as she/he stands to climb up a mountain road. As long as the 1:1 gear stays in, the rear wheel always get flexed in the same way.

1:1 and similar ratios are considered bad in automotive gearboxes. If there is one bad tooth it will soon take others with it, if it is always meshing with the same teeth. Automotive gearboxes tend to use coprime ratios (where the 2 gears have no common multiple) to avoid this.

There really isn't a similar issue on a bike. I suppose it might be a good idea to have a prime number of links on the chain to even out wear in case of a bad tooth, but the sprockets never come into direct contact, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Resonance shouldn't be an issue. the resonant frequency of the bike is going to be way higher than your pedalling frequency. It'll be in the audio range. Just give it a tap and you may hear it ring.


What is my Pinarello model? I bought this last year as a just a frame and forks. I built it up to ride but have only done about 100 miles. All I know about it is the frame and forks are steel  I used what stem I had laying around at the time so I know it makes it look a bit ugly. I fitted a Campagnolo Veloce group set and new set of Miche wheels.

I'm looking at getting the proper stem for it as the one I had does not look right obviously. I have spent many hours looking at what the exact model is but to no avail. Could someone help me please?

I can list more if needed, there is no serial no on the bottom , only the words pinnarello

The frame seems suspicious: it clearly was TIG-welded, just look at those smooth tube joints and compare to 80s lugged frames, which means the MY should be at least in mid 90s. The Dyna looks very similar, but the the dropouts don't match (holes vs no holes). Newer frames either have seatpost bolt inline with top tube or a modern collar, but the frame in question has the bolt at least a centimeter higher than the top of the top tube. The paint doesn't match the time period either, the most similar paint jobs date to 80s lugged frames, just like the head badge. I think it was repainted with the use of an aftermarket decals set.

I'd look for any branding cues in every crook and nanny and ask the previous owner about the model and paint job.


How to build a combination hand & foot cycle My two-year-old daughter has a full right arm, a left arm that stops above where her elbow would be, no right leg at all, and a full left leg. We have found a product she can ride (the Amtryke), but it's awfully expensive.

The goal is to have a hand and foot cycle that is something like this product:  http://www.amtrykestore.org/AM-9XS_AM-9S-AM-9S_with_Bucket_Seat.html

We don't want to purchase that product due to cost... we are willing to build it ourselves in order to keep the cost down. Maybe we could collect parts from multiple used kids' tricycles?

We would be willing to purchase a bike if it were more in the $100 range - - the above product would be $400 for now, and she'd grow out of that quickly and need the $700 version. That's WAY too expensive for us!

I think you can probably get a copy of the PET plans for free, if you ask nice.  It's a pure handcycle, but designed for easy construction, and they should have sources for the parts, etc.  You could perhaps adapt the design for your needs.


How can I stop my mudguards from rattling? Is there a simple way to stop the mudguards on my bike rattling? They're securely connected, but when I go over bumps in the road they tend to wobble about and rattle against my front wheel.

I think it's a problem that must be solved on a one-off basis, since there so many different fender/bike combinations.

First make sure the connections are really tight.  Often they work loose over time.  Then try to observe what's rattling.  Some heavy tape applied to points that tend to knock against the bike frame may help.  Different fenders that are stiffer and have more stays is another possibility.  In some cases you may simply want to cut off, eg, part of the front fender extending forward from the fork, as that area tends to be less well secured and vibrates quite a bit.  (Mine cracked at the fork and the front part fell off some years back, and I haven't missed it.)


Supervising a beginner in traffic Let's say you persuade some significant other to ride with you in the city. You both have good bikes, they are inexperienced, and you are (I am) used to commuting, including in traffic.

How do you prepare the inexperienced rider to ride in traffic, and keep them safe while they learn and practice? How do you instruct them while riding?

I ride behind: she sets the pace, concentrates on the road ahead. Being behind I can watch, control the distance between us, speak advice, and manage (i.e. observe and give hand signals to) any vehicles approaching us from behind.

Edit: I just found a quote on the front page of The VEHICULAR CYCLIST (December 2011)

  "I’ve taken three cycling courses since becoming a community officer with the Ottawa Police Service and am on schedule to become a cycling instructor this fall. At the end of every course, I’m absolutely amazed at all the bad habits that I had taught myself throughout the years, ...".

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/safety/index.htm mentions "CAN-BIKE" courses. One idea might be to take that kind of lesson: I'd at least see how they teach it.


Front tyre size - is 1.9" a good option? I have in my bike a 1.9" tyre in the front wheel and a 2.2" in the rear. Is it safe to use this tyre sizes?

You can mix and match tire sizes if you want - its relatively common. You just need to make sure that the tires fit on the rim and to a lesser extent are not too thin or too wide for the rim. This is often done for different tire clearances in the front and back, for example.


Chain skipping on upper pulley of rear derailleur Background: I have a full suspension mountain bike with SRAM GX Eagle components. I snapped my chain recently, and replaced it with a new one of the same model. Made sure to size it the same as the previous one.
After installing the new chain, I am now getting a slight skip on the upper pulley of the rear derailleur. Bike is rideable but want to fix this before I cause more damage. It looks like the chain is not completely aligned with the pulley almost. I haven’t looked at one in detail in great working condition so hard to compare.
The teeth of the pulley are a little worn, so I’m thinking of replacing those. Not sure if I need to replace the cage as well, is it easy to tell if it’s bent? Also not sure how to check if the hanger is in good condition either.
Also additional note that might help, my chainring is also quite worn, could that have to do with it? Was not happening with the old chain, which had stretched quite a bit (don’t have exact measurements)
What should I be checking/doing and in what order? Pretty new to bike maintenance and want to learn from some experts! Thank you in advance.

New chains are not sized out of the box (i.e. they are usually several links too long). Part of installing a new chain is to size it by removing links prior to installing it to match the length of the old chain.
I suspect you may have mis-sized the chain. Otherwise it is possible that your jockey wheel on the derailleur is worn. Those can also be replaced individually.
I am not expert on sizing a chain, but Calvin is so here you go:

Also, no shame in going to a LBS to have them look at the drivetrain, size the chain, adjust the B screw as they do it day in and day out plus it requires a few special tools. You probably could get all of that fixed up for $20-$30 plus parts if any are required.
Hope that helps.


How Strong is my road bike? Background: I have spent most of my time riding mountain bikes but I have recently started riding road sometimes too.  I really like the position the road bike puts you in and the fact that you have multiple different hand positions.  So I want to start riding my road bike more.

I have a retro steel Norco road bike.  (Although I am interested in answers regarding aluminum road bikes too).

I am curious how much I need to baby my road bike.

Can I drop off curbs on my road bike?
What about logging roads and trails are they fair game?  Can I do some drops?
When I add a rack to my road bike how much gear can I put on it before I do damage to the bike?

I am not interested in whether it is a good idea to ride a road bike down a muddy bumpy trail.  What I am asking is will I hurt my bike?  Even though my bike was second hand and cost me less than $100 I have a strong relationship with it.

Recognizing Problems: I know that I may damage my wheels doing more agressive riding.  It is pretty easy to eye-ball wheels to see if they are ridable.  Is this true for the frame as well?  If I do structural damage to the frame would it be obvious?

Cross: I think that cyclocross bikes are designed for the kind of riding that I am describing.  Is there any difference between my retro road bike and a cyclocross bike?

Question: How cautious do I need to be to avoid damaging my road bike?

Good question - I went down the same path (MTB -> road bike) and was worried about having to be super gentle. But actually, a road bike is surprisingly strong provided forces are applied in the right direction. Riding off curbs or over bumpy surfaces shouldn't cause a problem, but I wouldn't suggest doing drops. Similarily provided your bike isn't a super lightweight frame (and it sounds like it isn't) fitting a rack will probably be okay (especially if the frame has mounts for them).

A lot of the pros on the Tour de France used their standard road bikes on the cobbled stages just with special tyres, and those stages were very bumpy. And the teams that used dedicated Paris-Roubaix style bikes mainly did so for comfort and speed, not strength.

It's when you start applying forces to the bikes in ways that weren't intended that you are likely to damage it - i.e. riding into things, jumps or crashing. That's where the extra durability of a mountain bike comes in. It also depends on your weight - without being rude, if you're a big rider simple physics means you are going to stress the bike more.

If you do do damage it may not be easy to see. Especially small cracks may be very had to spot, although if they get big they will be pretty obvious. I certainly wouldn't recommend assuming that just because you can't see problems there aren't any there - you really don't want your fork to fail at the crown which could cause a very serious accident.

If you are planning to ride your road bike off road a significant amount you might be better off with a cyclo cross bike. It will be a little bit heavier but stronger and more capable of dealing with crashes, but more importantly it will enable you to fit much wider tyres, and gives much better mud clearance. Many cyclocross bikes have rack mounts on them as well, and the geometry is tweaked to make them more comfortable to ride off road.

It's just my experience but as a mountain biker, I feel much more comfortable riding a cyclo cross bike - either on or off road - than I do a dedicated road bike, probably because the handling is better (for me).


Replacing Quick Release skewer with through bolt axle I have a 2013 Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Hydro. The bike has disc brakes. The bike was built with quick release skewers on Mavic Aksium wheels. I have just read that Pinarello actually recommends 9mm through bolt axles on the front wheel and 10mm through bolt axles on the rear wheel. Evidently TBAs are better at keeping the disc rotors in alignment. I have certainly experienced problems with rotor alignment repeatedly on the front wheel after long steep descents.

Can I just replace the existing QR skewers with TBAs on the existing wheels? Can anyone recommend a source to buy these TBAs?

Hubs that can retrofit to take through bolts are fairly uncommon, and some Googling confirms that your wheels are QR only. Through bolts are an idea that never really took off, and now probably never will with through axles becoming much more common.

Through bolts create a stiffer structure and may mitigate the problem you're having in some situations, but if what's actually happening has more to do with the axle squirming in the slot, I'm dubious about their ability to really fix that. In other words, they help a lot with rub that occurs due to flexing, but I don't believe they add clamping force above and beyond what a good QR can do.

Another important piece of this may be that the stock Aksium skewers are very basic external cam ones that, for the benefit of being light and cheap, are somewhat clamping force impaired compared to good internal cam skewers such as Shimano. Internal cam skewers apply much more clamping force, and it can make all the difference with problems like you're having.

Making sure the tab/post facing on the frame and fork is good is also important, although I'd really hope a Pinarello to come pretty much perfect in that regard.


Is it okay to true (align) a wheel with a missing spoke? I have a Merida Speeder 300 with a broken spoke on the rear wheel, which is now out of alignment and rubs against the brake pads. Is it okay to true it, at least for a short term solution (and if so how would it be different from normal truing)? Will it cause damage on for the rest of the spokes?
Thanks!

Maybe I should mention that I've had this wheel for 4 years (in which I commuted almost daily) and so far I've only had one spoke broken before, which happened a year ago and it was replaced.

No, you cannot true the wheel with a spoke missing - at least not as a permanent solution. I'd only do this to get home or to a bike shop if it was not a long ride.

Remember that spokes alternate coming from the drive (right) and non-drive side (left) of the hub, and a properly trued wheel balances tension from spokes from either side.

If you have a drive side spoke missing the two non drive side spokes on either side of its position will pull the rim toward the left, you would have to slacken these spokes because they are not pulling against the missing spoke. This is going to cause tension imbalances in the wheel which will stress other spokes and accelerate their failure.


Can anyone tell me the year of this Kona road bike? Or any details! I know it is an older Kona bike and would like to sell, but would like to provide buyers with details. Thank you

It looks like a 2003 Kona Kona to me.  Kona made the Kona until 2005 and then in 2006 they started the Zing line.  It's a very standard entry level "bike shop" road bike.  Assuming a lot of parts swap hasn't happened, that page should have most of the info.


Help Identifying Italian track frame Hi I would like to know the maker of this bike I brought back from my stay in Italy. It has been repainted, It isn't the original fork, and the serial located on the top of th bb is :1148591
Any clue ? Thank you.

This could be pretty much anything, you might want to find a specialist in lugworks. Many Italian frame makers had very unique lugging to determine their bikes from the rest. I used to know a few by heart back in the days when I was restoring old racers for Single Speed Co but I'm afraid that skill has fallen back now. Having unique lugs was especially important on older bikes.
I can't see on the photos what is happening between rear dropouts, it could be an old track frame but some older bikes never had the horizontal dropouts so it could just be an old frame designed as a single speed bike. It definitely looks older than 80's and even 70's are still questionable.

How is the weight on this?


Pressure gauge on my pump stuck at one value, what is wrong? I have a Specialized Switch Hitter I have used for several years on both Presta and Schrader valves. Recently, my wife tried to inflate her tubes (Schrader valve) and could not get the pump to function. When I tried on my Presta valves, I experienced the same odd behavior she did, namely:

The handle requires too much force to depress when the chuck is on the valve.
The inline gauge registers a constant zero.
The valve is letting air out. I can let air out of the tube easily by bleeding off pressure using the little release valve on the handle.
When the chuck is not engaged with a valve, I can pump normally. I can't keep my finger on the chuck to build up any pressure, but air is definitely coming out.

I managed to partially fix the problem by disassembling the head and reassembling it, but now the inline pressure gauge is stuck at 60 psi even if I put enough air into it to get a tire to 130 psi. Does anybody know what might cause this problem?

Considering it's supposed to be sealed you can get quite a lot of muck in a pressure gauge -- maybe dirt collected on the valve.  That's probably what's causing your gauge to stick. The cause of the initial head jamming may have been similar.

I lost a tyre to a blowout when the gauge on my Road Morph was very reluctant to go up.  I took the gauge to bits (one rather subtle screw/cap which also allows me to set the zero point) and cleaned the spring, the piston and the scale that shows through the window. I didn't oil/grease anything, as the piston felt like it hadn't been greased to start with. It seems to move freely now.


Cadence or speed sensor for training Which is better for training, cadence or speed?

With the sufferfest both are displayed does it make sense to use both while training?

I would have though a heart rate monitor would be most useful for training, until you get to the point where you need power meter.


Putting Shimano SORA STI Shifters on Touring Bike with Deore Derailleur So I just bought the 2015 Fuji Touring Bike and it came with bar-end shifters. I do a lot of city riding so having STI "Brifters" is really convenient in hilly city traffic.

The problem is my Fuji Touring comes with a 9x3 Deore rear derailleur and a Altus front derailleur. The only 9x3 STI brifter I could find was Shimano Sora.

Now technically the Deore/Altus groupset is for mountain biking and the SORA is for Road bikes. Can I put the SORA "Brifters" on the the Deore/Altus  groupset?

My Fuji Touring Specs Here: http://archive.fujibikes.com/archivebikes.php?prodid=3591&prodname=Touring

Thanks!

For the rear, a 9 speed Sora brifter will be fine -- 9 speed cable pull is the same between Shimano road and mountain.

For the front, the bike has a Shimano Altus front derailleur. You'll need to swap a road triple front derailleur for that (make sure to check the spec sheet to ensure your crankset's chainring sizes are within spec (not a problem) and the difference between the largest and smallest chainring are within spec (can be a problem) ) -- the bike you have has a tooth difference of 22t for the crankset, which is slightly higher than the 20t that the Sora FD-3403 or FD-3503 is rated for.

There are triple front derailleurs (e.g. Microshift R539) which will have the right front tooth difference though (comes in braze-on and band mounting, depending on the type of mount on your frame).


Gatorskin Wirebead vs Folding (Which gives a smoother ride) This isn't your usual wire bead vs folding question, I realise whenever anyone asks folding always comes out better.
I've just renewed the rear tyre on my Specialized Tarmac from the factory S Works 700x24C for Gatorskin 700x25C (wire bead as it's all the shop had) and it's like putting Nike Air shoes on my bike.
I live in Cornwall, UK it's quite rural and the roads can be bad, and the good roads the council likes putting stone chippings down which destroys the surface, changing to the Gatorskin as make the road so much smoother.
I now want to replace the front as well which isn't so urgent, if I invest in a folding will the ride be more/less smooth or the same?
Many thanks and stay safe.

Folding bead alone will not affect your ride in a notable manner.
Here are some things which will affect the ride a lot more than whether it's folding or wire bead:

Tyre width (bigger = smoother)
Tyre pressure (lower = smoother)
Rim width (wider = smoother)

The difference between folding and wire beads are not really about comfort.
You could argue that the sides of a folding bead tyre are a bit softer than one with a wire bead, so if the tyres are the same or similar price, go for folding. Personally, I have not noticed the difference between my folding and wire Gatorskins.


Trying to figure out the Brand/Make of this bicycle? Got this from a friend hand-me-down style.
Got some work to do on it to make her roadworthy.

But it's been painted, and I can't see a logo or name on it anywhere.
Steel Metal Frame. That's about all I know.

Any ideas?

Looks a lot like an old Free Spirit road. Note the fork crown, the weld quality around the head tube, the attachment of the rear dropouts and the single-piece bottom bracket.


Getting the right Bottom Bracket I’ve recently got my hands on an old steel frame which I’ve decided to turn into a bit of a build project. I’ll be honest though, whilst I’ve ridden for many years, beyond basic maintenance my knowledge of bike mechanics is almost zero :(

The main issue i that I have been unable to identify the make of the Frame. It’s had several re-paints and when I finally got it back to bare steel the only ID number (On the down tube) doesn’t seem to adhere to any of the manufacturers standards. This makes getting the correct parts a little difficult

My first task is to source and fit a bottom bracket. The shell itself is 34 MM Diameter by 68MM wide and is threaded so will, in theory, take a standard threaded BB i guess. But how do I know which thread do go for? Is there an easy way to distinguish between British and Standard thread?

Next up is, what’s the optimum spindle length? I’m planning to make the bike Single Speed and have replaced the Rear drops with Track Fork ends (I adjusted the spacing to 120MM between the frame to take a standard SS or maybe a flip flop hub) but haven't fitted anything yet so not sure how far this will offset from the frame.

Any (low tech) advice people are willing to offer would be gratefully received

Cheers

If you have an idea of what model of frame it is, it would help. Otherwise, your best bet is to take it to a bike shop and try an ISO bottom bracket (gently) to see if it fits, or measure the threads and their orientation to match to this chart.

There are also universal threadless BB's like this one from Velo-Orange which skirt the issue by expanding to fit. In this case, the thread condition doesn't matter and you can reuse the threads for the proper bottom bracket provided they're in good enough condition. These are a good bit more expensive than your typical Shimano ISO bottom bracket, though.

The spindle length needs to be selected in conjunction with the crankset to achieve the appropriate chainline. I'd suggest going to a shop to pick up a proper bb and crankset at once.


What type of bicycle bell is easy to use with winter gloves? In the winter, I often ride with mittens and find it impossible to use my standard bell (the one where you bend the clapper and let it hit the body), because my thumb touches the body and mutes the sound. Even in normal gloves I find it difficult to ring the bell. What types of bicycle bells work with winter gloves?

I personally have found that anything with a lever that moves the internal clapper works best. Unfortunately, those seem to only come in large size.

Here's a photo of the one I have lying around:

I thought the spring in the internal mechanism had worn out which is why I wasn't using it, but now that I looked at it again it turns out it just needed a bit of oil.

Here's what the insides look like:

The clapper's attached to the lever with a spring so any contact with the lever won't dampen the clapper's movement.


Chainring Spider Mount Types I have been wondering about the different types of spider (or direct mount chainrings) to crank arms and was surprised that I could not find anything spot-on about it.
I kind of know that BMX direct mount chainrings attach to crank arms differently but I am curious about the "other" types.
There is a profusion of information on the spider to chainring mounts - the outer mount (e.g BCD 110) - but not much on the inner mount - the spider to crank arm mount.
What are the different standards in place when it comes to how the spider mounts to the crank arm ?

If someone wants to write an answer that really runs everything down, I would applaud that. But it would probably be out of date the following week.
What I will say is this: for the most part, every current big crank manufacturer has their own direct mount standard, for which one can buy either a direct mount chainring or a spider adapter. Shimano, SRAM, Race Face, FSA, and Cannondale are all examples I can think of off the top, and there's more. You can get in the weeds quickly these days if you get a direct mount ring or spider that's made for anything else but the specific crank and specific rear end spacing you're working with.
For the most part, there is no cross-compatibility. There are a couple cases where two different manufacturers use the same physical interface. Cannondale and FSA are like that. The spline pattern and the lockrings are the same. But what's important to understand is that even if the interface is the same, chainring offset considerations will sometimes dash any hope of cross-compatibility with using a ring or spider intended for one crank on a different one. Whether that's true and why gets into a larger discussion of the decisions manufacturers now make in making their cranks and attempting, or not, to create arm compatibility among the different rear end spacings and drivetrain types.
Wolf Tooth and OneUp both make third party rings for these sorts of cranks, and you can often figure out what you need to know from studying their sites.


Is this a touring bike? I’m thinking to buy this bike. I usually ride mountain bikes and this is my first time looking for a touring bike. I only need something for ride on the roads to go school.

Could someone recommend me something??

Info:

10 Speed CCM Ladies Bicycle
25" Rims diameter
21" or 53cm Frame Size
Women's road bike sizing
Rider Height 55" - 58" / 165cm - 172cm
Frame Size 53cm - 55cm
Frame Size Medium

It's not a touring bike: touring bikes would have mounts for front and rear racks, as well as mudguards.  This bike has mudguard mounts (the little "eyes" near the front and rear axles) but no rack mounts.  Rack mounts would be bigger versions of the same things near the axles, and also mounting points near the saddle and at the top of the forks.

Honestly, though, don't focus on the name. You say that you need a bike to cycle to school, so focus on finding a bike that will be suitable for that.

If you don't want to carry a rucksack while you ride (which can get quite sweaty in hot weather), you'll need something that has mounting points for a rack.
Unless rain is rare where you live, you'll want something that has mounting points for mudguards.
Assuming you're riding on roads or paved/gravel cyle trails, you won't need suspension or knobbly tyres.
If your ride is quite long (say, more than about 15km each way), you'll probably want something with drop handlebars to give yourself more hand positions for comfort; if your ride is fairly short (say, 10km or less; yes, I know I've left a gap in the middle), it won't much matter what kind of bars it has. For longer rides, you'd probably also want a bottle cage, though you can get cages that mount with a strap around one of the tubes, instead of screwing into mounting points.
For commuting, you might want to replace whatever tyres come with whatever bike you buy, and get something more puncture resistant. Being 45 minutes late for class because you got a puncture (in the rain; it's always in the rain) is no fun at all.


BB30 to BSA frame conversion with internal cable routing? I'm interested in using BSA crank parts with a certain BB30 frame and I'm a little unclear about cable routing, I'm hoping somebody here can help clarify the confusion.

I'm considering purchasing a Dengfu FM286:

http://dengfubikes.com/Cyclo_Cross/112.html

The concern is that I'm going to use a BSA crank parts and they only have a BB30 frame available in my size (3 month wait for BSA version in the proper size).

I'm under the impression that frames with internal cable routing can allow the cables to pass the BB area in one of two ways, either through the BB opening, or underneath on the bottom of the frame in tubes, is this correct?

For the typical BB30 to BSA adapters, for example:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/fsa-bb30-threaded-adapter-b3119-/rp-prod129935?gs=1&gclid=CPqZv9_6oNICFc-1wAodPNUJfw&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/sram-bb30-to-bsa-bottom-bracket-adaptor-kit

I'm under the impression that these could be used on a frame where the cables route in tubes underneath the frame, but could not be used in a frame where cables route through the BB opening, correct?

If so, here is the further confusion on my part.  I emailed Dengfu pertaining to the frame linked above, and received this response:

"I show you pictures of BSA adapter and BB30 frame bottom. You can install cables internally."

Here are the pics they sent:

So I'm left with some questions:

-For the adapter (1st pic), is this a BB30 to BSA adapter with pre-machined holes?  It appears to be but I'm not sure

-For the frame (2nd pic), does that appear to be a BB30 frame?  I would suspect so since there don't appear to be BB threads but I'm not sure.

-Also for the frame, are those two tubes on the bottom of the frame (they appear to be gold colored in the pic, but that's probably just the lighting, I would suspect they are actually white) where the cables route through?  If so, does that mean any BB30 to BSA adapter could be pressed in and still allow the cable routing, or is it still necessary to utilize the BB hole in some way?

I will contact the company further about this, but I'm also interested in the expertise of anybody in this forum that can offer information about BB30 to BSA conversion for an internally routed cable frame, and also your impressions of the images above.  Please advise, thanks!

In the first picture it looks like the holes are simply machined to decrease the weight of the adapter without compromising strength. My only concern with the frame and adapter would be tolerances because you wouldn't want it to fit too loose.

The second picture definitely looks like a bb30 frame but without calipers it's impossible to know the diameter and width for sure.

The gold/red tubes you see on the bottom are the internally routed guides for the rear derailleur cable and rear brake cable/hose. Since this frame has a lower compartment where the cables route, you will not have any issues with internal cable routing with any bottom bracket combination.


Are Ultegra 10 Speed Sprockets available separately? I'm looking to buy some Ultegra 10 speed sprockets, specifically a 16,18,23 and 25. Are these available separately?

Not possible. Shimano makes some replacement 11/12/13t cogs available for Dura Ace, Ultegra, XTR, and XT, and that's it.


Why do spokes loosen? Is it true that the they twist small amounts as you hit bumps while you ride, and that's why they loosen?  Would gluing spoke nipples simply solve this problem?

I have to say I think this is a myth, for a properly built wheel.

Spokes have threaded ends which the nipples screw onto. Like almost all screw threads, they are self-locking. Since the spokes of a properly built wheel are under a high level of tension, there is no "play" in the threads. In addition, any torque would have to overcome the high clamping force the nipple head is exerting on the wheel rim.

For the spokes to loosen, the load would have to deform the rim enough to relieve the spoke of all tension so that the nipple can turn. If the spokes are this loose they would readily flex sideways if you pressed on them.

There is some potential for spokes to loosen a little with a newly built wheel, if the builder has not relieved the spoke torsion. In this situation the torsion in the spoke shaft can overcome the clamping force, and wheel will go out of true in the first few km of use.

See

Wikipedia: Screw_(simple_machine)
Vibration Loosening of Bolts and Threaded Fasteners
Sheldon on Wheelbuilding


V-Brake levers for drop handlebars? I would like to try the drop handlebar on my touring bicycle that has V-Brakes, and Shimano 9x3 speeds. Are there drop handlebar levers (integrated shifters would be great), that have correct pull ratio for V-brakes?

If there are brake levers but no shifters, where would be a good place to put my existing (deore shifters) on the drop handlebar?

Sounds like you want to use your current V-Brakes, but if getting new brakes, TRP makes mini V-Brakes that are STI lever compatible, sometimes called a brifter (brakes and shifting in one lever). Most V-Brakes have a different pull ratio which is not compatible with brifters.

The TRP CX9 is for Shimano STI levers

The TRP CX8.4 is for SRAM and Campagnolo levers


Why are bicycle tires incapable of maintaining pressure over time, while car tyres seem to have less of a problem? A typical car might have 2.5 bar tyre pressure, and use the Schrader valve system.

A typical mountain bike might also have approximately the same tyre pressure, perhaps a bit more, and also use the Schrader valve.

Why is it that a car tyre seems capable of maintaining most of its pressure after a year, while a few weeks might be enough to notice a significant difference in bike tyre pressure?

There are other related questions here, such as:

Do tire / tube / valve combinations that don't leak air exist?

How long should a road tyre hold its pressure?

These questions have answers that discuss how air can leak mostly through the rubber itself, but also in the valve system.

This only brings me back to my own question: Is the rubber that different on a car? Are there any tires I can get for my bike that will not leak? I'm sure I'm not the only one that finds it annoying to maintain the bicycle tire if there is really no need for it with the right kind of material properties and valve systems to prevent that. When people can justify spending large sums on relatively minuscule gains, why not more of a focus on maintenance free tires?

A car tyre has much thicker rubber than a tubeless bike tyre, thicker still than a tube. The steel wires in the belts of a car tyre are impermeable to gas and occupy a significant fraction of the area of that layer.  So there is a material difference.  In both cases the rim can be regarded as impermeable, and the sidewall more permeable than the tread.

Car tyres, despite their much squarer cross-section, have a larger ratio of volume to surface area.  The volume determines the remaining pressure, while the surface area determines the leak rate.

Even taking that into account, car tyres don't really hold enough air for a year.  The fact that they may give acceptable handling for months on end has a lot to do with how forgiving driving a car can be compared to running on two wheels.  Try asking a motorcyclist (dimensions and construction close to car tyres) how often they top up the air.  But still, a few months should be OK on a car, though topping up once a month should improve your fuel consumption.

I don't run tubeless, so the following assumes tubes.  My tourer and hybrid, pumped to the max pressure, gives an acceptable ride for about 3 weeks on ~32mm tyres with cheap tubes.  That's starting from nearly 6 bar (85 psi) so over twice what most cars take.  My MTB doesn't get ridden much at the moment, but again with cheap tubes (though obviously fatter) can hold trail pressures for a little longer than that.  In practice I pump it up almost every use, because I tend to ride on road to the trails then let out some air.


How much should a long distance touring bike weigh? I'm planning in the far future to do a long ride of around 3000km (~1864mi). As I just have a single speed, I've been looking at what is in the market "designed" for that purpose in the price range 1000-2000€/$ and everything is around 14-15kg (30-33lb).

Is that normal for such a bike, or is it too much, considering that you still have to carry some luggage?

People tour on everything -- bso's , specialized touring bikes, mountain bikes, etc.

Find something that works for you and is within your budget. Unless you have a decent amount of experience with touring, I wouldn't worry about something that does 3000 km tours without breaking a sweat. You need a lot of planning to do something like that, which will affect what you carry (e.g. are you camping, staying in hotels, etc.), and you need that information and experience to choose the right bike for you.

For reference, a standard touring bike (like the Trek 520) is 13 kg in disc form for a 57 cm. Note that the weight isn't that big of a deal; how it handles long rides carrying loads and how tough it is (e.g. are the wheels going to break in a little pot hole) is far more important.


Something clicks while pedaling My road bike with square taper Chorus crankset has developed a click when pedaling. The click happens always in the same pedal position, right crank forward, on both chainrings. Since the noise started, I have reinstalled the cranks, tightened chainring bolts, and replaced the seatpost, pedals and wheels.

The bottom bracket rotates smoothly when cranks are not installed or without chain. The click only occurs when pedaling with force, and happens when standing up so it very probably is not the saddle or seat post.

The most mysterious part is that the click goes away in rain or even humid weather. Any ideas?

EDIT: Since this got a "popular question" badge and duplicate, situation update: Since I posted the question, I have switched pedals a couple of times and replaced the chainrings. The click remains the same.

A few things to do to isolate the problem to the bottom bracket:

Make sure you also hear the noise when standing up (Yes, I know you replaced the seatpost, but it might be the seat. Maybe.)
When you pedal hard, you also exert more force on the handlebar. Try yanking the handlebar every which way while stopped. See if you hear anything.
A while back I had a frame with a crack in it, and I'd hear a creaking sound when pedaling hard, always from the same pedal position. But, a clicking sound like you're describing probably wouldn't come from a frame fracture.

Bottom brackets (especially cartridge units) can make strange sounds when they're starting to wear out (even if they feel fine). That's what my money's on.


Upgrading drive train for Cannondale Trail 6 I am planning to upgrade cassette, rear derailleur, chain rings and front derailleur of 2016 Cannondale Trail 6
I am looking for 11-36 or 11-38 10 speed rear and 2 speed front.
Which model I need to select the cassette, derailleur and chain-ring set? I understand I have to change the shifters too.
Shimano XT range would be appropriate? My ride is offroad and onroad mixed daily and long rides (~60 KMs) weekends.
Any 10 speed cassettes will fit on my 8 speed free hub?
Or considering additional expenses, I am even considering 1X10 combination. with 33/32 T front with neat profile with no front derailleur . I feel when I ride with middle ring front and all the combinations on current 8 speed rear, is good. I guess my current middle ring could be 34. Will I miss the highway riding comfort with single ring in front? For lower spectrum I should be okay with 36T low end at rear

You will need to change the rear shifter, also best to install new cables (inners and outers) to get the most out of the upgrade.

No need to stick with your existing brand. Microshift do a range of well priced products that would suit that bike very well.

In Shimano, XT quality is probably spending too much for that bike, Deore is practically the same quality  the same just a bit heavier and a few less features (e.g. brake levers on Deore miss out on the tool-less reach adjust and miss the bite ajust)


Size of old road frames compared to new ones May I use an old frame (pre 1990) of same size as a modern road frame? For example by using a long stem and long seatpost. Or would I have to size up a lot?

Concrete example: I ride a 56 cm Merida CX frame (2017 Merida CX600) and am 190 cm tall. I found a nice 56 cm Motobecane steel frame (about 1985) on an online auction site.

Historically manufacturers have used different reference points in specifying frame measurements.  For example, some manufacturers use the length of the top tube while others use the length of the seat tube. If the frame is 'square', then the two measurements will be roughly the same, but this is not always the case.

The endpoints of the tube measurement may vary, especially with regards to the seat tube.  Typically the lower reference is the center of the bottom bracket.  The top reference, however, may be the center of the top tube (where it intersects the seat tube, aka 'center-to-center' or C-C), or it may be the top of the top tube (C-T), or it may be the top of the seat tube itself (C-TTT).  Sloping top tubes complicate this measurement in that the reference is typically relative to an imaginary, horizontal top tube and where it would intersect the seat tube.

The length of such an imaginary, horizontal top tube is sometimes specified as 'effective top tube length', or 'ETT'.

To reduce manufacturing costs and ease the sales process, manufacturers also have moved away from numeric sizing to 'XS', 'S', 'M', 'L', 'XL', sizing and  nomenclature.  The numeric measurements of a given size vary between manufacturers and even between bikes from one manufacturer, depending on the style of bike - 'race', 'endurance', 'gravel', 'adventure', 'touring', etc.

Fortunately there seems to be some convergence around a common set of measurements, including effective TT length, ST length (C-C), head tube length, bottom bracket (BB) drop or height, seat tube angle, head tube angle, and chainstay length.  Perhaps most important are two measurements known as 'stack' and 'reach', these being the vertical distance from the BB center to the stop of the head tube (typically exclusive of headset, but not always), and the horizontal distance from the BB center to the top of the head tube.  These measurements have a strong influence on the position of your torso, head, and arms, because they establish a baseline for the position of the handlebars and their relation to the saddle (including the saddle-to-handlebar vertical distance, or drop).

A modern geometry chart will put a picture to all this.

I think your basic question is 'Will a 56cm Motobecane fit like a 56cm Merida CX frame?'  Perhaps a better question is 'Can I make a 56cm Motobecane fit like my 56cm Merida CX?'   This assumes you are happy with the fit of your Merida, of course.  While you don't state your proportions (inseam, sleeve length, etc.), at 190cm a 56cm bike may be marginally too small for you.

To answer your question, one thing to do would be to compare the numeric geometry of the two frames.  A simple pass / fail test would be to measure the distance from the saddle nose to the handlebars, and the saddle-to-handlebar drop.  If you think you can make those measurements the same, or close to the same, then all other things being equal then the Motobecane may work for you.
Note that any difference in BB drop will be offset by an change in saddle height to achieve the same leg extension, which in turn will affect the saddle-to-bar drop and the reach.

Cheap, used bikes are plentiful, at least where I am, so if the Motobecane cannot be made to work (via seatpost and/or stem and/or handlebar adjustment or replacement) then you should keep looking.


What tool can I use to tighten SRAM GXP bottom bracket without removing the cranks? I'm looking for a tool, if it exists, that would allow me to tighten my bottom bracket (SRAM GXP, 16-notch 44mm) without removing the cranks. I have seen a few tools that look like they might work, which are similar to the BBT-9 but with an opening; they are open (C-shaped) instead of closed (O-shaped).

For example:

Shimano TL-FC32 and a couple other, cheaper, seemingly identical clones. For this style, what is the minimum separation of the opening? (This is the primary constraint. It seems like an obvious application of this tool but I see no claims or specs.)
Park Tool HCW-18 almost pin-spanner style. For this style, are there any compatible?

Applications include simple laziness, testing or temporary tightening the BB before/without removing the cranks, for similar disc brake lock-rings, etc. My primary application in this case is merely grasping the BB cups to adjust an eccentric bottom bracket in lieu of a pin-spanner, and in the process trying to purchase a more flexible multi-tool.

As a counterpoint, is there a good reason not to do this (e.g., potential damage to spindle, etc.)?

The short answer? No.

Threaded GXP uses the Hollowtech II style dimples for tightening, these aren't deep enough for a C-Spanner style or for a wrench the has less than 180 degrees of contact.

Even if a tool existed, most chainrings are going to get in the way, my 1X is GXP and there's not a lot of room, a double or triple is going to make this worse.

And finally, GXP works by clamping the non-driveside bearing between a flange on the spindle and the back of the crank arm. There's no preload adjustment, so tighten it down and leave it alone.

PS. What style is your eccentric BB?


Damaged carbon fibre wheels Can anybody tell me if you can repair a Wolber Carima carbon fibre wheel that has a chip on the rim?

Wheels are considered being too critical for riding safety to be repaired in case of carbon failure. A professional carbon-repair shop is unlikely to accept carbon wheels, cranks, handlebars, seatposts for repair.

A couple of quotes found on the web to back up my statement.

From https://calfeedesign.com/carbon-repair-faq/:

  What do you not repair?

  Frequently rejected repairs include: aluminum-to-carbon bonding, carbon handlebars, forks, seat posts/integrated seat posts, stems, damage to carbon wheels, and metal frames.

From http://ruckuscomp.com/getarepair : only frame parts can be specified, not wheels.
From https://www.donsbikeshop.com/about/carbon-fiber-frame-repair-pg289.htm

  We don't repair wheels (even though the replacement cost is higher than the repair) because the forces exerted on the rim and the need to get the wheel balanced perfectly preclude a carbon fiber repair.

From http://joescarbonrepair.com/ says:

  What do you not repair?

  Frequently rejected repair requests are ones that involve aluminum-to-carbon bonding, carbon handlebars, forks, and damage involving the braking surface of carbon wheels.

However, https://www.applemanbicycles.com/repair/ says:

  Carbon Repair Capabilities
  I can fix a wide variety of carbon fiber damage to your frame. The most common repairs are: ...

  Disc Wheels (aero)


Double crank to single? I just wanna know if I can take off one of the chainrings for this crankset before I buy it off craigslist. Thanks!!

enter image description here

If what you want is to run a single chainring setup, then yes, it is possible.

However you may need some spacers, five in this case, to make up for the thickness of the removed gear. This spacers may be simple washers, but they have to closely match the hole diameter of the chainring and, of course, the thickness.
You can also cut them from sacrificial chainrings.

There is also the option to find single chainring specific bolts, but some vendors may offer them at a higher price than the crankset you want to buy.


Crash-proof Laptop bags for MacBook Pro for Bicycle? I'm thinking of getting a new bike, one with a Pannier or Cycle rack; my job requires me to travel with a Macbook Pro and there are several issues.

1). I am worried about crashing/wiping out and breaking the MBP.

Is there a recommended crash-proof bag, or a bag that securely fastens it so that it does not bang against either the side of the pannier; or when you put the bag on the floor it doesn't hit the laptop?

I've been looking at the Hardcase shell and the bags you can get for MBP at a local Apple store; however they look flimsy as hell and only appear to be there to reduce scratches.

a) Are hardcase shells (as sold in the Apple stores) designed to withstand this kind of damage?

2). The additional weight will make the bike sway around corners, when braking, or when climbing up hills.

This is a particular problem that I am unsure how to solve.  I could carry the laptop on my back, but ideally I want to move the weight from my shoulders to the pannier.

Another possible solution would be to put a counterweight in the opposite bag, but this means carrying much more weight than I need to; additionally I do not have anything to act as a counterweight.

Another possible solution is to put it on the central (top) pannier rack behind the seat and use straps, etc to securely fasten the laptop bag.

The problem with this is rain, especially if its sitting flat, it'll just collect moisture, and soak through.

I am based in the UK.

I have never seen anything that would do this. I've done a lot of looking over the years because I carry camera gear as well as laptops, and neither like the hammering they get when attached to the bike. My solution is insurance.

Broadly, the problem comes down to suspension. On your back the load gets the benefit of your soft, flexible body and your tendency to lift off the seat before you hit big bumps. That last is key - whatever suspension your pannier offers has to be able to cope with a nice hard thud as you bounce off a kerb or through a pothole.

What I've seen used is the Ortleib backpack, which is nicely waterproof and can use the padded laptop sack that goes inside it. You could use that sack as intended in a pannier on your rack, but even with a solid state drive I expect your laptop to fail within 5Mm if it's in the pannier. On your back it shouldn't be affected. Likewise, a decent courier bag (Ortleib again, Crumpler or other)

What I actually use is a standard pannier with a home-made foam inner to pad the laptop. That gives more padding than anything I've seen commercially available, and it's cheap. Find a shop that sells slabs of foam, buy one the size of your pannier, cut a slot in it to take your laptop. If you buy two panniers inevitably the second one will fill up with stuff, balancing the load. Trust me on this :) Mine has my wallet, puncture kits and multitool, lunch, rain jacket, phone charger, I dunno, suffice to say that it weighs at least as much as a laptop does. And I only carry the one pannier and the offset weight isn't an issue.

A hardcase sheel that will withsand a crash is going to weigh a lot. There's some discussion in this answer: Secure Storage for Running Errands and in this question: Ever seen a locking bag that could be locked to the bike?


How to prevent knee/shin guards slipping? I am using plastic guards that cover knees and shins, like the ones displayed here:

My problem is, when I am riding, they sometimes slip down, reducing protection of my knees. This mostly happens because of vibration, while I am riding down (it's when I need them the most), but sometimes also when I am pedaling up.

If I fall down when my guards have slipped, it's as if I had no protection at all.

I noticed that on some days I get lucky with my straps and they sort of "stick" to my legs and don't move, while on other days I constantly readjust them, and they slip all the time.

How can I fix this problem?

I am willing to buy a different type of guards if that would solve my problem (however, I don't want soft/flexible guards - plastic has better protection).

The top strap should go above your calf muscle, and it should be tight enough to not fall down.  Don't depend on stretchy elastic.

Do they reach down to your instep or do they sort of float?  You might get some benefit by tucking the bottom of the guards into your socks.

Another option is tape - http://www.hockeymonkey.com/hockeytape.html  would do the job.

The only knee guards I wear are sports style tube ones, not armour.  However I do wear thin gloves all rides, and have worn elbow pads in a MTB race.


Inside of my full suspension bike pivots is cracked! Is this normal? I just noticed it when I was cleaning my bike after a long day downhill mtb. Are those screws? Thanks for any replies.

Are you sure those hex bolts are cracked?

They could instead just have peeling chrome.  Hex bolts tend to accumulate water and grime and thus corrosion. It could just be surface peeling of the chrome.

I'd poke at them with a sharp ice pick and see if it's just surface peeling of chrome or if the bolts are actually cracked. If it's the former you can ignore. If it's the latter, follow @criggie's suggestion.


Taking a bike on a sailing boat Marinas are often located a bit outside from town centers and shopping locations. So a bike might be a good thing to have aboard a sailing boat. Given the limited space on such a vessel I'm thinking about getting a folding bike.

What should I look for in a bike and storage location, considering that the environment, even inside the cabin, will be quite salty and might cause the bike to rust faster than I'd like.

Currently I'm mostly doing short trips so I can store it most of the time on land, but I plan on going on a larger trip around Northern Atlantic once I feel comfortable and properly equipped (and told my boss ;-) )

I've had a couple of non-folding mountain bikes on a sailboat for 5 years. I opted for smaller frame non-folding bikes for performance, and there is a hatch they barely fit through.

Of course, rust is the major problem. Banging around in the waves and in the process of storing them is a potential problem. Because of this, there are no drink holders, speedometers, or other extra snags on the bikes. Regular chain lube helps a lot. The cables rusted enough to require replacement once. There are a few non-stainless bolts and nuts on the bikes (a Specialized and a Diamondback). They're easy to spot and replace or grease. The stainless steel material holds up well. Unpainted aluminum is corroding, but not to the point of failure.

The good thing is that although the bikes ride, shift, and brake very well, they are really ugly from rust and corrosion, so we don't have to lock them up when we use them -- nobody wants to steal them.


How do I install drop bars on my trek earl? I'm new to doing bike stuff, but I want to install drop bars on my single speed 2012 Trek Earl, how would I go about doing so? What things would I need to take into account before getting started?

Bars of the correct diameter and new brakes.  But since that frame was designed for flat bars drop bars will put you really low.


Adjusting disk brakes after taking off the wheel I recently took off the front wheel off of my mountain bike, and have been having considerably difficulty getting the front wheel on the right spot such that the wheel doesn't rub against the brake when I'm riding. I know there is clearance possible, because if I pull the quick release on my wheel and turn the wheel, it spins just fine. What can I do to align the brake properly?

Tip of the day for how to adjust brakes so they dont rub when tightened:

Use shims on either side of the disk!

Here's how to do it:

Get a beer can and cut a strip about an inch wide and 6 inches long (careful when using this, it's sharp)
Take the wheel off the bike, loosen up the hex cap bolts on top of the calliper, not the wheel, adaptor, etc
Put the shim over disk, in the position where the calliper will float over it, put the wheel back in so the shim is now jammed up into the loosened calliper and do up your quick release nice and tight
Put the brake on a little (to centre the calliper) and tighten up the calliper bolts.
Remove the shim (you may have to remove the wheel) and you should have a really properly aligned brake (either cable or hydraulic).

Make sure your beer can strip is really clean (use soapy water and properly rinse) so you don't contaminate the pads or disk.

I've got Avid Juicy brakes and I had huge problems with getting them properly aligned so they didn't make little squealing sounds whenever I was riding (they never really rubbed) and this made it so much more pleasant!


Using spacers on crank spindle instead of bottom bracket when fitting HollowTech MTB crank to road bb HollowTech road BB is 68 mm wide and fits a road crank without spacers. Hollow tech mountain BB uses up to 3 x 2.5 mm spacers. Hence crank is designed to be used with 75.5 mm wide bottom bracket including the spacers.

Question is if there are issues using a crank with 7.5 mm spacers in a 68 mm (road) bottom bracket? Does it affect load on bearings? Does it affect tightening of the crank?

Use case is quick change from 2x compact road crankset to 1x MTB and back without need to touch to bottom bracket. Front derailleur is already known to work without problems in both combinations.

My guess is that thus setup could work. There should be no problems with the bearings, as moving the cranks slightly outboard is equivalent to moving the riders shoes slightly outboard in terms of forces and leverage.

However: are crank spindle spacers available? I guess plain washers with the correct inner diameter could be used. They would have contact only the bearing inner races though.

You;d also have to check what chainline you get with the MTB crank.


I need to know what kind of spokes to buy I have a Trek 7500FX with Bontrager race lite 700x32 tires. I have broken spokes, I no longer have the book what size spokes do I need?

"The correct length" can be found by measuring an existing spoke.  If your broken spokes have failed at the hub, simply measure from the thread end to the inside of elbow/turn and buy that measurement.  Otherwise take off a known-good spoke, measure, and reinstall.

I've occasionally had to shorten spokes by 1-3 mm because they poke through the nipple into the tube.  10 seconds with a dremel or a couple of minutes with a hand file are all it takes.  Whereas you can't lengthen a spoke, so if in doubt go for a 1mm longer spoke.

Depending on how many spokes have broken, you might find the adjacent surviving spokes are overtensioned now, so get a couple spares, and a decent spoke tool if you don't already have one.

EDIT: Moz makes an excellent point if your wheel is a low spoke count (like in the picture)   If you're not feeling confident, it may be safer to take the wheel to a shop for spoke replacement and true and tension check.


Change Shimano FC-M431 Octalink crank arms to Shimano SLX I won a good deal for a Shimano 2012 SLX FC-M660 set, excluding bottom bracket and crank bolt.

Is there any chance I can upgrade my touring bikes FC-M431 Octalink somehow without changing the chain rings?

If you would like to change to the FC-M660 cranks you are going to have to purchase a new hollowtech ii compatible bottom bracket and change everything. The octalink is a cartridge bottom bracket and the hollowtech ii is an external bearing bottom bracket. The cranks aren't compatible between the two interfaces.

You can get away without a crank bolt as this only provides pre-tension when securing the left crank arm. Borrow one off a friend when fitting your crank then stick it back on the their bike. It makes no difference once the crank is secured.

If your reason for keeping the chain rings is to maintain a gear ratio you can change out the rings, they both use a 4 bolt 104 BCD so the rings are inter-changeable.


Why are tubeless tyres popular in mountain biking? I've noticed that a lot of people use or promote tubeless tyres for mountain biking. Why is this?

It seems a lot of hassle to get a special rim conversion kit and goop to put in the tyre. As far as I can see it still makes a lot of sense to carry a tube in case it all goes wrong out on the trail any way.

Although this is purely anecdotal, I know from my own experience mountain biking that most of my flats were from so-called "pinch flats" (where the tube is pierced by pinching or friction with the tire/rim rather than piercing by an external object). This was highly annoying. After having switched to tubeless some years ago, I've not yet had a single flat. And, obviously, without a tube to get pinched, there's no way to get a "pinch flat".


How to get rid of hub play in XTR FH-M975? I recently bought a 2012 Santa Cruz Superlight 29, and there is some play in the rear wheel. The hub is an FH-M975 (XTR). With the wheel off, you can tell there's some play, but I guess there is supposed to be a little to begin with, and tightening the quick-release should remove the play. Even with a very tight quick-release, there is still noticeable play.

So, I decided to overhaul the hub following the instructions in Zinn. The overhaul went well, but the only way to get the play out is to really crank down the cone so there is no perceivable play in the axle. Zinn is clear, and other advice says the same, to make sure there is some play in the axle, then the quick-release will tighten it up. That said, I have it pretty tight now, and there is only just barely perceivable play in the wheel, and it spins just fine as far as I can tell.

Is there anything wrong here? Could something else be causing this problem? Should I just crank it down a little more until there is no play in the wheel?

The advice that there should be play in a QR hub before tightening the skewer is true for a very high percent of QR bikes in the world because they have standard M10 or 3/8" steel axles, which flex under the load applied by the QR.

Many higher end hubs have oversize axles, usually aluminum, that see little or none of this flex and need to be adjusted as such if they're adjustable. FH-M975 is certainly in this camp, as are a lot of Shimano's higher end hubs from the last decade.

A good test whenever there's uncertainty is to adjust it so there's the smallest perceptible bit of play and observe what happens as you close the QR lever down. It's moving 180° and it should start hitting resistance at 90°. What you want in an axle that does flex is for there to be play remaining at the 45° point but for it all to be taken up in the last 45° of movement, or the last quarter of its total movement. That will give you an essentially perfect adjustment on any QR hub and is also a test for whether the axle stiffness is such that it gets compressed meaningfully from QR forces. In other words, if you find that the play is unchanged from QR compression, you should then go back and adjust it so that all play is removed off the bike.


Why does my stem have no bolts? I am fixing this bike for a friend. The headset is wobbly. All the instructions I find online for how to tighten it stress loosening the stem bolts first, but this bike has none. Is that why, despite my tightening the top cap, it's still loose? If not, what could the problem be? Thank you in advance!

Photo here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/g1i8mJXnquoCLsji8

You have an older type of stem that is used with a 'threaded steerer' fork.

In this system the fork is held on by the large nuts on top of the head tube, the stem is held in the steerer tube with a wedge that is tightened by the bolt on top. On newer, now much more common, 'threadless' steerer systems the fork is held on by the stem clamping the steerer tube.

If the fork is moving in the frame the headset bearing need adjusting. If the stem is moving it need to be tightened (I suspect the former as you say you have tightened the stem bolt already.)

Here are a couple of videos that deal with threaded steerer systems:

Adjust The Bike Headset On A Threaded Steerer

Adjust A Bike’s Handlebars Attached To A Threaded Steerer


Rear wheel drop-out adjustment (1-speed) I've got round to my Twenty/Shopper and besides replacing the tyre also went ahead and got a new KMC chain.
Of course, the links were somewhat shorter, and so I couldn't cut it just right without having to adjust the rear wheel drop-out.
In the end, this is what I got.

Is this drop-out position safe to ride? The nuts are secured to about 300 inch-pounds

UPD: I was just reminded KMC sells half-links, so might just get one and a missing link to lengthen the chain a bit. (now I just need to find a K710 missing link somewhere on this continent)

I would not ride that bike, for brake reasons.

1) The rear rim brakes would be out of position.  Hopefully you've re-adjusted the brake pads.  However rim brakes would be safer than other brakes given that dropout.

2) If you have a coaster brake (ie a backpedal brake)  then a hard stop could tear the axle out the front of the dropout, using the ground as a lever-fulcrum.

3) If you have a drum brake (which is possible given I can see a cable outer and the axle is hollow, perhaps its just not connected in the photos) then the same as for backpedal brakes.

Your safe answer is to simply buy and fit a longer chain.   Yes its annoying.


How to mark pins that were once extracted on a chain? Like many cyclists, I rotate a set of chains (two chains every 1000 km in my case) to minimise gear wear and have an opportunity to do a deep chain wash every now and then. When the time comes, I replace both chains and the cassette, and the chainrings every second time.

This pattern results in a good lifetime for the transmission, but it means each chain is removed and placed back many times.

The chains I use (HG93) don't have a special connector link.

For safety, it's not good to extract the same regular pin more than once.

So what is the best way to mark the pins that were once extracted?

A very close inspection can identify them by some flashing and scratches, but this is slow and tedious, and never reliable. Sometimes I mark the extracted pins (or whole links) with the etch primer (other paints may not last through the use and wash cycles), but I don't always have it at hand.

What other simple methods do you use or know?

You're overthinking this

There are 100-114 links in a chain.  Even blind shooting you have a 3.5% chance of getting the same pin twice out of 5 selections on 114 links.  Even if you did get one twice, it should be perfectly happy to be pressed out again.

Otherwise use a $2 quick link, which are good for several dozen join/parts.  If you use the proper curved pliers, it will be dead-easy to undo.

When I'm out on the road I don't carry the right tool for quicklinks, so I end up using either a length of brake cable inner that is in my toolkit, or some generic leatherman needlenose pliers, which takes a bit of effort.


Different Gear Type when there's no Front Derailleur? I have a 7 speed Jamis Boss Cruiser, 7 gears in back and one up front. I've been using it fine for several months now. Lately, the chain is coming off of the single front gear, usually after stopping at an intersection when I start back up again.

I took it to a bike shop and the guy claims the front gear is not the right type of gear, its the type of gear that's meant to work with a derailleur. He says that's why the chain comes off. I'm disinclined to trust him since it's worked without problems for almost 8 months. If it was the wrong gear, I would have been having problem before now, right? Is it true that there is a type of front gear for use with derailleurs and a type of front gear meant to be used as a single front gear?

Yes, there is a difference between front chainrings for derailleur equipped bikes compared to bikes without a derailleur.

A derailleur suitable chainring is designed to assist the chain climbing onto the chainring, via ramps and pins that the chain engages into.

Non-derailleur chainrings are much simpler and are just the straight teeth.

To solve your problem, you could:

Check your chainring and potentially replace it with a single speed chainring
Get a chain keeper like this one
Or both!

More information is on these questions:

Mysterious case: chain falling off large chainring
Why does my chain keep jumping off the front chainring?


Can I ride home with a broken spoke? I noticed a wobble in my back wheel while commuting in this morning. Broken spoke. Is this a problem that I should take care of before my 7 mile commute home, or can I pick up a spoke and repair it at home?

Yes you can ride home with a broken spoke. I'd probably unscrew the spoke from the nipple before doing so, so that it doesn't wobble around and get caught in other bits of the bike. Bike wheels are wonderful things that can easily put up with having a few spokes missing.


When the the caliper brakes are applied, the pads barely move at all I've done some light maintenance on cheap side caliper systems and I've run into this problem on a few older bikes.

When the the brakes are applied, the pads barely move at all. I've adjusted the brakes so the pads are closer, but they still don't come far enough. They are also rather difficult to push. This only seems to occur on the rear brakes, presumably because they're used the most (at least by these bikers).

Do I need to just get new (better) brake systems or is there some way to fix this?

The inner break spring could also be stucked by rust. In both case, you should remove it, clean it off, then lube it.

In the worst case you'll have to change it.


Are there permanently mounted bike computers? Over the years I've owned multiple bike computers (whose things that tell your speed/distance). Each time the head either falls off while I'm riding or I remove it, but lose it somewhere.

I want my next purchase to be one that is permanently affixed to my handlebars so that it never falls off or gets lost. I'm looking for one with strong mounting mechanism. I want to have to get out a screwdriver to replace the battery. I can't seem to find any one on the market that does this. Any help?

To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer.

  Paul R. Ehrlich

The best computer, is no computer at all! I am sure I will take flack for this, but if all you are interested in is speed and distance, why not go with an old style bike speedometer.  Permanent mounting and no batteries.  Just watch out for the roaming bands of bike hipster thieves, they may steal your whole bike to get at the speedometer.


How can I stop someone borrowing my bike anymore? There's this kid I've been riding with for quite some time that keeps borrowing my bike non-stop leaving me riding his broken bike. Not that I dislike him riding my bike or anything, is just that Everytime I lend him my bike he will be crunching gears uphill, skiddding and knocking on stuff carelessly and my bike will end up having problems, and when I told him my bike has a problem he will say it's not his fault and I end up using my money to fix it. He is riding a folding bike with everything loose and a mountain bike that is at his home that is broken, he is not even bothered to fix both of his bikes. Once, he asked to borrow my bike again and I say no, he looked like he is upset and a bit angry. Is there something I can say to avoid lending my bike to him?

P.s. is this question okay to be posted in this website? If not I'll delete it and I'll just keep lending my bike to him.

This is closed as a duplicate of https://interpersonal.stackexchange.com/questions/21719/how-can-i-avoid-borrowing-my-bike

He probably doesn't feel very empowered to fix his own bikes, and they may have issues that are beyond his means to fix or get fixed for him. He may not really understand like you do that things need to be taken care of to work well, which is perhaps a reason why he's unduly rough on your bike.

It sounds like the allure of a bike in working order and despair over his own situation is causing him to act jealous and selfishly in turns.

As he's your friend, you might consider offering help in fixing his own bikes. Getting some support there may be what he needs to move forward from the habit he's in of leaning on you unfairly. And by learning what it takes to get and keep a bike working well, he may learn to be less unduly hard on them.

Remember you can always post here about whatever mechanical issues you encounter.

Also, I feel this question is reasonably within the bounds of 'bike culture' and is not out of place here.


What is the proper placement of the feet on the pedals when viewed from the top? When placing my feet on the pedals with the balls on it, the outer part doesn't fit the pedal anymore. If I moved the foot backwards, the pinky would not be on the pedal anymore.

I wonder if that is an issue or no problem at all.

The ultimate rule of bike fit, is that if it works for you (i.e., no pain or discomfort) then don't worry too about it too much. Once discomfort or pain becomes an issue then you will have to start to focus the cause.

In regards to generally accepted foot positions, right now most fitters are recommending having the axle of the pedal (the shaft that connects the pedal to the crank) between the 1st metatarsal (ball of foot) and the fifth metatarsal.

This puts the foot forward about 1 cm relative to lining up the ball of the foot with the pedal axle. Given your description of the problem, moving your foot forward would bring more of your foot onto the pedal platform, which could address your issue.

Is this even a problem?

If you are not currently experiencing problems (i.e., discomfort or pain), then arguably this is not an issue.  Not having your full foot supported could however cause discomfort on longer rides if you use soft shoes, as your foot will be bending around the pedal platform. This would be less of an issue with cycling specific footwear, which have stiff soles to better support the foot.


Edit a recorded strava activity? I am wondering if its possible to edit the strava activity recorded by strava app for any errors ( Time, distance W.R.T to cyclo computer)

The requirement for same is due to variance in results from on-board computer and strava app. Its is possible to enter the details manually however the valuable HR data is lost this way.

Any suggestions?

Yes this is possible.   First up I'll be completely blunt

If you're editing your ride to make it look faster, then you're only cheating yourself.

EDIT - THIS WENT AWAY in 2017ish.     However I know strava's app sometimes just stops.  If you have a damaged ride in strava, then use  the SNAP tool at http://strava-tools.raceshape.com/snap/  Feed in the activity ID number which is in the URL when you view the activity.  Then you can tweak portions of your ride back to fit.  SNAP will let you download a GPX file, which can then be uploaded to Strava.com with the upload file function.  Please note, you will end up with two rides, and it will say "Atul rode with Atul" which is wrong.  Once you're happy the new ride is good, delete the old ride.

If you've got a ride that was seriously truncated, and SNAP won't let you tweak it, then you have more to do.
Android Users

Open Google's timeline at  https://www.google.com/maps/timeline?pb   then click Today and see how your ride path was - if its no good then give up here.

Click the gear icon in the bottom right corner and choose "Export this day to KML"  save the file called history-2017-01-28.kml

We need to massage the KML fle to GPX format.  First time I did this was manually with lots of copy and paste which was horrible.  But since then someone's created    https://kml2gpx.com/
which does a fair job.

So upload the gpx file to strava, and then use the crop tool to trim it down.

Since google only takes a location point once a minute, compared to strava's 0.1-10 points/sec the track is a lot chunkier.   Use the SNAP tool as mentioned earlier to get it back on track.

Apple Users
I have no idea - does apple have any tracking like google?
Newton / iBike / powerpod
Grab the Isaac software from http://www.ibikesports.com/support/isaac-software-downloads/  and see if it can help.
Garmin / other bike computer
If your dedicated hardware has munched the ride, you may be stuffed too.  Check out forums - there could be a way to get some info back.
Last Resort
You can create a track in Google Maps and "save as" a KML which can then be massaged into a GPX file.  This is long and tedious, and your times will be completely made up.
Last-Last Resort
A GPX file is only an XML formatted text file.  You can generate one by hand with a text editor.  The format can be seen by downloading an existing ride.
Good to "make up" your distance.  You set a point at every turn and give it a time.  Elevation can be omitted.  I have used my gopro footage as a timebase to figure out offsets between turns/points.  This will produce straight lines between corners with a steady speed between them.  Also, you won't match many segments because of a lack of points
Ultimate Final Last Resort So your best plan is to

Obey rule 5, and go do the route over again.


How can I keep my chain from derailing from the front sprocket under load? I've watched the chain derail from the front sprocket, and there is considerable flex that is causing it. I'm a big guy with an athletic build (6'7"/280lbs), and it's a big-box bike, so I'm not expecting a miracle. Are there sprockets made for people my size that won't flex under load, and if so are they reasonably priced?

UPDATE

The flex that I have seen is actually in the chainring (front sprocket)

I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, but I've been down this road once or twice.  As a hobby, I sometimes pull bike frames out of dumpsters and rebuild them to sell for my cost on Craigslist.  I have learned over the years that bicycles, when new, really cost at least $300-400.  "Bicycle-Shaped Objects" (BSO's) are sold at stores like Wal-Dart and Cost-Mo for much, much less.  These BSO's are, though, just that.  They are a loss for everyone except the manufacturer and the store.  And I doubt the stores are making much on them.

If I find a box-store BSO and seek to rebuild it, I will usually remove and discard that whole front assembly--chainrings, cranks, bottom bracket.  They're usually toast anyway.  WHen I get to this point, I am about to put into the bike probably near what it was worth new at Cost-Mo.  The bottom bracket (bearings between the cranks) will probably run $30 (UN54 baby!).  The cranks I can often get decent ones used for $20-30.  Chainrings another $5-20 a piece, depending on what I am trying to build.

None of these things is really expensive, but it adds up.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU all of this?

Why don't I just say, "get some used quality parts for $5-20?"  Well.  If you're putting that much torque on this thing to bend the chain rings, I wouldn't be surprised if the bottom bracket were screwed up, too.

Sometimes you can get decent used parts at a pretty low price, but I think it is unlikely that your crank-arms will accept replacement chainrings (sprokets).  Usually on box-store bikes, these are riveted-on.  They are disposable. That means replacing the cranks, too.  So.  You're going the whole monte.

So figure, cheapest-possible solution, we're looking at about $100.  What did the bike originally cost?  Maybe $150?  If that's worth it to you, go do it.  It's not all that hard to do yourself.

In my experience, though, when you find one thing wrong... then you find another... and another... pretty soon you have $250 invested in a bike that's worth about $150.

If the bike is "Your Bike" and you have sentimental attachment to it, I understand (I own that bike and continue pouring parts into it).  Otherwise, I'd say look for a quality used bike.  A mid-90's Specialized Rockhopper will run you about $150 and will come with good quality parts that can be more easily worked on.


How do to determine if an adapter is needed for disc brakes and rotors? I have an old older (not too old) bike that already has disc brakes, but I would like to replace them with a totally new set and new rotors.

How can I determine if a given replacement (caliper and rotor) is plausible my bike, and if so if an adapter will be needed or not, and if it is, what to get?

For the particulars, I have a 2000 GT Zaskar and one brake setup I am considering for example Hope v4 with 203mm front rotors and 183mm rear and would like to know if this would even fit.

![enter image description here][5]

Just to enrich this answer, there are the two systems nowadays for mounting the brakes on the fork and frame; these are IS or postmount:
http://www.pricepoint.com/TechPages/TECH_Page_Disk_Mount_Types.htm

Normally you can find adapters to use one or the other.

Regarding the disk-hub mounting, there are also two options,
- 6-bolt (the name is self-explainable, it is the standard in the market):
- or centerlock (Shimano proprietary), which are fixed by a lock ring, similar to the one used to fix the cogset to the rear hub, but on the disk side:
http://www.pricepoint.com/TechPages/TECH_Page_Rotor_Types.htm

You have adapters to mount 6-bolt rotors into centerlock hubs, but the opposite is not possible.

Just one final consideration, if you are running a 26" wheel, current brakes allow a huge braking power with relatively small rotor. Nearly nobody would use more than 160mm on 26", unless you are doing freeride or DH.

Regards.


Can the brake levers be moved from the side to the top of the handlebar? My bicycle currently looks like this:

Can I move the brake levers from the side to the front, so it looks like this?

How do I go about it, and is it good idea? I'm new to riding this kind of a bicycle and I feel very uncomfortable leaning so far to the front to hit at the brakes!

Not really. The levers in the second picture are commonly called "interrupter" levers, and are usually used in addition to the levers you've already got.

I think you'd find that if you simply tried to relocate your existing levers, they wouldn't fit against the tops of the bars very well, and the way the levers are curved would cause them to bump into the handlebars before you had fully depressed them.

You could replace your current levers with interrupters (at least some interrupters are designed so they can be used alone). I'd advise against that: riding from the "tops" of the handlebars can make handling a little dicey, and this would lock you into braking from a less-controlled position. You can ride on the brake hoods or the "ramps" just above them and still apply a fair amount of leverage to the brake levers while being in a position that's reasonably comfortable and controlled.

If your bike is the one shown in the top picture, you can also raise your stem. I think that if you give the forward position a chance, you'll adapt to it. If not, you can replace your handlebars with flat bars (you'd need new brake levers for that as well).


How to thank motorists? Often motorist do something that makes me wish they had stayed at home, but they also frequently do nice things too. Like slowing down to let me in to the lane, or making sure that they overtake with plenty of room etc...

Is there an unambiguous gesture that means "thank you"? I don't want to confuse people about my intentions (by using a gesture that could be interpreted as something else) but it would be nice to show appreciation.

A polite nod, wave or smile usually suffices.

It doesn't need to be much, where I live in the UK raising one or two fingers from the steering wheel is plenty when driving. Not sure about down south, I've heard it's a fairly local thing, but I don't imagine it being too different.


Suggestions for outdoor commercial (security/parking) stands I'm looking for suggestions for space efficient stands for parking multiple bikes.

A sports club (not cycling) for which I sit on the committee is looking to solve a bit of a problem. At the moment many people come to train in the evenings/weekend by bike and end up piling them up in one of the gym rooms. This has been mostly fine because it's dry, relatively secure and they aren't really in the way. The numbers are increasing, though, and ''something has to be done''.

So we're on the search for some stands. We have an amount of outside space that can host some racks, but we want to buy something that can maximise the numbers held, while hopefully still allowing random access (i.e. any bike can be taken away at any time by its owner).

The current suggestion is http://www.esedirect.co.uk/p-2246-the-s-stand-bike-rack.aspx - we've space for about five of these style (i.e. ten bikes).

I feel sure that we must be able to fit more bikes into the space.

So without knowing the dimensions within which we must work, I'm looking for a few candidate types of solutions which are particularly space efficient.

Edit

The main problem I think with these 'S' stands that have been proposed is that, when placed against a wall, I think that the asymmetric nature will mean that, when busy, the slot facing the wall is likely to not be used.

I must admit that my initial reaction is that you have to argue as to why to not just get the Sheffield stand. The wall mounted option looks like an interesting idea and that was certainly the kind of response I was hoping to get!

It is hard to beat a “Sheffield” stand, as they make it easy to lock the bike and don’t bend your wheels if the bike is knocked over.

Cambridge Cycling Campaign did a good write up on the options.


Can a belt driven bike be used in a hilly area? I have been thinking about getting a Canyon Commuter 4.0 but I am worried about the internal geared belt driven system this bike has. The only ones that come with a pannier rack are the belt driven models. How would it perform on a hilly commute? Is it ideal? I climb about 450 meters every day. I used to do it on a single speed bike so the 8 gears of the Shimano Alfine hub should be enough, but I am worried about the belt.

Yes, the gearing should be fine. from http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus8.shtml the lowest ratio is 0.57 which is as low as many mountain bikes.

The belt is actually wider than a metal chain and has longer life, so should be more robust: http://www.conti-drive-system.com/pages/faq/faq_en.html.

But the internal hub has more moving parts, so is slightly less efficient than derailleur based system, meaning you have to pedal a bit harder. But for 450m of climbing, it should be fine.


Suspension setting for slippy and steep uphill Normally one locks or sets both suspensions to a really hard setting to not loose to much force while going uphill. I'm however having problems on steep passages, as my front wheel lifts off the ground, or if I shift to much weight to the front, the back wheel slips. That happens especially often on rooty paths or loose ground.

I'm riding a 29" with 120mm suspension at the front with three resistance settings. The back suspsension has also got three resistance settings. I can't lower my suspensions that they stay at e.g. 80mm.

Question: Is it smarter to set the front suspension to an low resistance, so that the angle for falling off the back is not as steep? Or does the increased bouncing (rebound) of the suspension just increase the risk of toppling over backwards, e.g. when shifting more weight to the rear to gain traction?

The reason for locking suspension uphill is efficiency converting the power you produce into forward momentum. If you are losing forward momentum by slipping, its because you have too much power going to the rear wheel.  This needs to only be for a very short (instantaneous) burst. Once traction is lost, it takes a lot to regain it. Give this, there is no benefit in locked out suspension under these situations.

So, all else being equal, uphill slippery conditions set suspension as hard as you can without slipping. On tree roots, that is probably as soft as it will go.

Technique is really important. You need to ride smoothly and in control of power. You need to predict when the rear wheel is rolling over the tree root and reduce power till over it. High cadence helps as long as you can maintain smooth power. Use momentum to carry you over the root, power up when you have traction and power down before you loose it. Reduce weight on the wheels as they hit the tree root to allow it to roll over smoothly (critical on a hardtail, but helps with softtails). Ideally don't hit a root with front and back at the same time, pick your path to avoid it.

Lifting front wheel and loss of control is caused by too much torque (power) on the back wheel - the same smooth controlled power delivery to climb roots will prevent this. Depending on your bike setup and riding style, you will eventually get to the point you cannot ride up the hill without lifting the front wheel.

Front suspension should not be pushing up fast enough (rebound) to cause you to lift the wheel. If it is, adjust you rebound (if you have it). If the trail is ride able, you won't topple backwards unless you do something silly and are completely out of control.