How to detach a cleat with a warped screw So, the fastener on my old shoes broke beyond my ability to fix it. I got a new pair of shoes and am in the process of transferring my old cleats to those shoes.
The problem is, it appears that the hex slot in one bolt head is warped. The hex key I used to take the other screw out doesn't go in at all. I got the other screw out by sticking a socket wrench head in partway and hammering on it a bit, but no luck on this one.

What are my options for taking this cleat off?

The simplest thing to do would be to buy new cleats.
If you're absolutely set on re-using this cleat, there is a tool called a screw extractor that lets you tap a small reverse-threaded hole in your existing screw. You'll need a power drill to use it. You will at minimum need new screws.
You might be able to fit a hacksaw blade between the cleat and sole to saw off the old bolt, but that seems less reliable.


Conditional clicking from back wheel This drives me nuts for months, I cannot figure out where the clicking sound comes from.
Only comes out after driving uphill, and not on the largest back gear, also not on smallest!
Only happens when I pedal with force, not when just follow slowly or backpedal.
The funny part that it settles down after I backpedal! (thus it cannot be spokes/wheel)
I don't see any dirt in the back derailleur, it has all teeth, but sounds like some consistent metal hitting metal.
I can only feel it via the frame not through the chain.
Chain is well lubed, no stiff links, super silent normally.
Back wheel and gear set is only ~6months old. Gear set is screw type not cassette.
Shifting is perfect. I tried to isolate the spokes so don't mind the paper.
Video with slow motion

It does seem to be in time with your pedalling. If this is the case in any gear, then it would indicate the issue is in the pedals, crank, bottom bracket area.
Check it isn't the front derailleur cable clicking on the right hand crank... rule out the easy one first! The mudguard too, anything that could be rubbing that shouldn't.
Then you would check the pedals, crankset and bottom bracket one by one. If you can swap out the pedals then you can isolate them and see if the problem goes away. Then check the crank bolts are tight and that the chainring bolts are too. Then if not solved you can pull the bottom bracket and inspect it for play in the bearings, replacing it if necessary.
btw, can't see in the video resolution but it almost looks like the front derailleur is incomplete? might want that replacing sometime. If that indicates the condition of the bike (poor) then the bottom bracket could well be worn out and be a strong contender for the noise.


Fix pushchair brake wire with balls at both ends - can my idea work? The problem is with a Jane Trider pushchair so it's not exactly a Bicycles question, I'd love suggestions for a better place to ask this. But all the parts are like on a bike, only they are attached to my daughter’s pram.

A short summary is that an unusual wire has snapped, I have a few ideas how to fix it but each idea has an issue with it.

The brake is based on separate wires for either wheel and a lever pulling both wires at the same time – please see the photos below.
 All photos are taken after removing the snapped wire. The original wire is approx. 1mm diameter, the balls are approx. 3mm diameter, and the gap between the two pins in the handle is only a little less than the size of the ball. Each wheel has a fail-safe spring, which pushes a locking bolt into a slot in the wheel unless retracted by the handle. One of the wires has snapped, so I had to remove the spring and bolt and we are down to one braked wheel. I’m not sure why the wire snapped as they really do not carry that much load (not the braking force anyway). I can only think it was fatigue worsened by gradual wear from rubbing on the two silver pins holding the ball in the handle. There is an original replacement available for £25 + £2.99 delivery, which seems a bit steep considering the amount of work then involved in routing the replacement cables. I would much rather spend that money on some tools and replace the wire myself. Below is the solution I came up with together with some specific questions to keep SE rules happy, but if someone has another solution then I would love that too.

For the record, one of the questions I have asked myself is whether it snapped at the ball or not; the answer is I can’t tell for sure because I’ve already removed the snapped wire from the black cable, but it probably doesn’t matter as it’s definitely too short to just put a new hook/ball on it.

So the best solution I can think of is this:

Cut the “first” 50mm from the handle end of a bike brake wire
Feed through the two pins in the handle so that the cylinder on the bike
wire imitates the original ball
Join the remaining part of the old wire – and here is the question in my post, how do I do this?

Options include:

One or two wire grips or clamps (like shown in the annotated photo below, the orange part is the saddle) – different styles exist but the smallest I can see online are for 3mm wire, way too large. I could make one to imitate how wires are held in brakes and derailleurs, but can’t think what to make it from.

A lap splice – but I can’t think of a way to secure the two wires other than by super gluing
A coupler of this sort used for rebar – but I can’t find any for 1mm wire
A swage crimp – but I’m not convinced the crimps for electric wires have enough grip, and general mechanical ones don’t go down to this size.

Can anyone suggest how to overcome the issue with one of the above four options? Or can anyone suggest a better fix? I don’t fancy replacing the entire handle etc.

As the brake system is designed to fail safe, I think you're good to repair it - carefully of course.

To crimp-splice the cable is perfectly possible. I found these by searching eBay for wire rope crimp (the word "rope" excludes electrical crimps quite nicely).  The 2 mm size should do 1.6 mm cables quite effectively, but if you've got 1.2 cables (as used for bike gears) you might want to get 1 mm crimps as well to see which works better (my daughter's puschair used those).

You probably need to splice in a new length of cable unless you can buy a bike cable with the right end (and you might be able to - zooming in they look like MTB brake cables).

old end   crimp                  crimp      old run to brake lever
↓          ↓                      ↓            ↓
        ______                  ______
O------|      |---          ---|      |---------//---O
    ---|______|----------------|______|---
                       ↑
                  new bit of cable

If there's space I'd double up the crimps on each join, with a few mm gap in between.

The crimp tool probably costs more than the manufacturer's spare part, though a cheap crimp tool for electrical joints might work.  Alternatively I've been successful on similar parts by using blunt side cutters - take a cheap pair of wire cutters and remove the cutting edge. If they're very cheap a file will do, otherwise a grindstone or coarse wet/dry paper.  Then squash each crimp twice at 1/3 and 2/3 of its length.  Squash them hard and pull-test.  If you've got offcuts and spare crimps you can  really put a sample join to the test - it should easily take your weight.

Once again, if this was a pull-to-stop brake I'd be more cautious, but as it's pull-to-release (by your description)  you should be OK.  You do however need to plan and test that the repair doesn't even come close to defeating the spring mechanism.


Changing from 5 to 6 cog freewheel on 1986 Stumpjumper-Sport Refining a prior posted question.  15 speed 1986 Specialized Stumpjumper-Sport has original 5 cog freewheel, 14-30. Original Analog shifters.  Biggest cog needs replacement.   Individual cogs are no longer available.   5 cogs is plenty for my needs, but 5 cog freewheels seem pretty rare these days.  Shimano makes two versions of a 6 cog freewheel that are sold through Walmart.com for $10 - $15. 14-28 (MF-TZ20), or 14-34 (MF-ZH30).  Prices seems pretty good.     What are the issues involved in transitioning from a 5 cog to one of these 6 coggers?

Would it fit in the same axel space?
6 cog chain compatibility spec states 3/32".  Does that imply a Shimano Hyperglide chain?
If so, would SH chain be compatible with existing front chainwheel cogs?
Any derailleur/cog clearance issues switching from 30 to 34 cog?

(axle width) Maybe, there is a pretty good chance your bike is already at 130mm O.L.D. spacing. Road bikes would be at 120 or 126mm from that era, but a mid 80's MTB has a reasonable chance of being at 130mm.

http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_n-o.html#old

2-3. All chains for geared bikes are 3/32 interior dimension, the difference between 7-11 speed is the outside width. You should buy a new chain if you buy a new freewheel, any quality 8spd chain is fine and should work on your current chainwheels.

For an MTB derailler 30 -> 34 should not be a problem. You will likely need to make adjustments to the B screw to make sure the cage clears the largest gear.

http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ba-n.html#btension


Replacing quick release wheel with ebike - motored wheel I intend to upgrade my FireFox Sniper V to electric, by replacing the front wheel with a motorised kit wheel.
My question is that the wheels (both) are quick-release: is it safe to motorise this bike.

! - the motorised kit wheel is bolt on type.

Yes, probably and maybe.   I'm unfamiliar with your bike model, but I have run my own ebike front motor for a couple years.

To answer your question - the old wheel is quick release, but the replacement one will likely be a bolt-on wheel.  It is possible to use quick release adapters, but wheel nuts are more secure and will hold the anti-spin washers better than a QR.

The main problems stem from design of the front forks and power of the motor.  As your motor powers on, the torque is transmitted through the axle.  Over time the dropouts get chewed out.

What is the wattage of your motor?   Anything under 300 watts doesn't have enough impulse power to cause a problem.  If you have over 500 Watts then a torque arm will help keep your forks working.

Here's an image of a torque arm - it helps distribute the rotational energy into the fork rather than just through the dropout.

Do you have disk brakes?  Your motor kit has to have bolt holes to support the rotor in the right place.   This is not an issue for rim brakes, but your rim brakes need to be working perfectly to cope with the extra speed and momentum.


Should I upgrade the hub, cassette or wheel so my bike will make a sound when I don't pedal? I have a Hardtail 29' M Niner 2016, Shimano XT 10 speed, everything is perfect but I always wanted to have that sound from the hub when I go for a ride, so I want to know what I need to upgrade to have that sound?

It's the freehub rachet mechanism in the hub that makes a rapid repeated clicking sound when you stop pedaling. The cassette is not involved as it slides on the splined freehub body and has no moving parts. (Older technology freewheels combined the sprockets and rachet mechanism on on unit though.)

Silent or quieter hubs are usually considered an upgrade. If you really want a noisy hub you can but a replacement hub and have the wheel rebuilt. Wheel rebuilds almost always require new spokes and take a couple hours of labor so it's very often more cost effective to simply buy a new wheel.


Shimano hydraulic brake loses pressure I recently changed the brake pads on my Shimano 105 (ST-R7020), and when pushing the pistons back, I felt a "pop", and the pistons moved back with no resistance at all.

After using the bike for a couple of days, the brake now does not work anymore. It has become very "spongy" and does not maintain the pressure. I can pump it again, and then it keeps pressure for a while, but then soon loses pressure.

I have tried bleeding it again, without success. I fear that something is broken in the brake lever - something that would normally prevent the spring between the brake pads from pushing the oil back in the reservoir.

Since a new brake lever is expensive, I was hoping someone would know how to fix it? Or know where to get spare parts for the brake lever, instead of having to buy a completely new.

I resolved the problem by changing the caliper. Now everything is working fine. Thanks for all the help, and details on how a brake system works.


What type of bike I should buy if I need to ride with a toddler Which Bike (Mountain, Hyibrid, Cruiser or Road bike) I should buy if I want to carry my 3 year old daughter on a Child Carrier (fits in rear).

Here is one image of child Carrier I have. It attaches to the rear carrier and stays quite stable for normal usage.

As I want to use my bike for occasional office commute as well, cargo bikes doesnt fits my need.

Safety, Ease of use, utilitarian  value and reliability are primary factor for me.  Any advise is welcome. ( I am also fine with changin child seat if it is not safe)

Thanks in advance for you advise.

A 3-year-old affects the bike's balance and handling, so you want something quite forgiving.  Suspension will make you work really hard with the extra weight bouncing around over the back wheel (even just front suspension) and you should be wary about riding the sort of thing that really needs it on a back-heavy, top-heavy bike.

Road frames are often carbon fibre -- don't even go there with trying to mount heavy loads. Plus they aren't built for forgiving riding.  There's also no point -- a child in a seat (or an empty seat) is an effective airbrake.  Skinny tyres aren't great either.  If you really want drop bars, go for a tourer, they're more designed for attaching and riding with loads.

So you're left with hybrids, cruisers and other upright (city-style) bikes.  These tend to be alloy or steel, and often have rack-mount points, which you might need.  I normally ride a hybrid, and take my 3 year old on the back. Having carried her on an e-bike with cruiser bars and a very upright sitting position I would said the hybrid is easier, but that may be about bike fit. Among these, it should fit you (you'll be riding slower with a heavier load, fit matters) and should handle well including riding one-handed to signal.

The ability to carry some form of front luggage is very useful.  This could be a front rack or handlebar bag.  I can squeeze a pannier onto the rack under my rear seat, but it's behind the back axle and makes the handling even worse.  Conversely a front bag actually helps with the weight distribution, as does a well-balanced pair of front panniers.

Reading your "on a child carrier" as meaning a seat mounted to the bike, you have a few options:

Front seats. I've only mentioned these in case you don't know about them and to get them out of the way.

Top-tube seat (between your knees).   Example, (almost) minimal example, common in mainland Europe. This needs  horizontal (or nearly) top tube.
Front seat (stem mounted) .  I've never seen one in real life.

Pros: you can see and talk to your child; weight distribution; may be used as well as a rear seat to carry two children
Cons: get in the way of your knees even when unoccupied; child is very exposed to wind/rain/debris flicked up by passing vehicles; small weight/size range for a given model.

Again only to get it out of the way:

A trailer.  While there are a variety of attachments, most clamp on in some way -- metal frame usually necessary, and often a pain with disc brakes.  These will last longer as they have a higher weight limit. Most if not all are compatible with at least some full-suspension mountain bikes. Some attach to the axle, which increases the range of bikes they'll work on.

Pros: protection from the elements; available for two children; may be useful off the bike if you can fit a front wheel etc.; a good chance of staying upright even if you don't.  Good for heavy children or children plus lots of stuff.
Cons: heavy; extra rolling resistance; lots of drag; too wide for some bike infrastructure and drivers; hard to store/lock up. The drag/rolling resistance really is a big deal compared to a rear seat, having tested both over the same ride in recent weeks. I've also found trailers to be worse than rear seats on rough gravel tracks, especially uphill. Many designs have a surprisingly low height limit (my daughter is well within the weight range but doesn't really fit with a helmet on).

Now for the rear seats:

Seat-post-mounted seat.  This is what I had.  With some models you can get a (narrow) luggage rack underneath, but you can only use the rack with the seat fitted if your bike has an unusually long wheelbase and then not well.  These require a metal seat post of the right (within a fairly wide range) diameter.  For the price of an extra bracket you can easily swap between bikes. This is probably your best choice if you really want to fit to a bike with disc brakes, and potentially your only option to put a seat on a bike with rear suspension (though you'll need to check compatibility very carefully).
Rack-mounted seat.  While some of these are universal, most have a dedicated rack. I've seen a few of these.  They often have a lower weight limit than the seat-post mounted ones.  You can't usually get panniers on the rack at the same time as the seat.  Again, buy another rack and you can swap between bikes.  They need proper rack mounting points (not P-clips), which normally means an alloy or steel frame, and may not be compatible with disc brakes. There's no way for these to work with rear suspension - they're too heavy when occupied for the only racks that would work there.
Rear seat replacing the rack.  Now my daughter is older she has a new seat (with just a lap belt).  This clamps to the seat post and seat stays, so is for steel or tough alloy bikes. There's some luggage-carrying capacity but the thing that looks like a pannier rack isn't really, However the seat is far enough back that I can wear a backpack.  These older/bigger seats are rare in the UK; mine is one of only two I've seen of this model, but I've seen a few cheaper ones I didn't trust.

Pros (of rear seats in general): you shield the child from the worst of the weather and debris; the seat can be large and supportive; seats are usually (but by no means always) easy to remove/swap between bikes; the same seat can do 9 months to 6 years; you can ride like normal
Cons: you don't know what the child is up to (falling asleep, unclipping and dropping toys); you can't hear what they're saying if there's traffic around; fitting panniers not simple.

Examples are for illustration only.  Sorry they're only links but image licensing is a pain.


Disc brake conversion for Trek 7.5 FX from 2012 Looking for a few tips to help me with a project. I got a Trek 7.5 FX 2012 as a hand-me-down and love the bike, but I am having trouble getting used to the brakes. I would like to do a conversion to disc brakes but I have never done a project like this before. I am an apartment dweller and so this is the only bike I have for commuting so I also can not afford to have it out of commission for an extended period of time while I tinker with it. I am thinking I need a new fork, new front and back wheels, rotors, mechanical calipers, and a mounting system for the rear caliper on the frame. What parts specifically should I get and what advice should I listen to to avoid common pitfalls?

New fork, wheels and brakes is a significant art of the bike. You'd be better off selling the bike a buying a new one with disc brakes. Especially as the market for cheap MTBs or hybrids is exploding in the Washington DC region during the Corona pandemic. (Yes, I looked where you located, and that's where I live too)

Going the new bike route avoids screwing around with a rear disc brake converter and ensures you have a bike available at all times.

Alternatively, V-brakes really should be perfectly adequate and have sufficient stopping power and modulation for a road oriented hybrid. Have you considered having the brakes tuned, or perhaps upgrading the pads? Properly adjusted brakes and high end pads can make a great difference to braking performance.


Electric road bike - Compatibility questions I am building an ebike on a road frame. I am using a Bafang G310 rear hub motor & 8 Speed Shimano cassette. I plan to use a long MTB rear 8 spd derailleur (either Acera or Alivio). For my crankset I have been considering the 105 Shimano FC 5700 Crankset OR the SHIMANO 2018 FC-5800 105 172.5 50/34 11-SPD BLK CT CRANKS. Can these be compatible with an 8 speed cassette? My frame is a Gosforth 931. Is there a set for 2x8 spd flat bar shifters that is compatible with both the rear mtb derailleur and 105s?

is an 11 speed 105 crank/chainrings going to work if everything else is 8 speed?

Yes that should work fine.  Bicycle chain has a fairly consistent inner width, its the outer width that varies between 7+8/9/10/11/12 chain.  7 and 8 speed chain is the same width.

If you're using an 11 speed Front Derailleur then the cage could be quite tight for 8 speed chain, so using the 8 speed FD should fit better or you could spread the cage with leverage.

Are there shifters that will work?

Sure - the rear shifter only depends on the cassette spacing and not its width.  Since you have a MTB rear derailleur, you want an 8 speed shifter which could be indexed pod/trigger shifter, or a non-indexed friction shifter.

There is no need to have identical shifters either.  You can mix and match whatever you like.

As for the front shifter, you'd want a double that supports the 11 speed chainring spacing.  This might be different to the 8 speed spacing on the front.

So the dirty hack for front shifting is a friction shifter.  It may not be as pretty as a pod shifter, but you can adjust both position and trim while riding.

I've had an ebike, and it was quite heavy.  Don't discount a triple on the front if you ever ride up significant hills.

Your choice of 8 speed rear is good - there are a lot of parts readily available for reasonable prices, and the chain is robust compared to thinner chains.

A long cage derailleur may not be required - but will allow a larger rear cog than a medium cage.  Long cage hangs lower than medium, so can be more exposed to grasses or rocks.


Is it unhealthy to fail this bike fit and why? Recently, on a beginner MTB lecture, I learned that the pedal axle should in no part of the stroke be horizontally in front of the knee. Not observing this is unhealthy for the knees.

Also, here (btw great video) they explain a similar thing. For a "correct fit", the knee should line up with the pedal axle.

Currently I am riding my little sister's mtb. The seat is high enough, but even being slided maximum to the front, I fail the above test miserably (the seat tube is quite angled). A couple of weeks of short rides, and my knees already hurt constantly (maybe placebo effect?).

Why would having the seat too far back be unhealthy for the knees?

This principle, "Knee Over Pedal Spindle" or KOPS is archaic and wrong. It assumes ideal morphology.

I am about 6ft/185cm tall. For my height, I have comparatively short legs. I have large feet, size EU48/UK13/US14. KOPS gives me inappropriate knee and ankle angles.


Can I use adapter to adjust Q-Factor like curved cranks? So I just picked up an FSA power meter that is 386 EVO compatible and I replaced my FSA crank , but then realized that my original  FSA crank is curved and the power meter crank is straight so it hits rear chainstay.. Is there any adapter or spacer I can use to have it clear the chain or should i just get get curved cranks.

The picture makes it appear you stuck a BB386EVO crank into a BB30/PF30 bottom bracket without BB386 adapters:


Can I convert my velocity 9-speed rear road hub to bolt-on? I have an older velocity wheelset with their standard 9-speed road hubs. Can I convert these hubs (particularly the rear hub) to bolt on?

You could get locking skewers (e.g. pitlock) or skewers which have hex bolts (e.g. this) [obviously, having a hex key or a 15 mm wrench isn't really secure, but pitlock is more secure], if you want it for the security. But all you need to do is run down to your bike shop with your wheel+skewer and get them to match it to an appropriate solid axle in most cases if you really want a solid axle (since you didn't specify exactly which hub you have, we can't really give more details).


Can anyone recommend a bike for me? Presently, I am riding a women's Trek road bike. I ride mostly flat roads and sidewalks, approximately 125 miles/week.  My bike is 6 years old and I need a new bike.  I felt this bike was too high maintenance for me as I averaged a flat at least once/month and often spent $300. at my yearly check-up, replacing the chain, cassette, etc.

If it’s just about maintenance costs: Maintenance of a new, regular bike is going to be just as expensive or even more expensive because newer components usually cost more (e.g. 11 speed components vs. 10 or 9 speed).

You could get a low-maintenance bike, for example the chain on a single speed or internal gear hub lasts much longer and there is no expensive cassette which needs replacement.

However, unless almost everything on your current bike needs replacement my advice would be to keep it, but:

Get more puncture resistant tires to avoid flats. They’ll roll slightly worse or cost slightly more but with “puncture proof” tires you’ll basically never suffer a flat. Usually the rubber also lasts longer.
Regularly check chain wear and replace the chain early enough. This will reduce wear of the (more expensive) cassette and chain rings. And of course keep the chain clean (I just wipe it down with a rug, others go as far as taking off the chain) and well lubricated.
Get (relatively) cheap chains and cassettes. For example Shimano 105 chains and cassettes are much cheaper than their Ultegra or Dura Ace counterparts while performing almost identically.
Do as much maintenance yourself as possible. With your weekly mileage it absolutely makes sense to get appropriate tools.


What are the widths of Shimano 8, 9, and 10 speed cassettes? I was hoping that someone could provide me with the precise Shimano road-bike 8, 9, and 10 speed sizes for the following:

Cassette Spacer Width
Cog/Tooth Width
Maximum Chain Width

I think these may be what you're looking for. FYI, a lot of this information is available with a little searching. Depending on what exactly you are looking for, you might want to look up a document for a specific cassette as the numbers might be slightly different.

Spacer widths (From Shimano tech docs)

8  Spd: 3.00mm
9  Spd: 2.56mm
10 Spd: 2.35mm (1.0mm for lower spacer)

Cog/Tooth Width (From Sheldon Brown)

8  Spd: 1.8mm
9  Spd: 1.78mm
10 Spd: 1.6mm

Chain widths (From wikipedia)*

8 speed - 7.1mm (all brands)
9 speed - 6.6 to 6.8mm (all brands)
10 speed - 6.2mm (Shimano, Campagnolo)
10 speed(Narrow, Direction) - 5.88mm (Shimano CN-5700,CN-6700,CN-7900)

*These chain widths are the standard widths, which I assume are recommended. I wouldn't go wider, but a narrower chain will probably work as some chains are cross-compatible.


Why no wheels with rope instead of spokes? Spokes in a wheel are (shall) be loaded always in tension. Seems like a simple rope of steel strings would do.

Furthermore, uneven spoke tension can lead to lots of problems (among which loose spokes, broken spokes, cracked rim holes). A single strand of thread, passing through all spoke holes in a star-like fashion would eliminate uneven tension.

And even if such a wheel isn't technically superior to current designs, it would be interesting. People throw thousands at purchasing 3-spoke wheels, grouped spoke wheels and whatnot.

Mavic has made some wheels like you describe, more or less.  They're called "R-Sys" and they have aramid (Kevlar) spokes surrounded by carbon fiber sheaths.  Here's an exploded view:

For more details about that, see the page the image is from: http://www.pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/FAIL-105.html

More seriously, yes, you could make wheels with "rope" spokes only.  Why do the Mavic ones have the carbon sheaths then?  I would speculate that the carbon acts as armor for the aramid fibers, which must never be nicked or they will fail.  The carbon also stabilizes the whole arrangement, reducing lateral flex.

As for your notion that spoke tension would always be even if continuous fibers were used, I'm not so sure.  The problem is that to achieve self-evening tension you would need to allow the fibers to run freely through some turning points.  And if they run freely they will abrade rather quickly if they actually move at all.  So you're at an impasse: either the fibers move and wear out prematurely (and perhaps lead to collapse of the wheel even sooner because of unstable geometry), or the fibers in fact do not move and you have the same tensioning concerns as with conventional wheels.

Finally, consider that spokes are thin and behave not like rods or struts so much as wire.  So in a way we are already riding your wheels of the future today.


Front shock Absorbers I bought a second-hand Chevrolet folding mountain bike with 26" wheels

I have had it a few days and the front shocks are making noise when they absorb.  The Previous Owner said its normal.

Today I opened the shock at a repairing shop.  There was no oil inside - it was dry.  What should I do?

And where is the position of a dumper in shocks?

What information is available on these models make it appears to be an lower cost Big Box Store quality bike. It has non descript components. These bikes typically have a very simple suspension. The shocks consist of a spring and plastic sleeves that act as bushings. The dampening rate can be adjusted by removing the plastic caps on the fork crown and inserting a long 5mm allen wrench. Tightening the screws preloads the springs and makes it stiffer. There is no rebound adjustment. Parts to rebuild these are usually not available. You can (with care) disassemble them to clean and lube the plastic sleeves. If this doesn't improve anything, a new fork will likely cost more than replacement cost of the whole bike. These types of bikes can be used as short term commuters, they won't last long if used for aggressive off road riding.


How to find replacement crank arm? recently the crank arms on my Nishiki Colorado Comp 27.5 bike failed. I must’ve struck an obstacle with my pedals during my ride yesterday, because on the way home I noticed the right pedal was bent and when I removed it the threads were torn up. I installed this pedal myself; I confirmed it went in with the correct thread direction, though I settled on hand tightening.

So obviously I need a new crank of about 8” (200mm) and with 4 bolts. But I’m not sure how to find the proper crank, nor how to avoid this crank destruction in the future.

To find a replacement, there are a few details that you need to get from your current crankset. The most important one is to find what the bottom bracket of your bike is. You may need to remove the crank arms to work this out.

Next, you need to know the bcd of the chainring to ensure that it will fit on your replacement crankset. Also verify that the four bolts are evenly spaced on the chainring, as some brands like Shimano change their bolt spacing in a way that is only compatible with Shimano cranksets or a select few third party cranksets designed to take Shimano chainrings.

Lastly, purely for bike fit reasons, you'll want to ensure that the replacement crank arms are the same length. While the arm of your current crankset might be 200 mm, that is not the measurement that you need for this. To measure crank length, you need to measure the outside of the crank arm from the centre of the spindle to the centre of the hole for the pedal. This measurement should be between 170 and 175 mm on almost all standard bikes.


Definitive reference for tire widths? Is there a reference/source/method for definitively determining the width of a bicycle tire without actually having it in hand?

I ride a 2009 Jamis Aurora which came stock with 32 mm Vittoria Randonneurs.  I wore the rear tire through, so I did some research on new tires and the 35 mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondial sounded like it fit my needs.  Googling around forums, I gathered that it would be fine to put a 35 mm tire on the Aurora.  This turned out to be not true -- it seized up against the frame right away.  Interestingly, the contact was actually on the chain stay, not the seat stay.

I'm a little bummed out by that, but I put the Mondial on the front (which fit fine) and threw the (formerly front tire) Vittoria Randonneur on the rear.  Having now riden on the the Mondial, it makes  huge difference: it feels way nicer than the Randonneurs.  I want to know what I can replace my remaining Randonneur with, but am concerned about it seizing up?

For the record my rim width is 20 mm.

On a side note, doesn't it seems odd that a 'Touring' frame cannot support a 35mm tire?

I have had similar issues with mountain bike tires. While the industry seems to have done a good job of standardizing rim sizes, tire width seems to vary. One brands 2.0 inch tire can be larger than another brands 2.1. Of course there is some variances with rim widths and tire pressure and tread design, but overall it seems there are no meaningful standards for width. This is where a good relationship with your local shop can be helpful. They may allow you to try sizes and brands to find a good fit. The added cost of buying locally may be offset by not paying return shipping.


Why would spokes break at the flange early? I have a professionally-built Rohloff wheel, 32-spoke, symmetrical, laced to Velocity Dyads with Sapim Race spokes, disc brakes. It is about six years old, built in 2011; but I mostly just use it when I go touring, so only about 5,000-6,000 miles on it. Always seemed very true, never wrecked, no unusual events.

On a recent tour, a spoke broke while I was stopped, eating lunch. I replaced it and tried to match its tension to the other spokes by tone-when-plucked. Next day, another spoke broke while riding on smooth pavement. I'd only had one spare spoke, so I rode for another kilometer or so minus one spoke, but that really put the wheel out of true. I walked until I found a kindly stranger gave me another 2mm straight-gauge spoke of about the same length.

When I put that replacement in, I de-tensioned all the spokes by about half a turn (thinking "maybe these spokes are too tight"), very carefully tried to equilibrate tension on all of them by tone, and trued out the deflection caused by riding minus one spoke. I finished the tour, maybe another 550 miles, like that, no more spoke breaks.

I'm going to re-spoke the wheel -- I don't trust any of the spokes in it anymore. But I'm also trying to determine a cause here. I don't want to have this happen again. Other points:

Rohloff pointed out that there was a bad batch of Sapim Race spokes at one point. Sapim says that batch was not in 2011, when these wheels were built (various internet posts make it look like that was 2014).
Rohloff support was like "sounds like a spoke problem, can't help you." (fair enough)
Sapim was like "doesn't sound like a spoke problem, can't help you" (no I don't understand that logic either)
My wheel builder has a good reputation but for whatever reason has not been responding to calls or emails, so no information there.
The breaks are 6mm and 13mm from the neck bend. So around the hub flange. Pictures below; I lost one of the spoke heads.

Any ideas on cause? My initial theory was that it was built too tight, but most advice online (and Rohloff support, and Velocity support who I also emailed) says that'd be unusual. I guess I just can rebuild and hope for the best, but it would be nice to have some sense of causation so as to prevent this from happening again.

I've broken a spoke on a well-built wheel simply from hitting a bump in the road a little too hard. And on a generic wheel, I've seen that when one spoke breaks, the spokes at 90° intervals from it start breaking, even after I replace the first broken spoke. My guess is that this reflects a pattern of underlying stresses. So neither of your spoke breaks surprise me that much.

Since this is a Rohloff hub, you shouldn't have super-high tension on just the drive side due to dishing, so we can rule out that frequent cause of spoke breakage.

It might be fatigue. Jobst Brandt regarded fatigue failures as a consequence of failing to stress-relieve the spokes when the wheel was built.


maintenance schedule tracking software Can't seem to find software to track maintenance i do / is due on bike(s).

I just want to enter when i changed the chain/casette on bike A, then track how many km ive gone with it. Distance could be entered manually or pulled from stava or some such site.

You mention Strava: they do that for you. If you register components and parts of your bike like a chain it will show the mileage from the registering date. It might a bit problematic if you have two sets of wheels (like one for rain and another for sunny days)that you use alternatively.


Should rim tape cover the small holes at the side of the rim? My rims have a couple of small holes along the edge of the flat at bottom of the bead (just above the valley). I assume they are there to vent the space between the tube and the tire, i.e., to let air out as the tube is inflated, but I don't see why that should be necessary. Maybe they are manufacturing artifacts?

The holes are small -- about a 0.1" (2.5 mm) in diameter. Should I cover them with rim tape to protect the tube? That will require wider rim tape--wide enough to get into the bead area. Seems bad.

Schwalbe's Q&A Which rim tape should I use? advises a tape that covers the rim bed over the full width. According to the pictures, only the floor of the bead area should be covered. I guess this is in agreement with the ETRTO standards.


When is it worth rebuilding a frame? I found a discarded 'mongoose alta' frame and an 'araya - japan' front wheel. It's missing the rear wheel and the seat (no seat post either)

Looks like the gear change is still in very good shape...

All these missing parts will add up. How do I know if it’s worth fixing  this bike back up or not?

Unless the frame is unusually valuable, it is almost never "worth it" to buy new major parts, such as a new rear wheel (with cluster, et al).

A new rear wheel, once you've got the sprockets and tire on it, will cost in excess of $100, and could run $200-300 if you're determined to find "equivalent" parts.  Likewise for a bike missing a fork, a crank assembly, etc.

You can, however, get a pretty good deal using salvaged parts, either salvaging them yourself (from other scrapped bikes) or buying them from bike shops that are into this sort of thing.

I spent this afternoon helping to turn 4 broken bikes into 2 good ones, for the local school system.


Front chain ring wear Photo attached. Does the front chainring should be changed?

[UPDATED PHOTOS]

In case if yes. Almost all that exists for affordable prices is made from aluminum. Is it significantly weaker than from stainless steel?
Any opinion about this chainring?
For example https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33017750885.html

Yes that chainring is noticeably worn.  When comparing the two photos, focus on the top and you can see the tips lean to the right in one shot and to the left in the other shot.  Flipping between them looks like someone waving.

That, along with the slack test shows there is wear.   Since you're getting chain slip, that wear shows its time for a new chainring.

As for Aluminium vs Steel vs other materials like carbon fibre, well its all a cost/weight/durability triangle.  (the old Pick Any Two conundrum)

A related aside...  If you never ever use the inner chainring, this might be a good time to consider a 1x setup so a narrow-wide single chainring.

Personally, I've seen chainrings in much worse state, working perfectly well.  It comes down to your power, your chain state, and other variables like chainline/angle etc.


How many days does it take for an absolute newbie to bike 330km? I have no cycling experience but want to purchase a bike and do a 330km multi-day route by myself. Before getting into this somewhat risky business, I would like to run pros/cons by experts on this site. :)

My pros:

Physically fit. Should be OK in term of cardiorespiratory.
I will be biking in a highly populated area (around Bay Area). So if anything goes wrong I can just get a Uber and go home.

My cons:

0 cycling experience.
Maybe a weak knee. Got a bad knee from running long distance in the past. Haven't used it for a long time but should be much better now.

My question is, is it reasonable for a person like me to finish this in 3 days? Any suggestions? Thanks!

Don't do it, unless you're an athletic teenager!  You haven't toughened your backside or your hands to endure riding for hours.  Your lower back, which complements the legs, would develop incredible aches, as would your shoulders, which are used to keep your head up.  The good news is that your knee would probably be fine, assuming that your pedals allow some "float" (right-to-left rotation).  I assume that you have a quality bike that has been recently checked by a mechanic and fitted to you, because little things like the exact seat position matter for long rides.

How much training you would realistically want to do prior to the event would depend upon your age and your state of fitness, but I'd suggest at least a month of riding three days a week.

I've read lots of stories from people who have tried long-distance events with no preparation, and many of them survived, but they all said they wished they had prepared!  You might be able to survive, but would it be an enjoyable experience?  I doubt it...  If the event is coming up soon, I'd recommend to skip it this year and start training for next year's event.


Brompton front light recommendations? Can anyone recommend a LED front light for Brompton (S Type) that can remain attached when the bike is folded and works well for commuting in town?

The folding causes problems in that anything protruding more than a couple of centimeters forwards of the stem and bars hits the spokes of the front wheel when the handlebars are folded down.

There is the official Brompton light set, but I wondering about other options.

The Brompton-listed set use a Busch & Muller lights - the IQ Cyo with the SON and one of the halogen lights with the Shimano.  All of the B&M lights use the same front mounting bracket to the top of the fork crown, so it looks like any of them would work.

Those brackets are also fairly easy to come by, and you could pretty easily modify any handlebar light to mount there as well - a piece of tubing and a bolt would be all it takes.  Or you can buy the official B&M one.

As far as recommendations, it really depends on your price sensitivity and how much lighting you need.  I really like the IQ Cyo, but at over $100USD it's pricy. Of course, compared to the $200 EDelux, that's a bargain.


Replace Vintage Shimano Trigger Shifter I have a Cannondale M600 Red White & Blue.
My 7 speed Shimano integrated trigger shifter will no longer function.

I cannot tell the model

I cannot fix it nor find an identical replacement what other compatible Shimano shifters Can I use?

Looking up the M600 on Bicycle Blue Book, it seems it was outfitted with Shimano STX SE Rapidfire shifters to work the 3x7 drivetrain. A Google search of "Shimano STX SE Rapid fire Shifter" yielded several results, including many videos on fixing a problematic STX shifter and it's rapid fire cousins.  You dont describe the specific problem with yours but often with these types of shifters, the pawls become stuck with old dried grease and dirt and thus the shifting is unreliable or non-existent.  Removing the cover and dousing the innards with WD-40 or similar degreaser while working the levers will clean the mechanism, freeing up the pawls, restoring their motion, and the shifter begins to function anew.  Follow up the cleaning with application of a better lubricating spray grease and you may have a reconditioned shifter to use. Details can be found in several videos offered by search engine. Here's one such video.

Should you want or need replacement STI's, Shimano's current and readily available  model, ST-EF500, is a 3x7  set-up and would be a drop in replacement.  However if it's original, stock equipment you must have, the same search as above contained hits of the STX for sale, even a couple NOS (New Old Stock).


Help selecting between wire/folding tires I’m hoping someone can help me decide whether to go with the wire bead type or foldable Kevlar.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?

The bike is an old Fuji that originally came with 700x19c tires.

I’m not an avid biker just riding around on bike paths mostly on weekends. Maybe ride about 20 miles a weekend, but since I’m in the market for new tires I’m looking to purchase wisely. Thanks

For most of us it makes little difference.

Kevlar beads are supposed to be harder to fit but the hardest job I've had fitting tyres has been with wire. Some tyres are available in both (there's normally a little difference in the compound as well). The kevlar version is nominally more expensive, but can be cheaper if it's stocked in more competitive places. I found this with my winter tyres. As the kevlar version folds it can be cheaper to ship as well.

The weight saving of kevlar is real but small enough that you're not going to notice unless you're racing at a high level.


Tire size compatibility, 700x35c or 700x38c for original size 700x37c I own this bike : speed 2012 ridgeback

The tires are worn out and I have decided to buy schwalbe marathon plus (since I often had flat tire due to broken glass on bicycle paths in my town)

The original tires are Continental Contact 700×37c.

Which size of the schwalbe should I choose :

37-622 28x1.40, 700x35C SmartGuard, or
40-622 28x1.50, 700x38C SmartGuard

I found the sizes on the schwalbe Bike Catalogue

Both of those tires are quite close to the tires that you already have. There is a really good chance that they will fit. Because of the extra material in the SmartGuard layer these tires are taller than they are wide, but only by a couple of millimeters. So all you need to be concerned about is to look at the clearance on your bike with your current tires. Do you have decent clearance between the red of the tire and the crown of your fork and the bridges in the rear (or the fenders if you have the fenders installed)? 10-15 mm would be very comfortable, on my old Trek I've got like 5 mm. I don't have enough room to comfortably run fenders with my Marathons, but I'll be OK until the rain returns :-)

If you have enough room at the top, you probably also have room at the sides, but it is worth looking there too. The more generous the clearance the fewer hassles you'll run into with bits of junk on the road (it can get caught between the tire and the frame) or an out of true wheel – like if you break a spoke. From the look of the bike in the photos you should have plenty of room – the lower edges of the fenders appear to be aligned with the full diameter of the tires and the specs say that the bike comes with 37 mm tires.


Hybrid bike size issue.. help? in need of help. Looking at buying a hybrid bike. Anxious on getting the correct size. Different sites say different things for the size I require. The bike I’m looking at is the carrera subway 1 men’s. (This is my budget) I’m a female 5ft 6in (167cm) with a 29.9in (75cm) inseam. The bike has 27.5 tyres. Do I need 16” or 18”. The size guide says 16 but I’m anxious and others are telling me that’s to small? Thanks.

Smaller bikes are easier to ride and you can raise the saddle to the correct height so your knees aren't damaged. If you go too small you can get toe overlap with the front wheel, but on a mountain bike the wheelbase is longer and this is unlikely to be an issue.

Generally women have shorter torsos and longer legs. So they difference in a women's frame is generally a shorter top tube. Getting a smaller size frame and raising the saddle a few extra cm's will do the same thing to a man's bike.

Please don't get a man's bike that is too big for you, it's never going to be fun to ride.  If you have the opportunity to ride both sizes, take it and you'll see what I mean immediately.

I ride over 8000k's per year and the only times I've felt uncomfortable was on a frame that was too large by a cm or so. Couldn't get rid of them soon enough.


Detailed resources for planning backcountry/primitive tours? Are there any resources out there with details for specific backcountry/primitive tours, such as water sources, itineraries, camping spots, route difficulty, etc?

I'm a hiker/camper who just bought an "offroad touring" bike a few months ago, and I've been dying to take it out on a long-term trail ride. Problem is, so many of the trails that I find don't allow bikes at all. The ones that do are frequently very short and catered to technical mountain biking.

I've found a couple sparse sources, but not much. Most sources for tour info seem to cater to supported road tours, or road tours in general. This is the best example of what I'm looking for, but I get the feeling that there are many more options out there than this site lists. I notice that the entire Ozark trail is missing, for example.

Are there ever!

I'm totally evangelizing for the adventure cycling association in my answer here, but check this out: Adventure Cycling Route Network. They have a lot of road tours but they do mountain tours as well.

You want the extreme of extreme backcountry mountain bike tours? How does 4418km of trail riding along the continental divide sound? Check out the Tour Divide, It follows the ACA's Great Divide Route.

Other than that take a closer look at the trail systems in National Parks, there are  trails that permit cycling, and some that are long enough to bikepack on for a couple days. At least there are lots where I'm from, which is near Glacier National Park.


Tips for Bleeding Hayes Brakes Does anyone have any tips for bleeding Hayes brakes? I have some Hayes Stroker Ryders and bleeding them is less than fun compared to bleeding my Avids.  Do they make any syringes for bleeding the Hayes? I've watched videos put out by Hayes and read their documentation, so I'm looking for tips that you would learn from experience.

Just throwing out something I found - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpdTKzgoVGk. my apologies if this missed the mark.


What's an "Auto-Mini" folding bike? Can I use one for decades without having to replace the frame? I've been thinking of buying an internally-geared folding bike for commuting (5 km each way) and errands. I want to spend $100-$200, but I want a reasonable-quality frame; I don't want to ever have to replace the frame with a new one.

I see a bunch of "Auto-Mini" folding bikes for sale on Craigslist in my city.

How are the frames: are they well-made?

How's the bikes' ride quality?

[Edit: I've read that the frames are prone to cracking. Is the Auto-Mini still a reasonable choice, considering the criteria I mentioned above?]

Auto-Mini folding bikes

Auto-Mini folding bikes were made by the Austrian corporation Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in the early 1970s; the bikes were usually sold in department stores. (Folding Cyclist, 2016.) In North America, vendors included J.C. Penney, Montgomery-Ward, and Simpsons-Sears. (thebikeguy, 2007; Martin, 1996; Thomas, 2011b;
cf. Bikeworks, c. 1998.) In my experience, the main-tube sticker always says "Auto-Mini" in huge type, with the word "Junior" in faint type inside the letter "T" of the word "Auto". The head badge may have "Executive", "Iverson", "Senator", or another "brand name" on it; this varies according to which store sold the bike. (Folding Cyclist, 2016.)

About the bikes:

They have 20" wheels. Like most small-wheeled folding mikes, an Auto-Mini can be adjusted to fit an adult or a child (cf. UsedOttawa, 2012). An Auto-Mini uses a Thompson-style bottom bracket. Keep it lubricated (Scott, 2008), as it's a hassle to replace it with a modern bottom bracket (Rehder, 2007, quoting Chen).
There were at least two distinct types of Auto-Mini. They differ slightly: for example, one has a slightly-larger frame; one has a slightly-smaller one (Thomas, 2011c). Thomas bought the slightly-larger type (Thomas, 2011c) and provided a detailed parts list in a blog entry (Thomas, 2011a).

About the frame and the ride quality:

"I have a few of them myself and find that they are a good sturdy riding bike." (Scott, 2008.)
"They are prone to cracking where the main tube intersects with the seat tube. There are fixes". (Rehder, 2007, quoting Chen).
"For some reason I find these ride nicer than the other old folders — maybe they got the wheelbase just right or the weight is a little less. I own a few (they're cheap) and they suffer from frame breakage in a couple of places; where the seat tube meets the bottom bracket shell (too much stress) and where the two thin seat stay tubes meet the seat tube (lousy welds). If you can weld, you can improve the frame by adding a piece of tubing between the bottom bracket shell and the main tube. Otherwise, ride gently." (Seal, 2011).

In sum, if you want a quality frame, spend more and buy something better than an Auto-Mini. "Spending $100 - $200 on a folding bike won't get you quality of any sort. Folding bikes with quality frames are significantly more expensive. You may want to save up for a bit before buying, or find a way to get a non-folding bike." (Fein, 2013).

One possible alternative to an Auto-Mini: a Raleigh Twenty

Among vintage folding bikes, the Raleigh Twenty is a better bike overall (cf. Rehder, 2007). The Twenty's main deficiency is its braking power — which is "barely adequate" in dry conditions, and non-existent in the rain. (Rehder, 2007). For safety reasons, if you buy a Twenty, you should probably upgrade it in order to correct this deficiency; there are various ways do so (Martin, 2012).

Postscript

Please feel free to edit this post and add more information or your own personal opinions.


Why do bikes have their drivetrains on the right? Every bicycle I have seen in my life has its gears and chain on the right side? Why is this? The only thing I could find regarding this question is this forum topic, which speculates about things such as the prevalence of right-handed people, the idea that it is easier to produce right-handed threads since they are more common, and the traditions of mounting a horse, but I couldn't find anything definite. Does anyone here have any idea?

Because (most) people are right handed.

Right side drivetrains are rooted in the fact that rotating clockwise causes bolts, etc. to tighten—this dates back to the first "safety bicycles" introduced in the 19th century. With the drivetrain on the right, more (standard threaded) parts will be rotating clockwise and thus tightening themselves as the rider pedals.

Drivetrains are on the right today because that's what bicycle builders decided to do in the late 1800s. As to why they originally decided to put drivetrains on the right, it's probably because rear cogs used to be screwed on (some still are). Standard threads dictate rear cogs be on the right, so that pedaling force tightens the cogs. (If they were on the left, pedaling force would likely loosen cogs.)

Today, left-hand drivetrains are possible, but more difficult to create because more reverse-threaded parts are needed. Generally, things like pedals and bottom brackets have threads that are reversed/asymmetric on one side. They're made specifically to work when the drivetrain is on the right—tightening themselves as the rider pedals. If these standard parts are placed on a bicycle with a drivetrain on the left, then those same parts will be loosening themselves as the rider rides.

But why do right-turning bolts tighten? Shortly before the safety bicycle was introduced in the 19th century, the right-turning convention was adopted because it's better to have all bolts work the same way and it's easier to turn them with your right hand. And most people are right handed.


Could I bike 9 mile a day home from work starting with no current exercise? I am thinking of getting a bike and biking it home from work on a mountain bike its 9 miles and reasonably flat, I'm not the fittest guy so I'm wondering if I would struggle??

I agree with the comments that 9 miles is a not a short ride for somebody not in shape, but you’ll get in shape for it really fast, so you should go for it. Just get ready to be sore in funny places for a couple weeks.

You can make your situation better by doing a few things:

Buy a road bike instead, assuming you’ll be on pavement. At the very least, replace your mountain tires with something smaller, in the 30–40mm range. Mountain tires will slow you down and make you work harder. So will a heavy steel bike.
Get a rack for your bike and buy panniers to haul your stuff. Wearing a backpack for 9 miles will get old fast. Whatever you do, don’t get one of those hip shoulder bags. Chiropractic disaster. Best is to get a bike with in-frame attachment points for the rack – many road bikes don't have these, so make sure to check before buying.
Get the bike and do weekend rides to get fit before using it for work.

Good luck, have fun, and be safe!


Bike too big or just fine ? modification required ? Need pro advice Hi I accidentally refer to wrong bike fit and purchase online a 20" Frame Mountain bike (XC hardtail)!
While the bike is about 20" (51 cm)  Frame , I'm about 175 cm (5 foot 9 inches tall and go 79.x cm (31 inch) inseams .

My arm quite lengthy so i don't have problem to reach to handlebar and no need to adjust my saddle . just nice clearance about 0.xx-1 CM from my crotch to the top tube .. it might hit my crotch (and might ruin my future!) so I will need to very cautious when ride off road

Considering all the cost .. I feel that it will be nice if just keep it and do at road and slightly hard terrain .. but it is safe if I go to XC, rough terrain ? what are the risk ? and any suggestion on how to make it safer and just fit to me ?

After moving Spacer

The odds of your "parts" hitting the top tube is directly proportional to your riding skill and difficulty of the terrain. Off road or trail riding can mean different things to people of different skill levels. A very competent rider can ride a too large bike over terrain a lesser skilled rider may find impassable. So it is difficult to say if a particular frame is too large for you without fully understanding the terrain and your level of comfort riding in that terrain. When I introduce someone to off trail riding I generally try to borrow a bike that is a little on the small side until they get comfortable. Novice riders seem to feel they have more control on a slightly too small frame. It seems to lessen the fear of impacting the top tube or their feet not hitting the ground. My point is that the bike may feel large now but as you gain confidence and skill you may find it doesn't quite feel so large anymore.


What is wrong with my headset I received a new carbon fork. Seller told me is was for a 56/40 bottom headset but after mounting it, here is the result.
I chose a ZS56/40 head set. What is wrong ?

The pictured fork has an integrated crown race along with another crown race stuck on top that it doesn't need. Take that away and it hopefully should all be good.

The lower cup in the picture overhangs the headtube by an unusual amount, but I presume that's just by random chance because if that's an SHIS ZS56 lower cup then there's not really anything else it could have been crammed into.


Formula for Homemade sports drinks I am interested in home-made sports drinks. I have used "Hammer Nutrition" products, but I could probably put it together myself, just by using the key ingredients. Anyhow, has anyone done this? And, how do you determine the carb/fat/protein + vitamin/mineral ratios?

A couple of years ago I ran across an FRS ad on a cycling site. Since Lance was promoting it, I took a look at the claims. Basically, the FRS products contain sugar, some vitamins, plus supplements of Quercetin and Catechin. The main benefit claim for FRS turns out to be the quercetin.

So I came up with a simple concoction of honey sweetened tea, and also pop a multivitamin before a ride. (Tea is one of the highest sources of quercetin.) And carry along a high cocoa bar for catechins. (Cocoa is high in catechin.) So, all in all way cheaper than buying FRS.

Does anyone make their own sports drinks? And if so, what do you put in it? I personally dislike most commercial sports drinks and so for electrolytes, when needed, I use Endurolyte tablets.

  Maltodextrin will go into the mix. However, how do I formulate the rest of it?

Edit: This was recently downvoted. Maybe it's a bad question?

Maltodextrin.  It is basically pure glucose, which is the only sugar that your muscles can use directly without converting, so it's just pure energy.  It also has no flavor or sweetness, so it is completely inoffensive, and you can sweeten (or not) to your desired level. Look in any sport beverage and it will contain maltodextrin.

A lot of home brewing places sell maltodextrin and you can also get it from websites that cater to racing dogs (e.g. for the iditerod) as a dog supplement, but it's totally safe for human consumption.


Shimano 9-speed shifters high-end vintage vs low-end modern I'm upgrading an old Cannondale r700 roadbike to 9x2 speed. It is fitted with its original 105 groupset but it needs new shifters. So far I can see two options. Buy a new set of Shimano Sora 3500 levers or get a second hand set of Ultegra 6500 shifters/brifters (ebay has a pair that are 'as new'/never mounted). Does anyone have any advice on whether a modern but lower end component would be a better choice than a 'vintage' but higher end component?

I just recently replaced my 9x3 105 shifters with the new Sora shifters.  They don't feel any cheaper than the older 105.  Same functions.


Upgrade old road bike to 7-speed rear derailleur? Just took my old 1983 12 speed out of mothballs. put on 94 miles this month very hilly here. My question is:

can I upgrade my freewheel with Shimano MF-TZ31 Tourney Freewheel (14-34T Mega 7 Speed)?

Would I also have to upgrade my chain, derrailer, and front gears?  currently have Shimano on it.  It was not a fancy bike no quick release on rear (just to give you an idea of cost of bike).

I can do my own maintenance but I would need detailed part info not sure what goes with what. any help would be appreciated.

It is do-able at a reasonable cost if you do the work yourself. Your current derailleur likely does not have the tooth capacity for a 14-34t freewheel. The mount on a new derailleur wont mount to your bike if it uses the older style that is held by the axle nuts. Luckily there is an adapter available for about $5. Your chain will also be too short and too wide for for the new rear cog . The narrower 7 speed chain should work with your current crank. You will also need an appropriate freewheel tool and chain whip to remove the freewheel. A local bike shop may do this task for less than the cost of buying the tools. If you are using friction (non index) shifters they will also work. Based on average EBay prices of less than $20 each for a derailleur, chain and freewheel you will invest less than $100. The plus is when you are done you will know how to install and  adjust the derailleur, shorten the chain some basic tuning.


What is the potential danger of riding bicycle with cracked chainstay and how to fix it? I got a bicycle that has this big tear in the chainstay.

Is it safe for city riding? What is the potential danger?

What could someone have done to cause this kind of damage?

Most importantly what is a good procedure and material to use to fix it?

Thanks

The frame isn’t safe for using anywhere.

The potential danger is that the stay will break most likely locking up the back wheel. It might be merely inconvenient or it might be fatal taken in combination with speed or traffic.

A possible reason for the crack is inappropriate use of the frame e.g jumps, crash damage or it might just be an old cheap Walmart frame which has fatigued.

The frame seems to be alloy from the lack of rust in the fracture. It can’t be fixed within the scope of the bikes probable value. The presence of V brakes and a stamped metal derailleur indicates a low end bike.

Salvage parts if you want and transfer to a not broken frame or just purchase a whole new one. The cost balance on that task will depend on whether you have bike fixing skills and tools or whether you need to take it to a bike shop.

Seriously, don’t use this bike as it is right now.


What is the risk of bottoming out a fork? What are the risks of allowing a fork to bottom out, could this cause damage to or worse a catastrophic failure of the fork?

I'm wanting to increase my preset sag to  around 30% and believe I should be fine with 120mm of travel on relatively tame XC single track. However the pressure for this is significantly under the recommended psi for my weight.

Bottoming out of a fork CAN cause a failure of a fork. I'm speaking from my experience where I ruined 2 DH forks in a space of a week. Both by bottoming out on harsh landings. However, this might be a fault of the fork construction (both of them were the same brand/model).

While you are talking about XC and tame trail, I can't see the same things happening to you. I've bottomed out forks many times without failures. Bottoming out is not nice, but the forks survived in most cases (apart from the 2 above).

So go and play with the air pressure. You'll feel that air is lacking before you bottom out. Just pump some air in. Also, air forks are working as a progressive springs, so you'll need to try hard to bottom out 30% sag on 120mm travel.


Maintenance on hydraulic disc brakes With a bike featuring Shimano 486 Hydraulic Disc brakes and levers, what should I do if I wanted to maintenance them? I have no experience of brakes other than V-brakes so where do I begin? The front brake seem to work but the lever goes all the way down, the back brake doesn't work at all. The lever goes all the way down but the brake doesn't bite.

Hydraulic disc brakes pads are self adjusting for wear, so if the lever needs to be pulled back too far, or is hitting the handlebar the hydraulic system needs to be put through the proper bleeding process to remove air bubbles. You also need to check for leaks and loss of fluid, and check the wear on the brake pads.

Hydraulic fluid cannot be compressed, but air obviously can. When you pull the lever the air bubbles are compressing rather than the pistons and pads being forced towards the rotor. It's kind of like having a spring in the cable of a mechanical V-brake system.

If you are unfamiliar with hydraulic brakes, you may find it better to have a good bike repair shop do the bleed process - it requires a special kit, replacement fluid and has to be carried out following proper procedure. If you want to learn how to do it yourself there are video tutorials available online (here's one) but you really need to check the Shimano manual to make sure you are following the correct procedure.


Third tube puncture in 3 weeks I have the 3-rd puncture of the rear wheel tube during 3 weeks. All of them have the same pattern: 1 small breach about 0.5mm long. I added the photographs of the last one.

Bubble inside the water coming out of the tube through the puncture.

The little puncture.

Previous patched puncture

After the second puncture I thought, that it was caused by a grain of sand that got between the tube and the tire. So when I assembled the wheel I carefully cleaned the space between the tube and the tire with open hand.

Now I have no idea what can cause these punctures and what should I do to avoid them?

I found it! After careful inspection of the tire I found a small piece of glass stuck into it:

It's sharp side was facing the tube.

Here is the place where it was stuck:

On the internal side of the tire you can see a little hole:

It was hard to feel this little thing by hand. But when I pumped the tire and rode, creating high pressure, this sharp edge has eventually punctured the tube.


5 speed cassette on 8 speed hub I just picked up a cheap wheelset to replace the wheels on a vintage bike. The old bike had a 5 speed freewheel (I think. The model printed on it is shimano-ug).

The new rear hub is a shimano fh-rm30 8 speed freehub. Is it possible to either remove a some of the gears from the cassette and replace them with spacers to make it a 5 speed. Or does a 5 speed cassette exist that could be installed with a few spacers?

What would the best option be to making this work?

EDIT:

Old wheels were 27 and new ones are 700c so no issues on brakes

The first thing to note is "Does the 8 speed hub clear the dropouts ?"

You may be able to spread the frame if steel. Since you're likely going from a 120mm to 130 mm (which is 2 sizes - 120->126->130), you should be cold setting it.

The second question would be "Can the brakes reach the rim?"

Unfortunately, to my knowledge, nobody makes a 5 speed cassette. You'll have to get a 7 or 8 speed cassette and tweak the limit screws on the rear derailleur so you shift in the appropriate range (if indexed, and the sprocket spacing matches the indexing [ I don't think it will, since a 5 speed freewheel should have 5.5 mm, while a 7 or 8 speed cassette 5 mm] ). Alternatively, if you have friction shifters (or can deal with friction shifters), set the limit screws, throw on an 8 speed chain and friction shift.

However, Velo Orange makes a cheap wheelset which can take a freewheel, and plenty of 5 speed freewheels are still around (e.g. IRD). (Note that you can get 126mm, 130 mm).

My recommendation would be to cold set the frame to a 130 mm hub if you can and use your shifters in friction mode after adjusting the limit screws appropriately with a 7 or 8 speed cassette. If you don't want to cold set the frame, then buy a wheel with a freewheel hub of appropriate spacing (likely 120 mm if it came with a 5 speed freewheel - 120 mm hubs are still made, but I don't know who sells complete wheels so it may need to be built to order), buy a nice 5 speed freewheel from IRD and move on with your life. This will allow you to use indexing if you have it. The latter would be your only option if your frame is not steel.


Which Shimano freehub body fits Campagnolo Calima? I have a Campagnolo Calima C17 wheel set with currently a Campagnolo freehub body (FH-BU015) on it.
Does anyone know which type of Shimano freehub body fits on this wheel hub? I searched but I cant seem to find an answer. Before I spend lots of money on a body that does not fit, I want to be sure.

The search process should be like this: First, search the web for "campagnolo calima spare parts". The first hit should be a product page that has link to spare part catalog. Download and open the catalog. Search for the page with Calima.
The answer is FH-BU015X1.


Can the HED Tomcat wheels be made stronger? History

Bought a new Diamondback Haanjo Comp in mid July, 2016.  Rode 220 miles on trails and broke a spoke.  I rode another 190 miles on combination of trails, paved and gravel roads, including about an hour's worth of cyclocross practice on a new course that was rather bumpy, then broke another spoke.

I'm about 300lbs.  I don't ride over or down curbs, and am generally careful, but I do hit some bumps and things harder than I would like on occasion.

I am currently running WTB Nano comp tires in 40C at about 50 psi rear and 40 psi front.

I did contact HED about this issue, and had a good email exchange with Andy Tetmeyer, but ultimately it was just an offer to build me a set of wheels on the side, and no suggestions for improving these wheels.

Question

Is there anything I can do to make these wheels (primarily the rear) stronger?  Can I change the spoke lacing to a 3 cross?  Perhaps changing the spokes themselves to something else?

I don't want to spend money on "clydesdale" custom wheels that cost close to what I paid for the bike.

Am I destined to just get a new rear wheel with 36H or are there other inexpensive things I can try?

When building a wheel, there are two main things the builder does to prevent spoke breakage: set the spoke line at the hub flange and rim when the spokes have little or no tension, and stress relieve the spokes once they're at nearly full tension.

Setting the spoke line means to cold set the material into the final shape it would otherwise be pulled into by the tension on it. This reduces fatigue, which is the most common cause of breakage. It also helps keep the wheel true.

To do it, ideally the spokes would have little or no tension. Jobst Brandt in "The Bicycle Wheel" favors doing it with a little tension. I find I can tell what I'm doing better if they're pretty slack. At the hub end, push  each outside spoke hard against its flange. You're trying to get them to lay flat against the flange when not under tension, as opposed to bowing out. (There are other techniques, but doing it with your fingers works fine). At the rim/nipple end, you're trying to prevent any bowing where the spoke enters the nipple. Many wheels don't need any attention here, i.e. the rim hole allows the nipple to swivel naturally into an angle that allows the spoke to run straight, but for the ones that do, just grab pairs of consecutive pushing and pulling spokes that make a "V" (the intersection of the V being the spoke crossing nearest to the rim) and squeeze them together hard to cold set the spoke. I like to do this once the wheel is near its final tension, so that there's only minimal thread movement left to go and you're not pulling the section you just bent up into the nipple.

Stress relieving is a process of temporarily overloading the material to eliminate residual stresses left in the spoke elbows. Most breakage is caused by these stresses putting the elbow area above its fatigue limit in use as the wheel rolls along, each spoke getting loaded and unloaded. To stress relieve the spokes on a cross-laced wheel, find pairs of nearly parallel pushing and pulling spokes on each side of the wheel and squeeze them together hard, as though you're trying to break them. (Brandt's terminology). I would recommend doing this at around 80-90% of final spoke tension.

Because your spokes are having fatigue problems already, these steps are no guarantee because they can't fix fatigue that's already accumulated. But if there's a way of getting the wheel to stop breaking spokes without replacing all of them, this is it. Also, make sure the final tension is nice and high.

In the end these wheels are probably not strong enough to be trouble-free for a 300lb rider, on-road or off. That's due to what kind of loads they can structurally take. Whether the spokes are operating within their fatigue limit is a separate concern, and that's what determines whether you'll break spokes. It's also true that the margin for error in how well internal stresses have been relieved is going to be little if any here, possibly to an extent that exceeds practicality.


Fixed/free hub for 12mm TA frame? I'm building an SSCX bike around a Brodie Romax SS frame which uses a 135x12mm thru-axle at the rear.  I was hoping to be able to use a flip-flop hub so that I can run it SS for 'cross and fixed for some potential grass track races that may be being set up in my area.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find a flip-flop hub with TA support.  Closest I can find is these Phil Wood hubs but they use standard track bolts.

Is there any way to adapt this or a similar hub to my TA frame?

Flipflop disc brake hubs don't exist. If you were willing to ride without a rear brake, you could switch the existing wheel back and fourth by using a bolt-on track cog. I believe they give a chainline in the 41-42mm range. This plan would however be asking for trouble if you were using a hydraulic brake, since it wouldn't have its rotor in place to prevent the pistons getting pushed out.

135x12 is weird enough that I doubt you're going to find a fixed gear one stock, but supposedly Paul Components has made 135x12 singlespeed freewheel hubs, and they're the kind of company that you might be able to convince to make you one for a track cog, since the shell would probably be the same with the addition of lockring threads (unless it was too thin, in which case nevermind.)


Brand New bike, chain slips into spokes on first gear I just bought my first bike as an adult with the intents of biking to work. This bike is brand new, is the Schwinn Admiral 700c from Walmart. I get it home and whenever I shift into first gear the chain slips off and runs into the spokes. How can I fix this? I'm brand new to bikes and want to know how to take care of them myself.

It happens regardless of the amount of force exerted. I can reproduce it 100% of the time. Brand new bike, no wear on chain or cassette (or freewheel).

Normally this would be a simple "take it back to the bike shop" situation, as the bike has not been assembled correctly. But unfortunately you probably have a bicycle shaped object (BSO) that you bought in a box (or was assembled by the proverbial "moron in a hurry"). It's likely that even a BSO can be made to work after a fashion. However you may find that a bike shop will refuse to work on your BSO because they are of such low quality that the shop will be unable to offer warranty on its work.

The easiest problem is that the limit screw on the rear derailleur is not set correctly. This is slightly tricky to explain so if this doesn't help try Sheldon Brown's detailed explaination. Basically, there are two "limit adjustment screws" (one for each limit of the travel) and the one that sets the limit towards the wheel needs to be screwed in a little:

 and

Shift to the largest cog at the back, then without spinning the pedals move the gear shift (twist grip) all the way (to the point where the chain normally falls into the wheel). Now turn the screw until the derailleur pulley lines up with the largest cog on the freewheel. If the derailleur doesn't move when you turn the screw, you're either turning the wrong screw (put it back!) or you're turning it the wrong way (reverse!)

Note on the left hand diagram above there's a line from the pulley to the right hand side of the smallest cog. You're trying to get the mirror image of that line - from the derailler puller to the left-most cog and probably a little to the left of the cog if you want to be really fussy about it.

If you're unlucky this is not the problem at all, and instead you're mounted the derailleur wrong (but normally they're already mounted inside the box), or something has been bent or broken in transit. Maybe use Google image search to look at pictures to make sure it's not something obvious in how it's attached. If it's bent things get tricky, as there are tools to help re-align it and doing that by eye is unlikely to work well (and could break something).

First, try setting the limit screws.

If that works, you might find the adjust rear derailleur answer helps with the next step.


Will riding cobblestones and rough streets kill my cup and cone hubs? I live in pittsburgh, and we have some hills and streets which are belgian block, brick, poorly paved and pocked with potholes. It can be very jarring, but I still find myself flying down these streets running 700x28c tires at 100psi and I'm not a light guy at 200lbs.

Is this abuse going to damage my loose bearing cup/cone hubs?

Bearings and races are made of very hard steel. So long as they are properly maintained (lubricated and adjusted to the correct tightness; visit Free Ride in Pittsburgh for help lubing/adjusting your bike if it's feeling worn and you don't want to pay a shop to do it for you), they should hold up with no problem.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_element_bearing


Compatibility of tyres with wheelset I have a E13 TRS, 28 holes, tubeless ready, 30 mm inner width wheelset, with SCHWALBE MAGIC MARY, 29 x 2.35, Addix Soft, front and a SCHWALBE NEW HANS DAMPF, 29 x 2.35, Addix Soft, rear. (The bike is here.) I am not sure but Is the wheelset (and frame) compatible with the same tyres in the 2.60 width version ? What could be the impacts of such a change ? Comparing on Schwalbe's website lead to less road and off-road grip and more rolling. Is this really true ? What else ?

Per the technical specifications page for your bicycle:

  MAXIMUM TYRE DIMENSION (ETRTO)   70 mm

70 mm is 2.75 inches, so a 2.60 tyre should fit.

Tyre sizes are notoriously imprecise, but a 2.60 should be significantly smaller than a 2.75.

You can be as certain as you can be that it will fit, especially as you're sticking with not only the same manufacturer but the same model.

The impact of a larger tyre?  A "softer" ride - you'll be better able to absorb bumps and roll over smaller obstacles, at the likely cost of some precision in control and perhaps a slightly increased rolling resistance.


Looking for solutions to shorten warm up time I'm a relatively fit 30 years old road cyclist and I've noticed that I need a lot of time to warm up. When I ride with some club mates, I am typically much slower than most of the other riders in the first 20 miles. However, if I start slowly after about 20-30 miles my legs feel good and I can easily keep up with the faster riders.

When I try to push hard from the start, my legs would start hurting so badly and my overall performance would drop. I should also add that I typically don't do any warm up off-the-saddle. My question is the following: is there any particular training to do to improve my performance for shorter rides, without needing 30 miles to warm up?

Simplest solution would be to ride to the start of the ride, with a detour if you live/work too close to the start of the ride.


How to determine which cassettes I can use with my derailleur? I am trying to understand which cassettes I can install on my bike. I've understood that the length of the derailleur also determines which cassettes will fit.

In my case I have a triple (see picture below), with a 10-speed cassette, in the range 12-25. My experience with this cassette (and 30-tooth chainring) in the 18% stretches is not too pleasant. Therefore I am looking for options to replace it with a cassette with sprockets up to 27 or even 30 tooth.

My main question is how I can determine which cassettes will fit on my bike. Even more I would appreciate a general answer, that explains what the limitations are of the derailleur when choosing cassettes, such that I can determine it myself.

You can't work out from first principles in advance what kind of cassette your derailleur will work with--you need to know the model, and then look that up to find out what Shimano's recommendations are.

Daniel R Hicks describes how you can determine whether a cassette that you've already installed will work.

"Tooth capacity" is also sometimes referred to as "chain wrap" or just "wrap." This is how much slack the derailleur can absorb; this is a function of the length of the derailleur cage (the distance between the jockey pulley and the tension pulley); the longer the cage, the more wrap. This is expressed as a number of teeth, figured as follows:

(Big ring - little ring) + (big sprocket - little sprocket)

So if your bike has a 50/34 in front and a 12/25 in back, your derailleur needs to be able to wrap at least 29 teeth; if you switch to a cassette with a 30t low gear, you'd need 34 teeth of wrap.

I'm not sure about the exact derailleur you've got, but apparently Shimano has made some version of a 10-speed 105 derailleur (possibly newer and different from the 105 you have) where the short-cage model can handle 34t and the long-cage 40t. So you're probably OK.


Neck pain and handlebar adjustment I have a medium size Scott Scale 40 (2009) and my height is 1.73m.
Whenever I ride this bike I feel that something about my posture is wrong, back and neck pains are killing me after 1 hour.
I think that the handlebar is lower than it should be. It looks like I'm getting a low position and my head is looking more to downwards.
I want to try to raise the handlebar but I have no clue what extra parts I need to purchase first. I hope you can help me with this.
Thanks

This bike has a threadless stem. Based on the picture, it seems the handlebar is already at the highest possible position with stock parts (spacers below stem, stem flipped up), and there is little adjustment in the form of spacers.
There are two possibilities for your discomfort. Either the handlebar is too far from the saddle, or the handlebar is too low. Most likely both.
In order to help your situation, buy a threadless stem with a high 35 degree angle. The spec doesn't specify the handlebar mount diameter, but I suspect a 1+1/8" steerer tube attachment, 31.8mm handlebar attachment stem is what you need.
Looking at the picture, the existing stem seems to be 6 degrees, perhaps around 90mm? The specs don't say this.
The 35 degree stems can be found as short as 60mm. Such a 60mm 35 degree stem moves the handlebar 46mm closer to you when compared to 90mm 6deg stem. It also moves the handlebar 12mm up. So much closer but not much more up.
By buying a 35 degree 80mm stem, you can move the handlebar 28mm up and 34mm closer to you, when compared to 90mm 6deg stem.
So, I suspect a 35 degree 80mm stem is what you need.
Of course, before knowing what fit is ideal, you might find a 80mm stem with adjustable angle a good starting point.
However, before adjusting the handlebar position, adjust your saddle height and move your saddle forwards/backwards as desired. A good starting point is knee over pedal spindle, but it's just a starting point. So, sit on the bike, with one leg forwards and one backwards on the pedal, have a thread with weight hanging from the front of your front knee. It should show a vertical line that is directly over the pedal spindle. This is the forwards/backwards adjustment. Before it, you need to get your saddle height correct. The easiest way is to gradually increase the saddle height. You know when it's too high.
The reason for adjusting first your saddle position is that any saddle adjustments will nullify any handlebar adjustments you can make. Seat adjustments are often free, i.e. the seat can be moved forwards/backwards/up/down with the stock seatpost. However, moving handlebar closer and higher will require buying a new stem.


Winter tires break in I've just bought a pair of Kenda Klondike tires (26*2.1). I've heard that I have to ride about 50-100 kilometers without fast turns and so on - to make spikes to "sit" firmly into the tire.
So I've made my commute slowly.

Is that true? And if it is - how can I determine that this break in is done?

I work for a distributor that sells several brands of winter studded tires and everyone of them comes with this warning, this particular one is from Schwalbe

  In order to ensure that spikes are permanently fixed, tires should be run in for about 25 miles (40km) on asphalt, while avoiding any fast acceleration or heavy braking.

Source

With this said i don't think there is any physical means to tell that they have been ridden far enough. More so 25 miles/40km is likely on the safe side.

Here is the reason why they recommend the same for studded car tires and im quite certain the process is similar with bike tires.

  Looking like carpenter nails with their shafts cut short before being inserted headfirst into the tire, winter studs are made by encasing a tungsten carbide pin into a cylindrical metal housing. Typically 80 to 100 studs per tire are inserted into small holes molded in the tire's tread design. The tread is often lubricated (a 2% soapy water solution is desired) to facilitate installation. A special tool spreads the rubber and inserts the stud into the bottom of the hole. Once the stud is in place, the tool is removed and the tread rubber compresses around the stud's flat head and cylindrical housing to hold it in place.

  Because it takes some time for the lubricant to evaporate and the
  tread rubber to compress around the stud, studded tires require a
  special break-in period. This will allow the lubricant to
  evaporate and the tread rubber to conform to the shape of the stud.

Source

There is also a form of lubrication used when the tire are initially molded that remains on the surface of the tire for a period of time until worn off, this lubricant makes little difference to asphalt or dirt but as you can imagine on ice or snow it can make things a bit more slippery as it further reduces the friction coefficient.

  Before tires are cured, a release lubricant is often applied to prevent the tires from sticking in the mold. Unfortunately, some of the lubricant stays on the surface of the tires, and traction is reduced until it is worn away.


What's the easiest way to insert a star nut into a steerer tube? I need to install one of those star-fangled nuts, but I don't do this often enough to warrant buying a special tool for it.  I usually manage to hammer the thing in eventually but in the past it has taken quite a while to get it in straight and once I even broke the nut.

Is there a reliable DIY solution using cheap bits from the hardware store?  I am currently thinking perhaps try some PVC tube and a rubber bung.

The easiest solution is to use the right tool to make sure the star nut is aligned and set to the right depth in the steerer tube. I'd really recommend taking this to a shop and asking to borrow the proper tool. I own one, even though it only gets used once or twice per year. I've tended to go more towards compression plugs instead of the old star-fangled nut. If you're looking for an alternative to using the proper tool, you can thread a bolt in the nut and tap carefully with a hammer, or perhaps use a dowel or socket of the appropriate diameter instad of a bolt.


Picking the appropriate hybrid bike frame size I am a 5'8" tall female. Which hybrid or fitness style frame size would most likely fit me better, 17" or 19?"

This depends highly on the particular model of the bike (which is due to factors like (effective) top tube length, bottom bracket height, wheel size, standover height, etc.) and your individual geometry (inseam, upper body length, arm length, leg length) and riding style (upright, prone, etc.) - the numbers don't really mean anything out of context. Even in the same class of bikes, you may go for different sizes (for example, sizing for a Specialized Sirrus may be different than for a Trek 7.4 fx (essentially flat bar road bikes). And if you listen to the marketing people, things like the specialized tricross/awol and trek crossrip are also fitness bikes (but are essentially drop bar commuter cyclocross bikes - totally different geometry). There are also bikes with hardtail mountain bike influenced geometries, such as the Trek 8.3 ds and Specialized Crosstrail. Even if you go with similar bikes (like the Trek 7._ fx series and Specialized Sirrus series), there are geometry changes which are important (like effective top tube length) for a given size. On top of that, a lot of frames come in women's geometries (marked WSD or similar or given a different model number, like the Specialized Vita being a variation of their Sirrus line for women), which don't necessarily size with their normal counterparts. The results also certainly don't carry over for different styles of riding (and thus, different styles of hybrid/fitness bikes) (my commuter, an old rigid MTB isn't the same size as my road bike, an 80s Panasonic). For example, I have a bike which is a size larger than most people of my height due to my relatively long arms and legs. Due to the number of variables, its hard (impossible?) to size a bike over the internet unless you have had a bike fit and know enough about bike geometries and your riding style and your geometry to make an educated guess.

You should go to your local bike shop and ask for a bike fitting to determine the appropriate style frame and setup for the bike, and make sure to take it out on a decent test ride. They will take some measurements, plug it into a formula and get some way to set the bike (the formulas are guidelines which work for most people - they aren't exactly science). Then, they'll tweak it until it works for you. You may need to swap out things like stems or saddles or stuff on a correct sized frame (there may be more than one size which can be made to fit) in order to get it working properly. On top of that, there are a lot of "women's geometry" parts and frames which are purported to fit women riders better. You may want to mix and match these parts to a regular frame or vice versa.

If you cannot afford a bike fit (they cost some money, and take a few hours), there are some videos on youtube you can look up (but really, they will not substitute for testing the bike or a good bike fit). Usually, they'll at least get you set up with a guesstimate on something that works though, for free.

The following links are good reading:
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm
http://www.coloradocyclist.com/BikeFit/index.cfm
http://sheldonbrown.com/kops.html (Watch out for this if you're watching youtube)


Shimano R500 or Alex ALX-295 - Which Are Better? I have a set of Shimano R500 wheels on my current road bike, but have just upgraded bikes; the new bike comes with the Alex ALX-295 wheelset (they come on a Specialized Roubaix). Lots of the roads have poor surfaces, so I need a set of wheels that is pretty strong. (I have read some stuff about the spokes on the Alex wheels breaking.) Due to the poor roads, I use Slime inner tubes - I got my first puncture after only about 60 miles!

The new bike has a different (better) cassette on, so if there isn't really any difference between the wheelsets, then I'd prefer to not have to swap it all over! In fact, I would only want to swap them over if there is a reasonable difference; I'm not a very experienced rider (yet!), so if the difference would only be noticeable to someone really good, then I'd prefer to not have to swap it all over! :)

Any advice as to which I should use would be most appreciated!

Thanks! =D

Spokes on any wheels can break ... really comes down to how well they are built, the weight they have to carry, i.e., carrying more weight than they are designed for and the type of riding they are exposed to.

The Shimano WH-R500 wheels are lower specification wheels and I suspect the Alex ALX-295 are much the same.  That said I believe the Shimano wheels are about 100 grams lighter than the Alex rims.

Personally if you are happy on the Shimano wheels you could swap them over, or if you prefer say have the Alex rims checked for trueness at a decent bike shop, but I suspect either way you are not going to change much if at all the bike's overall handling characteristics or "rideability" with changing these wheels around.

In the past I rode with Shimano WH RS 10 rims on a Giant CRX 1. These wheels would be similar to the WH-R500 and I did a good job of breaking spokes and cracking the rims until I got a wheel properly built.