Old time bike. Can I put a rear derailleur? Hi guys,
I am looking to build up an old timer bike and I have found this frame. Can I put a rear derailleur in that socket?

Yes, that is a standard derailleur hanger. Before attaching a derailleur, make sure that the hanger is aligned straight. There are tools to do this, but you can usually tell by eye if it's out of alignment. On a steel frame like that one, you can typically bend the hanger back into alignment with no problems. Also check that the threads are not stripped. If the threads are damaged, you may be able to use a thread tap to clean them up, or in the worst case, insert a helicoil. If you're not familiar with a helicoil, search "rear derailleur hanger helicoil" for examples. They will usually come with instructions for installation.

With regard to the dropouts, horizontal dropouts were standard on bicycles for many decades, whether they were single-speed or multi-geared. Look at pretty much any picture of a bike from before the late 80's. The only difference from a vertical dropout frame is that you have to pay a bit more attention to aligning the wheel properly in the frame when you put it on. Check that the wheel is properly positioned with respect to the brake pads and that the rim is equidistant from the chainstays. From your picture, though, it appears that the dropouts on this frame have stops in them, so that you can simply pull the wheel back against the stops. If they are set up correctly, the wheel should be aligned properly when seated against them.


Hard shifting on SRAM Rival FD shifter I just installed SRAM Rival shifters and a FD on my touring bike. However, I'm having an issue with very hard shifting. The right/rear shifts fine (teamed with X7 RD).
I have to push excessively hard for it to shift to the big ring. Then when I want to drop it to the small ring, again, I have to push hard and it lets loose with 2 very loud, jarring clicks.  I have Rival on my race bike so I KNOW that's not normal.
It almost feels as if the limiter is in too far, not allowing it to reach full throw, but if I let out the limiter, it overshifts and drops the chain. The shifter works fine when the cable is detached.
The previous setup was an ultegra 9sp clamp-on FD. I bought an Origin8 Braze-on Clamp on which to mount the Rival FD.
I'm just afraid I might break the DT blade off over time.  Any ideas on how to remedy this, or what might be causing it? The only thing I can think of is that maybe the Braze-on clamp displaces the FD too far outboard.

Thanks

It's fixed.  It turns out that I had the cable running underneath the notch on the FD. I checked my other bike out and and noticed it running over top of the notch.  Once I switched it, I started shifting much more smoothly.


Long Distance (~30mi) Bag Use I do realize this question is asked a lot and I have looked around but I find my self still struggling with it, for that I apologize.

Recently I decided to commute to work and so I bought a Giant Escape 3, this works fine for my 30 mile round trip ride (Route: http://goo.gl/VxWcHe). I work in IT and so I generally have a laptop, tablet, an assortment of chargers and other materials with me. I estimate that my load is probably around 15 lbs and is 20-25 lbs when I commute with my hobby items.

This bag just isn't working for me, it hurts when I lean forward and causes to much sweat on my back because of no ventilation. I am trying to figure out a bag that would work for my needs whether it is a backpack, messenger, or pannier. If it is a pannier it needs to be able to go onto my back when I am not commuting, and if it is a backpack/messenger I would like it to have some form of ventilation for the back. If possible I am trying to keep the price under or around $100 but I understand I may have to shill out more so I believe my limit for price is around ~$150.

Once again I am sorry for this long post, and often repeated question, but I have issues when it comes to choices (consumer wise) unless there is an obvious winner and I just can't seem to figure out a winner even with the pros and cons posted.

EDIT: Also I live on Oahu, Hawaii. If it isn't raining it is most likely very hot and very humid. Normally I am biking home while it is still 80F+ and 50%+ humidity.

Unfortunately, you're probably not going to find a backpack that converts to a pannier in that price range. And most of them kind of suck for all day use anyway, even the high end ones. You can feel the hooks digging into your back so it's not comfortable for much more than carrying it from the bike rack to the office.

Your best option is probably to use a rear rack and a basket. Then you could simply put your backpack into the basket for your commute. You can get a cheap bike rack for about $25 and a basket for about the same price. That particular rack is rated for 55 lbs and while the baskets don't list a weight spec, the Q&A section below says that people easily load 25+ lbs per basket.

There are lots of other companies that manufacture similar racks and baskets, so it would be a good idea to shop around. Those were just the first ones that I stumbled across.

You could also use a front basket as someone else suggested, but those tend to mount up high which affects your steering. And not in a good way.


Does the rear tyre carry more weight than the front tyre? As I'm riding my bike, it looks as if the rear tyre is carrying more weight than the front tyre: The rear tyre looks more squished downwards, even though both are equally well-inflated.

This I think has been true for every bike I've had.

Am I just imagining it or is this generally so?

Might this also explain why the rear tyre is more susceptible to wear and tear than the front?

Generally, the weight distribution of a rider on a bicycle is something like 40 - 60 rather than 50-50 (front to back). This contributes to increased rear tire wear (along with rear wheel drive) causing front tires to sometimes last three times as long as rear tires. Skid stops (such as on a fixie) can also increase rear tire wear relative to normal stops.

An aside: You don't need to run your tires at equal pressure - in fact, in most cases, the rear tire is about 10% higher than the front tire. This will make it deflect a bit less.


Mounting a 7-Speed Cassette on an 8/9 speed hub I asked an earlier question regarding putting modern road wheels on my old steel frame.

After clarifying a few things the main issue to me is the number of gears on the freehub. (The freehub I'm considering takes an 8/9 speed and has a Shimano fitting). My bicycle is currently a 7-speed and uses a freewheel rather than a freehub.

So I think I have 2 options:

Put an 8-speed cassette on the new wheel and increase the number of gears on my bike. Issues: I assume an 8-speed uses a narrower chain; will my front chainring work with it?
Put on this 7-speed cassette which says it can work on an 8/9-speed hub with a set of spacer rings. Questions: how do I use the spacer rings? Do I need only one of each for the whole cassette of one for each sprocket? Will this allow the slightly wider chain I currently use on the 7-speed.

Which option would be the better choice?

A few points to consider:

Shifters are friction, so no need to consider indexing but I am unsure whether they have the range for an 8-speed (but with a narrower chain maybe the range is the same, just with smaller movements between gears)
My deraileur is actually a modern Shimano 8/9 speed already (as the old one broke). I have adjusted it to suit my 7-speed with the limiter screws.

Since you have friction shifters and an 8/9 speed derailleur, you should be able to pop a 9 speed cassette on the back and use the full range.  You'll have to re-adjust your limit screws of course. Worst case, if that doesn't work, you may be able to remove one of the small cogs and space it out to use only 8 speeds.

The font chainrings will also likely be fine, usually you can go up/down one size without issue for front chainrings. Since your front chainring is designed for 8-speed, it will probably work fine with a 9-speed chain. I regularly use a 9-speed chainring in front with an otherwise all 10-speed setup without issues.


Shimano METREA 1x11 from Shimano 3x8 Can I upgrade my bike with a METREA Urban crankset with chain guard 1x11-speed if my current system is Shimano FC-M171, 42/34/24 with bottom bracket Shimano BB UN26?

And can I install CS-5800 cassette if now is Shimano CS HG31, 11-32, 8-speed with Rear Hub Shimano FH-RM 35, 32h? Thanks for information!

Yes, Metrea cranks will fit on your bike, but you need a new bottom bracket. You have a threaded bottom bracket shell with a cartridge BB, Metrea cranks work with outboard Holowtech II BBs in the threaded shell. The Shimano spec pages says use an SM-BBR60.

Whether you can get an 11 speed cassette on the freehub depends on the size of cassette you use. Road 11 speed freehub bodies are slightly longer than 8-10 speed ones to accommodate the wider cassette, however, if the largest sprockets are big enough the cassette spider can overhang the hub a little and not interfere with the hub body or spokes. Many larger cassettes come with a spacer that is used on 11 speed freehub bodies and left off on 8-10 speed freehub bodies.


Replacing 42/52 crankset to 39/52 - will it make a difference? I have several questions that arise from the fact that the current drivetrain on my old Peugeot road bike is pretty tough to ride when climbing up some steep hills: so I've got a 42/52 up front and 6 speeds (largest: 24) on the back.

So my first question: will changing the front to e.g. 39/52 setup make a noticable difference.

If so, can it be exchanged to e.g. some older/used crakset such as this Campa
http://apro.bikemag.hu/files/4/2/listing_photo159024_555485241366650384.jpg

It has the same tapered square connection as the current one.

You asked: will changing the front to e.g. 39/52 setup make a noticable difference?
My answer is an unequivocal 'yes'. If you can however, consider 34 or 36-tooth inner and 50T outer, if you can find chainrings that fit your spider. TA make a large range of chainrings, however new ones will probably cost more than the monetary value of your bike.


Add front brake and/or improve back brake on 2012 Specialized P.24? I love the P.24. Sometimes I like to ride it on steep offroad downhills and keep it under control. Currently, my braking strategy is brake and bail if necessary. :)

According to http://bmx-bikes.findthebest.com/l/576/2012-Specialized-P-24 the brake is: "Tektro FX-340 U-brake, melt forged, single bushing, coil spring, 15mm offset arms, soft compound pad".

I just added a longer pad, that seems to help. What else might I try to get better performance?

There is some kind of mounting hole on my front fork. What brake could I mount on there?

See also:

Q: "Can you confirm whether the forks on the P.24 are drilled for side-pull brakes or have mounting bosses for 990/U brakes?" A: "The bike is really not designed to run a front brake. Last year we did spec some with a front U brake on the same fork, but they required a an adapter which we no longer manufacture." (From http://specialized.desk.com/customer/portal/questions/507805-p-24-front-brakes)

Updates (8/30/2013):

I called Specialized. The person I talked to said that I could find a front brake that would probably work.
I measured the hole as having a 6mm diameter and 35mm length.

Get Odyssey cable & lever. It did magic to my BB5 5 years ago. This fork doesn't looks like it has brake mounts, so either get another fork or another (sick maybe) idea is to get actualy two bikes: MTB for offroad, 20 BMX for park and street. That's what I did eventualy.


Age-specific information for cyclists I was reading a discussion (Cycling: mashing versus spinning) in which someone commented ...

  In the big picture, winning against
  other age-groupers is pretty
  unremarkable.

... which implies that cycling performance is affected by one's age.

Now ageing might be, to quote the FAQ, "an actual problem that you face".

Assuming that ageing is in fact some kind of 'problem', can you tell me what's useful to know about it? Especially as it relates to cycling (ability, performance, expectations, and/or training)?

For example a little bit of googling found "Key found to muscle loss as we age" which suggests that one cause of muscle wasting in older people is decreased blood flow to the legs (which cycling presumably helps to counter-act somewhat).

To be a bit more specific:

I'm soon to be 50 (but please feel free to talk about other ages if you know about it and think it would interest)
I'd looking for any specifically age-related information (e.g. I think all articles will say that in general exercise is good for you at any/every age: which is the opposite of being an age-specific statement, or statements about specific ages or ageing)
I'm looking for bicycle-specific information (so perhaps not especially for statements relating to flexibility, memory and other mental abilities, impact-resilience, and/or other such ageing-related phenomena that aren't especially relevant to bicycling)
I'd prefer actionable or prescriptive information

I'm over 50, starting my 30th year of cycling, and raced for 10 years when much younger. I've been tracking my performance over the 30 years with detailed training diaries.

The main age related issue I've found is that it takes longer for me to recover from hard efforts. The consequence is that I cannot train as hard overall because I cannot handle as many hard days of training. I also find that I need to warm up longer before hard efforts, which reduces the time I can spend working hard in any given training session.

Overall, I haven't found much decrease in performance given the reduced amount of hard training. In other words, if I compare my current performance to earlier times when I was training at the same level of effort, my performance is only a little worse.

I'm curious to find out at what age I will start seeing a bigger decline.

I deal with the reduced number of hard sessions by pushing myself extremely hard during those sessions and taking it much easier on other rides. My goal is that my hard days are very hard and my easy days are very easy.


Carbon fiber fork scratched. Paint over or replace? I'm new to carbon fiber in general. The other day my fork scraped up on some concrete. I'm not too worried if it's a scratch; however, I am worried if it means the fork is a goner. I've posted a picture of the damage. Also to add, the paint is about 2-3mm thick and I couldn't feel too much of a groove within the actual carbon fiber. It was merely a scratch and if I had to assume at the worst then .5mm deep into the carbon fiber portion.

Thank you for whoever answers!

Personally, I'd put some clear (UV stable) epoxy over it and not worry any more about it.

My MTB has a carbon rear triangle and I had a landing go sideways (literally) when the knobs on the rear tire kicked hard left and started grinding through the clear coat and down through the CF. I stopped the bike as quickly as I could, re-aligned the rear wheel and kept riding. I didn't have time to have it repaired before MTB National Championships last year so I raced it just like that and still finished 9th. I then got some quotes and had it repaired by Calfee earlier this year. It looks and feels even stronger than it did prior to the repair.


Does tilting the bike on a repair stand so the fork is vertical impede any repairs? After you've experimented with various rotations of the bike on a stand, which position do you end up using?

I initially thought that the logical position is to align the wheels so they're at equal distances from the ground.

That doesn't work so well. The handlebar will not stay put without hooking the extra support bar. (The main disadvantage of the support bar is that instead of spending a few seconds to set the bike and close a quick release, it's necessary to tinker for several times that much. If it can be avoided, at least for quick jobs, it's better.) Another factor, the bending moment applied on the seat post, may not be a cause for worry, since the bike itself is so much lighter than the rider on the seat.

In any case, it's pointless to make the bike look like it's about to fly. It's perhaps more sensible to keep the seat post (and we should be hanging it from the seatpost to avoid crushing the frame) vertical, as in the second diagram above.

Now even in that position the handlebar could tilt.

Do you tilt a bike on the stand all the way until the fork, not just the seat post, is vertical?

Update (after Henry A. Kissinger's comment)

Another way of asking this is: Does tilting the bike until either the seatpost or the fork is vertical impede any repairs? Is there any advantage to keeping the bike level?

How your bike is positioned in a work stand should depend on the type of work you are going to perform.

Much of the time it seems more convenient to have the bike in the stand so it is titled forward with the front wheel a fair bit lower than the rear. Such as position prevents the front wheel from flopping over and puts many key components and systems such as both derailleurs, the rear brake, front crankset, handlebars and shifters at a good working height in relationship with each other.

This minimizes the amount of excessive bending and reaching required for many common tasks such as adjusting shifting, cleaning the drivetrain, replacing chains, wrapping handlebars etc.

If you are working on a less common task such as bleeding hydraulic brakes, replacing a bottom bracket, or installing a new bash guard on the down tube of a mountain bike; adjust the bike stand height and/or tilt appropriately to accommodate the specific task you need to perform.

For something like bleeding a rear hydraulic brake this could mean lowering the overall height of the stand and rotating so the the front of the bike is tilted higher than the rear wheel to maintain an upward flow from the caliper to the brake levers.

It can help to have the bike level when adjusting the saddle’s angle and setback but honestly it is usually easier to perform those tasks with the bike flat on the ground instead of in a stand.


Should I use an already master-linked chain or add a masterlink to a plain chain? Trying to find moderately-priced 9-speed chain is a pain, particularly with a master/missing link already installed. I can only find PC-971 master-linked chains from US market but shipping and handling ruins the deal. Then, I can find master links (like here) but haven't yet found a chain. Also, the seller will sometimes only ship to a limited number of countries.

How would you buy if you wanted a master-linked 9-speed chain? Would you buy the chain and the link separate or together like in PC-971?

I've been in a number of situations where I was really glad to have a master link that I could pull apart.  I'm a big fan of Sram's chains, and they're pretty reasonably priced here in the US.  In your position, I'd try hard to find a chain with a master link.

With that in mind, it's worth having (and even carrying with you) a spare master link.  If you do blow apart your chain, being able to put it back together is well worth the extra few milligrams in your bike pack.  Since they seem to come in 4-packs, it'd probably be fine to just find a chain and buy a pack of master links.


Park Tool FR-5.2 fits Shimano CS-HG50 8 speed road cassette? Am I correct in saying that the Park Tool FR-5.2 cassette lockring tool is the correct tool to use on a Shimano CS-HG50 8 speed road cassette?

Yes, that tool fits all Shimano and SRAM cassette lockrings (as does the FR-5.2G and FR-5.2GT variants).

https://www.parktool.com/product/cassette-lockring-tool-fr-5-2?category=Cassette%20%26%20Freewheel

  Fits Shimano®, SRAM® (including 1x), SunRace®, SunTour®, Chris King® and other cassette lockrings


How can I widen brakes on an '09 Specialized Transition Pro? I just picked up an '09 Transition on craigslist, and was expectantly dismayed to find that the stock brakes aren't quite wide enough for my Zipp 404 firecrests.  When I remove the straddle cable (unsure if that's correct term for this particular type of brakes), they open up enough for the super wide 404s.

Does anybody either a)  know the part number for the straddle "cable" that came stock, so I can order a slightly longer one or b) have any suggestions for how I can open the brakes up another 4mm?

Reference image:  http://imgur.com/YPYdx.  What I'm calling the "straddle cable" is what connects the two calipers.

This part is specific to Specialized. They only make one size. If you loosen the center cable, it should have more than enough clearance for a Zipp wheel, even if you have the new Firecrest design.

The straddle clip can be replaced with a standard cantilever straddle cable and a hook, like this:

but it is not ideal for leverage on the brakes, which may reduce your stopping power. And I'm not suggesting installing the cantilever brake, only using the bridge and straddle cable.


durablity and brand? Here's some photos:on the left is the suspension,on the right is the crank set,on the bottom left is the front derailleur and on the bottom right is the back derailleur

I recently spray painted my bike that was given to me by someone, and then, I suddenly got curious to find what is the brand of this bike but i couldn't as it was covered, so any idea what brand it might be?

Also, will it be suitable to ride on rough terrains using it? or parts to upgrade it?

EDIT: After a month of research, I think this is an EVEREST brand mountain bike.is it any good?   And it is steel?

You'd probably get a good information by looking at the components.  Assuming the components are original, you can tell a lot information about the general quality of the frame from the quality components. Almost nobody is putting DuraAce on a cheap Walmart frame, and almost nobody is putting Tourney parts on a Cervello.  The bolt on wheels and ProMax crank lead to me believe that this bike is more likely from Walmart or another department store. That doesn't mean it is, but it could be.  Also, it has V-Brakes, which most quality full suspension bikes don't use any more. They've almost entirely switched over to disk brakes at the high end.  Get some more pictures showing close ups of the derailleurs, crankset, suspension, and the markings on the rim of the wheel to help us evaluate it further.


How do I remove a quill stem? (I recently got an old Favorit road bike (made in Czechoslovakia) and started restoring it. In order to give the frame a new coat of paint, I need to strip it down from everything.)
I'm stuck with the quill stem. I'm not sure how to remove it because it's impossible to just pull it out and there are no screws holding it. There is this long screw about 7 inches long that I took out but it doesnt seem to affect anyway the quill stem. So how can I remove it (if it's even possible)?

Return the bolt. You need to turn it out only for a half inch, then easily strike it with a hammer. (Don't make a strong strike, to not drive in the quill stem if it rusted!) Usually it will be enough, Yet it can be a little rusted, so hitting with your hand on the handles will help. Sometimes it's very rusted, so you will need to use some oil to deal with it. Very rarely it rusted so much, that nothing will help.


Finding a replacement for "Schwalbe No.19 40/62-584/635" tube I look for a punctureproof tube to replace the one delivered with my Cube Attention model. My understanding I should shop the new tube ideally by the ETRTO code.

The old tube is signed as "Schwalbe No. 19 - 28"/29" - 40/62-584/635". Now what is exactly the ETRTO code here?

40/62-584/635

Means the tube will fit ETRTO 584 to 635 rims, and 40 to 62mm wide tires.

Inner tubes don't have an exact ETRTO code because they fit a range of rim diameters and tire widths. Tubes from different manufacturers (and single manufacturers at different times) will have different ranges, so buying an exact replacement model can be difficult.

As ojs said, find the ETRTO size of the tire then buy a tube that accommodates that size in its acceptable range.


How to adjust the handlebar alignment with front wheel? I have the follwing stem

My handlebar is a bit too much right and I am not sure what screw(s) I have to loosen the one on top (in the headset) or the two left on the picture above or maybe all of them.

If you are saying the handlebars are angled to the right of being straight. You will want to loosen the two screws that are going horizontal across the steering tube. then you can straighten the handlebar/stem combo and re-tighten. Be careful there are sometime torque spec on the Stem to make sure you don't strip it.


How to install round brake pads I decided to change my bike's brake pads myself. My bike has the following brakes: Promax DSK-915. I contacted the online shop I ordered my new brake pads (and my bike last year), before purchasing, and they told me that these are suitable for my bike: Cox DBP-06.87-R Disc Brake Pads.

I got them today, but I have no idea how to put them on my bike, as the old ones I have are not rounded and have little hole that's used to put them in place.

Below you can see my old brakes. The "thing" (split pin/cotter pin) I circled in red goes in the little holes I marked with numbers.

I don't understand how I can install my new ones on my brakes:

Is that even possible? Or the online shop suggested I buy the wrong product? I am so confused.

You got the wrong pads.

While it's possible to mix and match some pads, this is usually not the case. When replacing pads, keep track of:

Pad material and what your rotor is compatible of. Some rotors have a "resin pads only" etched on. Consult user manual or manufacturer website for this info.
Pad shape. Note the features, like "handles" shape, amount and location of holes and protrusions.

The pad you want has is called DBP-01.23R. It's a Shimano-compatible (B01S analogue), very wide spread model, you should be able to source a pair from any half-decent bike shop. The round pads are for Promax Render and Decipher and won't work with your Solve.


Type of Shimano "PlusMinus" (slot & Philips) screws Shimano uses a screw type that is a mixture between slot and Philips (PH):

There's a "PlusMinus" screw type for electrician equipment like manufactured by Wiha :

(Source: Wiha)

Are the Shimano screws officially PlusMinus types? Are they officially Philips (PH) compatible?

As far as I know, every cross-type Shimano screw is JIS, or at least they are in the sense of being designed to mate correctly with a JIS screwdriver. The limit screws you mentioned just are extended a bit to handle a flat screwdriver if that's what's handy.


Anyone tried piggy-backing one Wolf Roadlink on top of another? I want to get a 46t sprocket on my old 9 speed Shimano Deore derailleur. The Wolftooth Roadlink only allows for a 40t, could I double-up two Roadlinks and get that extra capacity, or...?

As noted in the comments, you could do this to enable the 46 but the 11,12,13t sprockets would be a long way from the derailleur in those gears as the derailleur isn't designed for that difference. Try to imagine the shape of the pyramid of the 11-32 and the 11-46.
Derailleurs are designed around specific pyramid slopes.
This could work fine on a 18-46 cassette that doesn't exist.


Learning to ride fixed gear: Clipless or not? Which strategy is better for learning to ride fixed gear, if you're already comfortable with clipless pedals:

Flat pedals at first, clipless after you're comfortable with being unable to coast.
Learning to ride clipless from the start, probably with the tension turned way down.

Just got a fixed gear bike, which I plan to practice riding in a park for a while before using it as a commuter. I usually ride with clipless pedals, and I gather from questions on SE as well as other sources, that foot retention is quite important on a fixed gear as well. Thus, eventually, I would want to ride that way.

Here's my experience:

The biggest problem in starting to ride fixed is that my brain would forget I was riding fixed, I'd come across a decent stretch of road (or a corner), and would attempt to coast. All totally subconsciously.

With flat pedals, provided I was doing a decent enough speed/cadence, I'd end up having to take my feet off the pedals until such time as I'd slowed the bike enough to get my feet back on and essentially regain control of the bike. Timeframe possibly 10 seconds during which the only real control I had was to steer and brake.

In clipless pedals, however, because my feet are attached to the pedals, as soon as my brain says "coast", my feet say "whoaaaaa". My brain then kicks back in and because I am still attached to the pedals I can just recover, easy as. And the timeframe here is just a fraction of a second.

So for my money, and assuming you do have a traffic-free environment in which to hone your skills, I'd go clipless straight away.

In traffic, I prefer flat pedals, just because I might want to put my foot down, like, now. But this of course is a preference thing rather than a technique thing.

btw, even though I've had a fixie for a couple of years now I still fall into this trap. Right now I'm probably only getting the fixie out once a month (compared to riding geared bikes several times per week), so there's an element of readjustment every time I take it out.


Carbon Fiber vs. Aluminum I am a new cyclist who is on my 2nd year of biking. I bought a cheapo Schwinn MTB at Walmart to start with but now I want a real road bike. I currently have $2k saved up and am looking into a Specialized Secteur Exprt Disc which is aluminum. I did pick up a carbon frame bike at the shop and although it is lighter, not by much. How sturdy are these carbon frames? From what I've read they can crack if you get in a tumble, and at that point you are done. Vs an aluminum frame will more likely than not be OK. I'd have to spend over $1000 more to get a carbon frame and as good components (Shimano 105 or above) so I don't know if its worth it or not. I'm just a casual cyclist who likes to go on long solo rides for fitness/fun.

There's no reason to worry about carbon fibre durability. I'm riding on a 20 year old Specialized Epic Allez (CF tubes with Al lugs), and it's just as light and stiff as it was when new.

If you have a serious accident CF may break in a non-repairable way, but the same is more-or-less true about aluminium as well, although it may take more of a tumble to break it. (In theory Al can be welded, but you have to be very careful, as the welding will wreck the heat treatment.)

At the same time, CF is more expensive. If I would buy a new bike today I would probably get a decent aluminium frame and instead spend more money on the components, rather than an expensive frame with sub-par groupset.


mountain bike chainsuck, replacing parts while thinking of future upgrades I have been having what I believe is called chainsuck for a while now.  Chain will get stuck between first and second ring and have to stop and pull like "%&$* to get it out.  It is always the between the first and second.

From reading a few posts it looks like the sensible approach is to (at minimum) replace the first and second rings as well as the chain.

My question is:

1) should I replace all of the rings or is it OK to only do 1 and or 2?

2) do I have to replace the rear cassette at the same time?

3) Is this pretty hard (just starting to learn how to do some mods, cleaning and maintenance my self).

EDIT

on further inspection, the middle ring has lost some teeth, got a nice bend in one bit and shark fin look to some of the teeth.  This was replaced by "halfords" a while ago, guessing they put some rubbish ring on there.  The first ring is a bit shark fin like, but the outer looks pretty good.

Sounds like you are going to be replacing the middle ring. 'Bolt Circle Diameter' is the measure of chainring compatibility. You need another ring of the same BCD and you can check the specifications for that on the Shimano website.

Personally I would go for another Alivio ring because they are made of steel rather than aluminium alloy, this will last a lot longer, cost a lot less and the weight difference will be marginal.

The shark-fin look to the teeth is deliberate, they are individually sculpted so as to make shifting that bit easier. The bent tooth is the problem - and the missing teeth.

You can order in confidence from Wiggle and return the item if it is not the one you want, albeit with some postage to pay.

The chainring bolts do need an allen key at the front and a proper tool at the back. See if your big-fat-screwdriver can be used instead of the proper tool - tightening chainring bolts is not an everyday task so you may be able to skimp on getting yet another tool.


Where can I find information on Kent 700c Eagle Ridge axle nuts, I want to buy Hexlox Where can I find information on Kent 700c Eagle Ridge front and rear outer axle nuts, so they can be replaced with Hexlox?

The quickest and most reliable way to find out for the bike would be by measuring directly. The Hexnuts come in M9, M10, or 3/8 sizes and then all are said to take a 6mm Hexlox. From reading here: https://hexlox.com/collections/hexlox-compatible-extras/products/hexnut-wheel-nut-lock

Extract from same page:

  FRONT WHEEL:
  most Front Wheels use M9
  If your Front Wheel Nut fits your rear wheel or its for VanMoof, Miche and DuraAce, use M10 For vintage bikes please double check.
  3/8 is rarely used. Best to check your axle diameter.

  FOR REAR WHEEL:
  most Rear Wheels use M10x1mm
  Fits all Single Speed and Fixed rear wheels.
  Also suitable for Rohloff, Bion-X, NuVinci, VanMoof Front and Rear, Miche Front and Rear, DuraAce Front and Rear.

  FOR SHIMANO ALFINE/NEXUS.
  Select: Rear 3/8 - Alfine/Nexus
  (3/8' x 26tpi)


How can I dry a chain? I've started cleaning my mountain-bike chain more regularly, using this process:

Wash off mud.
Use chain-cleaner tool with de-greaser.
Wash off de-greaser.
Dry chain (see below).
Re-lube with wet lube.
Wipe off excess lube with rag/paper.

The bit I'm having trouble with is #4 (dry chain). What's a good way to achieve that? Currently, I do this:

Dry chain as far as possible with rag/paper.
Squirt GT-85 all over chain to drive out water.
Dry chain (again) with rag/paper.

...but even then it's clearly not dry enough, because when I put the new lube on the whole lot emulsifies into a brown gloopy mess :-(

At this time of year (winter) I'm normally doing all this when I get home after a couple of hours riding and a couple of pints in the pub - late at night, in the dark, outside in the freezing cold, often in the rain - so I'm looking for a quick solution that doesn't involve a workshop (which I don't have, far less an air compressor).

I've tried leaving it overnight before putting the lube on, but in cold weather it's still not dry in the morning. And it tends to form surface rust too...

Do I just need a better (fluffier?) rag? Or is it simply not realistic to be able to clean it and re-lube it within 15 mins?

A method I've used a lot is after the chain is thoroughly clean but still wet, use an old hair dryer rigged up to be pointed into a small bucket, in which the chain is sitting in a wire basket or similarly suspended. It takes about three minutes to get the chain dry and hot. At the particular shop I was at where this was the protocol, we'd then pull the chain out with a spoke and dip it into a jar of Boeshield T9 for a few seconds, then pull out and let drip dry. The heat does a lot to pull the lube into the inners of the chain, and the results look and feel like a new chain out of the package. I imagine a lot of lubes would have the same result, although you need to develop the system in a way that doesn't cause fires (choice of lube and how hot you get it).

An old toaster oven would probably work too.


Larger wheels - easier to turn? I've seen it mentioned that larger wheels are easier to turn - is that actually the case?  How would that work?

The way I see it, larger wheels will have more angular momentum, meaning they'll take more energy to start turning, but while spinning, will be easier to keep at the same speed?

Larger wheels have lower effective rolling resistance.  That is, they roll over obstacles more easily and smoothly because the larger diameter doesn't allow them to fall into gaps as easily.  Which means on actual roads you'll roll more easily with a larger wheel.  Everything else is much smaller differences.

However, I think the angular momentum may work out about the same: at the same speed, a bigger wheel will have a lower rpm than a smaller wheel.  And the ratio of the difference in rotation speed is the same as the ratio of the the angular momentum.  To put it another way: I'm too lazy to work out all the math, but I think the angular momentum cancels out and you get the same linear momentum regardless of wheel size. (and having the same linear momentum is an intuitive result. If you're going 15mph, relative to you the bottom of the wheel is going 15mph back, the top 15mph forward, the front 15mph down, the back 15mph up.  Relative to the road it's 0, 15, 15 and 30. All independent of wheel size)

Constructing a larger wheel will generally require slightly more mass and might therefore slow your acceleration slightly.

Also, all else being equal, a larger wheel is geared higher and may give you a higher top speed.


Adding pedals & training wheels to this balance bike? Is there any way to add pedals & training wheels to this balance bike?

You could probably add training wheels, but not a crank.  There simply isn't anywhere on the frame for cranks to go.  Also, adding training wheels to a balance bike is kind of defeating the purpose of a balance bike.  It's meant to be an alternative to training wheels that allows the child to learn to steer into falls and "scoot" around and eventually learn to glide around before riding a bike with cranks on it.  These have been pretty universally hailed as the best way to teach a younger child to ride.  Oh, and with the shape of the frame, you may not be able to find an appropriate set of training wheels too, they would end up at a forward angle, and would be more likely to get in the way of the "scooting" action kids do on these bikes.


Using 27.2 seatpost in 26.8 frame I'm building a bicycle for myself on a steel road frame using primarily used and salvaged parts. I measured the inner diameter of the seat tube to be 26.8mm but I only have on hand a 27.2 seat post. Should it be fine to use this post?

I'm only asking this because, to my surprise, the 27.2 post fit cleanly into the frame. No force was needed to insert it and, there's even a small amount of play when the clamp isn't attached.

If it fits and you can clamp it, it's fine.


turbo trainer on wtb 27.5 sx19 wheel is it possible I have a norco 7.1 charger 2015 bike. I'm looking to put some miles on a turbo trainer

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/turbo-trainers/trainers/tacx-blue-matic-folding-magnetic-trainer

I'm a noob who need to know if it's possible for me:

a)get a tyre that will fit my rim

or

b)get a cheap and nasty rim to fit 27.5 1.25inch tyre

Trainers are hard on bikes and on tyres/tires.  You want a cheap hard-wearing tyre for the rear.   Grip and tread are mostly irrelevant, and even a mostly worn tyre is probably fine.  Get every bit of usage out of the rubber.

Some people choose to have a spare rear wheel to swap out for convenience, because that's less work than swapping the tyre.

Others have a dedicated trainer bike permanently mounted in the trainer. Sometimes they even have no front wheel, purely for space saving.

Aside - Consider setting up a fan to replicate the passage of air.  Its hot and sweaty working on a trainer without airflow.


What could be causing excessive friction in a new rear hub? I recently had my bike (Focus Mares CX) serviced by my LBS, during which they replaced my wheels with a set of new Campagnolo Khamsin wheels.  In the month since I had that done I've found it markedly harder to pedal; I'm suddenly struggling to get up hills on my commute that were fine before, despite also having switched from a 27t to a 28t largest sprocket, and I'm drifting back from my companions when we're freewheeling.

When I remove the wheels and hand-turn the axles, the front one rotates smoothly and freely, whereas the rear one rotates smoothly but viscously.  There's a lot more resistance than I'd expect, and compared to my friends' bikes.  In the past I've always had cup and cone hubs, so this sort of problem was usually down to an overly tight cone, but these hubs have cartridge bearings and I'm unfamiliar with them.

I'm finding the hub schematic (pdf) a bit difficult to get my head around.  There's an endcap on the non-drive side that's secured with a pinch bolt, which is apparently used to take us slack if there's play in the axle, but loosening it has no effect.  Is there another bolt that I could loosen?  The new wheel sits much tighter in the frame than I'm used to, and I wonder could the LBS have tightened up something so much to get it in the frame that it's overloading the bearings?

Adjusting the bearing is quite easy although it's more than just unscrewing the 2.5mm hex-screw at the left side of the hub. Here's the link to an instruction sheet from Campagnolo.

https://www.campagnolo.com/media/files/035_68_Technical%20manual_wheels_adjustment_hub%20Campagnolo_12-12.pdf

While the PDF describes how to remove excessive play easing an axle that is too sticky goes the other way round with one small addition.

The steps are the following:

Untighten but don't remove the 2.5mm hex-screw that pinches the left cup.

Hold the right-side axle steady and turn the left anti-clockwise (to untension the load on the bearings) by 1/8 turn.

Check if the axle turns as desired. If it's still too tight repeat the previous step.

--While it's easy to tighten a bearing that has too much play, it may be tricky to loosen one that is too tight. A slight whack  on the right axle stub with a rubber mallet is helpful. (Speaking from experience with Campa wheels!)

Check if you didn't put in excessive play.

Retighten the 2.5mm hex with a torque wrench @ 2.5Nm.

But as I suggested in a previous comment I'd take the bike to the dealer because the wheels are rather new and still under warranty. And do it quickly, an overtightened bearing is easily destroyed.

One more thing: new rear wheels may be a little bit 'stickier' than one might think good. It is often due to the fact that they have to bear more load and resist to the pull from the chain. A couple of hundreds of km is often required to have them running properly.

They do have a video showing the overhaul sequence:
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/Support/complete_revision_of_campagnolo_wheels_hub


What are advantages and disadvantages of CO2 inflators over frame pumps? I have a frame pump that I've used on the road when replacing flats, but I always see CO2 inflators advertised at bike shops.  Are they worthwhile for the potential weight savings?

Advantages:

Fast - generally these fill up your tire much faster than you could with a pump
Less effort - hook up, push button, no pumping
Possibly less weight (but I haven't compared weight of smallest pumps to CO2)
Lower initial investment - a valve and 2 cartridges generally seems to be cheaper than a good small pump.

Disadvantages:

Consumable cartridges - which is a cost issue if you have to fill up often
No backup - if you patch a flat and don't get it quite right, you don't have a way to fill up anymore.  You could carry extra CO2 cartridges, but then you could lose the weight advantage.
Limited on what tires they work with. Big tires will get less pressure.
Less friendly - if your friend gets a flat and you've got one cartridge, will you loan it? If you've got a pump it's no problem at all.  I've helped out complete strangers with my pump before.
Goes low faster. CO2 seeps through the tube a bit faster than air, so you'll have to top off the tire sooner than if you'd used a pump.

One possibility to consider is a combo unit.  Generally the pump on those is terrible, but it should be enough to get you home if you run out of CO2.  Or carry both a pump and a CO2 valve and a cartridge.  That way your first flat can be fixed super-fast and you avoid all the disadvantages (and the weight of a simple valve and one cartridge isn't much).


Magura Vyron dropper seatpost internal shaft can be easily twisted I had a very light crash (in fact just rode into a bush) after which I noticed I twisted magura vyron seat post. Apparently my seat post clamp was too tight.. Now it can be twisted when some force is applied which seems to be dangerous, of course. Is there something I can do myself or I have to send it to service?

Something similar happened to me a couple of years ago, after my bicycle was transported by a freight company for several thousands of kilometers, and the Vyron seatpost apparently had received a couple of sideways strikes.

You do not provide details about which seatpost's parts are loose. I'd guess it is the internal movable shaft that now rotates against the external piece. It seems (at least it was so in my case) that the shaft of the seatpost is threaded into something inside. It means you can thread it back to be tight by rotating the shaft clockwise (looking from the top). Be careful to not unscrew it all the way out of course, it should get tighter quite soon after you start rotating it.


Can I swap front & back brake levers on Shimano ST-RS685? (hydraulic road disk brakes) I have Shimano ST-RS685 hydraulic disk brake set.

I'm used to having front brake lever on the right and rear on the left. (UK).
But this bike has front on the left and rear on the right.

Is it possible to swap them over?

I understand GCN made a video on this:

But in this video the cables have the junctions that you can unscrew and exchange cables quickly. Mine doesn't have this junctions. Is it still possible?

The video mentions "lengthier", does that mean it can be done but the bar-tape has to be removed etc?

Yes, you absolutely can swap the lines between front/rear, that holds true for all road hydro groups. Out of the box ST-RS685 used to come without quick release connectors, so you'll have to do something along these steps:

Undo bar tape wrap from stem to levers.
Unscrew hose furniture from levers.
Screw hose furniture into the opposite levers.
Wrap the tape back, check the brakes.

That said, step #3 might go wrong in many ways. It's usually not recommended to reuse hose furniture, especially between different levers because connection might leak, in which case you'd have to cut hoses, install new furniture and assemble everything again.

If some oil leaks, you'd have to bleed the brakes.

The hose length might also be insufficient, in which case you'll have to install new hoses (both BH-59 and BH-90 work with ST-RS685) and furniture (brake olive kit) and do a complete bleed.

With mineral oil, things might get very messy, so I suggest to at least remove brake pads and wheels in order to prevent contamination. Try no to work brake levers without pads/disc.

If you feel uncomfortable doing maintenance on hydraulic brakes, I suggest to ask a local bike shop for help. Even after numerous brake services, I still dread anything that has to do with brake fluid.


Are disc brakes weak? And what is "bedding in"? I've owned a couple of department store bicycles in the past with caliper brakes and I set the brakes up properly so when I squeezed the brakes the bike stopped pretty quickly.

I test-rode a bicycle from a bike shop a couple of days ago which had disc brakes, and it was just so slow to stop the bike, it seemed like the brakes were so weak. I checked the brakes on the spot by standing next to the bike and squeezing the front brake and pushing the bike forward, and there was no slippage, and same with the rear wheel. So I think the brakes were set up correctly, they just seemed to have no stopping power.

I asked the clerk about it and he said they would need to be "bedded in". I couldn't understand what he was talking about, but is it normal? And why can't I get a bike that's ready to go from when I buy it. Do I just buy a bike with weak brakes and use it for a while and after a few days the brakes will work better after it grinds a groove in or something like he said? Or were the brakes not set up correctly?

Bedding-in is a common process with new disc brake pads. Disc brakes were developed much earlier for motorcycles and cars, from which the technology and the terminology has been transferred to MTBs: see https://ebcbrakes.com/articles/motorcycle-bed-in/ and http://www.centricparts.com/files/White%20Paper%20Revisions%204-2012/Centric%20White%20Paper%20C3-2012-Bed-In%20Stock.pdf

Bedding-in is a process in which both the pad surface microstructure but also the surface composition of the rotor is affected. During the run-in a very thin layer of material is transferred from the pads to the rotor. This surface deposit increases the brake power significantly.

However, even when the brake pads are not yet bedded-in, a disc brake should have more stopping power than a rim brake. So I wonder whether the surface of the rotor or possibly the pads have inadvertently been poisened by a lubricant. Ask the seller to clean the rotor with alcohol.


Reversible but not symmetrical lower plate in seatpost I have an old seatpost that was removed from its original bike quite some time ago, now I want to use it in another bike, but I don't know if the lower plate should be positioned so it extends behind the top plate or so it extends in front of the top plate.  Pictures will describe it better.  Here the bottom plate is positioned so it extends toward the back of the bike:

And here the plate is flipped around so it extends toward the front of the bike:

I can't remember how I had it positioned when I was actually using it.  Does it matter which way it's set?  If so, which is the right way?

Since neither position offers a clamping advantage I would say it doesn't matter. The only difference I can see is the position in the top/first photo might allow the saddle to be set slightly more forward. The lower/bottom photo position might allow the saddle to be slightly more to the rear.


Reposition pedal on a fixed gear (fixie) I've been riding a fixie for about 3 months, without foot retention, for commuting. As I ride at about 10km/h I don't feel the need for it.

I've learned I can reposition (lift) my right pedal (dominant side) with my right foot by using the the front wheel brake.

I'm always trying to stop with my right foot to the front of the left one, but often I can't and have to lift the rear of the bike to push the right pedal back to the front and sometimes the lights goes from red to green while I'm doing this.

I know I could just learn to reposition and start with the left foot. But is there an easier way to reposition my right pedal? I know I could use foot retention for this, but I feel safer without it amidst cars.

Have you learned how to skid the rear wheel yet?  As you are coming into the stop you can give a few hop/skids to re-position your pedals before you come to a stop.  After a while you get good at judging distances so you can nail getting the dominant foot forward at each stop.


Smaller chainring on the right side of a bigger one possible? I recently converted my bicycle from a derailleur setup to an internally geared hub. During the conversion, I also replaced the previous crankset (with three chainrings) by a crankset having a single chainring. I am very happy with the result because I mostly ride in flat to slightly hilly terrain where the gear transmission ratios provided by the hub suffice. I especially like the perfect chainline on the bike.

However, I might have to use the bike to climb steeper hills from  time to time. For this purpose, a crankset with two chainrings might be interesting. Because with the current chainline the chainring is already very close to the frame, there is no way of adding an extra, smaller chainring to the left of the chainring I would use 99 % of the time while keeping the perfect chainline for this most important chainring.

However, I have my old, now unused crankset to play around with. I wondered if it would be possible to mount a smaller chainring to the right of a bigger chainring. The answer is: Yes, it is possible, and to me it looks like it could work (see photo below). This way, I would have a rather bad chainline with the smaller chainring, but I would use it only in rare cases.

The question is: Is there a reason that the chainring size in all bicycles I have seen so far increases from left to right or can this be inverted without difficulties? Has anybody here tried to change the chainring order and can tell if it works?

Here is the photo of my old crankset with swapped chainrings:

I've done the chain-setting by hand for a couple days when I was waiting for a replacement front mech to arrive.  It worked, but without a FD cage the chain could bounce around and fall off at bumps, like coasting through gravel.

Also, setting the chain while riding was awful-risky because you're bent right down to reach your chain. It gets old fast, and every time risks catching a finger or missing something going on in the traffic.  Plus you get dirty fingers/gloves.

You already have the solution of a front derailleur.  The only perceived advantage is getting a straighter chainline in the big ring.   So the fix there is to use a triple crankset, and set your big ring in the middle position, leave the outside position empty, and put a middle ring on the innermost position.

The only question here will be finding a FD that moves suitably - you may need to mount it higher up the seat tube than normal, and possibly require a friction shifter not an indexed shifter to get the chain sitting right.

I have a shimano alfine 11 with a 22/34/44 triple, and I have never needed the granny ring even when going up a 15% gradient.  The granny 22 tooth simply didn't give me the 4~5  km/h minimum speed I needed to keep balanced, so it was necessary to apply power in 34:gear1 or 25 gear inches, rather than down in the sub-20 gear inches ranges.


Do the disc brakes fit? I found disk brakes online, Nashbar. I am just wondering if they would fit on my bike. I have a Nishiki Pueblo

From what I can see from the latest images available the answer is no. The forks lack a caliper mount. The frame lacks a mount for the rear wheel caliper. Your money would be better spent buying better quality brake pads for the current brakes. The real advantage of discs don't become readily apparent unless you are doing long downhills or riding in wet muddy conditions.  If you have your heart set on disc brakes it makes more financial sense to buy a used bike that is equipped with discs already.


What brand of frame has a star cutout behind the seat? What bmx bike has a star cut-out just behind the seat? sealed bb.

I think these were the old school Malvern Star bikes.

We used to ride rusty versions of these bikes at my Nana's caravan park on holidays.


How do I get/check if carbon wheels are tubeless compatible I have fake Zipp 404 and Continental GP4000 SII tubular on it. It is time to change it.
The question is how do I know if this wheels

a) without removing
b) with removing

tubeless compatible or not?

Tubular rims are never compatible with tubeless tires.
Tubular rims have a slightly concave bed that the tire sits on. Tubeless tires are a variation on clincher tires, and require sidewalls to retain the tire bead.


Is it typical for the front and rear gear levers to be reversed? I recently purchased my first bicycle since I was a kid. The bike I bought has individual gear levers for shifting up and down for both the front and rear gears. I thought it was odd that these levers are set up in such a way that shifting the lever with my thumb shifts up on the front and down on the rear gears.

Is this typical to all bikes with front and rear gear systems? Is there a way to change it?

Gear shifting has historical lineage, not always "logical" or intuitive by modern logic as observed by newcomers to the activity.

Originally, cables actuated the pulling of a mechanism, and release meant relaxing the tension, which mostly then let a spring return the mechanism to its lowest state.

This translated to pulling = lifting/pushing the system up, against the gears, so moving the chain from smaller, up onto bigger sets of cogs. Dropping = the easier task of letting the chain fall from big to smaller rings, which the internal spring could handle. When indexed shifting arrived about 30 years ago it just aligned the clicks to a particular gear; then, first in mountain bikes, then road, the integrated levers made one lever for up, the other for down.

The issue you're asking about relates to the fact that "bigger" gears up front do increase your gear, but in the rear they decrease, or lower your gear. The release of most thumb levers relaxes the cable, which drops the front to a lower gear, but drops the rear to a higher gear.

With a few unsuccessful exceptions that tried to use the spring to push the chain onto bigger sprockets, this is still the general pattern - EXCEPT Now, I understand Electronic systems can be programmed entirely different, even mixing left and right signals front to back, an exceedingly confusing idea in my opinion.

Learning to shift the traditional logic is easy enough to master in a couple weeks, so don't get worked up about something thousands have managed to cope with just fine.

Grip shifts are my preferred MTB choice, but again the tension/detension concept applies relative to which way you rotate the barrel.


Bike or e-bike/trike good for the rain My aging mom is looking to start biking to work as a way to stay healthy. But as an aging women she needs certain things so that she feels safe and comfortable riding a bike about 15 minutes each way.

It must be somewhat covered to provide protection from the elements.
3 wheels would make her feel a lot more safe.
An electric assist would be very helpful.
It can't be super expensive.

Does there exist a bike that matches these requirements or at least designs to create such a bike?

Short Answer

I believe the short answer to your question is no. The first three requirements that you list put you in the 'deeply customized' bicycle neighborhood. This is in direct opposition to your fourth requirement--custom bikes are very expensive. Additionally, without providing information about the climate where you live, local cycling infrastructure (bike paths/lanes/etc.), or your budget, this question is nearly impossible to answer.

Possible Solutions

Nothing makes me happier than people deciding to be healthier by way of bicycle commuting, so I'd like to offer you some ideas about how to get your mother on a bike!

Jumping into commuting can be difficult! I'm not sure how long it's been since your mother was on a bicycle, but it seems like her expectations are divorced from the reality of bike commuting. Does she ride regularly? Can you ride with her on the weekends to build up her experience with modern bicycles and her confidence on the road? I believe that she the following benefits from just getting out on the road:

Strength (no electric assist)
Balance (regular two wheels?)
Familiarity with route, weather, and mechanics of modern bicyles
Confidence

If it isn't possible to ride with her, encourage her to join a local cycling club (if available) and ride with the older group. Once she finds out whether this is something she can commit to (or not), you can start making plans to set her up with a commuting rig!

Other tips:

Buy used! (this will keep the cost of gear down)
Use a rain suit in the rain


Tube Size Available in US? Is it possible to still purchase tubes for Continental 47-622 TravelMaster tires with 28x1.75 written on the side?
I had an old Rabeneick commuter bike (have no idea of the bike's age)  shipped back from Germany that I'm trying to put back together. I've never seen valves like these....they're not Schraeder or Presta.

Yes. If it actually measures 47mm wide inflated then it's a little caught between 2 sizes, but 700x45 tubes will work fine in it. 29x1.95-2.135ish tubes would also work, but be big. If it's Dunlop/Woods valve now then get Schrader. If it's Regina get Presta.


Trying to find Derailleur hanger for a custom road frame Hi everyone, I'm trying to find out which derailleur hanger to order for this frame I was given. A friend at a local co-op had this frame lying around, and it needs a hanger before I can install a rear mech. Does anyone have any idea which style of hanger would fit? The one in this post: POST looks like a possibility, but the hook bit at the end looks like it points the wrong direction. If I strike out, I'll go to a local bike shop, but they'll charge an arm and a leg in New Zealand for that part, and from previous experience won't give me a part number or specific info about the hanger.

Cheers!

I think it might be Hanger #31 from Wheels Manufacturing:
http://wheelsmfg.com/derailleur-hangers/1-fastener-derailleur-hangers/derailleur-hanger-31.html
It's a little tough to see in your photo, but that's the closest I could find.


Road bike 1.5" Integrated tapered Headtube to a 1 1/4 tapered Fork compatibility Currently have a road bike running with 1.5" Integrated tapered Headtube with a 1.5" tapered fork was looking to upgrade to an Enve road fork with a 1 1/4 Tapered fork. Was wondering what would be the solution to keep the bearings that im currently using to have it fit on a 1 1/4 tapered fork? Can it be done with just changing the crown race for the fork? If yes what would be the crown race to be fitted on the fork?
Thanks!
the question is a little bit tricky to sentence, my bad.

If the new fork takes a crown race, you can buy a special crown race to adapt 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". [these also exist for 1 1/8"]. Search your favorite buy-everything website for some options. It's a cheap, easy way to do it.
HOWEVER if the ENVE fork has an integrated crown race (which you will have to check with the manufacturer or the vendor), the crown-race type of adaptor won't be suitable. It may be possible to buy a shim (or have one machined) for your frame to take the 1 1/4" bearing but this solution is less commonly seen.


Any Issues installing STI Brake/Shifter levers to bike with direct-pull V-Cantilever brakes? I want to install drop bars in my hybrid bike and also thinking of getting STI brake/shifter lever. The bike has V-Brakes. Is there any issues on doing this that I should be concerned about?

Standard V brakes do not work well with STI levers, they don't pull enough cable to allow the V brake to be setup properly; you end up with the pads so close to the rim that they are always rubbing on it or needing to be adjusted and the braking can also be poor.

I know of 2 options to get around this, you get a V brake Travel Adjuster or Travel Agent - essentially a pulley that increases the amount of cable that is pulled by the STI shifter or you get some 'Mini V Brakes' as these have a shorter arm and so work with the STI shifters.


Is threadless a noticeable difference from threaded headset setups? I'm considering replacing my threaded aluminum forks, threaded headset, steel threaded stem and steel handlebars with threadless carbon forks, threadless headset and integrated carbon stem and handlebars; a large reduction in weight on my 700c road bike.

Aside from weight, what performance differences (if anything) should I notice or expect from the 1.0" threaded (guess) / 1 1/8" threadless headset change? Smoother turning? Or had the change in the industry been motivated on weight/production considerations?

One thing that I miss from the threaded setups is that the stem and forks can be engaged in a much stronger connection, such that it would take way more force to make them move independently. On my threadless setups, I can still force the handlebars to turn independent of the wheel, as the stem bolts strip out before they would provide as much clamping force as a threaded setup.

Threadless forks aren't a significant upgrade in any way other than weight and simplicity of setup/maintenance.

Depending on exactly what the steerer tube is made of and how much is exposed above the headset, they can be stiffer when pulling on the bars in a sprint, but for the other 99.9% of the time there is no difference.

Having said that, I'd would never go back. The advantages in weight and maintenance are well worth it.

P.S. You should really double check your measurements, a 1.125 inch threaded headset is a relatively rare item. They were made, but only for a few years and as far as I know only on mountain bikes and tandems. It would be very rare to find one on a road bike of any vintage.


I just got a western flyer bike... want some background information? I went to the Salvation Army today to find an old Western Flyer bike for $20. Being the college student I am, I couldn't resist such a deal. So far my roommate and I are getting it fixed up and it's in good condition.

I was wondering if I could get an actual age for it, and what the initial cost may have been back in the day.

Bike specs:

10 speed mens bike
26in tires
Drop handlebars
The shifters say "Shimano 333"
The rear derailleur is a 1967 Black Lark, and says "Shimano Lark."

Anyone have any information on this bike, or know where I can get more?

If you email photos to the National Bicycle History Archive of America (oldbike@aol.com) and ask nicely, they may be able to identify the vintage of your bike, provide original pricing and possibly even a current appraisal.  They have a large collection of of old catalogs and claim to have identified over 1 million bicycles since 1977.

Before sending them a note, please read their Frequently Asked Questions to improve the chances they'll be able and willing to identify your bike.

If you do get a positive ID, please update your question to let us know what it is.  Good luck!


Can I mix LOOK pedals+cleats with SPD-SL shoes? The pedals and the cleats pictured arrived in one box. Hence they must be "compatible". The shoes arrived in a separate box.

The system used by the pedals/cleats is Look "Keo-style" cleats. The red/orange is reported to have 9° of float.

The shoes are expecting SPD-SL pedals and cleats.

I could attach the cleats to the shoes with no problem. Do you foresee any issues in using this combination?

It's understood walking will be difficult. Let's assume I'll manage to rarely walk while in these shoes.

Online chatter discusses the need for the "SM-SH40 Pontoon Cleat Adaptors". Given that everything works out of the box, I'm assuming that this adapter is meant to facilitate walking, nothing more. Can you confirm?

Whilst the shoes are marketed for SPD-SL cleats because that is the Shimano system and you have Shimano shoes, this is really referring to what we call a 'three-bolt' pattern. Both SPD-SL and the look cleats are a 3 bolt pattern so the cleats are compatible with the shoes.

See how there are another two bolt holes in the middle of the three-bolt pattern - in the same manner, those are compatible with any two-bolt cleats, i.e. mountain bike cleats like Shimano SPD, but not limited to one brand of cleat.

You must use the right cleats for the pedals, which is fine because your cleats came with the pedals. Shimano ones look quite alike but aren't the same.

Cleat adapters are indeed for helping you to walk with more grip, as well as to stop the cleats from scuffing and wearing down, but the SM-SH40 are for 2-bolt mtb cleats fitted to a 'road' shoe where they are not recessed. These metal cleats are particularly slippy to walk on if exposed like that.

There is another product, removable covers for plastic 3-bolt cleats, which protect the cleat when you walk around off the bike, but you have everything you need to ride in the photo. Not a whole lot of people even own covers, sometimes I take my shoes off if I want to preserve the cleats and have to walk any distance.


Where and when was my Schwinn Traveler made? I think that I have a 1987 Schwinn Traveler.  The serial number is I626829.  The code on my head badge is 0227.  The head badge says Schwinn Chicago and there is a star in the middle.

I have read that Schwinn did not use the letter "I" in their serial numbers but I clearly have a bike that has it.  I would appreciate it if you could let me know what that means.

Thank you.

The serial number is for a Japan manucatured Schwinn.  The serial number format is Bridgestone.  "I" is for the ninth month(September) and the first digit, "6" is for the year of manufacture 1986.  This matches somewhat with the headbadge date of day 022(January) and year 7(1987), which is supposed to be when the bicycle was assembled.

Schwinn must have used more than one Japanese manufacturer, including Panasonic.


Brand new bike with a stuck chain link I bought a brand new Fuji Nevada and I've had a horrible experience.

I noticed skipping while pedaling and found a stuck chain link. No matter how much or hard I wiggle it, it won't loosen up.

Any advice before taking it back to the shop? Frankly I want to return the bike. I'm so annoyed! It cost me a lot of money too.

I agree if the bike is new and has not been abused the  shop repair it for free. I have repaired several "new" bikes with a sticking link. I generally remove the affected link and replace it with a master link for a chain of the correct size. Total cost under $5 if you already have a chain tool. I don't know why it happens, perhaps just a manufacturing defect.


My bike's gears are very broken So the first problem is with my front gear, which is stuck on the largest cog, and when i try to lower the front gear, the cable just gets looser and looser and nothing moves anywhere. If i move te deralieur by hand, it moves fine.
The second problem is that my back gears are shifted by a few gears. So when i'm in 1st gear it's on the 4th cog and when i'm in 4th gear it's on the 7th cog.
These two problems limit my gear range from 21 to the hardest 4. My gears switch using levers on the steering handle.

Rear gears first, as that's a straightforward fix.
The length of the cable between the shifter and the derailleur is too long. The cable probably pulled through the pinch bolt on the derailleur. First check the cable housing is properly inserted in the shifter, frame stops and the derailleur. Set the rear shifter to the highest gear; wind the barrel adjusters on the shifter and derailleurs in; loosen the cable pinch bolt; pull the cable though to take out all the slack; re-tighten the pinch bolt to secure the cable.
The front derailleur is a little tricky.
Something is obviously jamming the derailleur so that it will not move inwards under its spring tension when the shifter pays out cable - but - you say you can move the derailleur by hand, so the derailleur itself is not jammed. I think what is likely is that the cable is getting hung up somewhere near the derailleur. Possibly there is contamination in a section of housing, the cable has been kinked or has corroded. Some bikes also route the cable under the bottom bracket area in a slotted guide or through a hole in the frame, these can get clogged with dirt.
Inspect the cable run between the derailleur and where you see the cable going slack. Clean out any dirt, make sure the cable is running properly in any guides, check the cable for damage. You can remove the cable and clean and lubricate it, or replace it if it is kinked or damaged. If the cable runs through a section of housing before the derailleur you can replace that also.
You'll need to re-adjust both front and rear derailleurs after making the fixes. Park Tool Repair Help has good guides to help with that.
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustment
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


Flat Pedal Pin Installation Do you have to screw flat pedal pins in all the way, or can you make them longer by leaving them screwed out and using a thread locker?

There are many designs of pedal pins.  Some are tiny bolts coming through the pedal body and fixed by nuts on the opposite side, some are instead screwed directly into the pedal body, into blind threaded holes, and some have flanges to control the depth on insertion. Some are seemingly pressed into the pedal body without a possibility to be replaced.
A few of many existing designs are shown on the pictures below.

It is often possible to buy replacement pins that are physically longer so that when installed, they protrude more from the pedal surface.
Other designs, mostly "screw through", may allow to install a shim on the opposite side, thus making the pins shorter (not longer).
For those designs where pins are screwed directly into the pedal body from the "front" side, their incomplete threading makes them protruding more. However, fewer threads will hold them in place. It will incur higher risk of losing pins but also damaging their threaded holes in the pedal body, making installation of replacements problematic. I would not recommend doing so, and instead would seek for longer aftermarket pins.
Finally, longer pins are only needed to get better grip on the soles. Instead of changing the pins, it may be worth trying to increase the grip of the shoes instead. There are many inexpensive MTB-specific shoes, whose grip on pins is much better than of e.g. running shoes.


Broken stem tube – LBS "just" lowered handlebars. Is this safe? I have asked this elsewhere on the internet as well, but this is the Stack Exchange adaptation.
I have three related questions and I'll try to make it clear what they are. Here's some background where I've tried to boldface the most important parts:

Very recently I bought an old 1976 steel racing bicycle from the local Craigslist-like site. The previous owner said pretty much only the frame was original, and most everything else had been replaced recently. Sure enough, everything looked new and from a quick inspection nothing seemed out of place either. On the short ride home that evening, it rode like a dream as well.
The next day I rode to and from work and noticed the handlebars creaking when I put weight on them. That continued to and from work today, so on my way home I popped into a local bike shop and while they didn't find anything immediately, I asked a question that prompted them to remove the threaded stem.
Apparently, the stem tube had broken clean across the "slanted" part. I've attempted to illustrate where the break was here:

Their best guess was that the previous owner had raised the handlebars too much, and the metal just couldn't cope with the load so it cracked. And when the two pieces of the stem tube ground against each other that made a creaking noise.
You can imagine how glad I was that I got it investigated.
Since the LBS didn't have a replacement stem in store, they decided to put the handlebars back in with the existing, broken, stem tube. They reasoned that if the handlebars are low enough, there should be enough stem tube still inside the headset that nothing bad will happen. They assured me that I would be safe as long as I don't attempt to raise the handlebars.

Question 1: I guess there's a reason the stem tube is "slanted" like that. Why? Does it matter if my stem tube is broken and not slanted anymore? Do I risk breaking more things? Am I really as safe as the LBS wanted to assure me? (Based on the reading I've done, I'm guessing the slant is there to make sure the steerer turns with the stem, and the LBS might be thinking that the friction between stem and steerer should still accomplish that.)
If I wanted to, they said I could call them and they might get a new stem and do the replacement. Their best estimate was something like $70 dollars for the stem and work to replace it.
Now, I have some bike maintenance experience – but mostly the basics. I've intentionally refused to do anything that requires a torque wrench. However, I made sure to watch them work on my headset now, so I'm fairly confident in my understanding of how everything fits together. I think I may be able to replace the stem myself.
Question 2: The LBS guessed it would be about $40 to get the stem, but also said they had no idea where to order such a thing because it's a pretty old bicycle. Is there any chance I can get a hold of it for cheaper?
Question 3: If I think I can replace the stem myself, am I deluding myself? Is it hard? Easy? What might I have missed when looking at them work on the headset of my bike?
I guess those are the most pressing questions, but I'm also sure more will pop up. Thank you for taking the time to read!

Here's how I would fix the problem.  This could all be done by somebody with basic tools and basic knowledge.

Get a quill-threadless stem adapter and a new stem. This will allow you to fit the new stem to the handlebars without removing anything from the bars. The old stem can be removed destructively by removing the cinch bolt and prying the thing apart since it is already broken and no longer fit for use.

Using a new theadless stem will give you a huge variety of stems to choose from so you can find the right length and angle to fit you comfortably and match your riding style.

I'm not recommending those specific products, but those are the type of products you should be looking for. Make sure the handlebar end of the stem is the proper size for the bars you already own.

I got a threadless stem adapter a couple years back for my old bike and it makes working on anything to do with the handlebars so much easier.


Which is better, single speed or three speed? Which is better, single speed or three speed? I am 45 and buying an adult trike because I never learned to ride a bike when I was younger.  I don't know if I get a single speed or three speed?

Because of your interest, age and desire to ride a trike, I would recommend a 3 speed. Trikes are very heavy and if you are new to biking you may need an easier gear than what a single speed will offer stock on most trikes.


Trailer Lighting Using a Dynamo Hub I have a B.o.B. Yak trailer which uses a ISO 305 mm BSD rim. I'd like to build up a wheel for the trailer using a dynamo hub (perhaps a Sanyo H27) so that I could have lights on the trailer.

I know I could use battery lights, but I've become very fond of not having to change or even think about batteries (a lot of our biking is "car replacement" rides around town, so it is really nice to just know that you've got lights). Seems like this would also give me power to charge a phone or other small device since the draw of a rear light will be well below the capacity of the dynamo.

A wheel built on 305 mm rims is going to turn just about twice as fast as a wheel built on a 622 mm (700C) rim. My impression is that the output voltage of the hub increases with speed – and that the output of modern hubs are regulated. So I'm wondering what issues I might run into using a dynamo generator as a power source.
Some that I've thought of are:

Availability of rims (the hub is available in 28, 32, and 36 hole drillings). A rim drilled for a presta valve would be nice since it would mean that a single pump would serve for bike and trailer without having to convert the head.
Availability of suitable hubs. The speed difference between the bike wheels and the trailer wheels has been pointed out, but I haven't been able to find data on the hub behavior. I would assume that dynamo hubs would be designed to tolerate a full range of biking speeds – say up to at least 65 or 80 kph (40 or 50 mph). Since the trailer is placarded with a speed limit of 40 kph I'd been thinking I was within bounds.
Finding short spokes. By my calculations I'd need a 110 mm spoke to do a radial pattern and could go up to around 155 mm doing a 4-cross. Seems like recumbents and BMX bikes would mean that spokes this short are available somewhere. Failing that could I have them custom cut from straight gauge spokes?

So it seems like the big issue is the hub? Does anybody know the limits on modern hub designs? So far e-mail queries have gone unanswered…

Velocity definitely make 305 rims, and at least when they were in Australia would use their available extrusions to make semi-custom rims to order - most often so you can get the number of spokes/drilling pattern you want, but they would also make odd sizes if the extrusion was compatible. But they've moved to the US and I have no idea what they're like now as far as custom builds go.

SJS in the USA also stock 305 rims and I found quite a lot of hits just using google so decent rims in that size seem to be fairly widely available.

Schwalbe make bicycle tubes in a wide range of sizes with both Schrader and Presta valves - if you can find what you want on this page your LBS will be able to get it (although it may take a while). There are quite a few choices in 305mm presta tubes.

You may have more problems getting a dynamo that's designed for a 305 wheel. The circumference is half that of a 622 (27") wheel so it spins twice as fast at the same road speed, and unlike a childs bike your trailer is going to be used at normal road speeds. SON make dynamos for folding bikes with small wheels so if the Sanyo doesn't work I suggest trying SON. I have one and like it, although I had to replace the bearings after about 50Mm.


Bicycle Repair Stand Solutions for bikes with a Dropper style seatpost Problem: I have at least one MTB with a dropper seatpost that does not allow for clamping on the seatpost itself and there is not enough room between the rear tire and seat tube to get the jaws in safely without binding the rear tire/wheel or risking damage to the frame. Obviously I do not wish to use any other frame tubes as clamping points but I still have the need to remove both front and rear wheels while clamped... I'm kind of at a loss as to how to approach this problem.

I have a stand that I've been using for a number of years that is the industry standard for clamping on a seat post but this new dropper just doesn't allow for that option. I have entertained making a suspended "stand" that is connected to my shop ceiling with pulley and connects to the bike at the handlebar/stem and at the rear seat stay bridge but the design is still bumbling around in my gray matter as to how to keep the bike in a stationary and rigid position so as to properly service it.

Anyone else here run into this issue or have experience with clamping MTB w/ dropper posts in a non-traditional work stand?

In my opinion the dust hasn't really settled on what the best practice is for putting bikes with droppers in the stand. But I work on them frequently and here's what I do:

Never clamp the upper with any clamp, because any scratches or other surface damage (surface imperfections, really) can have a deleterious effect on the wiper seal, either wearing it or making it less effective. I just don't do it because I don't feel there's a way to get the chance of damage reasonably close to zero for my liking. It is true that by cleaning everything and using a clean rag around the clamp pads, it will probably be fine. An important point here is that dropper uppers are smaller tubes than clamps are sized to clamp well to begin with, and then they're polished and coated with friction-reducing materials, for the net effect that especially once you have a rag in there, the bike will tend to want to twist in the stand constantly, which in addition to being annoying is how scratches happen.
Some might argue that being a bike part in use is not hazard-free anyway, and so worrying about scratching the upper having taken reasonable precautions is splitting hairs, and that is pretty reasonable in many contexts. But for those of us who work on either peoples' bikes for money, the goal really should be doing zero harm, plus having the bike twist easily in the stand all day is fairly untenable.

I'm willing to clamp gently around the collars of most internal droppers, especially the more OEM-y ones. The connection this makes is kind of wobbly and annoying also, but I don't think you're going to hurt anything doing this. On external posts, the cable will usually be in the way too much.

I think it's basically fine to hang bikes by the saddle on droppers if, and only if, the post is fully extended, but you have to be very judicious about this. Breaking this rule can draw air in to the post and cause real problems, and on that basis one could make the argument to flat out avoid this practice too. Some have already coalesced around this line of thinking, but many of us are just too dependent on the time savings of hooking bikes by the seat for fast repairs, event storage, etc. Reverbs in particular are sensitive to this.

Even though for most cable-actuated posts it hypothetically can be fast and fairly painless to simply remove the post, unhook the little Knarp-like anchor barrel, and put in a surrogate post or an internal clamp, usually it's too much hassle. But in lieu of other alternatives or if you need to totally eliminate any risk to the post or frame, especially if you'll be doing significant work on the bike, this approach has its place.

Usually what I do when the bike will be in the stand for a while is utilize one of the modern screw-down style repair clamps with longer/larger clamp pads, clean and in good condition, to just clamp a frame tube. My favorite for the purpose is the Park Extreme Range Clamp family, but similar ones such as the Feedback/Ultimate clamps are good too. I have a lot of confidence in these to not hurt frames, although you have to use good judgment when doing higher torque operations on the bike. (Again, surrogate posts or internal clamps are what you need if you want to just not worry about damaging anything.)
Another benefit of clamping a frame tube is that you're then able to do work on the dropper itself, ie changing or resizing the cable and housing, with the bike in the stand. The other alternative is having the bike on the ground and bending over it or kneeling. That would be fine if dropper work was only an occasional thing, but it's not anymore, and you need to be able to get into them without hurting your back or crawling around on the ground.

There's a separate discussion here about screw-down versus cam-over styles of clamp, cam-over being the more traditional type.
Cam type clamps by nature expose the frame tube to quite a bit more force during clamping than at their final resting position, and are quite hazardous for thinner/carbon frame tubes. Screw-down style clamps are very different and let you use a bare minimum of force. I don't favor the current Park "Professional Micro-Adjust" clamps for this quite as much because of their short clamps, which is great for seatposts but not for frames.

If possible, marking and raising the post and sliding up enough housing to secure it in this position so you can clamp the lower part of the dropper is another option, but this part is quite sensitive to crushing so I don't like doing it with cam type clamps. I think it's generally fine to do it with screw down style clamps and a real bare minimum of pressure, although here I probably wouldn't on a fancier one. With this approach you have to mess around scooting the cable housing back and forth, which is easier on some frames than others. And if the housing was the perfect length before, i.e. no longer than needed to avoid kinks when turning the bars, then you won't be able to turn the bars all the way with the housing scooted up like this, which is a problem if you were planning on on installing new housings or hoses on something else.


When changing to another crankset , do I need to change to the brand's specific bottom bracket? just a quick question , my mountain bike has 3x drivetrain with SR Suntour XCM Crankset , and Im thinking of getting a 1x Shimano XT Crankset  do i need to replace the bottom bracket ? and what bottom bracket should I change it to?

It appears that all 1x Shimano XT cranksets are Hollowtech 2, two piece cranksets which require outboard bearing bottom brackets specific to Shimano's Hollowtech 2 system.  Shimano's compatibility chart points out that 1x drivetrains require different frame spacing.  The rear dropouts of a compatible bike would be 142 mm or greater, allowing space for the larger number of rear sprockets.

If your mountain bike has the more common 135 mm spacing between the rear dropouts, you could use one ring of a compatible crankset. There are several tips for doing so on this site and others.

To answer your question specifically, yes cranksets require a specific bottom bracket, especially so the new offerings from SRAM and Shimano and others.  The Suntour xcm utilizes a cartridge bearing bottom bracket with either square taper or Octalink spindle interfaces. The 1x XT crankset utilizes a different type as described above.


Child seat (or rack) at the seat post I have 2 bikes (mountain and road) sometimes I use them in races (mostly MTB) so I don't want to have any fixed accessory on them. I'm looking for a child seat (or rack where a seat can be mounted) that goes mounted to the seat-post so that I can easily replace the seat and post and mount the seat. I've seen some mechanisms that go into the frame. I thought they could also be mounted in the seat post but I'm afraid it's not a very good idea as the seat and baby weight would be too high and compromise stability and safety when riding. Does anybody have any idea? I'm afraid I'll have to get another bike for that purpose :-P.

I have also though of bike trolleys but they may be too big, expensive and too sluggish.

The closest thing I have seen is the WeeRide Kangaroo that places the child in front of you.  the support bar attaches to the seatpost and to the head tube, so if you had a second seat post you could leave the bar attached to that end and just connect it at the head tube.

I don't know of anything that attaches just to the seat post, as the physics involved would cause pretty high torsional force at the point of attachment.

See this related question on toddler seat v. trailer for other child carrying options.


PG-1130 11 speed cassette hub compatibility I am building a rear wheel and I have a PG-1130 Sram Cassette(11-42T). On the specifications they say:

11-42t cassette fits 10 and 11-speed non-XD™ driver bodies (1.85mm spacer is required for 11-speed drivers

Does this mean I can buy a 10-Speed rear hub? More specifically, I am looking for a 135MM, QR with Disc rear hub(36H). Do you guys have any suggestions? I'm looking for a reasonably priced one.

That’s a roundabout way of saying that it fits on a Shimano style HG hub. I guess SRAM don’t like using the word Shimano. The NX groupset was designed as a good budget retrofit onto the most common freehub.

Yes you can use any (10 speed) rear wheel with a Shimano HG hub.

Recommendations are out of scope for this site sorry but any online store or even better your local bike store can help.


Replacing a 38c tire with 30c I recently bought an Azor Opa style bike with 28x 1 1/2" (700 x 38c) tires that I want to switch out with something slimmer.  Would going down to 30c present a problem for my wheel perhaps?

The bike would sit about 4 mm lower is the main thing (and technically, the gearing will change slightly).

You can mount the tire on there and it will work, but it may not be optimal depending on your rim width; if the rim is too wide for the tire, you may get more flats or rim damage when you hit a road hazard.

As for why you want to switch to something slimmer, if its for rolling resistance, you should read this and this.


How accurate is the 'calories burned' figure on my GPS device? I use the Garmin Edge 200 to record the route, distance and speed of my rides. It also gives me a prediction of the amount of calories I have burned on any particular ride.

The only data I have given it is my weight. It must use the speed and elevation GPS data to calculate a prediction but id like to know how accurate that can be if it doesn't take things like wind strength & direction, quality of surface and tyre type into consideration.

As an example, I went for a 50km ride today and it informed me I burnt 1200  calories. Is this in the correct order of magnitude?

By order of magnitude if you mean by a factor of 10 then most likely yes.

You have wind, rolling, and gradient resistance.

It is going to be spot on for gradient resistance so if you have a hilly ride it will be more accurate.

Clearly it does not account for wind.

I expect it assumes a mid level road bike on decent pavement.

At speeds over 10 mph rolling resistance is the smallest of the three.
So it is going to be off on what is typically the smallest factor.
See the graph in the link:
http://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/rolling_resistance

On a hilly road ride with no wind it is probably with 10% overall.

Riding flats drafting in a group it is going to be off by a lot.
Trail riding it is going to be off by a lot.


How to determine my bike's seat post clamp size? My mountain bike came with a quick release clamp that reads '34' on its side (embossed or debossed, am forgetting. Reading online there are about 3 sizes for seat post clamps I went with i believe '32mm' something (lower than 34, since the next higher size 'sounded' too big to me), but it turned out noticeably larger, so i had to return it. So what does the '34' stand for? And how can I determine size without going to a bike shop?
-thanks

Easiest way without access to calipers is to lookup the bike specifications online. What make/model/year is the bicycle in question?


Chips in carbon frame - how worried should I be? I am looking for a second hand road bike. This is to be my first mid-range bike, and my first introduction to carbon frames. I have done a bit of research, and am aware of the potential risks of damaged carbon frames.
However, knowing about the risks and knowing how to spot a more than superficially damaged frame are two different things.
Here are three pictures of the visible damage: scratches on the front wheel, and chips in the paint. Based on these pictures, how much of a hazard would you judge this to be?

These appear to be paint chips in areas of the bike where rock strikes are common.  I don't see any evidence of delamination--a separation of the carbon fiber weave and thus carbon fiber damage. However, no amount of photo inspection can replace a hands on one.  Were I to purchase a carbon fiber second hand, I would have a second opinion of the carbon fiber integrity done by my local bike shop or equivalent expert.
Paint chips can be covered with a similar colored nail polish or other suitable paint. There are many companies in the U.S. that offer carbon fiber frame repair if it is determined the actual carbon fiber is damaged and you already own the bike.


Mountain bike tires going bald after few weeks A few weeks ago I bought a decent mountain bike. It's not a fat tire bike but it had pretty wide and grippy tires. I rode almost 200 miles over the past few weeks on asphalt but tires are going bald. I don't go mountain biking with it, I only use it on the bike trail which is asphalt. There is not much left now.

I am wondering what did I do wrong? is it normal? If I change the tired how long will they last?

Thank you.

'Decent' MTB means different things to different people. What are the actual tires' make/model and sub model?

Many manufacturers use the same tire mold for different tires with different characteristics. For instance Schwalbe make a range of tires (e.g. Nobby Nick, Racing Ralf, Rocket Ron) with various tread patterns for different terrain. With each in this range you can get various sub models. Apart from light weight vs puncture protection, there is 'Performance' and 'Evo' rubber compound. Evo does not last long, but holds on like a pitbull with a bone; Performance lasts longer, but is less grippy.  (Using Schwalbe as an example here, not a recommendation)

If it is a high end bike, it's likely come with tires built for grip in loose surfaces, not longevity on paved surfaces. These tires have a soft rubber and wear very quickly on paved surfaces. 200 miles from MTB tires is not great, but not unexpected if they are a 'race' model.

For your next set of tires, look for ones designed for hard/paved surfaces, and unless you need (or want) the 'race' performance, go for model designed for longevity.

Most tire manufactures have good tools for tire selection on their web site, otherwise your local bike shop (LBS) will be able to recommend a tire suitable for the riding you are doing.


Renovating bike, are there addon to make the rims look thicker? I have an older road bike and I am looking to renovate it. The rims on my wheels are pretty thin, and I very much like the look of deeper rim wheels. Can I produce this effect without buying new wheels completely, seeing as they are kind of expensive?

Also, I was thinking about painting my rims black as well. Would I just put two coats of black on it (right now they are original metal), or two coats of primer and then two black?

Same question on the actual frame of the bike, but first I have to take off the current color there, and am interested how to go about painting it.

I have an older road bike and I am looking to renovate it. The frames
  on my wheels are pretty thin, and I very much like the look of thicker
  frame wheels, can I produce this effects without buying new wheels
  completely, seeing as they are kind of expensive?

Short answer: No. There is no product out there to make a rim look wider. Just wider rims. Which may or may not fit your bike.

However, if you tell us what size tires you have, provide the make & model of the bike & maybe some pictures of the frame where the tires run closest, we may be able to advise you as to whether or not you can fit wider tires. Also, I am assuming that when you say “frames on my wheels” you mean the rim.

Don’t paint the wheels. First of all if you have rim brakes (most likely) the paint will damage the bikes ability to slow effectively while braking & would eventually be rubbed off by the brakes anyway. Also, after a few miles with maybe a little gravel or road debris, the paint will chip & look trashy.

As for painting the frame, if you can afford to, you should really consider having it professionally powder coated. Even a well done spray can job will scratch easily & not last anywhere near as long as a powder coat job.

If you insist on painting it yourself, either sand blast the original finish off & then clean with an evaporating residue free solvent, or at the very least remove any and all decals or stickers, clean with solvent, roughly sand the entire surface, clean with solvent again & then paint.