Why aren’t there more tricycles with rear disk brakes (between the two rear wheels)

Check out the Atomic Zombie plans for "deltawolf"    These are do-it-yourself plans, they don't sell completed bikes.

Here's someone's bike from the rear

There's nothing to stop you putting the caliper mount further out for a 180 or 203mm rotor.  You could also set up the same on the left-hand axle.

Note this design is a single driven wheel rather than a solid axle or a differential.

Someone's build: http://atomic-zombie-extreme-machines.blogspot.com/2010/08/building-deltawolf-recumbent-speed.html


Pelago web site says this bike comes singe speed or with a 3 or 9 internally geared hub, CB-E110 is a single speed coaster brake hub, so perhaps you actually have one of the IGH options.

If the chain is skipping over the rear sprocket the the chain tension needs adjusting, just as on a single speed.


Which chain should I use for Rex Touring with 5 gears?

To directly answer your question, no, any chain which is long enough is not compatible with your bike. No one here can tell you what chain will fit without a lot more detail in your question, but this is a good place to start. Daniel posted that link as a comment on my earlier answer.

Ask your LBS. They will know once they see the bike. Or measure the width of the outside chain plates with a vernier caliper on the old chain.


Bought used bike, Shimano derailleur does not work - how to repair or replace?

The derailleur in the picture has been scratched and the cable is connected wrong, but it should work if you install the cable correctly.

Searching for "RD-M53P SGS" does not find anything except this question. However, all Shimano rear derailleurs specified for 9 speeds and below have the same actuation ratio, so any of these should work. The derailleur in the photo looks like 9-speed model and it is installed in 7-speed bike.


Shimano Tourney (SL-RS36) 3 speed indexing wrong

I'm guessing your cable is immensely too long, and its only by chance that numbers 2 and 3 line up with a gear.

Try putting it on the smallest front chainring, then back off the cable pinch bolt.

Set the handgrip shifter to 1 and pull all the cable slack through, and do up the pinch bolt.

Some tweaking may be required.


Shifting from a Tiagra BB to an Ultegra or Dura Ace BB?

There are three current Hollowtech II road threaded BB designs (different model numbers of identical designs also exist).

BB-RS500 - this is the 44mm 16-notch cup design and weighs 92g
SM-R60 - this is the 41mmm 16-notch cup design and weighs 77g
BB-R9100 - this is the 39mm 16-notch cup design and weighs 65g

These measurements refer to the diameter of the bottom bracket cup, which is only a concern during fitting/removal. The bottom brackets themselves all fit the same frames.

Technically only the R9100 is considered 'Dura-Ace', the others are 'non-series'. In any case they are all interchangeable - you can use BB-RS500 with an R9100 crankset.

In general weight savings are the primary driver of the higher BBs. It would not be reasonable to assume that they are more durable.

However Shimano advertise that SM-BBR60 & BB-R9100 use 'small ball bearings'. This is not necessarily a good thing, in that smaller bearings are weaker. However there are more of them. Still it would be reasonable to assume that the RS500 will be DIFFERENT in durability from the other two, but not necessarily worse.

My money would be on the RS500 if durability is a concern as the extra weight does not seem to be a bad thing in this context. It is possible there are design differences such as seals between the models, but I would not assume this without evidence.


Does it make sense to fine-tune saddle forward-backward position without also adjusting the height?

Yes, you are correct. When adjusting the fore-aft position, you do also have to adjust the height. But it is only a few mm max. Many people cannot determine their otimal saddle height with such precision.


What is the best way to approach train tracks?

Firstly I would say that you should always ride in a way that is safe for you. If drivers have to wait as you take the necessary care, then so be it. They would have to wait hours if you fell and were killed. The only person taking responsibility for your safety is you.

Here in Melbourne (Australia), in addition to train tracks, we have tram tracks.

Rails tracks usually cross the road at angles from 90° to 30°. But tram tracks run along the roads, and also cross at various angles. Everybody falls at least once on the tram tracks, after allowing the front wheel to drop into the slot.

Danger

The danger is not just an embarrassing fall. Other traffic can hit you as you are suddenly launched sideways, under their wheels with fatal results. Less severe is if the wheel get caught in the slot, resulting in a buckled wheel.

If the tracks cause, as you say, jarring, then there is a risk that you can loose control. So slow down. Just assertively signal your intentions to surrounding traffic, and do what you need to do. If you travel the same route at regular times, the other drivers will get used to seeing you.

The main risk to your bike in my experience is pinch flats. So keep enough air in your tires.

The issues

Many people can hop one obstacle, but two in quick succession, less than a bike length apart, is not in my skill set.

With both train and tram tracks, there are two issues to assessed for every crossing and one item concerning your bike

How rough is the crossing? Is the road surface level with the tracks, or is it broken?
How wide is the gap?
How wide are your tires?

Crossing

Sometimes the road surface is not level with the top of the tracks, or is broken. If this is the case, cross as close to 90° as you can, as slowly as you can.

Tram tracks in good condition have a gap of about 5cm (2 inches). At worst they can be 10cm (4 inches).

Train tracks occasionally have a gap as small as 5 cm (2 inches) but usually have gap of about 7 or 8 cm (3 inches), and sometimes much wider.

For a level surface, the angle is dictated by your tire width and the gap. For typical 23mm road bike tires, the minimum angle I recommend for tram tracks in good condition is 30°, and for train tracks in good condition it's 45°.

Having said that, I typically cross tram tracks at angles as low as 20°, using what Daniel called levitation.

As with many uncertain cycling situations, ride "hands and heels", with your bum off the seat, so that the bike can pivot under you.

If you are crossing at a low angle, extend your arms and legs before you get to the tracks, so that your body is at it's highest above the bike. As the front wheel gets to the first track, pull the handlebars up, so that the wheel has little or no weight on it as it crosses the track. If you are clipped in, or are proficient at bunny hops, do the same for the back wheel. And repeat for the second track. Again: this is only good for narrow approach angles.

Another technique to use in combination is to steer so that your front wheel crosses at a greater angle than your overall direction of travel. The front wheel would follow a sort of straitish S bend.


Make the small investment in a chain checker ( I like park tools CC-3.2). I would generally recommend one of them that measures the chain based on length rather than lateral deflection. Each manufacturer will probably have it's own recommendation, but a safe bet is to always replace your chain before '.75' (75% wear). This will maximize the life of your cassette and chainrings as they will not be ridden on a stretched chain. It also eliminates individual variation, as some people will stretch a chain more or less over a given distance ridden ( some people like to mash and others like to spin).

It is also a good idea to keep your chain clean, as a dirty chain acts like sandpaper as it is cranked over the teeth of the chainring and cassette.

By simply replacing the chain at the proper intervals I have made cassettes and chainrings last years of frequent use. I don't know exact numbers but they would be pretty meaningless as they vary with rider and conditions. Certainly more than 2 chains per cassette.


Internally-geared hub and chain case: running away from maintenance chores and grit damage

This borders on an overly opinion-based question. It's also worth pointing out that while there are a lot of bikes with real chaincases in the world, they are pretty far outside of many people's experience.

Full, traditional chaincases are fantastic and do everything you want except simple flat fixes. They often fail pretty hard at that, especially when paired with a modern IGH, where the cable comes at the hub in a manner far less convenient for the purpose of a chaincase than going into the end of the axle like an old AW hub for example. They can go together different ways in the dropout/crank access areas, but generally speaking if you're someone of the mind that you want to deal with as little stuff as possible when you get a flat, they are going to give you some stuff to deal with that you'd rather  not. They play very nice with extra-flat-resistant tires, Marathon Pluses being the archetypal one these days, but then that's going against the goal of low weight a bit.

I would highly recommend you get it fabricated by a bike framebuilder or other shop that does bike-oriented fabrication work. Someone who's not as enamored with the concept as you are and/or who doesn't know bikes will have many, many things they can get wrong. Chaincases have a lot going on.

Also you'll have to be very particular about what crank and of course ring size you use. Clearing the crank, including after the bumps and jostles of real world conditions, while also sealing well is one of the major design challenges of chaincases, and always winds up being the troublesome part of doing major/refurb type work on bikes with them. If you're getting it fabricated I would highly recommend leaving the choice of what crank to use to the fabricator.

The gear range is a personal question and it of course depends on how much you're willing to lop off the high end, which mountains, how much you're carrying, etc. Generally speaking, yes an Alfine 11 can give you access to the kind of gearing most people would need for touring. It's good to play with a gearing calculator when figuring this kind of thing out.

The more modern approach of course is use a belt drive. Personally I think chaincases are way sweeter, by virtue of being 100 year old technology that keeps your drivetrain going with very little maintenance, but in all fairness belt drive does do a lot of what you're after here, and because it's all off the shelf parts would be way, way cheaper presuming you're working with a frame that's set up for it. They're also much lighter and all the parts involved will be just an order away, as opposed to having something custom going on.


I did some quick googling to double check you have a QR fork, which it appears you do. Thru-axles on trail bikes were uncommon then but not nonexistent. You should double check.

Wheel: You need any 26"/559 MTB disc wheel with a QR axle, which is a broad category. Even one from a different genre such as dirtjump/DH wheel would be physically compatible with the bike. You're looking at the right sort of thing. The main ways of messing up here would be getting something that's either thru axle, not a disc hub, or accidentally getting a 29" or 27.5" wheel.

Tire: Short answer is anything that says 26x2.3 (or narrower, ie 26x2.25) should be fine. The limit for that fork is nominally 2.4. Because tires are one of the areas where manufacturers can and do label things as smaller or larger than they actually are, there unfortunately is no magical way of knowing ahead of time beyond the shadow of a doubt that a given thing is going to fit, but that would more be something that could bite you if you were trying to run a 2.4.

Rotor:

If it says 160 and it's the right mounting (6-bolt versus centerlock) for your wheel it should be compatible. You should not expect it to work without having to adjust your brake, including resetting the pistons (fancy talk for inserting a thin degreased metal object between the pads and shoving them back into the caliper).

Fork:

$25US gets you the wiper seal kit for your fork, which is the basic seal kit that gets changed out as part of regular maintenance along with changing the oil. That's very different from overhaul. Overhaul means rebuilding the damper, replace bushings if needed, rebuild TALAS system, etc. If the fork is basically in good shape but just needs wipers and oil, that's very much worth it. If it's a heavily used 13 year old fork then yes, overhaul or replacement might make more sense. Note that if you're choosing between you personally sending the fork to Fox for $175 for overhaul but doing the removal and re-install yourself and getting a shop to install a whole new cheap fork, than the labor involved with the latter plus the cost of the fork itself can easily have you paying a ballpark similar amount for much less performance/quality, presuming a situation where the Fox was a good candidate for overhaul in the first place, i.e. no damage to stanchions or elsewhere. If you want to replace it, all you're really looking for is another 26" QR disc-compatible fork with 100-120mm of travel and the desired amount of tire clearance. Most forks today are now post mount for the brake, which just means you won't be using your brake adapter presuming you have the Juicy 7s that are listed as coming with the bike.


Is it legal for cyclists to use amber bike flashers for visibility (in BC, Canada)?

BC Canada

https://engineering.ok.ubc.ca/__shared/assets/Bike_Sense-Nov0552189.pdf
says

  After dark, all cyclists are required by law to have a front white
  headlight visible for a minimum of 150 metres, a rear red light
  which should be visible for a minimum of 100 metres, and a
  rear red reflector visible for 100 metres when directly illuminated
  by a car headlight. Many rear red bicycle lights sold currently
  are also designed to function as a reflector and are legally
  acceptable. Flashing red rear lights are also acceptable. Lights
  and reflective devices come in a wide range of shapes, sizes,
  colours, and costs and should be mounted directly on the bicycle.

There's an implication at the end that body-mounted lights are bad, but whether that's law or a suggestion is not stated.

There's no stated restriction on colour.  The only mention of flashing relates to the rear light which is permitted.

http://www.icbc.com/road-safety/sharing/Pages/cycling-safety.aspx says

  Your bicycle must be equipped with a white headlight visible at 150 metres and a rear red light/reflector visible at 100 metres

https://www.thenoteup.com/single-post/2017/02/28/Helmets-and-bike-lights-BCs-cycling-laws reiterates the same.  Neither make mention of flashing fronts.

ANSWER Ambiguous - but you're unlikely to get in trouble for the colour of your lights.  Flashing seems to be conspicuously absent for anything but rear lights.


Which type of frame is better for a touring bike, steel or aluminium?

Steel is still very common for relatively expensive "touring" bikes (bikes intended for long distances carrying panniers).  The slight additional weight of a steel frame over aluminum (well less than 10 pounds in most cases) is inconsequential when you have 40-100 pounds of gear on the bike, the bike is more durable, and the flexibility of a steel bike is preferred by many on a long ride.

Aluminum is more rigid because the tubes must be made fatter and thicker to achieve the same yield strength as steel.  In some contexts this additional stiffness may be appreciated, but generally not when riding long distances.

Stainless is hardly ever (never?) used for bikes because it's too hard to work with and the metallurgy doesn't allow the characteristics of the material to be  controlled nearly as well as steel or aluminum.  And its heavy.

Carbon fiber is carbon fiber.  Great for lightweight frames (saves another 2-5 pounds, maybe), great for bragging rights, but fragile and often excessively rigid.

One important consideration on a cross-country ride is that a steel frame is very unlikely to suffer fatigue failure, while the other materials are considerably more likely to do this.  (And, in a pinch, a steel frame can be repaired by a welder at a local auto or tractor shop, while a broken aluminum or carbon frame is likely toast.)  (Of course, any good quality frame that isn't overloaded should hold up to a 3000 mile journey, but sometimes things happen.)

The tendency of a steel bike to rust is of little consequence.  A steel bike would need to be exposed to the weather constantly for 20 years before rust would cause a failure, and at that point all of the components would have already disintegrated.  And I don't know about carbon, but aluminum and stainless steel tend to suffer crystallization of the metal at the welds as they corrode, and this can lead to sudden joint failure.


Alfine 8 vs Alfine 11 Gates CDX chainline?

The obvious place to look is Shimano's specifications page, but that does not appear to give chainline.

A bit of googling found a couple of pages that give specs for the Alfine 8 and 11.

This page simply states the Alfine 11 chainline is 42.7mm.

This page gives a more complete picture for Alfine 8, giving chainline for 2 sprocket mounting positions and several models. Seems that 42.7mm chainline is achievable on SG-C6000 and 6010 models.


Beside drive train, what is the difference between group components (e.g. 105 vs. Ultegra)?

Since you don't mention specific group sets (ie 6700, 6600, etc.) I'll say the primary differences are going to be weight and feel and to a lesser extent performance.

Ultegra 6700 levers are carbon fiber with a 'better' shape that some say offers better brake feel. Also the pivot point is different on 6700 vs 5700 (105) as it has trickled down from the Dura Ace design which theoretically gives more leverage and also requires less finger pull at the beginning of the stroke to move the brake pads when compared to 105 that don't have this feature yet.

As for the brakes themselves I believe the only noticeable difference is weight.


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


It turns out that one of the bolts doesn't retract with the locking mechanism (the lock is bolted at each end rather than a hooked end and a single bolt).  Here's a full writeup in case it helps anyone with similar difficulties (I couldn't find much online).
With gravity to help, the lock works OK,* but with the dodgy end at the bottom it doesn't unlock.  This probably explains why I had no trouble before, but this time the bad end was lower than the good end (though almost horizontal). I couldn't lift the tail of the bike on the rack because there was too much (including another bike) in the way.
In the following pictures the red tape marks the bad end.  Locked then unlocked with the bad end at the top -- all OK:

Locked then unlocked with the bad end at the bottom -- bolt still visible:

According to the manufacturer tapping the end nearest the faulty bolt should free it up. Actually it's not enough just to tap the end (I used a large adjustable spanner), you have to jiggle the key (in and out of the unlocked position) while tapping away at it.  That was less tricky on the bike than testing for this post (but scuffing the paintwork isn't a worry on this bike).  Pressing the bolt with a finger and no shackle makes this obvious -- you can't push the pin in with the key fully in the unlocked position, only in a position where it doesn't stay by itself (almost fully unlocked).
I also managed (off the bike, and only the first time) the get a shim into the relevant hole with the lock unlocked and jiggle everything to free it up.  There's not much clearance to do this, the drinks can shim had to be bent just right.
*It got worse while I tested it to write this post.


What features should I look for in a new wheelset?

Current rim depths tend to be between 20mm and 80mm.  You can choose along this spectrum to trade weight for aero, but for general use 30mm or 40mm is probably reasonable.

Hand-built wheels are an advantage if done well, because they are less likely to have broken spokes.  There are plenty of custom wheel builders out there, plus some mass-market manufacturers who advertise hand-built wheels (obviously they'll automate what they can, but hopefully the important parts are done by hand).

For hubs you will find two types: cartridge bearing and cone bearing.  The former are adjustment-free and you generally can replace the bearings if needed, whilst the latter require adjustment to get the perfect spin.

You'll probably want butted spokes of some kind.  I dislike aero spokes (with flattened midsections) because they are painful to work on (you inevitably whack your hand with the spokes when working on the bike, and bladed spokes can actually cut you).

A recent trend is toward wider rims, which allow more tire volume and are sensible if you will run 25-28mm tires.  It's also easier to install and remove wheels if the tire is not much wider than the rim.

In your price range you should be able to find 30mm deep wheels around 1500 grams, give or take.


Yes, they will fit. You should also be able to reuse the existing tubes without issue.

As to which width tires to get, that is completely up to you. In theory, the 23mm tires will offer less rolling resistance, although in practice this may not be true. The 25mm tires will offer somewhat more grip while braking & cornering.


I have already bought some pads that the LBS had for more than 4 years, and they work perfectly. I think the specific compounds from which brake pads (and tires, most probably) is not prone to self-degeneration if stored in a "normal" environment.

So, the suggestion would be to take a ride and check if the pads brake well. If so, use normally.


There are lots of comparisons in the web, however they tend to get outdated or vanish from time to time, so I won't recommend or link any particular one here. Instead use your favourite search engine with terms like "bicycle/road bike/mountain bike groupset comparison" or the like.

But you can also do a quick check yourself: Choose a component that is usually part of all groups (a derailleur for example), search your favourite online bike shop for it and note the price for the parts from different groups. This should scale fairly well to the whole component group and give you a rough estimate on how they are positioned towards each other.


How do you know if you can trust your LBS?

What brands do they stock?

As well as relationships with customers shops have to have relationships with suppliers. You will find that dealerships are not dished out so easily and only the best bike shops can have the best brands. This is for bikes and for components. A brand to look for is Specialized, does the shop have Specialized components? Customers will ask for Specialized by name and dealerships for components and bikes are limited, if they have Specialized then they have been established long enough to get the dealership. That is the situation in the UK but I do not know about everywhere else.

Appearances can be deceptive

Don't read too much into how cluttered or dusty the shop is. Few in the trade come from a merchandising background or have the time for ornate window displays. Tidy organised appearance is definitely a bonus but not the be-all and end-all.

How long do you have to wait?

We have all waited a lot longer in a bike shop to be served than seems sensible. Staff that care will be able to take a break from a complex touring bike sale to take money off you for that inner tube you just want to buy. Alternatively they will be able to point you in the direction of the products that you are interested in and make a promise to be with you soon. Because bike sales are so seasonal there will be busy periods when there are more customers than staff however a good shop will be able to mitigate walk-outs with simple P's and Q's.

Shops do not have the best interests of your wallet at heart

This may not be for the reasons you think. To you spending £100 on a bike might be big bucks but for the staff with a sea of bicycles in front of them £1000 may be nearer the mark for getting something to ride. When it comes to lights the set of £20 flashing LED's may be all you need but to the shop staff only the £150 brighter-than-the-sun light set makes sense.

It is for you to judge whether the shop is taking you for a ride or if the staff are on a bonus deal that means they get more money for fleecing you. There is no harm in being straight up and asking if they are working on commission if they are pointing you at the high-end products when you have walked in specifically after something more basic.

Equally, sales staff that lack confidence may not point you towards the better products. You may not care whether you spend £50 or £250 on a pair of shoes for that triathlon you hope to enter, what you don't want is for the shop to under-sell to you for you to end up with sub-standard products.

Don't expect the staff to be experts about everything

You may have pored over the catalogue all week and know the specifications inside and out, the shop staff may not have the time or the need to do that. You know information from over-browsing the catalogue, they have knowledge that means they only need the product knowledge necessary for what they do.

Some staff may be showroom only and be expert at sizing up kids bikes yet have no idea what chain you need for a nine speed or what pads you need for a vintage bike. They can even get a basic inner tube valve length wrong. Therefore make sure you know what you want in advance, don't rely on expert opinion in the shop and don't feel wronged if you know more than them about some particular thing.

Old parts off a repaired bike

Expect the shop to keep or bin parts that you have upgraded. If you have put your bike in for an inner tube repair do not expect the old tube back so that you can fix it. The same goes for a very expensive chainset. If you specifically want bits back then make sure you say so when the bike is booked in. It is standard practice in the UK for whatever happens to the old bits to be the bike-shop's prerogative, don't feel wronged if you do not get them back. Take a car analogy, if you took your car in for any work, would you expect the old bits back? No.

Workshop bookings

Most bike shops have a really bad system for workshop jobs. Spend some time on the phone and call your local shops to see what they can do for you. Do expect your bike to be wheeled in and out of the workshop into the rain to be potentially scratched and possibly damaged during that time it is in the workshop. Ask how your bike will be stored whilst it is booked in - nobody thinks to do that yet it is a big deal. You don't want your bike rustier and scratched more than before you booked it in for that simple service.

Also ask how long it is going to take. Then apply common sense if it is going to take a fortnight to 'change a tube'. This is not a question of trust, it is a question of workshop management. Some shops have a strict queue and it can get a bit long. Other shops will turn around what they can as soon as they can, ideally you want simple fixes, e.g. that cassette removed to be a while-you-wait task and not something you have to wait a fortnight for.

How well are the showroom bikes setup?

There is a tendency for bikes in showrooms to be somewhat loosely assembled. This is stupid as none of the bikes are at their best and it takes far longer to lazily assemble bikes to then have to completely check them over again. If the bikes are badly assembled in the showroom then they are not doing it right. Unless the prices are good go elsewhere.

One key indicator is the seat. Are the showroom bikes with the seats pointing at odd angles? This shows a lack of care and a lack of skill in the workshop. Coupled to that is a lack of understanding of what the customer wants - a comfy bike.

Some bikes, e.g. Brompton and to a certain extent Dahon, are fully assembled to top 'pre-delivery-check' standards in the factory. They don't need any further setting up. Showroom bikes should be to the same standard, every gear should work, every brake should work and every wheel should be properly in place. Handlebars may be twisted 90 degrees for space reasons and tyres may be soft due to inventory management reasons, however, all of the bikes in the shop should be in a ridable condition.

Is the shop part of a chain?

An owner-manager is more motivated than the hired-manager. He has to pay the bills every week and ensure the sales are taken care of properly. He will not stand for staff standing behind the counter and not assisting customers pro-actively.

On the other hand a hired manager of a chain will have career aspirations to make it into group management and a sales bonus to think of. A chain will also have a central warehouse and other bike sizes in other shops. Therefore the reputation of the chain is important.

You can get excellent staff in chains and single owner-manager shops. You can also get very bad staff. It is the luck of the draw whom you get to serve you. If you find that the salesperson is struggling, perhaps they don't actually go downhill mountain biking and know what you are after, in that case give them a break and ask if there is anyone in the staff team that knows a bit more about down-hill mountain bikes. This should not be taken the wrong way by them. Chances are that when you walked through the door their MTB supremo was dealing with another customer and he/she will be glad to spend time with you.

Do they offer to special order for you?

Not all sizes are stocked, not all parts are stocked. A good shop will offer to get whatever you need in, usually with less than a week turnaround. 'Sorry we don't stock that' is not a good enough answer, fobbing you off with the wrong product is not a good answer.

Can you test-ride a bike?

Bikes do get damaged with a ride around the block. However, for fast moving regular bikes there should be no problem with you going out on it to test ride. Expect to leave your keys and or wallet behind the till. Maybe expect an escort if you are comparing two bikes. Don't expect a test ride on the best bike in the shop though.

Can you borrow a spanner?

Shops should be able to lend you an Allen key to fit that water bottle that you just bought. If they cannot trust you with that then can you trust them?

What is in their car park at 9 a.m.?

Not all bike shop staff live and breathe bicycles. Chances are that the guy in the workshop is only working there to pay for his car. Ask staff if they actually ride. Although some say this does not matter, it does. Would you get a vegetarian working in a butchers to care about your sausages? Or a meat eater working in a organic-save-the-world-shop to have much of an opinion on lentils? Or an illiterate working in a book shop to help you find a good book about bikes? Or someone that hates music working in a record shop help you through the new releases?

If everyone in the bike shop drives to work then something is up. They too have heard the news about global warming, how cars give kids asthma, how the oil is running out, how dangerous cars are to cyclists, how wars get fought over oil and so on. Clearly they don't have the passion for the product to ride themselves. You have to ask why the bicycle is not good enough for them. They can live a long way away, be the older generation when motoring was aspirational or be one of those sad youngsters working just to pay for a car. Don't discredit them entirely for driving but bear it in mind.

What is in their car park after 9 a.m.?

Hopefully the shop has lots of customers and they all cannot be wrong to be shopping there. In some paces like the UK the success of a bike shop is pretty much down to if they have parking or not. Therefore the out of town shop with more parking, more warehouse space and a bigger showroom is a better bet but not always. Do ride out to the out of town shops and you will hopefully be pleasantly surprised.

What is their website like?

It can be hard for a shop to compete with the online specialists. However, does their shop clearly give the basic information. Opening hours? Brands stocked? A few words about the workshop? What their specialisms are? Do they give a first impression that is hopeful? They may not be experts at HTML - overlook that but not too much. The internet has been around for a decade or more, they should have some semblance of a webpage by now.

One area of trust is whether they do have a product focused website and if the prices match what you pay in the showroom. Go in with printouts and haggle if you get given a different price in the shop. Expect your trust to be diminished if there is no good reason for any discrepancies.

Conclusion

This question is as long as a piece of string. Opinions vary. Presented above is a far from exhaustive list of things to look out for. At the end of the day a lot comes down to personalities and whether you like the staff. That said there are things that may not come across in the time you spend with them and there may be good reasons for misunderstandings. Whatever, do support your local bike shop and be open to their service and expertise, not everything can be done online.


Rear bicycle rack for car with mini-spoiler

The spoiler does not preclude using a rear mounted rack.

I have an Audi hatchbach with a similar spoiler. I use a Yakima King Joe (model discontinued but Yakima and Thule offer functionally equivalent products) which has a wide span between the upper and lower arms.

The upper arm sit on the rear glass near the top, or tucked up underneath the spoiler. The lower arm sits below the number plate.

YouTube video of installation of the rack on a hatchback:


What is the purpose of the channel in my seat?

The purpose of the channel in a bike saddle is to reduce pressure to the perineum, which can cause numbness and other long-term problems. This is a matter of both comfort and health, although not everyone is affected. Individual body type, saddle design, bike fit, and riding style work together to make saddle fit a very personal issue.

On a related note, some of the worries about erectile disfunction seem to be overstated, though this is still an open area of research. See:
Saddle Seats and Erectile Dysfunction - The myth Exploded.


My rear wheel axle has broken this is second time

Simple answer is that the axle broke because it was overloaded.

Notice how the drive side bearing is a few centimeters inboard from the end of the axle. That creates a weakness on that side. This was a well known problem with freewheel (as opposed to freehub/cassette) hub designs with more than 6 or 7 sprockets.

Are you a heavy person? Are you carrying a heavy load on the bike? Are you hitting sharp bumps and edges hard? The bike may just not be robust enough for how you are using it.

Better riding technique - standing up and absorbing bumps through you legs, or avoiding them completely - may help you avoid damage to the bike in the future.


What are the rules about take a bike on London Dockland Light Railway (DLR)?

Only folding bikes are carried on the DLR, and they must be 'totally enclosed in a cover'

This website has all rules for bikes on public transit for what seems to be most companies in the UK. Check it out.


Fenders that will work for swapping between 650b and 700c wheels

Great idea - smaller 650B wheels with winter tyres will be easier to swap than swapping tyres on your only set of wheels.

As long as your fenders / mudguards are wide enough to cover your wider tyre, and large enough to not touch your larger tyre, then they'll work fine for the smaller and narrower tyre.

Note that we consider specific brand recommendations to be off topic.  Most Cycling shops have the well-reputed brands who will have suitable models.   If your guards are rated for CX tyres with ~43mm tyres in 700c (ie, etrto size 622 wheels) then it will work fine for smaller wheels, but with a little more gap.

Another option is to get two sets of clip-on fenders and change them at the same time you swap wheels. Though this could get tiring quicky.


I can't think of any reason that would be migrating in the frame unless it wasn't secured enough to begin with.  You should check the tightness of your quick release.


I suggest taking the battery out, waiting a minute, then replace it. While you have it out rub the battery on a dry rag to clean it, and clean the battery contacts and inside of the speedo too. If it works after that you have a cheap, easy fix.

The other solution is to buy a new, cheap speedo. You can get speedos from about $AUS10 on ebay, so if your requirement is just speed and distance that's going to be the quickest, cheapest way to go.


What is the problem with my suspension fork?

Your fork has both air and oil in it; if the air component is fine it follows that the oil component is not.

If it was not stored upright the problem is probably that the oil is in the wrong part of the fork and will gradually make its way beck to its designed location if you leave it the right way up for a day or two.

Check for oil leaks at all points around the fork (and oily residue wherever you had stored it).

The other possibilities are:

an internal seal has failed and is no longer controlling the flow of oil/air within the fork leg as it should be;
the oil has become contaminated with water;
the oil has broken down into a foam.

In any of these cases it will need to be disassembled and serviced: I would leave that to the professionals.


Peloton Trainer - what style of cleats are used?

Actually, IT DEPENDS. Peloton sells a home version that uses LOOK and a commercial version (to most hotels and apartment buildings) that cannot use a LOOK but that have a shoe-cage on one side and an SPD SH51 clip on the other side. Most Peloton reps do not seem to know this (for all the money they charge you think the company would train its people...) so check your bike carefully. It might be easier to take a picture of the bike pedal and bring it to the bike store so you don't accidentally buy the wrong clips--or shoes. (Not all shoes take SPD and LOOK, many only take one type or the other.)


What is the origin of BSO - and is it internationally recognized?

In German, I have never heard anything similar. I think one reason is that everyday cycling is more common and many people have a cheap, battered bike to get to the railway station or the local shop, so you could argue that most bicycles you see in town would be seen as BSOs by UK cyclists. It doesn't make sense to invent a new term for something that is common and already has a name.

When you observe bikes in town, in the UK (where I live now) you can rather clearly see two distinct groups: high-end bikes for the sports market (and people dressed accordingly) versus really cheap ones (often students in uni towns). In Germany it's much more a continuous spectrum with a lot of middle ground of various urban bikes, so it would be difficult to draw a boundary.

Most people buy bikes in the local bike shops, but shops tend to have a wide variety from cheap, simple, factory-built ones to high-end custom-built, so the fact that they are sold in LBSs isn't necessarily a criterium for quality or price.

Another factor is that "BSO" is a term that is a bit arrogant and derogatory, sends the message: "You are not doing it properly", which is what bike advocacy groups really want to avoid. In Germany, cycling is very much seen and promoted as everyday activity, and the cycling groups want to avoid terminology that would people off. It's better if people cycle on a cheap bike than not cycle at all. It's possible that the cycling sports community in Germany has derogatory terms for non-sportists, but I don't think it's common outside. Again, in UK the community is different and more sports-oriented (although that's beginning to change, in the last 5 years or so).


How you can reduce wind noise in the ears while cycling?

I had this exact problem, and I found a variety of products that can solve this and reduce the wind noise significantly. Cat Ears, Wind Blox, and SlipStreamz being the ones I know of (no affiliation).

These products attach to your helmet straps and force the wind around your ear, therefore reducing the wind noise. I've heard you can also put a twist in your helmet strap to have a similar effect.'

Once I started wearing these, I could put my headphones in and understand podcast conversations much better. I even wrote a post about these wind blocker products on my bike commuting blog I love them so much (I am NOT affiliated with any of the companies mentioned, just an enthusiastic bike commuter).

When I was initially looking a few years ago I believe only the Cat Ears were available, so I got what's now called the Cat Ears Classics. They look a little funny, but they definitely work and provide a little warmth from wind chill as well. Here I am wearing them.

Happy biking!


The replacement of the 9 speed Shimano road RD with a 9 speed Shimano mountain RD is fine -- the cable pulls are the same. You'll need to re-size (i.e. put on a longer) chain for the bigger cassette though.

As for the crankset swap, I think with the new cassette it isn't going to be necessary. In any case, the Sora FD-3403 (which is what you likely have) has a maximum front chainring difference of 20 teeth whereas you're asking for a difference of 22 teeth, so you're technically out of spec. Since its 2 teeth, you might be able to get by, but you'd have to try it and tune it to see if it works. You do need a Shimano road FD to work with the Sora shifters.


The answer to your question depends on the rider physiology, goals, and objectives. There are a number of considerations, and the focus should be on your overall position.

If you are primarily a time-trialer, or if you are interested in triathlons, you would have different needs than a road racer who does a handful of time trials a year. Triathletes tend to be even further forward than road racers.

Overall position:

When I used the same bike for racing and time trialing, I would raise the seat, push the seat forward, and lower the stem when I added the time trial bars. Being comfortable and having the ability to take a breathe easily and fully is much more important than aerodynamics per se. Also, note that the pros spend a lot of time preparing for this. In general, imagine a time-trial position as the body being rotated forward at the hip about 15 degrees, so that the hip gets closer to the bottom bracket. Also notice that much of time trialing is done on the nose of the saddle (not sure exactly why).

If you look at the pros, you will see some general trends in position. The arm rests are many cm below the seat, the forearms are relatively horizontal, and some prefer to have their hands a little bit more elevated, some at a negative incline.

Seat fore-aft position

Generally, the seat is forward and the rider is on the nose of the saddle. The distribution of weight between the seat and handlebars goes much more in favor of the handlebars than when riding in a standard position.

Saddle-handlebar drop

An important aspect of the position is the difference in height between the saddle and the elbow pads. The lower you can get the more aerodynamic you will be.

Arm angle

In addition, notice that the upper arm may be perpendicular to the ground, like Fabian Cancellara here:

Or like Kristin Armstrong with the elbows further out in front of the shoulder:

Location of arm pads

The position of the arm rests have moved back toward the elbow over time. Greg Lemond's position had the arm rests closer to the wrists than is common now. This position is useful in a hilly time trial because of the leverage that it gives.


Is the plastic piece between the seven gear sprocket and the spokes hard to replace, and how?

This is called the spoke guard and prevents the chain from getting tangled in the spokes if the rear derailleur is improperly adjusted.

Properly adjust your rear derailleur and you will have no need for the spoke guard and can throw it away.


As others have already noted, the figure to which you refer pertains to the drivetrain's range, not to the lowest gear. The mechanical advantage that allows you to climb hills easily (small chainring driving your largest cassette's sprocket, say 22x36 in your example) is customarily expressed in gear-inches, a rather meaningless measure -- it indicates the equivalent diameter of a wheel that would be geared 1/1, but a standard nonetheless. 16 gear-inches would be considered small. Your example yields 15.9 gear-inches.

An excellent gear calculator can be found here. Play with it and all should become clear.


What are the parts needed to build your own fixie?

I know you asked for a single part answers but since the parts work together and one choice influences another, I don't really see how that can be accomplished in a useful manner. So I'm going to outline it all.

I'll start with the items that you need for any build.

Frame and fork. Preferably one with horizontal dropouts - more on that later.
Headset to attach the frame and fork.
Stem - note: the fork, stem, and the headset work together. They can be threaded or threadless. They must match.
Handlebars
Seatpost. The seatpost must fit snugly in the seat tube.
Seatpost clamp (Maybe. This is built into some frames.)
Seat
Front wheel. No specific requirements other than it fit into your fork without the tire rubbing. If you're using a front brake (and you should), you'll want the size for which the fork was intended. There are ways to make the brakes work on a wrong-sized wheel, but it's more hassle than it's worth.
Crankset
Bottom bracket. The crankset and bottom bracket must be the compatible with one another. The bottom bracket also be the same size and have the same thread type as the bottom bracket shell on your frame.
Pedals. As others have mentioned, you want your feet attached to the pedals. Whether you use toe clips or clipless is totally up to your personal preference.
Chain
Tires
Rear Wheel. This is where we start to get fixie specific. The rear wheel must have a hub that is designed to accommodate a fixed gear cog and a lock ring.
Fixed gear cog
Lock ring.

You need to make sure of two things: your chain line must be ramrod straight and you must have some way of making sure that there's tension on the chain.

Let's talk about tensioning the chain first. There are three basic ways to tension a chain on a fixie. You can use an eccentric hub, an eccentric bottom bracket, or horizontal dropouts. Horizontal dropouts are by far the cheapest, easiest and most common. An eccentric bottom bracket requires a frame that is designed for one and thus, is less common and more expensive. An eccentric hub works just fine if you have to use a frame with vertical dropouts, but it's easy enough (and significantly cheaper) to find an older frame with horizontal semi-horizontal dropouts.

Now, for making sure that chainline is stright. The only way I know of to do it is trial and error. Build the bike up, and then sight along the chainline. You'll be able to see whether or not it's straight much the same way you can sight along a pool cue and see a curve in it. If it's not, you can sometimes move the front chain ring from the inside to the outside of the spider. Spacers on the rear hub may get you somewhere too, but you can't go too far with those. If none of that works, you'll have to try a bottom bracket with a different spindle length.

Optionally: a front brake is highly recommended. In some places, at least one brake is required by law. If you have rear facing dropouts, a bmx style chain tensioner is really nice to have.


asuming 300 N as average grip multiplied by a leverage ratio of 10 it is 3000 N of axial force. the piston diameter is about 10 mm so the piston effective area will be 0.785 squared mm. so the presure could be 3000 N/ .785 cm2 = 3821.7 N/cm2 equal to 5542 PSI. so it can handle almost 30 times what you need.
the problem is: lack of power if you can only apply 190 PSI maybe the brakes wont work at all.


How to clean brake pads properly to stop squeal?

BrakClean is the best. Spray on a rag and wipe the rotor and pad. I have rim brakes and am not sure first hand of the benefits of scuffing the pads off the bike so someone else will have to speak on that. However, BrakClean has stopped squeal on my rim brakes without having to adjust toe when they get "contaminated."
On car disc brakes you just have to bed them with several stop from 20 MPH or so to prevent squeals. I am not sure if bike brake pads are the same or if your really need to scuff them with sandpaper. Someone else will need to comment on that who has first hand experience for bikes.


Increase clearance between tire and frame

It's possible that your rims are not too large for the frame, you are just using tires that are too wide and tall than the frame was designed to accommodate.
Tire height is related to width, you can't specifically get a tire that is shorter. YOu just need to drop down to the next lower tire size. E.g., if your tires are nominally 32mm wide try 28mm tires.
There are only a few rim diameters in common use on new bicycles [559mm, 584mm, 622mm) it would be obvious if you had the wheels that were larger than the frame is designed for. Possibly though you have older 630mm rims a frame designed for 622mm.


What is this blue mesh tube thing in the Rema TT 06 patch kit used for?

Looking at manufacturers site I found repair kit with 'mysterious' blue mesh listed as "Cartridge freeze protector".

It is supposed to be put over the cartridge (like in this picture) to prevent skin irritation/burn because CO2 gets very cold when discharged.


Which bike light, aren't that to be seen kind enought?

So you're riding at night - are the routes lit by streetlights?  Or are you riding in pitch darkness?
The former would recommend two "be seen" lights for the front and two for the rear, and the latter would require at least one Seeing light and a backup for the front and still two on the rear.
I'd strongly recommend adding some combination of spoke reflectors, reflective sidewalls, and reflective clothing to go along with your active lighting.   DOT tape is available in appropriate colours and costs nothing to operate.
Be aware you do not need a Giant-brand of light on your Giant branded bike.  The only time such a thing is needed is if there are built in connectors to an internal wiring harness or similar.  Otherwise you're free to fit whatever lights you like.
I personally run two completely different front lights plus a head lamp.  The main one has an "hours remaining" readout which tells me if I can make it home before it goes flat.  Likewise I have several rear lights each with their own power, so they're less likely to all go out at once.


Can absoluteBLACK's 48/32 sub-compact chainrings be mounted on the Quarq DFour (for 4-bolt Shimano chainrings)?

A way of getting a pretty good guess is find a laid-flat image of the ring in question, open in photoshop or gimp or cad or whatever, make some paths or circles that exactly cover two opposing bolt holes, then make a line between the centers. Get the measure of that line in whatever application you're using and the irl physical measurement of your spider, and then make a circle whose center is the midpoint of the line and whose diameter is scaled to the in-image length of the line as ratio between the spider diameter in mm and 110. That should give you a good idea whether it's way off, may take minor filing, etc.


A little more information would be helpful. Are you riding a road bike or hybrid, or what? How tall are you? What is your inseam? What size is the bike?

Without this information, the best I can do is:

1) 6-7 miles isn't a long ride. If you're getting numbness in such a short distance, something is probably wrong.

2) It could be the fit of your bike. Hands get numb when they carry too much weight. If your bike is not the right size, or if it is set up incorrectly, this may cause you to put too much weight on your hands.

3) It could be your fitness. If your core (abdominal and/or back muscles) are weak, you could be compensating by putting too much weight on your hands.

4) It could be a combination of #2 and #3.

What can be done to fix this? It depends on the cause. See if your bike is the right size for your body. Online fit computers can help with this. In addition, consider strengthening your core. If you ride a hybrid, consider some new grips.


We offer our riders shared helmets. What sanitizing spray or barrier product can we provide alongside the helmets?

I'd be wary of using IPA because it may affect the glues used in the helmet, even if it doesn't attack the foam in any obvious way. And the manufacturer  would probably advise against it (and many other disinfectants).

I doubt a hairnet would help, as forehead sweat is probably the biggest issue that will get complaints (I suspect people will react more to unpleasantness than any real risk of catching anything).

With regards to headlice, the CDC say

  Spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is uncommon.

but how uncommon is another matter (other authorities disagree,  but anyway headlice die in a day or so off a person).

Ringworm (actually a fungal infection tinea capitis) may be more of a worry, but it's not common in adults to start with.  Disinfectants can stop it spreading.

I don't know how maintenance of the bikes and helmets will be arranged, but I think passive or minimal-effort solutions are probably going to be best. Some ideas:

Just having plenty of helmets so they've got time to dry out thoroughly should help.  It will cost more upfront but will extend the lives of the helmets so won't cost much more in the long run.  Storing them where they'll dry quickly is a big step in stopping them smelling.
Cheap helmets with little or no absorbent padding over the foam part will be able to absorb less sweat, and shared helmets won't fit everyone very well anyway.
If you get better helmets with removable pads, someone can wash the pads -- but who? When? Where? (I have tried laundry bleach for destinking but find a good soak in homebrew sterilser most effective).
Regular users of these bikes (perhaps cyclists who for whatever reason don't bring their own bike to work) may be encouraged to use their own helmet -- perhaps a bulk-buy discount could be arranged. This would reduce the load on the shared helmets. I keep an old helmet under my desk, and would lend it with the bike I keep near work.


What kind of bike is a brooks champion flyer saddle suitable for?

I assume you are talking about this page: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

I think what Sheldon is saying is that upright riding positions - with the bars level with or higher than the saddle -  would benefit from a sprung saddle. I don't see anywhere where he says spring saddles are not suitable for use with lower bars.

If you like the saddle and it works on your commuting MTB go ahead and use it.


How to choose pedals with 1/2 inch axle (single piece crank) for a non-bmx?

If you can't find 1/2" pedals then you're looking in the wrong places.  They certainly exist but because they're normally a kid's size then quality ones are more unusual.

Check the eco-recycling at the local dump - many kids bikes get chucked out when the child outgrows the bike.  Upside, cheap!  Downside, they tend to be low quality and have been abused.
Repair the existing pedal - try squirting some penetrating oil/lube into the sides where the pedal body meets the axle.  Lay the tagalong on its side to let gravity help.  Spin the pedal by hand to help work the oil into the bearing/bushing.  Repeat a couple times.
I had some brand new pedals that were rubbish, and ended up spinning them with a 6mm hex bit in a drill press while adding lube.  After 10 minutes they got a lot more free.
Make something - if you're competent with tools, consider stripping down the existing pedal and build a new platform.  Its absolutely possible to make one from wood, using cartridge bearings at each end of the axle.
Modifying new pedals is possible too - the plastic body is generally adaptable.  If its too wide you can file or cut some off.


There is exactly one way to fix that tube: Toss it in the trash can, and buy a new one. Whether patches are glue-less or not, they all get unglued over time by the slime.

And while you are buying a new tube, don't buy more slime. Buy a serious puncture proof tire instead. For any slime, there is an upper limit of how much puncture it can seal before failing you, and then you are again reduced to patching/replacing slime filled tubes. This happens much more frequently than that you find shards large enough to defeat a good puncture proof tire.

(I used slime myself for many years, and I patched my tubes over, and over again. Then I switched to puncture proof tires many years ago, and had exactly three punctures since, one of which was largely my own fault. With all the time I'm saving on the futile patching of those puncture riddled squishy tubes, I find the extra money for the better tires is an excellent investment.)


Shimano's published method for establishing chain length is based on adding links to the length that will wrap around large/large sans derailleur. When a bigger cassette is swapped in on a chain sized that way, the chain will typically be too short, and breaking your chain, derailleur, hanger, and/or frame may result.
The alternative is to do the technically wrong thing and size to allow the RD's entire total capacity to be used, which allows any cassette the RD would otherwise be compatible with to be swapped in. (The b-tension would need to be adjusted for it to work right, but typically things won't blow up even if that step is skipped.) There are those of us who feel sending riders out with a chain sized this way is doing them better service on average than giving them whatever marginal upside there is with fewer links. This practice can really save a lot of pain. And, if you're a mechanic, you have to think about who the finger is going to be pointed at when a 25 or 27 gets swapped on when the chain was sized for a 23 and someone's race/bike/life gets messed up because of it.
It's possible what you're describing is from not adjusting the B screw, but more likely it's from the chain being too short.


Jockey wheels with bushings are pretty common. (NB for readers not familiar: bushings, aka plain bearings, just have the axle rotate within a plastic or bronze sleeve rather than supported by bearings. The bushing materials are self-lubricating.) Also, the plastic in question is a pretty common material for jockey wheels, and it is not intrinsically fragile in that application. That was discussed on a previous Stack Exchange post. Furthermore, the jockey wheel may appear to have relatively high friction when spun by finger, but we don't push the pedals with our fingers. The amount of friction is pretty marginal in the context of your total power output. That said, play in the lower jockey wheel is probably a sign that it's wearing out. Note that play in the upper wheel is by design.
On performance road bikes, one of the minor new trends is to replace the jockey wheels with slightly larger ones, e.g. Kogel Bearings makes 12t upper and 14t lower pulleys for current generation Shimano road groups, which come stock with 11t pulleys. However, the clearance between the upper pulley and the smallest cog is a potential issue, and some Shimano groups can only take 11t replacement upper pulleys. On the lower pulley side, there may be interference between the pulley teeth and the cage.
Thus, extrapolating to your group, if you are dead set on metal jockey wheels, it would be safest to get the 11t pulley. A larger jockey wheel may work, but it's not guaranteed. At minimum, you'd need to provide your derailleur make and model. As described in the first paragraph, I'm not convinced it's necessary for most riders to upgrade to metal pulleys and cartridge bearings. In interest of full disclosure, I did upgrade the jockey wheels on my road and gravel bike to 12/14t Kogel units, which are aluminum with ceramic bearings. That was for performance reasons, but the expected difference in drivetrain friction is small, maybe 0.5-1W at 250W input power. I have typically seen long life out of the stock plastic pulley wheels.


Rescue corroded alloy nipples on wheel spokes, perhaps using chemicals?

In many other cases I'd apply heat (to the spoke) but I'd be wary of doing that here, because you could end up tempering part of the spoke, while it's still under stress. If you're unlucky that would lead to weakening. Also you don't want to get that much  heat too near the carbon rims.

If you can get a few spokes right off, you may be able to slacken the wheel enough to flex the others and crack the bond (pliers on the nipples) or even to push the last few clear of the rim for more grip. This also means you can try different methods on different sections.

You haven't said how much nipple is accessible, but with enough access you could file or dremel a slot (nearly) parallel to the spoke without going right through, then put a screwdriver in the slot and twist to split it. You'd need to split it over a decent amount of thread though. In my touring rims that would be possible. I suspect your rims are rather different, and they'd only need to be a little aero to deny you access to any thread.


Could my rim be just a little too small?

I don't believe there are any common rim diameters where the next size down would be close enough for the difference between tyre bead diameter and rim diameter not to look wrong. The tyre would blow off the rim with very little pressure.

When finishing mounting a tyre, it's common to pull the already-mounted part of the bead into the middle of the rim where the well is deepest, to give enough slack to easily get the last part of the bead over the lip of the rim.

With narrow rims and single-wall rims, the rim well may be almost flat, leaving very little slack when mounting the bead. A thick rimtape can make this even worse.

If the new rim is a wider dual-wall rim, or you now have a thinner rimtape, you may have more slack even with matching tyre and rim sizes.

Given the recurring punctures, your rimtape is possibly inadequate or missing.


It doesn't matter. Chains are commodity components made to standard sizes, and the chain you have doesn't seem to be a high-end chain, as it has none of the weight-saving cut-outs that a fancier chain would have.

You need to get a chain that's the same width and has the same number of links. The width is determined by the number of cogs you have on the rear axle (and chains are literally sold as, e.g., a ten-speed chain). You'll need to shorten the new chain to the same length as your current one by breaking links with a chain tool; there are plenty of videos on YouTube that will explain how to do this, or just get your local bike shop to do the work for you.


What would happen if I don’t replace worn drivetrain components?

In my experience - breakage is not directly correlated to wear.  I've had bikes with unknown mileage on them, and have chosen to ride the transmission into the ground.
Generally the performance slowly deteriorates, with chain slip under power being a sign that things are getting bad.
Unlike other answerers, I've never had a worn transmission break and strand me or injure me.  The only time I snapped a chain is because I didn't reconnect it properly, and that one was perhaps half-worn.  I have twice wiped a derailleur with the rear wheel's spokes, but again that was misadjustment, not wear.
If you can afford to, replacing parts often helps maintain things in top-top shape, but for those of us with real world demands on our wallets, you can go quite far into the worn stage before it gets too much.  After all - you own it.
I find that climbs and going up grades are the most taking on the transmission and drivetrain so if its going to slip, its then, or when doing high power efforts like taking off from the lights.


Flat tire after inflating to max pressure

When in doubt, it's much easier to just completely replace the inner tube. They are consumable (like brake pads) and will only cost you a couple of pounds/dollars.

This can be annoying and tricky at first but after a few tries should only take 5-10 minutes or so.

In my opinion, it's easier and quicker to just buy new tubes the next time you're passing a bike shop and spend 15 minutes replacing them than spending several hours identifying and repairing the old tubes - and having the psychological weight of whether or not your repair was fully successful looming over you whenever you ride.

  What could have happened ?Not sure if anything in the valve is stuck.
  How can I determine what is wrong ?

A number of things. The tyre pressure could have been too high for the weight of the person riding it (you don't always need to inflate a tyre to the max pressure), the inner tube could have naturally weakened with age, the rider may have hit a pothole or thorns/nails without remembering it that pierced the tire and tube.

Ultimately; it doesn't matter. The tube is punctured AND old; get a new one and brush it up as bad luck. I doubt reverse engineering the problem at this stage will help you reduce punctures in the future.


Indexed rear derailer shifts two cogs for each step

I would check the SRAM grip shift that you purchased.  SRAM makes grift shifters for both their own derailleurs and Shimano's.  The actuation ratio on those shifters is different.  SRAM uses a 1:1 ratio for their high end stuff.  Most of Shimano's is closer to 2:1.  The SunRace website you linked to lists the M40 as 2:1, meaning you'll need a SRAM grip shifter with 2:1 actuation.


Upgrade Specialized Tarmac Pro SL3 with SRAM Force AXS

I'm guessing a Tarmac Pro SL3 is a slightly older bike, Google search suggest a 2011 model. There's a Specialized web site page but it does not give a model year.

Rim brake versions are offered. Front derailleur comes in braze on and clamp on. Etap is wireless so there are zero cable routing issues. The AXS groups use SRAM DUB bottom brackets which have wide frame compatibility.

The problem comes with the rear hub I think. The bike referenced above is 10 speed so I'm guessing it has a 130mm rear spacing and a 10 speed Hyperglide type freehub body. AXS is 12 speed and uses a XDR cassette driver body. From SRAM's page on XD and XDR 'XDR maintains the same hub spacing and flange locations used for 11-speed road compatible HyperGlide freehub bodies'. I'm fairly sure a wheel with a 10 speed Hyperglide freehub body will not be XDR compatible.


New rear wheel compatibility with existing cassette

One point not mentioned is the rim internal width.  This directly affects what widths of tyre can be mounted.  That is, a 60mm wide tyre will mount better on a wider rim than a 25mm tyre.
Additionally, tubeless rims are a thing.  If you want to run tubeless tyres, then a tubeless-ready rim makes sense.  If you're happy running clincher tyres with tubes, then this is less of an issue.
The hub's cassette interface has to match with the cassette you intend to run.  Options like Microspline are available.  As long as your cassette fits the hub, then the chain/derailleur won't know or care.
Spare parts - if the hub you get is some odd or rare item, then finding a new freehub in a couple of years could be hard.  Less of a problem than it used to be.
You want to consider your riding style as to the number of spokes - a rear wheel with more spokes is better at carrying a load or surviving a bad landing, while a wheel with fewer spokes is reputed to be lighter/more aero, but one spoke going can drop the whole wheel out of true enough to bind the wheel in the frame.


How to secure the fork when there is no stem

Yes, this "lockring" is important. It functions like the stem on a regular bike (with a threadless fork) to hold the headset together. The cap on top is used during adjustment, but is not intended to hold everything together. See this description from Park for more details of headset adjustment: https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/threadless-headset-service.

With regards to finding alternative lockrings, as Carel pointed out in the comments, there are seat clamps with the proper internal diameter, and it appears that is what your headset has instead of a stem. I can't tell from the picture for sure what your diameter is, but it is presumably either 1" (25.4 mm) or 1 1/8" (28.6mm). Seat clamps are available in both sizes. Just search for "seatpost clamp 28.6 mm". See if you can find one that is not as tall as what you have now.

One final detail to note: In order to keep the headset together properly, the clamp must extend to just above the top of the steering tube, so if you are already very close to that height, then it is the steering tube not the clamp that is determining the height. To reduce the overall height once you have a shorter clamp, you will need to cut off a small bit of the steering tube so that it is below the top of the clamp.


How much space do I need between my tire and brakes to change from 700x23 to 700x25 or 700x28 tires?

WRT the photo - I'd be quite confident you can fit a 25mm in there without issue.

A 28mm looks like it would probably fit acceptably, but I doubt a 32 mm would fit.

The best solution here is to take your bike to a Local Bike Shop, and buy your 28mm tyre/tube from there, on the provisio if it doesn't fit on either end you simply swap it for a 25mm.

Second option is to buy the tyre you want, and if it doesn't fit then sell it on ebay/local auction website, but you'll probably take a hit on the value.

Remember, you need to look at chainstay/seatstay clearances at the back, fork clearances at the front, and brake caliper clearances at both ends of the bike.

The other thing that may hold you back on tyre width is rim internal width.  The wider tyres prefer to sit on wider rims.  A 23mm tyre should be on a rim with a width of 13-17mm.  A 28mm tyre wants to be on a rim from 15-21mm.   More info at What is the maximum or minimum tire width I can fit on my bicycle   Though do note these numbers are somewhat fuzzy edges.

Relevant thoughts - wider tyres do make it harder to drop the wheel through the brake pads.  You may need to change your methods, by only inflating the tyre once the wheel is installed in the bike.  Or you may have to look at how to get slack in your brake cable with a quick release or similar.  Not a problem, but it can be frustrating to have to deflate a freshly inflated tyre to get the wheel through the brakes.  More-so if you just used your last cartridge, or have to do it with a minipump (perhaps again!)


Why would a bike feature a "carbon wrapped aluminum frame"?

That is purely marketing. It's a common ploy with components, but I've never seen it on an entire frame until now. Aluminum and carbon can be used in conjunction effectively, but not in this case. The carbon wrap on that bike is basically veneer. While Schwinn was once upon a time a well respected brand, they suffered a major fall from grace after going bankrupt. Their bikes, even their bike shop level bikes (i think they call them their "select" series bikes) target the budget market. They're not horrible, but they're not great either. The bike you posted a link to is no exception. One could argue that the combination of dissimilar materials would aid to vibration dampening, but that's really just more marketing jargon, at least in this case. That bike will still ride just like a full aluminum framed bike would. If you are considering that bike save yourself a few bucks and just go with a full aluminum frame.


Road cycling position is generally a performance position (although not always) and can be viewed as a  compromise between three components:

Power - different positions will allow you to output differing levels of power depending on your biomechanics.
Aerodynamics - some body positions reduce your power, but can reduce drag even more therefore allowing for higher speeds.
Comfort - The position needs to be sustainable for long periods of time.

Depending on your goals you tend to weigh one category more heavily.  For example, endurance riding tends to be more upright which prioritized (3) at the cost of (2).

Saddle height tends to have the biggest impact on (1).  Too low and you do not use all of the power stroke of the quadricepts, too high and you start leaving the power stroke and can over extend your hip and knee. The most powerful and efficient saddle height leaves a small bend in the knee at the end of the pedal stroke. This lets you use your quadriceps to the end of their power stroke without over extending. You will not be able to reach the ground easily while remaining on the saddle.

Therefore to answer your question:

  When I want to be more aerodynamic, I can drop my upper body and push my rear behind the seat. So why don't cyclists use a low position seat?

You may be able to change body position to maximize aerodynamics (2) but you are still sacrificing power (1) and will be going slower than someone who first maximizes power (1) then gets as aerodynamic as possible. Finally, a low saddle position can affect hip flexion (making your hips and knees flex more) which can be further affected when getting the body into a lower position, therefore you could also be affecting comfort (3) which makes the position unsustainable in the long run.


How can I determine what these tire specs mean?

Yes those are the tyre diameter and width in inches. M12 is a kind of metric thread, 12mm in diameter and 8.8 is a strength rating. I guess the axle is a piece of M12 threaded rod.


You could. If you were a hobbyist, it'd be simple enough to hook a DC motor to act as a generator, smooth the output, boost-buck it to the right voltage, and use it to charge a deep-discharge lead-acid battery.

From there, you could either use it to charge your USB equipment or get an inverter to run some lights. I would not hook it into your mains, the equipment to do so safely is expensive.

I'd estimate the setup would cost just around $200-1000 depending on what parts you already have lying around.

===

That said, let's say you already had most of the parts so it only cost you $200.

You could most probably output 100-400 watts an hour. Let's say, you're in very, very, very good health and can do 250 watts for 2 hours a day. That's 500 watt-hours. Over a month, training 20 days that'd be 10,000 watt-hours or 10 kWh.

In my region, electricity is 20 cents a kWh, so you would be generating $2 a month.

So you would amortize your equipment cost of $200 over 100 months or 8 years. That's if you're in excellent health.

Note 0: Values chosen for ease of calculation rather than strict adherence to reality. However, I believe they are within an order of magnitude correct.

Note 1:  your energy expenditure will be such that your increased food consumption will likely exceed $2/mo.

Note 2: if you break or wear out anything, you'd be back to square zero. Even deep discharge batteries have a limited life span.

Note 3: This model doesn't include charge/discharge/inverter inefficiencies. You should most probably multiply everything by 70-80%.

Note 4: this exact scenario was used in an episode of Black Mirror, season 1.


What are the features that I should seek in cycling glasses?

A frame that doesn't obscure your vision at all. Especially if you're cycling on the road, you want to be able to do a shoulder check without the frame blinkering you at all.

Also, glasses that fit quite close to your face are good because they reduce the chance that a bit of mud or an insect is going to get around them and into your eye.


Do specification sheets for older Shimano components exist?

Yes they do.
They way Shimano did it for a very long time (I don't have the date range) was that each model of component released had two different documents released for it, which were Shimano's primary means of communicating technical specs to the world. These were the "SI" (Service Instructions) and "EV" (Exploded View) documents. The SIs contained throwaway legalese, setup instructions, and compatibility type information, for example total capacities and max large cog numbers on a rear derailleur, or recommended spindle length for a crank. Sometimes the compatibility type information you need is actually hiding on the EV, especially when what you're trying to figure out is a small part number, i.e. for cross-compatibility parts ordering type purposes.
The EVs still exist in the same form as ever, but at some point (again I don't recall the year), they stopped doing SI documents and instead now do the UMs (User Manuals) and DMs (Dealer Manuals) found on si.shimano.com for the procedural and cautionary/legalese type content, and their spec tables for compatibility information.
As far as I know, the 2004 date you mention was the beginning of Shimano releasing spec data in table form. SIs were still around then, so in this period both types of document were released and had some of the same information. For parts not covered in those archives, the main source for that kind of data is the SI documents. There are some entities out there who have taken it upon themselves to archive them for the public, and a lot of those dating pretty far back in time can be found by searching the model number plus "si". Shimano has also added some older SI documents to their own site.
Prior to the Dealer Manual PDFs, their current form of communicating core procedural information, there used to be yearly paper "STI Guides" that dealers got. It was a maddening and backwards system because there was some technical material in them that wasn't available anywhere else, but getting old ones was difficult, and so was finding what you needed even if you did have a huge stack of them. They were also the source of compatibility charts akin to what's in the Compatibility section of si.shimano.com now. STI Guides persisted well into the internet age, but I'm not sure when the last one came out.


Could you make a bike frame out of 24kt gold?

According to Wikipedia, Gold has an "ultimate tensile strength" of 100 MPa, while steel runs from 400 to 5000. (Carbon fiber laminate is 1600.)

Gold has a specific gravity of about 19, while steel has a specific gravity of about 7.8. So it would take about 4 times as much pure gold by volume, or about 9.7 times as much gold by weight. A 15 pound steel frame would weigh about 145 pounds in gold.

Gold is currently trading about $1300 per (Troy) ounce, so that works out to 145 * 12 * $1300, or $2.26 million. I think even carbon would be cheaper (and lighter).

(And, of course, due to the weight of the frame, the frame strength would have to be beefed up, so you'd need more gold still.)


Replacing SRAM Red chain set with Ultegra - bottom bracket?

You'll need a Shimano PressFit BB, to go with Shimao cranks.
Shimano and SRAM just don't share the same spindle specs. It won't cost you much however, compared to the price of the crankset.
If you don't have the dedicated tools at hand, go to your LBS and make them work.


Are new Shimano shifters compatible with old 600 Arabesque derailleurs?

The problem is that if you're running a Shimano 600 system, you've probably got a 5 or 6 speed drivetrain and the lowest number of speeds on a modern brifter [integrated shift+brake lever] is 7 (the Shimano Tourney brifters are 7 speed). So you'd need either downtube shifters, bar end shifters, or stem shifters (all of which likely will operate in friction mode unless you can find a Shimano compatible one which matches the number of speeds you have with the cable pull matching Shimano). I believe the cable pull is the same as modern <9 speed Shimano rear derailleurs though.

Campy and SRAM usually have different cable pull and they wont produce a brifter which is 5 or 6 speeds anyway so you're stuck with friction mode (generally, mixing manufacturers causes problems and requires pulleys to adjust for cable pull).

Another option is (since you likely have downtube shifters) are Retroshifts, which are a way of taking your existing down tube / bar end shifters and attaching them to a brake lever. This removes the problem as well.


What you have there is a replica of a WW2-era bike. That doesn't look like a traditional rod brake (see the Wikipedia link above). It's hard to tell what's going on, but I don't see any braking mechanism at the rim. So the brake must be in the hub (the oversized hub could be holding a generator - except there's already a generator on the other side of the fork).

If the bike was made in the 1980s, they probably put in something that stops the bike effectively while still looking "vintage". This is pure speculation though.

My advice is to buy the bike if you think it looks cool (which it does). If the brakes suck, you can always replace them with something else.


I can't comment on your specific hitch, here's a generalisation.

The normal quoted figure for an automotive trailer or caravan is ~45% weight on each wheel and 10% on the nose.

A bike trailer is likely a single axle - if yous has 3 or 4 wheels then it should stand by itself and noseweight is rough;y half the weight of the drawbar.

I've successfully pulled trailer with two heavy loads.

First was 68 kilos of car tyres, pulled for 20 km: thus

I've also carried 100 kilos of UPS hardware for 6 km.  That was right on the limit of comfort.  However I know the nose weight was around 9 kilos and each tyre carried 43-44 kilos.

NOTE This assumes your load is just stuff.  If you're hauling live people then absolutely stick to the manufacturer's recommended maximum weights.


What is the best charging practice for my bike light's lithium ion battery?

You should fully charge the battery after every use.

Ignore outdated concerns about early NiCad batteries that exhibited a 'memory effect' when discharged repeatedly to the same Depth of Discharge (DOD)/ State of Charge (SOC).

Almost all secondary (rechargeable) batteries will benefit from regular, complete charging.  The less you discharge a battery, the more total lifetime capacity you will get from it.

That is, If you take the same battery and regularly use 25% of it's capacity then charge it, you will get C Wh of capacity out of it over its lifetime.  If you do the same, but use 95% of its capacity, you may find you only get 0.5C Wh over its lifetime.

Regarding Lithium batteries generally, it is extremely important to use the correct charger for the battery, or the correct mode on a multi-chemistry charger.  Otherwise there may be a fire...


Is it practical to switch from tubeless to tubes every few weeks?

If you value your time at US\$20 an hour or higher, you’ll find you’ll quickly benefit by just getting a spare set of wheels, leaving the tires permanently mounted, and swapping wheel sets as needed. Otherwise, you have to clean sealant from the tubeless rims which make them a pain and buying a new bottle of sealant every now and again is going to start adding up.

You can often find a suitable set of wheels by buying a used donor bike. Just make sure they’re true.


It takes a little bit of bravery the first time, but you can easily apply some force and bend the front rack stays to reach down to the seatstay.  The rack stays are designed to be bent, and doing so doesn't appreciably reduce the carrying capacity of the rack.  The majority of the load is carried down the vertical portions of the rack to the dropouts, and the horizontal stays are purely there to prevent the rack from rotating forward or backwards - their effect on the load bearing capacity of the rack is negligible.  Many constructeur bikes do away with those stays entirely, bolting the rack directly to the rear fender.


I believe most bmx bikes use a single speed thread on freewheel. If the cranks, chain and rear sprocket turn independently of the wheel your freewheel broke.

Thread on freewheels are not expensive and are fairly easy to replace, but you need a special tool that engages with splines on the freewheel body to unthread them.

Park Tool has a good video showing you how to replace a freewheel. The freewheels in that video are all multi sprocket but the procedure is the same for single sprockets.

When buying a replacement you just have to select the right sprocket size. The thread sizes are standard


Importance of a thru-axel for mountain biking

The industry has gone through axle as they do have advantages. The dispute I have with the marketing is how much difference that advantage is. Through axles have advantages only if every thing else is equal. Like most things bikes, quality of construction is more important than style of gadget, so a QR on a quality hub will outperform a Though axle on a lower quality hub.

One reason to go Thru axle is if you think the look is important.

For actual riding, all else being equal, go for the thru axle. But I mean 'equal equal'.  If you have got to the point you are going to flip a coin to decide kind of equal.

Edit:
Advanatges of thru axles

Stiffer - less important on the rear axle, helps with more precise and predictable steering
Stronger - only an advantage if you are in teh habit of breaking axles.
Captured  - cannot be ejected by disk brakes, although problem solved with
lawyer lips

Disadvantages

To remove wheel need to remove axle. Lost axles/axle left behind do occur. Many Axles are propitiatory - lost axle means bike off the road till manufacturer supplied one arrived, days and $$$$.
takes longer to change a wheel - if 10 seconds matter to you, QR may be better
Some need tools to remove and install.

Keep in mind when reading internet about advantages of Thru axles, many reviewers base their description on a new bike (or fork) vs old bike (or fork), and attribute all the change to the through axle. Those that do robust comparisons are professional riders. Most riders will not feel the difference. So in terms of what you have asked - there will be no practical difference between the bikes because of the rear axle.


Does spin class prepare you for a long bike ride?

Regular aerobic exercise is definitely of value for preparing for a big ride. Spin is a good preparation in conjunction with some outdoor rides, but it is not a substitute for riding your bike on the road.

The feel of the bike, the balance, the momentum, and the environmental and traffic factors will have an effect on your fitness as well, some of which may be purely mental.

If time is limited, try spin 2-3 days a week, and build up your endurance, but also do at least one longer outdoor ride each week. If you're riding 50 miles, you need to plan to be on the bike for 3-5 hours when you do the actual ride.

Build up to where you can handle 3 hours on the bike easily, and you'll do fine.


Are there v-brakes with long reach between the fork boss and the pad?

Assuming you do mean reach as distance from the center bolt (for mounting a caliper brake) to the middle of the brake shoe:

For a center mount brake (e.g. many caliper brakes), the reach is determined by the length of the brake arms, and you can get different reaches easily by swapping to a longer or shorter armed brake (or make a drop bolt allowing you to use a shorter reach brake for when you need longer reach).

However, brakes mounted on bosses like V-brakes have their "reach" determined by the position of the bosses in addition to the brake. This can vary from frame to frame (or fork to fork) a bit, but usually not beyond the 10-15 mm or so allowed for brake pad adjustment. The exception is probably the Paul's Moto BMX V-brake:

which is sometimes used for 26" -> 700c conversions and might be enough for your purposes if you can find one.

Another way to do the swap is with a brake post conversion adapter -- a piece of metal which mounts at the brake posts to provide brake posts further up.

Something like this (commonly used for 26 inch -> 700c swaps -- one for these purposes is likely a bit too big for you):

Plus a V-brake with sufficient adjustment.

Another option I've seen (which I wouldn't recommend) is people taking a rectangle of metal, mounting the brake pad at the top of the rectangle, then attaching the bottom of the metal to where the brake pad is normally mounted. This likely results in a good loss of braking power, plus you have to make sure the mount is very secure.


How to install a Rohloff Speedhub on a Surly Troll with rear facing horizontal fork ends

This is the answer I received from Rohloff customer support

https://www.rohloff.de/en/service/search/bike-finder/details/item/troll/

  Built of 4130 CroMoly steel, the Troll is designed as a comfortable off-road MTB/tourer. The frame feature gusseted sloping toptubes, Surly Trip Guides for running full shift and brake housing, mounts for linear-pull and disc brakes plus ample room between the stays for high-volume rubber…up to 2.75"!

  The Troll’s…rear load horizontals feature a derailleur hanger, slotted disc brake mounts, M10 x 1mm threaded holes for mounting the Surly Bill & Ted trailer via connecting hardware (or B.O.B. Nutz), and a dedicated anchoring point for a Rohloff OEM2 axleplate. Surly designed a ton of versatility into these framesets because they wanted you to build a bike the way it will best serve you. Framesets available in sizes XS, S, M, L and XL.

  The Troll, requires:

  Disc brake use:

  TS DB OEM2 SPEEDHUB + special 4-bolt brake rotor + spokes with a 2.9mm neck length.

  Rim Brake use:

  TS EX OEM2 SPEEDHUB + spokes with a 2.9mm neck length.

  The OEM2 anchoring bolt is positioned in the additional horizontal dropout slot as illustrated above.

  PLEASE NOTE:

  2017+ Troll models will in addition, require the Surly '10/12 washers' to convert their 145mm 'Not-Boost' dropout system back to 135x10mm standard.

And this is the answer from Surly customer support

  ... Troll’s rear dropout actually features a dedicated Rohloff torque arm slot. Our recommended set up is the OEM2 axle plate and the a Speedhub that uses the “TS” (bolt-on) axle paired with our 10/12mm adapters (below) to allow the axle to sit snugly in the Troll’s 12mm Gnot Boost dropout.  You can also get one of our Snuggnuts if you are concerned about the wheel slipping, but most of the time, the bolt on axle is sufficient.


Carbon vs aluminium commuter for 50km per day

It depends on your budget and circumstances. A relatively cheap bike for commuting can have a few advantages compared to an expensive time trial bike:

Lower maintenance and replacement costs, especially in winter.
Less fragile (especially if you compare steel to some high-end carbon components). [Per Weiwen Ng’s comment]
Ability to fit wider tires for bad roads, light off-road use, winter etc.
Wheels with shallow rims for better cross wind performance.
(Hub dynamo powered) lights.
Luggage rack in case you want to go shopping or bring stuff to/from work.
Less likely to get stolen (and if it gets stolen the financial damage is lower).
More relaxed seating position, better for riding in traffic.
Better brakes (less true with hydraulic disc brakes on modern time trial bikes).

Of course if your budget is barely large enough for a decent road bike it makes more sense to get that instead of two cheap bikes where neither will be great to race or commute with.

I commute on a 1200€ aluminium cyclocross bike with good, street-legal lights and mostly use the 3000€ carbon road bike with power meter for fun&training only.


To sum up some comments:

Contact the dealer or manufacturer for a specific color code or name
Search various paints based on a similar code
Get some touch-up paint from an auto parts store and use that

I would add that if you just go with regular touch-up paint, to make sure the gloss level matches the bike (most bikes have a high-gloss clear coat to protect the finish).

Also reference automotive touch-up guides to get an idea of how to best apply any paint (surface prep, etc).


How to tighten threadless headset? Top cap has no thread

On threadless headsets the top cap has a bolt passing through it that threaded into either an expansion plug or star nut that is pressed into the steerer tube.  Tightening the bolt pulls the top cap down which compresses the headset bearings.

I'm guessing your top cap bolt is missing. Any local bike shop will be able to provide a replacement. Perhaps the expansion plug, no longer attached to the top cap, has dropped down into the steerer tube. Have a look down the steerer tube with a bright light. You may be able to fish it out with a length of coat-hanger wire.


Crank extractor not screwing in properly

If you want to save the cranks, consider taking this to a shop.

Wonder if this bike was run without a plastic cover over the hole?

I suspect the threads in the crank are slightly damaged.  You might be lucky and force the extractor in correctly, or you might screw-up the threads completely if it on the wrong angle

An LBS will have taps that will chase the threads back to smoothness.  Taps like this are quite expensive and generally unnecessary for the home mechanic.  I don't own any this size.

You can try another crank-extractor - I own two and they have subtly different tolerances.  Not sure how that works but one goes in where the other doesn't, and its not always the same one that works.

If the cranks are trash already, then slap a lot of lube in  and have your best effort at lining up the extractor.  Your last resort is to carefully cut the crank off by grinding through the eye, without going into the BB.

If the BB needs replacing AND its the left side, you might be able to grind through the BB axle between crank arm and BB, and then use a drift to push the stubby bit out of the crankarm eye.  This should save the crank arm but it will still have damaged threads.  If its the right-side then the spider and chainrings will be in the way.


Pushing it to my max on a 7% 2kft climb. I'm cardio limited, but legs never hurt. How do I push it harder?

This type of effort very much comes down to W/Kg at FTP (Functional Threshold Power).  You can get lighter, or you can work to raise FTP.

There is no magic formula to improve FTP, it requires (beyond a basic level of fitness) either a coach, or some well thought out self coaching.  A power meter and knowledge of how to use it is an invaluable tool, but where this is not possible, a HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) and RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) can work as an alternative.

A very popular training session is to ride 2x20mins at FTP 1-2x per week.

Self coaching can be tricky, but rewarding.  Pay special attention to making sure your easy rides are easy so that your hard rides can be hard.