You need to figure out what's wobbling.  The pictures I find suggest that it has a three-piece crank, so you can get wobble from three sources:

The pedals are wobbling where they screw into the crank arms.
The crank arms are loose on the crank shaft.
The crank shaft is loose in its bearings (or the bearing cartridge is loose between the "cups'.

The "fix" is to tighten whatever is loose.  So very carefully examine:

Hold one crank arm and try to wobble the pedal screwed into that arm.  Repeat on the other side.  You should not detect any looseness (save for a small amount in the pedal bearings).  If you do detect looseness, use a wrench to tighten the pedal shaft into the crank arm -- clockwise on the right side, counter-clockwise on the left side.
Hold one crank arm and try to wobble the other arm.  Try to detect looseness in the connections between the arms and the shaft running between them.  If you detect such looseness you need to tighten the bolts that hold the arms to the shaft.  This is generally a right-hand thread on both sides.
If you detect no looseness when you wobble one crank arm while holding the other steady, but the whole assembly of crank arms and shaft seem to rattle as a unit, then the cups holding the crank bearing need to be tightened.  I'm thinking the right cup uses a left-hand thread and vice-versa, but I don't recall for sure.  And if there are loose bearings for the crank shaft, vs a "cartridge" of shaft and bearings together, then you need to use some care to get everything just "tight enough", without over-tightening.

Of these possibilities, #2 is the worst, as riding with your crank arms loose very quickly damages the arms to where they will no longer fit tightly.


Front rack symmetry - spacers and handling

No, use the minimal amount of spacer possible. Having to space them out at all is a necessary evil and introduces risk of the bolts loosening or getting bent/broken. That risk far outweighs any upside of making them symmetrical, because spaced out rack bolts having issues like that is a real thing that happens. You probably won't be able to notice any handling differences from this much spacer regardless, but if you did you could negate it by packing slightly less weight in the more leveraged side.


What do I need to do to get bike sharing costs included as part of my commuter benefits (USA)

If your company participates or could be encouraged to participate in WageWorks (a commercial commuting-cost management company), one of the optional packages is bicycling commuting costs. WageWorks handles the pre-tax deduction and reimbursements.  Eligible expenses of up to $20/month include:

Bicycle improvements, such as handlebars, pedals, seats, tires, and other equipment that is permanently attached to the bicycle
Bicycle repairs
Bicycle purchase
Bicycle storage
Bicycle helmets

Unfortunately, bike sharing systems aren't included - and I don't think you could use the commuter transit plan (prepaid debit card) for those either, in fact your linked article makes it clear that they aren't:

In 2013, the IRS was asked if it could "adopt bike share as a qualifier for the Transportation (Commuting) Benefits program under the Fringe Benefit Exclusion Rules for transit," the same rules under which employers can give tax free transportation benefits to employees. But in July of that year, they said no, because bike share is not mass transit.  They also said that bike share was not a qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement, which one could pay with the bicycle commuter benefit, because those were specifically limited to "expenses for the purchase of a bicycle or bicycle improvements, repair or storage."
Source: http://www.thewashcycle.com/2016/06/bicycle-commuter-benefit-still-cant-be-used-for-bike-sharing.html

So at this point what you need to do is to lobby your congresscritters to amend the legislation that directs how the IRS treats commuting costs so that bike sharing is included.
Note: to my chagrin, my employer participates in WageWorks but hasn't activated the bicycling option. So even if you have wageworks, you'd have to lobby to get bicycling added to it. As an aside, I really like the subsidized commuter bicycle purchase program that London has - since you can write-off your entire bike purchase and it's good for the local economy as you do it through your local bike shop.


Check also that your headset is correctly installed - my bike pulled to one side until I checked the bottom race and saw that it wasn't flush with the head tube.


Can someone tell me the handlebar diameter of a Carerra TDF road bike from Halfords

Do you have access to calipers? Similar to these. (Pretty handy device to have around if not).

Otherwise, you could take a small string and wrap it around the bars put a mark at the point of overlap, measure with a ruler, then put that high school math to use (diameter = circumference / pi)


Determining if a road is safe to bike on

I consider several factors.

Traffic density
Traffic speed
Road shoulder or not
Bike lane or not
Route efficiency
Road condition
Bus and truck traffic density
Streetcar routes

The main combination that I really work hard to avoid is high density, high speed, and no shoulder or bike lane, with poor road condition thrown in as a bonus. I will ride on high density, low speed roads without a lane/shoulder most any time.

For intersections, if possible, I tend to avoid ones that are poorly signaled; but on some routes I just have to be extra careful on those. At night, high speeds and poor road conditions gets extra weight.


Is Specialized brain something unique or are its variations common?

Inertial systems like the brain have been around for several decades, however, Specialized is probably to the first company to do them light (ish), mass produced and marketed.  The real question is not "how good is it?" (is does work), but "do you want/need it as a rider?"

I worked at a Specialized shop for sometime, and opinions on the brain seem to vary.  I know several riders that swear by them as one of the most awesome things ever, but also people didn't feel like it was needed or just couldn't tell the difference.  Personally, I always felt like they added a bit of efficiency, but since I rarely rode trails that benefited from it, and that I didn't MTB race, it wasn't really necessary for me.

The brains "automagikness" isn't necessarily standard in the price range, however easily adjustable suspension is.  In that range you'll find most suspension has some sort of quick adjustment knob or switch to vary the performance of the shock.  Such systems will likely weigh less, but require rider input.

It should be all about your riding style.  If the trails you frequent don't require suspension adjustment "on the fly", the brain will likely just be extra weight.  If they do, but you don't want to deal with flipping a knob or switch, and you like the way it feels, it may be for you.


What pedal cage is compatible with size 14 shoe?

There are plenty of strapless clips on Wiggle which come in extra-large. An example is this https://www.wiggle.co.uk/mks-steel-toe-clips/

  Top Features: 3 sizes Medium Euro 36-40 Large Euro 40-44 X-Large Euro
  44-48

44-48 Euro is size 12-15 US, 11-14.5 UK


Why isn't my quill stem controlling the front wheel of my bike?

Completely remove the bicycle quill
Hang the bike up-side down
Take out the wedge. If the wedge is stuck, try inserting the quill bolt alone (no quill, just bolt). Take care not to push the wedge further in. Try to thread in the wedge, and remove the wedge when there is enough grip.
If wedge is truly stuck, remove the front wheel from the fork. The fork should have a hole so that you can push the wedge from below (with rod/hammer)
Re-assemble the quill and wedge with the bolt correctly. Make sure you know how to do this, it should be straight-forward.

Good luck

Bicycle terminology (regarding quill stem, which often seen in old bicycle):

Wedge (sometimes 'Expander'): a device that wedge/expand the quill inside the fork steerer tube. This is achieved via compression of the wedge/expander into the quill, using a quill bolt.
Quill: a device connecting (fork) steerer tube and stem. Usually the stem and the quill comes together as one part.
Stem: a device connecting the handlebar to the fork (via quill).


Bikeshare bikes are beasts, and their geometry (long wheelbases, particularly) is such that I wouldn't think 15 pounds in front appreciably changes the steering. My concern -- the picture isn't clear on this point -- is whether the bag can be secured in place so that it doesn't slide out. My messenger bag sometimes gets loaded unevenly (books!), which could increase the chances it would fall out.

Heat is another consideration, especially given that hill. Messenger bags on your back hold in the heat! Hill might not be any harder that way, but it'll likely FEEL sweatier and more difficult.


All gears shift smoothly, but won’t shift into 1st gear/large cog. Help?

From what you describe, it seems that pushing the derailleur inwards manually to get it onto the largest sprocket was tightening the shifter cable - that is suspicious, it should have loosened the cable.

First thing to do is disconnect the shift cable from the derailleur and check three things:

The derailleur will swing through its full range
The shifter will click through all gears.
The cable travels freely. You should be able to get hold of the shifter and derailleur ends of the cable and pull it back and forth.

If anything is hanging up or jamming, that is where you need to look for problems. I'd also check the shifter cable routing and make sure there are no cable and housing are where they should be and there are no kinks.


Trailer wheel: Axle connected on one side only

What you are looking for is wheels with hubs that can accept or have a stub axle.

Googling 'bicycle trailer wheels', 'bicycle trailer hub' or 'wheelchair hub' will yield some results.

There are bicycle trailer kits available that include stub axle wheels, axle mounting brackets and hitches.


What can women do to get comfortable in the saddle?

Saddles can be very specific to the individual...but some general advice:

Try to find a local bike shop that will let you test ride different
saddles. Five minutes on a trainer is not enough, a good bike shop
will let you take a saddle on a real ride.
Talk with others that have similar biking style. A great mountain
bike saddle does not always make a great road saddle. A bit of an angle change or moving the saddle a bit forward or backward can have a big effect.
Try some saddles that are "lady specific" and those that others say
work well for the lady bits. I've heard good things about the Selle
Italia Lady Diva and the saddles from Adamo (the Adamo's are not 'lady specific' but the cutout seems to have similar effect).

Also, you may want to invest in some decent bike shorts and a good anti-chafe creme (I like 'Blue Steel Sports').

Some of the "issues with the tissues" will fade as you spend more time on the bike, but some won't unless you get a saddle that works for you. Don't settle...try different saddles until you find something that works for you.


Replacing front gear cable without removing cable housing

I’ve never had any issues with only replacing the cable (they break from time to time). The important part is that the housing sits snuggly against the brifter so that you can hit the hole with the cable. If it does not you can lift the rubber grips and try to guide the cable into the housing.

Just make sure the cable end is not frayed when you remove it. It can get stuck and/or destroy the housing.


It would have been slightly helpful if you told us from what front and back gear ratio (e.g. 2:3 or 2:4) the problem starts occurring.

I had similar problems and it was even the case when I was changing to higher front gear but the cassettes (or clogs) did not change or they changed after a long time when it received external shocks from my ride. Did you check how the shifts are happening from 1(front):1(rear) onwards i.e. if you were to use the gear ratio from 1:1 to upwards? If you do this, then you will come to the point where you feel exactly from which gear ratio it is taking longer to switch cogs. Also, you might even find out once in a while changing to a higher gear actually does not change to the new cassette at all and gets stuck. One of the cable (front/rear derailleur) tension would not feel right to you.

For me it was some dirt and blockage in the front derailleur lever area (i.e. the allen key-based connnector with wire clenched around) which is universally near pedals. Usually, this is a minor problem and the way to fix it was to make sure first your gear ratio is 1:1. Then, loosen the allen key just enough so that the wire comes out. Now clean around the allen key are well enough and then use a little bit of wet lube around it to finalise. Then, put the wire back in and tighten the allen key as it was before. Reccheck the gear shifting from 1:1 upwards and see if the problem is solved. This could happen even to the rear derailleur too. The key problem originator is the derailleur lever (i.e. the allen key based moving area). What happens normally is that dirt and blockage occur there and the cable tension feels higher than it should normally feel. Also, please update your question by saying for how long and where (i.e. what type of tarmac) you have used your MTB until the problem started manifesting.

Also, I am assuming that you know NEVER to change both gears at the same time? If you don't know and have done this already, please don't do this again. For the investigation I mentioned above, make sure you change the gears down or up appropriately.

Let us know :)....Don't forget to add the additional information to your original question :)

UPDATE

If these are of any help see This one

And also this

Hope this helps


Is it okay to buy a cycle from a new brand?

At this price category new brands are created all the time and badged onto generic Chinese bikes. There is next to no difference with regard to quality between brands. While 16k rupees (about 200 £|€|$) may be a lot of money in India, it is still a bit below the costs of a bike of reliable quality.

Shimano tourney components are a good sign in an inexpensive bike. However, there will be cost savings in other parts, like cranks, pedals, bearings, and brakes. For example, the pedal threads and square taper interface of cheap cranks tend wear out and fail quickly. Pedal and head set bearings seize or get loose.

This is not necessarily the case for your bike. If sales margins are low, the bike isn't necessarily a dreaded 'BSO' (bicycle shaped object). Yet, learn how to identify one:
[BSO identification for amateurs
[Is KCP a trustable bicycles Brand?

Unfortunately I cannot recommend how to get a better bike for not much more in India. Where I live a decent and simple one costs about 2 times as much. There is a large market for used bikes of good quality that cost about as much as the bikes you posted.

You might want to search for India on bicycles [SE] we had a number of similar questions.


What happens if a tire goes flat while I am in a fast turn?

It depends on which tire, but the essential thing is a flat tire has almost no grip.

Two examples:

Two days ago I was descending a little hill at 60 kph (about 35 mph) when the rear tire suddenly went flat. Moving my weight forward as much as possible, I was able to maintain control while stopping using only the front brake. Turns were perilous, because the rear tire, had almost no grip, and kept trying to slide out.
A few years ago I set out on a ride, and foolishly had not checked the tire pressures. The front tire had a slow leak and was at half it's normal pressure, which I discovered when attempting a high speed downhill off-camber turn. With barely any front grip, the bike went almost straight on. If there had been oncoming traffic then I would have hit it.

As for the front tire coming off the rim, several years ago I was in a bunch and some of the bunch were swerving around in the buildup to a sprint. To avoid crossing wheels with the guy coming across me (who happened to be my brother) I had to turn sharply. We were doing about 35 kph at the time, and the cornering force rolled the tub off the rim. If you think it through, losing grip on the road is nothing compared to what happens when the tire that is now not on the rim gets to the top of the forks. The wheel stops rotating. So I was suddenly flying through the air, sans bike.

To answer your question how likely are you to die? Yes it's possible you'll die, if you hit a rock, tree, or oncoming traffic. That possibility depends somewhat on your bike control skills, and also on luck. But it also depends on where you choose to ride and in what manner. Hairy descents are not for busy roads.


The freehub turned out to be a Formula freehub. I managed to source it from Silverfish UK.


What are the advantages of flat spoked wheels?

When building or truing a wheel, it's easier to notice if you put a twist in to a flat spoke.


Performing a manual on a road / gravel bike

You are correct. The geometry of a road bike leads to a different body weight distribution than you would have by default on an MTB, BMX or other type of a bicycle. To lift the front wheel, you'll need to shift your mass center to the left of the rear wheel's axle to ground projection, that's just statics in physics.
You can ease it slightly by e.g. installing a shorter stem and by lowering the saddle, but it still would not be enough to make it as easy as it would be on certain other bicycle types.
It is not impossible, you may find videos on the Internet of people doing manuals, front manuals and whatnot on road bicycles. By as for the beginner, it would take much more time and frustration to learn it on a road bike frame.


Install suspension forks on non-suspension bike

You might be able to fit a suspension fork on your bike, depending on frame geometry, but I think it’s likely you will not be able to.

Frames designed for suspension forks locate the head tube higher to allow for the extra length of a suspension fork, and to provide somewhere for the top of the wheel to go when the suspension compresses.

In the early-mid 90’s rigid bike’s either had no provision for suspension forks or a ‘suspension corrected’ frame and longer rigid fork that would allow for swapping in a suspension fork. If you have the former you obviously can’t fit a suspension fork. If the latter, there is still a problem because even a suspension corrected frame only allowed for a contemporary fork with something like 50mm of travel. Modern forks have twice to three times that amount.

If you fit a fork that is is longer than the frame was designed for you effectively rotate the whole frame around rear axle and change its geometry. The  head tube angle is increased which can negatively affect the steering, especially of an adjustment in fork offset is not also made. See here for some more information in this. The seat tube angle is also increased pushing the seat rearwards, and the bottom bracket is raised which can affect stability.

Some very inexpensive forks have low travel and may fit, but they are not very functional and mainly add mass.

It's not a good idea to try to raise the handlebars by installing a longer fork (for reasons above). A riser stem or steerer tube extension are simpler, cheaper and safer ways to do that.


How big can I drop safely on a mountain bike

This depends on technique, rather than equipment; Trials riders regularly drop several feet on rigid bikes.

You should use your legs to absorb the shock of landing to reduce the work done by the suspension, just as you would when jumping down from a height without a bike.


It's quite common to deflate a tube for some valid reason, like you want to change a worn out tyre or replace a spoke.

If your valve is a Schrader (a car style) then you remove the cap by twisting, then use a pokey object to depress the center pin in the valve to release the air slowly.  A nail, or the end of a house key, or a Phillips-head screwdriver are all effective pokey things.

If you want to completely deflate the tyre fast, you can use metal cap with special screwdriver to remove the valve from its case. If the valve is not tight, you can tighten it or replace it using this tool.

If your valve is a Presta (a French valve, more common on high pressure road bikes)  then it's easier.  Remove the cap by twisting, then back off the knurled nut, by twisting two or three turns.  No need to remove it completely.  Finally press the end of the pin with your bare finger.

If you have a Woods or Dunlop valve, then the valve core needs to be loosened, by twisting.  (Seems like there's a common twisting element here!)  The knurled nut holds the whole valve stem down, so back this one off til air comes out.  If you undo it completely, the valve core can fly out and be lost.  These are common on Japanese and German bikes, or old English bikes.

Regardless of the valve, escaping air makes a loud hissing noise.  Don't be startled.  The air coming out also smells rubbery and is prety cold - this is fine.

If you have airless tyres (foam filled ones), you cannot let the air out - they have to be cut off the rim generally.  These don't have a valve stem at all and are quite unusual.


A kickstand has killed my touring bike. Am I wrong?

The specific points of damage I'd really be worried about are the hard edged dents near the junction with the bottom bracket shell lugs (red rectangle in pic below). I think there is a high probability that cracks will form from those points.


I found this diagram online which I hope will allow me to determine the size of the bottom bracket by measuring the width of the shell.

I found out that the bike is an old Centurion.  I was not able to find any series number engraved on it anywhere so I haven't been able to determine the exact model or how old it is but just in case anyone wants to know; I concluded that the bottom bracket size is 125x 68 but that a 127 size also works.  Thanks to the mechanics at IMartin in Los Angeles who took the whole crank assembly apart to measure the bracket when I asked them if they knew what size it was.


Here you go, the Shimano XT 12s brake lever. It's roughly 17mm


There are two main types of cycle wheel, cup and cone and cartridge bearing.  Cup and cone bearings are fairly easy to service yourself with some simple tools, normal and cup and cone spanners and some grease. Cartridge bearing hubs need more specialist tools, presses to install and drifts to knock the old bearings out.

You can tell which sort you have by looking at the axle, if it's got a nut and a thin lock nut then it's probably cup and cone, google some pictures to see what they look like.

If it is cup and cone then taking it apart (only undo 1 side btw or you'll lose the centre of the axle), cleaning the loose ball bearings you'll find under the cones, then regrease and reassemble may sort the problem; however if its actually as bad as you sugest the ball bearings may need replaced and if the races that the ball bearings sit on are pitted then the wheel may be beyond help. There are lots of videos on the web showing this process.

If it's a cartridge bearing hub then your local shop might be the way to go unless you want to invest in some tools.


Looking for recommendation of disc brake to replace Formula RX

Choose a brake system from a top manufacturer. Sram, Shimano, Hope, Magura etc.
Judge the pricing that fits your budget and check availability.
See if reviews exist for the brakes you like.
All the top manufacturers have excellent reliability and serviceability now.
Your rotors should be fine if not too worn, they are standard sizes.


What should the torque of an expander plug in a carbon fork be?

You use the manufacturer specified torque, which in this case is max 8 Nm but in another component it could be different. That value sounds like more than we are used to in this area of the bike, but it is presumably for a 6 mm hex fastener, in which case it isn't an unusual value - it would be moderate torque on a 6 mm bolt.
The resulting force is spread out a little more over the larger component, than it would be if it was acting at a localised pinch point in another component. 8 Nm would be too high for a stem bolt, for example, but the stem compresses inwardly, while the expander pushes outward, which is very different forcing on a carbon steerer. Carbon fibres are very strong under tension, but floppy when compressed. This means it is difficult for them to resist a clamping force, hence the cited need for an expander plug to support the tube.
When the expander is pushing outwards from inside the tube, the carbon fibres are not being compressed, but are under tension instead, which is when they are strong. Like when you wrap a tape measure around your bicep and tense the muscles. That 'weak and floppy' tape you could crumple if you squashed it, is suddenly able to resist the large force of your expanding muscles when being expanded.
So given the size of the hex key required, the need for securely fixing the plug to adjust the headset and the carbon fibres not being compressed,  I am of the opinion that max 8 Nm is quite a reasonable value to torque up to, if the manufacturer's instructions are hard to come by. one could interpret it as a suggested 6-8 Nm, which means using the 6 mm hex key with a moderate force but a little sensitivity.


Do the nut and bolt need to be removed to adjust the angle of the stem? If not I can't see how that will ever be tight. If yes then I'd say the design still suffers from a flaw which is that tension of the bolt does not engage those teeth.

All that to say that here is how you test to find the area of wobble (because the problem might be a loose headset): straddle your bike with feet on the floor and pinch the intersection of two parts with one hand while you hold your front brake with the other and use your weight to rock the bike forward and backward against the tension of the brake. You'll feel the loose part move. This test is often used to test for loose headsets by squeezing the headset top nut (that big black nut on top of the headset) and the bottom of the stem where it goes through the top nut. I recommend you do this just to make sure it's not the headset. (It looks like I see grease there - was the bike serviced recently?) If you don't feel movement at the headset try pinching the stem and do the rocking.
Whatever the verdict, that stem looks like an engineering short cut and probably will never get tight. I wouldn't be surprised if you sheer that bolt like so many seat tube bolts.


How to replace Avid BB7 brake pads in "new" calipers?

There is a trick: The pads need some "persuasion" to get past the spring clip.  Here is a side view of the pads and the spring clip showing how the pads nest within the steel clip.  This should make obvious why a little force is required to get the pads to move fully into the caliper.

After much frustration, I finally looked at the pad and the clip in that side view and realized that the "ears" on the top of the pad need to be forced (gently) past the narrow, re-entrant part of the cap (expanding the cap outward as they pass).  The force required was more than my fingers could muster, and more than was implied by the instructions I found on an Avid site and elsewhere.

The way I applied the necessary force was by setting a drive pin across the edges of both partially installed pads at their bottom (next to the bottom "ears") and giving the drive a light tap with a plastic or rubber mallet. The pads moved ever so slightly as the ears pushed past the re-entrant portion of the steel cap. A piece of wood or a dowel of the right dimension would be better, and a steel hammer would work fine. No matter what you use, be gentle.


Bottle holder - aluminium or titanium bolts?

i always avoid aluminum fasteners wherever possible due to a lot of bad experiences with them disintegrating over time (especially nipples on fancy wheels), but i'm not a weight-weenie, just weight-conscious.

i would say if you can afford ti bolts that'd be what i would go for, even though it's overkill and you'd be shaving maybe 1/10th of a gram. of course, if you were truly a weight-weenie, you'd leave off bottle cages entirely, right? ;)

if you're using this bike on a trainer, definitely avoid aluminum fasteners, as your bike is bound to be covered in sweat that'll accelerate the corrosion on the bolts. the things i've seen on trainer bikes.... disgusting. weight wouldn't be much of an issue on a trainer though so i imagine you'll be riding it in drier conditions.


Is there a weight limit for my mountain bike (Mongoose 29” excursion)?

Every bike has a weight limit. It's likely in the manual, but usually non-racing bikes are in the range of 250-275 officially (which is often conservative). Unofficially, people go (much) higher, but 310 pounds is probably okay (I'm not a lawyer; this is obviously at your own risk). The 27.5" Excursion has an official 250 lb weight limit according to google, and I'd guess this is about the same.

The key part is to be gentle with the bike; don't jump it off curbs, etc. and it's more likely to last. My guess is that the weak point will be the spokes breaking in the wheels, but a bike shop could handle the replacement.

A lot of heavier riders in your weight group go for rigid/front suspension mountain bikes; think Trek 820 (the mountain bike), old Specialized Hardrock/Rockhopper's, Giant Boulder's, etc. These are a bit better at taking hits and aren't really designed with too much weight optimization in mind, so they should be good options. Used ones aren't too expensive in this class (sub 100-150 bucks, probably). Since you already have the bike, I'd probably suggest using it until (if?) something goes wrong. Then, if you haven't lost some weight, try one of those options.

If you want to google for a term, look for clydesdale / athena riders; bikeforums.net and other places have sections devoted just for them (clydesdale being heavy men, athena heavy women).


Replacing multiple spokes (9/36): more like replacing spokes or rebuilding a wheel?

If a wheel starts breaking spokes, the general advice is to have the wheel rebuilt with all new spokes, because all the spokes are likely weakened by fatigue and will keep breaking.

In your case, spokes broke because they were damaged. The other spokes are presumably not weakened, so you can just replace the damaged ones.

Of course, if the wheel has a lot of miles on it you may elect to rebuild.


You have the 73mm version of either BB30 or PF30. Running a Shimano road crank will be physically impossible because the spindle isn't long enough.


Crank removal tool broke. Before I buy another, what did I do wrong?

You shouldn't use the little adapter that you can disassemble from the tool for a square taper crank. Check, but you should find that it has a larger diameter than fits through the square hole in the cranks. It is used for Octalink, ISIS etc cranks with a larger spindle.

What I think happened is you got a little way with the tool, then the adapter bottomed out against the crank itself (not the spindle). You were then effectively trying to pull the tool apart against itself, and succeeded.

You probably don't need to buy another. You should be able to use the disassembled puller to remove the crank, and the adapter should still work on suitable cranks, just not this crank or other square taper ones.


Convert rear hub width 142 mm to fit 135 mm dropouts

You've made a bad purchase by not checking the specs.

If these are brand new from a shop, you may have a limited time when you can return them for a full refund.  The time window will depend where in the world you are.

If you bought them used/second hand or more than a month ago, you're stuck with them.  Either resell them on ebay or similar, or look at your other bikes to see if they will fit.

Another option is to buy a frame that does fit these wheels, and build up another bike.

If your bike frame is steel then you may be able to cold-set the frame to accept the larger wheel, but this will utterly void any warranty on your bike.  If your frame is aluminium or carbon or titanium then this is not an option for you.


Using 3 gear shifter on 2-ring chaninset

Good work for using the council's eco-shop.  Its a great way to find raw parts and donor bikes for projects.

The left shifter "should" work.  but there's a risk the rider will overshift and go to the third/missing chainring.

You might get away with it by fiddling the limit screws on the FD, and set the FD so the "most slack" position on the shifter would be the missing chainring.  That way rider overshifts, the limit screw holds the FD from going too far, but the shifter simply slacks off the wire, and nothing happens.

Give it a try and see what happens.  At worst, its a trip back to the dump in a couple weeks for another donor bike.   Or you can look for bike cooperatives in your area who may be able to help.


I've done 10 long-distance bike tours in the past and one of the things I've needed on almost all of my tours (but most people forget to pack) is an extra set of rack screws. These are the tiny little screws that hold your bicycle's racks, fenders and water bottle cages in place. As you travel, these little guys tend to wiggle themselves loose and fall out when you aren't watching. If you aren't carrying at least one or two extras, you might find yourself in bit of trouble, as having a loose rack dangling off of the front or rear of your bicycle can cause a serious accident while out there on the road. So pack a couple extra screws! They're lightweight and you can usually get them for free from your local bike shop.


The Sora groupset does indeed sit above Claris in the Shimano pantheon. Shimano carefully engineers each level to be incrementally better than the one below it, in terms of features, weight and quality of materials.

You should be able to feel a difference between the two groupsets in terms of shifting. An extra sprocket in the rear is nice to have as you will be more often able to select an optimum gear.

If you can afford the Sora groupset, it's worth having.


What considerations are important when purchasing a new chain?

The two most common sizes are 3/32" and 1/8"  Generally you would use 3/32" for bicycles which have dérailleur gears (road/mountain bikes).  As for length I believe they are all a stock length and you'll be very unlucky if you find it is too short.  You will need to specify how many speeds your freewheel or cassette is (6/7/8/9/10 speed).

You will obviously find lots of variety in quality/weight/material/price etc when you know which type of chain to look at.


Sounds like you are running your tire pressures WAY too low or high. If you are experiencing tire failures due to "larger ruptures/slashes" that's indicative of a pressure issue.

If too low, and you hit a root/rock too hard, the tire will deform too much and you'll strike rim, thus compressing the inside of the tire against a sharp surface and/or fold back on itself to create a weak point on the tire surface.

If tire pressures too high, the sidewalls and treads are bulging more and thus more prone to failures from rock/root hits. Also, when pressures are too high, the sealant is incapable of sealing any holes due to interior pressure pushing the sealant out too fast or possibly even evacuating all of the sealant.

There is a "Goldilocks", not-too-high/not-too-low pressure for tires that allows them to deflect enough off of roots, rocks, and trail chatter but not so much that you strike the rim on those or risk blowing sealant out. For my use, at 172lbs weight and hard pedaling; that pressure is about 21~24psi on 29x2.3 tires w/ about 3~4oz of Orange Seal inside. I will occasionally finish races with little bits of sealant visible on the tread of the tires where it experienced a small puncture and sealed as intended but not lose so much air that it affects my handling.

I race singlespeed MTB and run exclusivly Schwalbe tires with their snakeskin sidewalls (thin), and their Speedgrip compound. The current tires I installed back in May have 353 miles on them with zero flats and won my regional XC series as well as placed me 9th in USA MTB National Chapionships. I typically get well over 1,000 miles out of a set before swapping them out.

Hope this helps; best of luck.


Handlebars wobble when gripping center of bar

Check the front wheel rim and tire are running true. Lift the front wheel off the ground and spin it. Looking at the rim and tire where they pass through the fork or rim brake makes it easier to see how much deviation from true there is.

If rim has more than a few mm of deviation, you can get a local bike shop to true it. If the tire is not on straight, deflate it, get it seated on the rim properly and re-inflate. Also check the tire for bulges or damage.

Check you have the wheel fixed in the fork correctly and the QR or thru-axle is done up sufficiently tightly.

Check the headset bearings. Hold the handlebars, apply front brake to rock the wheel and rock the bike forwards and backwards. If you feel any play between the fork and frame the headset bearing pre-load need to be adjusted. There are plenty of guides online that will show you how to do that.

BTW, you probably should not be gripping the bar in the center (right up against the stem) at high speed. You will have poor steering control and will not be able to get on the brakes in an emergency.


Is it possible to over-clean a bike chain?

Evidence, not sure.  I can say I've used the Park Tool chain cleaner, which is pretty much a bath, along with Simple Green solvent for years with no problems whatsoever.

It does completely remove the chain lube/grease, which is the point.  When I clean the chain I want all the old lube off, along with the grit and dirt in the lube.

As long as you remove the solvent afterward, let the chain completely dry, and then re-lube it, on every link, carefully hitting both sides of the link, you won't have problems or shortened chain life - you should have extended chain life.

I've been using this method on a Sram 11 speed chain that's used as my daily commuter (rain, snow, city road grit) and it's like new.  The chain is 2 years old now. I should mention that I do clean it regularly and thoroughly, probably once or twice a month.


How/where can I find replacements for these 'wheel bearing caps'?

Metal dust shields would be the common name to the extent there is one. The usual protocol is to handle them with care and never remove them, because they're difficult to replace. The OEM hub manufacturers don't produce a vast number of different ones, so one option can be finding a bike shop with bins of used parts or dead wheels and trying to cannibalize some that match. Wheels Mfg does produce some cones that come with them, and there are generic axle kits that come with random sized ones, but getting it to work is all kind of a hail mary, especially if you need to order them. There are no standards as such for their ID, OD, depth, etc.
As long as they're not torn, working them back into shape looks possible from the pictures. They don't have to be pretty. One approach is finding a socket that's the right size and smacking them down flat again, then working the edges into shape with a hammer and the socket on the other side to act as a mandrel.
If you do find some to transplant, use a vise or suitably sized deep socket to provide support on the flat side, then gently tap them off the cone you found them on and onto the new one. You usually have to go back and adjust the depth a bit manually to make it the right height off the seal interface and prevent rubbing.


How to properly position foot on flat pedals?

This is a mindfulness technique rather than a product, but when riding on flat pedals I consciously focus on keeping the balls of my feet over the pedal spindles. (I also resist the temptation, every time I see someone pushing flat pedals with their heels, to yell out "You're doing it wrong!")


Reverse a saved course on Garmin Edge 200?

I am not aware of a way to do this using just the Garmin unit.  However, if you have a computer handy, then you can upload your ride to one of the many GPS cycling sites (for example, http://ridewithgps.com/ works well for this).  Once the ride is online, you can reverse the route using tools on the website.  You'll want to then verify that everything is as you expect because sometimes the route reversal can cause unexpected detours ;-)  Then you can save the reversed route back to your Garmin unit to guide you on your next ride.


This will be state depended, and the law enforcement response is likely very localized (down to individual officer responses).

Where I live (outside US) it is illegal to have the numberplate obscured. We have a choice to either temporarily relocate the plate, or we can buy a Supplementary plate. In both cases we have no obligation for number plate lighting provided the main plate is in it's correct place when that is not obscured. As far as local law enforcement - the only problem is you will get pinged rarely - usually a cop who has not got his ticket quota this month.

Many people print there numberplate onto a piece of card and use that - whilst not legal I have not heard of anyone being ticketed for doing it, but i have heard of people being ticketed for not having anything.

Best option is talk to a local bike shop - the one you are buying the rack from - and ask them.


Sounds like your chain is not suitable for the master link, or the master link is not closing right.

There's no need to use a master link if you prefer to use the more traditional pins.  If you only ever take a chain off to change it, the advantages of a master link are not relevant.

Its possible to use sliding lockjaw pliers to push a pin in, but you run the risk of twisting it and making a poor seat.  Buy a chain tool if you're serious about riding a bike, or ask around other riders who may have one already.

If you can provide more info on your master link (like a clear photo) then it may be obvious to the rest of us what is happening.


"700 x 38c - 28 "  You have a "700c" sized road tyre, in width of 38mm and the rim is 28 mm wide.  This tyre size is also known as 622-38 because it is 622 mm across.

A freewheel and freehub are the two different parts that do the same job.  Your bike might have either, but not both.  This is how the cogs in the middle of the rear wheel attach to the wheel's hub.

If you replace the rear wheel completely, you can reuse the tube and tyre.  You will need new rim (28mm wide) and rimtape.  New spokes, and a new hub.  If the cassette and chain are unworn you can transfer them over.
Your cassette is a "shimano branded CS-HG41 with 7 speeds" so its not the old-style freewheel

  For other readers, if the current hub were a freewheel (screws off) then replace it with a cassette that slides onto the hub and is held on with a lockring.  This will mean a new chain.  Freehubs are technically superior to Freewheels.

Your bike has 7 speeds in the rear, so either stick with that or if you want more gears then you'll also have to change the right-side shifter as well.  Don't feel compelled to upgrade the number of gears.


Is it acceptable to cycle towards the centre of the lane on blind corners?

Yes, you should absolutely be taking the lane, provided the car behind you will have time to slow down when you move to take the lane.

Passing too close, passing on a blind corner, passing that endangers others and yourself, these are all equally dangerous. This sounds like a dangerous situation all around, I highly recommend you record your ride so if someone does hit you, you can make quick work of the insurance claim.


Any benifits of upper level bibs for a fat long distance XC biker?

You'll only benefit from better bibs, insofar as they fit as they should. Given that you seem content with your current set, start with the same size when making a new purchase.

For the differences...

Start by checking the stitching all the way around on the new ones that you're interested in and compare it to those that you already know. Quite a bit of the new school stuff really has really improved stitching, or even eliminated it altogether, by moving seams around and flattening things out to mitigate chafing potential (nipples, inner thighs, top of your shoulder, chamois edges).

The rubber, or rubber-like, sticky gel that is inside the bottom of the shorts that will be at the bottom of your thigh, just above your knee, will keep your shorts from riding up. The effectiveness and durability of this gel is important because nice shorts that creep up into a wrinkled mess at the top of your leg can wear a hole in your shorts, or your skin. Some shorts have dots or segmented lines of this discreet help while the most effective ones have a solid band that is not woven into the stitching.

Newer, higher-cost, bibs might even have little pockets on your thighs for making food super easy to access while you maintain your riding position. Similarly, there might even be a strategically placed headphone cable pass-through sewn in.

The most significant difference, however, is likely the chamois, or the pad that you'll be relying on for those long rides. Turn each pair that you like inside-out to get the best look and then feel for the differences between the brands and the models. The higher quality padding tends to be more dense while also being more comfortable against your skin. It is likely perforated (lines, slivers, or small sections of slightly less material) to properly fold at the very top of your inner thigh where your seat can rub quite a bit. The padding can consist of multiple densities to accommodate the different pressures that you exert on your seat. Your "sit-bones", or the two bones that ALL of us, regardless or sex, weight, riding style, or skill, expose when we sit down and lean forward to hold on to the handlebars will hopefully line up well with the strongest part of the chamois. There may be an unbelievably discreet layer of gel within the pad that can really help out. Those with the gooey, thick gel will have you sliding around on your saddle and add bulk.

Good bibs are a must. Everyone has a budget, so find the models that are within yours and get some that are nice and tight since they'll stretch out a little over a couple of years. Always hang them up inside out so the chamois can breathe and wash them with a light amount of soap. Don't allow them to host any bacteria or gross out whomever is on the bike behind you! Quality bibs will easily last a couple of years of daily use if you care for them well.


The problem you describe is caused by either a badly worn cog, a rear derailer with insufficient "tooth capacity" (given the gear combo you're using), a seriously deficient rear derailer tension spring, or a chain that is simply too long.  A worn chain will tend to exacerbate things, as will a chain that's "sticky" from grease or mud.


Help identifying a 1980s Shimano 600 road bike

Based on the style of lugs and overall frame style, My guess is a 1980 Raleigh Competition or Competition GS. It looks like one that has had the frame stripped and then polished.

Similar to this one seen here:


How to tighten the Hollowtech II (on R2000 Claris) cranks?

Park Tool's website has quite a few "fix your bike" tutorial videos.  You may have already seen this one:

Crank Removal and Installation - Two Piece Compression Slotted (Hollowtech II, FSA)

I do wonder how many bike shop mechanics go to Park Tool's website and watch the videos for tips on how to work on obscure parts.

In this case, "how to tighten the crankset" is a necessary part of installing such a crankset.  For this video, that starts about the 4-minute mark.  In this case, all you probably need to do is get the proper Allen wrench and make sure the two clamp bolts are tight.  (And that doesn't mean King Kong tight...)

There's nothing special about doing your own bicycle maintenance - there's nothing really hard about any of it.  Even building your own wheels from parts is actually easy if you have the patience and can be done with just the proper spoke wrench (preferably a good butterfly one, as using some of those tiny spoke wrenches to build a wheel can be tough on the fingers).  In some cases, you will need special tools.  For a Hollowtech II crankset removal, you need something like a Shimano TL-FC16 Crankset Arm Tool to get the dust cover off.  (Hint - you have to loosen the two Allen bolts holding the crank arm tight to get that cover out...)


How can I safely go downhill on an antique penny-farthing bike?

Forget trying to use the brake to slow you down.  At best, the brake may shed a little speed if you're not travelling too fast, on the flat, but backward pressure on the pedals is the more effective way to lose speed (again, only really possible on the flat).  The brake will be 100% ineffective once you gather momentum and head downhill.  There is one hard and fast rule to follow:  If you can not see the bottom of the hill, or there are obstructions further down, which will require you to slow down or stop, then don't even attempt to ride down.  Dismount and push the bike downhill.

If the view forward shows the route to be clear, and you can see the bottom of the hill then it is acceptable (though not easy for a beginner) to raise your legs over the handlebars and rest them on top.  This keeps your feet out of the way of the madly spinning pedals.  You will not be able to spin your legs fast enough to keep up with the pedals, so don't try to - it will end with injury of some sort.

Ignore the advice about applying the brake gently to avoid going head-first over the handlebars.  You will never achieve this by using the brake alone.  The original spoon brakes are just not powerful enough, and certainly will not stop the wheel quickly enough to send you over the top.  "Headers" as they are known, are caused by other problems, such as the front wheel suddenly stopping because it has hit an obstacle, or become lodged in soft ground.


structure of rear wheel to support cargo trailer

I would not bother. But then, I would not bother with 4 cross in the first place. Spoke count matters more - a 24 spoke racing wheel is just not designed to be used for load carrying. What I think is important is (in order) 32 or more spokes, a properly built wheel, a decent rim, and a decent hub. You can do a lot just with a properly built wheel because if the spoken tension is nice and even even a relatively low-quality rim will not be stressed past its limits.

I've carried a lot of heavier things and built a few load bikes and trailers over the years. Especially with a trailer, 30kg is not a particularly heavy load. For the rider, loads under half your body weight should be easy for anyone who rides regularly. Your main issue is likely to be lateral forces on the rear wheel, and the way to reduce those is riding style. I would leave buying a better rear wheel until after you have problems with your current one. Largely because you probably won't have problems with it. Unless it's a low spoke count wheel, in which case I suggest getting a second hand steel frame MTB and never using your racing bike for lowing a trailer if you can avoid it.

Also, FWIW, I found towing a trailer with 30kg of stuff on it quite hard on a fixie. If you're going to do that, at least make sure you have both front and rear brakes because stopping suddenly on a fixie is hard enough as it is, adding a trailer just makes it worse.


V-brakes aren't too complicated but there are a few things to watch out for:

you need quite a lot of torque to undo the bolt
the spring may make it fall apart sooner than you expect - hold on as you undo
make sure all the parts go back in the right order - take care as you dismantle.  Work with a tray underneath to catch anything that falls.

Once you've taken it to bits, clean all the muck and loose rust off the parts, the grease and reassemble. The bolt should be tight. You'll probably need to do the other arm as well, and may need to adjust the return spring screws. Obviously don't get grease or greasy hands on the pads.


My hydraulic MTB brakes squeal after I cleaned my bike

Did you re-lube your chain after you cleaned the bike? If I am not careful when I lube the chain on my mountainbike I get some splatter and if it gets on the brake pads I get loud braking for a while, louder when wet.

Now, I slowly lube my chain while turning cranks backwards, key is slowly, both to get every linkage and not splatter lube. Then I continue to spin backwards slowly for 30-40 seconds, let is set for 5 minutes and use a rag to wipe any excess from the chain so it doesn't splatter once I get going.


Can I convert a 1x9 speed Madsen kg271 cargo bike to a 2 or 3 x 9?

This link says the frame has the necessary cable stops for a front shifter and front derailleur.

You'll need a new crankset (you can find 9 speed+ triples or doubles pretty cheap these days). This may require a new bottom bracket as well, depending on which crankset you choose (I'd guess whats on there is just standard square taper) and the chainline required.

You'll also need a front derailleur. Front derailleurs come with a slew of selection criteria: top/bottom/dual/side swing pull (the cable comes from the top/bottom/top or bottom/ side), where the derailleur is mounted (top swing (the derailleur swings above the clamp), bottom swing, direct mount/e-type variations, braze on, band clamp) and if its designed for a double or triple crankset. Then, you need the derailleur to have the appropriate chainring size constraints. There's a good overview here of types of front derailleurs. The mount type necessary is dictated by your frame.

You'll also need compatible shifters (I'd suggest buying a front shifter from the same manufacturer and mountain/road type; They get a bit weird with these 11 speed-intended FD's though).

As mattnz pointed out in the comments (thanks!), you may also need a new rear derailleur (which has to be compatible with your shifter), in order to have the capacity for the chain in the new chainrings.

I'd suggest heading to your bike shop, and having them determine what kind of FD goes with your frame at the least. You'll need a few specialty tools for this -- bicycle cable cutters, a crank puller and possibly a bottom bracket tool.


All was said already, those holes are for so called coat protector (those prevent your coat or trench being caught by the revolving wheel).
What was not done is placing a picture of one, and one picture saves thousand of words.

By the way, quite popular and easily available in The Netherlands, so if you need help, let me know.


It's reasonably common to have some shifting problems with derailleur systems, especially on a 25 year old bike.

A common problem is friction between the shifter cables and housing due to wear and dirt having worked it's way in. What is probably happening in your case is that the cable is 'hanging up' in the housing delaying the movement of the derailleur. The clicking is the chain hitting the adjacent sprocket until the derailleur eventually moves over to it's proper position.

Replacing the housing and cable is relatively cheap, will make shifting more accurate and reduce the force needed to change gear. Replacing cables and housing is quite easy and there are many video guides available.

A worn or dirty chain can also cause or exacerbate problems, as can wear to the rear sprockets.


When upgrading from a Claris to an Ultegra crank, the latter has a gap between BB and crankarm

Some Hollowtech II cranks have a spacer that's supposed to go under the left crank. You need to find the exploded view diagram for your crank model to confirm this. Here's the one for FC-6703 for example, the triple crank for the second generation of Ultegra ten.

If you don't have it, it will probably be okay because these spacers don't interact with the seals in any particularly important way, although they do act as a sort of shield for the seal area to a limited extent. You do need something in its place though, or else you won't be able to preload the bearings. If this is the kind of seal you're missing, the simple thing to do would be get a bunch of scuff washers or whatever other tuneable stack of 24mm spindle spacers you can get your hands on. The nature of Hollowtech II is that as long as the spline engagement is complete give or take some very small amount, the exact dimension of the distance between the cranks doesn't really matter, so you're free in this case to just find something that takes up the gap.


If chain/ BB/ casette are dead can chainrings and derailleurs still be OK?

The load is spread across more teeth on the chainrings than on the cassette, so they tend to last quite a bit longer.  If they said your chainrings are fine, then they are probably no problem.  derailleurs don't really have many parts that can wear out. There isn't much load being placed on the jockey wheels, so they can last quite a long time. The spring which returns the derailleur when shifting should also last very long. There's no reason to assume that the wear on the cassette, chain, and bottom bracket, would mean that the chainrings and derailleurs are about to die.

That being said, if you are planning on doing another long cross country tour, you might want to replace them ahead of time. I wouldn't want to be stuck in the middle of Saskatchewan trying to get replacement parts.  If you're just going to be doing short trips there's no reason to replace these parts prematurely.


If you can maintain 20-25km/h riding speed over 230km, that's 9-12 hours of riding time. If your stops are efficient, you can easily achieve that in daylight hours in summer. I still recommend you take lights to be seen by at dusk, and in case you're delayed by a mechanical. You're not likely to be riding for long enough to be sleepy at the half way (or better, 2/3) point. If the distance is much longer than you're used to, your speed will decline and your need for rest will increase. You may then have to stop if you don't want to ride in the dark. Aiming to stop for around 20 minutes every 3 hours, and extending one stop for a proper meal is a fairly typical approach, though many would stop less or more briefly.

You use the word "tour". If that means more luggage than you're used to, then you should probably reduce your speed estimate a little, though your ride is essentially flat, to take account of extra drag.

200km in (max) 14 hours including stops is randoneuring (audax) pace, and the pace is very doable of the distance is. Example :My first 200km (230km including getting there and back) was well under that, despite being a winter ride (always slower).


How can I replace an oversized Chater-Lea bottom bracket with cotterless cranks?

You can just buy Phil Wood bottom brackets for Chater Lea.


Frame dropout cracked, what can I do? (Allied Alfa Disc / carbon)

A crack, unfortunately, is a crack. That’s dangerous no matter what the material. You could contact Allied to see if you have any options in terms of warranty. However, if you didn’t secure the bike properly, I would guess that they’d offer a discounted frame at most. You could find a carbon repair shop, e.g. Calfee and Ruckus Composites are two well known ones in the US, and there may be others local to you. From one price list I remember seeing, dropout repair was more expensive than tube repair, so I’m not sure what the most economical option is. However, that can most certainly be repaired.


If your chain was measured and is worn, then by all means replace it.  You are going to cause more wear to your bike using a worn chain than having slightly worn sprockets.  A worn chain causes uneven wear on the teeth of your chainrings and cassette cogs, eventually this can cause issues with shifting and 'chain suck'.

The new chain you selected looks good. Before you install it, please clean off any grease and grime from your front chainrings and cassettes.  It should be good without re-lubing for a couple hundred miles with the factory lube, after that you should make sure that you keep it clean and lubed regularly.

The life of your chain is proportional to how you maintain it, a good chain poorly maintained will last a couple thousand, well maintained I don't doubt it could last 10k.

More info on chains: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html


Seeking a very deep/long reach dual pivot brake caliper. 90 mm drop required

Even a dual-pivot brake probably isn't going to solve the problem you found with a single-pivot brake: after a certain point, those long brake arms are flexing and absorbing the energy you're trying to put into the pads. This is why you generally don't see caliper brakes on fat-tire bikes. I did a quick check, and even Tektro's long-reach calipers aren't long enough for your application.

Cantilever brakes would be the more orthodox solution to this problem. They're widely available and a known quantity.


How to convert a commuter CX bike to an Electric bike?

I live in the southern most part of Nashville, TN (quite hilly with a major hill between my community and the rest of Nashville). I ran into @Blam's point exactly and have been considering investigating this new technology.

http://senseable.mit.edu/copenhagenwheel/index.html

The weight is the lowest comparable to other options (battery variable).
TOP SPEED   US: 20 mph, EU: 25 km/h
BRAKE TYPE  Rim brake and regenerative braking (downhill and back-pedal)
WEIGHT  5.9 kg / 13 lbs
DROPOUT 120 mm (single speed), 135 mm (single speed and multi-speed)

I haven't ridden one yet but it may be worth investigating.


Is the Specialized Sectour Double 2014 a men's bike. Can a women ride a men's bike?

I sold Specialized bikes for a lot of years, they do make gender specific frames, women's bikes have shorter top tubes relative to the seat tubes, this is because women on average have shorter backs and longer legs than men do, they also come with womens saddles, and sometimes women specific grips (for feminine hands). The Sectour is considered a men's frame. Not everyone is built the same though, my wife rides a men's frame because she is really tall in the body. The only other difference between men and women's Specialized frames is that women's frames sometimes have "girlier" colours and paint details.


Does a torque anchor prevent an IGH (Rohloff Speedhub 14) from being pulled forwards and crooked whilst riding?

No. The torque anchor is on the non drive side and only serves to counteract rotation of the inner part of the hub. Use Tugnuts or equivalent if you think the wheel might be misaligned due to pedaling force.


DIY computational fluid dynamics for aerodynamics?

I think you could take this technique pretty far, but probably not all the way (at least usefully).

I see a lot of use for the first part of your plan: taking multiple pictures and reconstructing a 3D model. If you try this for multiple postures I think it should be possible to determine an optimal position for you on your bike based on just looking at the 2D area you take up perpendicular to your riding direction (through the cutout method described in the article about the chung method you linked).

But this is where the use stops I fear. Some more insight might be gained by looking at the flow of air around your 3D model in something such as the fluid solver you link, but the accuracy is going to be too low to discern between different postures. When you go for that level of detail small things such as the ripples in your shirt or even the fabric of your shirt can have an impact, and the errors you made in the 3D reconstruction will be far larger than the differences you can make by slightly improving your posture on the bike even more than you did in the first step. Apart from this, I think that a fluid solver for movie effects is optimized for visuals first, not for scientific accuracy, so I'd be suspicious of any result it produces.

If you want to try the full fluid mechanics simulation thing you would have to use a 3D scanner or some other very accurate method to produce the 3D models of you on your bike, and then I'd still try and find an actual scientific fluid solver.


How to bike with less stress on the calves

If you are using clipless pedals, then mid-sole cleat positioning is sometimes recommended to triathletes specifically to reduce load on the calves (eg).

I haven't used it myself, but it might be worth a look.

Here is another question discussing mid-foot cleat positioning (with no super clear consensus)


Crank arm loose (squared taper). Can it be fixed?

This question about loose crank arms has been asked and answered several times before on this site, but yours is the worst I've ever seen I think.
Unfortunately your crank arm is ruined. If the alloy crank gets loose and is ridden on the hard steel spindle wallows out the relatively soft alloy. It does not matter how tight the retaining bolt is done up the deformed crank arm will continue to come loose.
Replacement crank arm (or both crank arms) is the only solution. The bottom bracket and spindle are probably fine (unless the bearings are worn out).


How to avoid/deal with exhaust fumes when riding in traffic

From The Guardian: (I suggest you Click through & read the whole article)

"It’s a scenario familiar to any urban cyclist: you’re stuck behind a fume-belching bus or taxi, a choking diesel aroma wafting through your lungs. You think: is this really the healthy option?

The good, if simple, answer from pollution experts is: yes. Cycling does remain many, many times better for your health than not cycling, even factoring in exposure to pollution and the risk of accident. What’s more surprising is that on two wheels you might even be exposed to less of the smelly stuff * than those using other forms of transport." *(Emphasis added.)

I have read elsewhere (although I can't find the link now) that this lower exposure is due simply to the fact you are up higher than a person in a sedan, and the pollutants tend to sink.

Edit:

  It's not so much that the rider is higher up, but that the cabin air
  intake of a car is effectively at exhaust pipe level

(Thanks @Chris H)

The science is out the anti-pollution masks, not so much because they are incapable of performing their advertised function, but because exposure levels are much lower for the typical cyclist than most people suppose.

Edit two:

To attempt to address the last crux of your question, it may be reasonable to say that you are already avoiding more exhaust just by biking & not driving, other than that; take a less heavily trafficked route & otherwise don't worry about it.

I suspect general air quality should be more of a concern than incidental exhaust exposure.


Here are a few web-based resources i seem to gravitate toward when musing about an upgrade or taking on a "fixer-upper"project becomes hands-on.

https://si.shimano.com/#/ is the Shimano technical documents resource. Where your link is the marketing/catalog face of a Shimano product, this site links to Shop Instructions and Dealers Manuals specific to a Shimano component. A subsection link on the above site is the Compatibility chart. Here you will find all the Shimano parts that are cross compatible within a system (for example, Mountain Front Drive Compatibility displays a chart that graphically displays Front derailleur-shiftlever-front chainwheel-bottom bracket combinations that sync). Similarly you'll find brake caliper-brake lever compatibles within road and mountain groups.

Finally, I offer you: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/ Great "how-to" resource  that often discusses compatibility issues and work-arounds pertinent to the particular bicycle part or system being addressed.  A couple examples include mixing mountain and road components and issues involved when one wishes to employ differently branded components (and therefore differing engineering specs) within a particular bike system (like using a Shimano shifter with a Campagnolo derailleur).

Parts compatibility in the realm of bicycles is pretty involved when it comes right down to it. Multiple standards in use as well as proprietary engineering tweaks manufacturers conjure up make for quite the mish-mash of options one must consider when a bike part requires replacement.


Pain on bottom foot when freewheeling for a time in a gravel descent

It's generally a good idea to change position regularly (at least slightly) during any ride. If you get used to just one position, your body learns to keep that position no matter what, and it'll do that by stiffening up if the bumpy descent tries to shake you out of it. But stiffening is the worst thing you can do in such a situation: it'll cause the stresses to concentrate right into the most exposed joints and muscle sections, instead of being able to harmlessly distribute it over the whole legs. What's more, having the left foot always down is a recipe for pedal strikes in left turns. A pedal strike at high speed can lead to a very nasty crash. So definitely get rid of the left foot down habit.
One easy way to train flexibility is to slowly back-pedal (on the straights; in corners, always keep both pedals level or outer foot down). But I wouldn't focus only on the pedals – the whole body position influences the forces on hands and feet.
It helps a lot for body flexibility to have the saddle in a really low position on descents. A dropper post is super useful for this reason (now standard on most mountain bikes). With a low saddle, you can stand up without needing to stretch too high, move your body weight far over the rear wheel when it gets steep, balance the bike side to side underneath you etc.. And when sitting down, neither leg will be stretched at all, so the knees have plenty of freedom to move.
Of course, MTB suspension also does a lot to make rough descents more comfortable, but it really isn't needed for gravel. It does make sense to use relatively wide tyres and low pressure though, and some bikes a more compliant than others. Steel or carbon fibre tend to be better than aluminium in this regard.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, in my experience it also helps to clip in, because then the legs can relax even more without risking to slip off the pedals. So clipless pedals & shoes (I recommend Shimano SPD) are perhaps a good investment, if not a dropper post and/or suspension fork.


The flexible versions might be too “soft” and change slightly in length when the cable is tensioned during shifting. They also have a tendency to straighten under load. Shifting cables and housings have to stretch/compress as little as possible for best shifting experience.

This is also critical for your DIY installation: If the “effective length” of your cable housing can change (e.g. because you are using zip ties as cable stops which have some give) it’s going to ruin your shifting performance. That being said, for a 2 speed front derailleur you might be able to get away with your plan for using a continuous shifting cable housing all the way to the bottom bracket and a rigid brake noodle at the end.


Safe to use 10-speed wheel in a aluminum frame bike made for a 7-speed

With aluminum, dropouts cracking from the fatigue caused by this is a real thing that can happen. It may take a long time, or it may not in the case of a frame with a long life of fatigue already on it. There are a lot of factors like rider strength/weight and how good the dropout alignment was to begin with.

Chunky dropouts can somewhat mitigate the risk, but the problem there is the axle will flex instead of the dropouts, which can ruin bearing life and cause drag.


How much pressure to inflate a tubeless tire so it seats into the rim

TLDR: The pressure you put into the bottle is NOT the pressure to which you inflate the tyre. The pressure drops down as the volume increases when you connect the bottle with the tyre. The final pressure you inflate your tyres to is mostly personal. There are some guidelines but depend on many details about the terrain and the tyre properties.
You ask for a list for various tyres. I do not think that is necessary at all for the reasons I mention - at least for the pressure of the bottle. Small tyres can withstand larger pressures and larger ones will not reach high pressures due to their volume. You can always try with 5-7 bar in the bottle, but the maximum the bottle allows should be safe for most tyres I can imagine.

If your tyre is above 40 mm, as you indicate, and of typical max pressure limits, you should have no problem using the maximum pressure indicated on the bottle if necessary.  There are about 3 litres of air in the 45 mm tyre. The bottle has 1.15 litres. That means the final pressure in the connected system will be around one quarter. You may want to go lower in your first try, if your maximum tyre pressure is unusually low.
I use 10.5 bar (622-38 tyre with indicated max of 70 PSI) or slightly less when pumping becomes too hard with my body weight (but I want around 10 bar to be sure). You can of course first try if less will be enough for you. You may well be lucky with 5 or 7 bar, and it is dead easy to just try that first. Don't worry, it won't harm anything if you use too little. The only thing that may happen is that the tyre will not seal and you will have to try one more time with more pressure.
You will not reach that pressure in your tyre anyway. You distribute the pressure in a much bigger volume (bottle + tyre).
You first remove the valve core, connect the bottle and let the air in. You will then have to disconnect the bottle, put in the valve core (it is foolish trying to boost the tyre with a valve core - yes, I tried) and you will loose A LOT of pressure when doing that. After that you will have to pump up your tyre with a pump, because the pressure that remained will be quite low. It is only then when you care about the recommended pressure for tubeless riding in your tyre.
Nevertheless, when seating the tyre I go above the pressure I ride at (in the final stage with my floor pump). I let it first pump to 50 to 60 PSI. Then I ride at 30-40 PSI. The official range when using tubes is 45-70 PSI (3-5 bar) for my tyre but tubeless allows less.

For more general advice you can see other resources like How To Choose The Right Tyre Size For Gravel: From Road To Off-Road Riding but really, it is mostly trial and error on any combination of rims and tyres and there is a lot of personal preference involved. I like small tyres for comfort off-road. If you only ride on smooth tarmac you will choose higher pressures than if you ride on cobbles or on gravel. For road tubeless bikes I would be more careful about the range the vendor specifies, but for larger tyres it is really mostly trial and error. The more it is off-road, the more it is so. For mountain bikes you are looking for good traction and good suspension but at the same time you must limit burping.

A final remark: some tyres behave strangely. Mines (Schwalbe G-One Allround) are easy to seat using a floor pump when new. However, after several thousands of km, they became softer and it was not possible to seal them in any way and I had to buy the bottle. Now I bought a replacement for the front one - it was not possible to seat it with the booster, it was too stiff and when the booster was disconnected, it quickly unsealed. But it went easily with a pump. The old rear tyre, however, required the booster and was impossible to seal it with the pump...


Does helmet padding contribute to the safety of a helmet?

Because there is an optimum placement position for the helmet on the head, having padding that helps keep the helmet in place, or makes the helmet more comfortable to wear, indirectly contributes to the safety of the helmet.  But aside from a very minor absorption of force during the moment of impact the padding really has no direct impact on the safety a helmet.

Modern bike helmets are designed to deform in a crash.  Basically, the hard foam and plastic that the helmet is made out of, crumples during an impact.  This dissipates the force of impact during a crash. For this reason it is important to replace your helmet after any significant impact.  The padding is mostly there for comfort, and to make the helmet fit slightly better.

From the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
"The spongy foam pads inside a helmet are for comfort and fit, not for impact protection"


How to reassemble spring assembly on Shimano M520 SPD pedals

I figured out how to reassemble this after some examination of the assembly diagram.

I took the body cover off (see item labeled #4 in diagram).
Then I reassembled the spring / tensioner assembly without tension on the springs. I used a magnet to hold the bolt in place while I did this.
 Then I attempted to put the body cover back on.  I couldn't exactly squeeze it on due to the tensioned back section.  So, I put it on loosly with a few threads of the three bolts screwed in. It was loose enough to hang on there, but it was at a slightly awkward angle due to pressure from the tensioned back section.
I then was able to slowly tighten the bolts and force back the tensioned back section with a screwdriver until I could snap the body cover in place.
The bolts held the body plate down and prevented it from moving due to pressure from the tensioned back section. and I completed tightening all the bolts and now have a functioning pedal.


From the question I'll assume the shifter lever moves, but it does not pull the cable.

My guess is that the shifter end of the cable is not seated in the shifter properly, or has become hung up somewhere. This may have happened when the cable was loose while not connected to the derailleur.

Unclamp the cable from the derailleur
Find where the cable is seated in the shifter, you'll have to pull back the rubber hood covers to find this, check the boss on the end of the cable is actually seated in the shifter properly
Check the cable run: verify the cable runs the housing unimpeded, especially at the shifter end, make sure housings are fitted in bosses properly, look for snags in the cable
To test, hold the cable where it run exposed or at the derailleur and put a little tension on it, actuate the shift levers and feel for the cable moving


Installing SRAM X3 7-speed shifter with Acera derailleur : shifting stops at 4th cog

SRAM shifters are generally not compatible with Shimano derailleurs. The reason is that they use different increments of cable pull per shift and derailleur actuation ratio (how far the cage moves sideways per mm of cable pulled).

SRAM X3 7 speed shifters pull 4.5mm of cable per shift. Actuation ratio is 1:1.1 resulting in ~5mm derailleur movement.

You don't say what Acera derailleur you have. Depending on how old it is it could (nominally) be 7, 8 or 9 speed, but all Shimano MTB derailleurs 9 speed and below have an actuation ratio of 1:1.7. For 7 speed the cable pull should be 2.7mm.

Source:
https://www.artscyclery.com/science-behind-the-magic/science-behind-the-magic-drivetrain-compatibility/

I think you probably have a several other adjustment issues - the cable is probably too slack, but the X3 shifter and Acera derailleur will not work together. Any Shimano 7 speed trigger shifter will work (because they all use the same actuation ratio).

When you get the correct shifters, use Park Tool Company's derailleur adjustment guides for (mostly) pain free setup:

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustment


Can I pump my MTB tire to max (55 psi / 380 kPa) without the tube inside bursting?

It can't burst the tube, because the tube is completely surrounded by the tyre and rim.

Bear in mind, though, that higher pressures don't automatically mean a faster ride. There are two competing factors: a soft tyre is constantly losing energy due to being squashed flat against the road, but a hard tyre loses energy because any bumps you go over have to lift the whole bike, instead of just deforming the tyre.  I don't ride mountain bikes so I don't know where that trade-off starts to bite.

On an e-bike, I'm not sure this will make much difference, though: it just means that the assist motor will have to work less hard at any given speed.


Steel rims responsible for slicing tubes?

OK if the tire was blown off the rim then I highly suspect that is the whole story.
When the tube leaks out the because tire bead has come out the tube will burst and you will see a slit.

A tube outside a tire cannot take much pressure.

Most likely when you went from 60 to 85 psi it was enough pressure to push the tire off the rim (bead).

I have seen this with some older bikes.  The rim is a little small.
Look for tires that run small and run at lower pressures.

You might also have a mismatch like a 27 on a 700c.

A Schwalbe Marathon Plus is a pretty hefty tire and tend to fit a little tight so this is kind of strange.  But it did happen after you went to 85 PSI.
Maybe give it a try again at 60 PSI. Even if you get a new bike you would have this as a backup.


What does the "c" in bicycle tire size mean?

It doesn't mean anything, really. It's a historical relic.

At one point in time, "700c" was a standard tire/rim size, where "c" indicated the bead seat diameter and "700" was the diameter, in millimeters, when the tire was installed and inflated.

That "700c" tire size has a 622 millimeter bead seat diameter. There's an ISO standard that's often listed in small print where those tires are all '25-622'. This is the same as "29er", though usually tires marketed that way are substantially wider. "700", "622" and "29" are really all the same size.

All those tire sizes you list are the same.  If there were different prices for the "700x25" and the "700x25c", it's because there was some other difference between the tires, like model, threads per inch, bead type (wire or kevlar), etc...


Chain guide/tensioner for 2011 Giant Reign 2 (Press Fit)

One possible and modern solution is: none. Go 1x10 or 1x11 with a narrow wide chain ring and a RD with a clutch.


Looking for an old fashioned bicycle with coaster brakes & hand brakes for a woman

They are still made! Try a search for "bicycle coaster brake." You can narrow it to a "woman's" frame by adding "mixte" or "step through" or "woman's" to the key words. If you want gears add "3-speed" or "internally geared." Those searches will get you quite a range of bikes – from retro beach cruisers to very modern urban bikes.

Once you find some that appeal to you, post some links. There are plenty of folks here who can help you evaluate the differences between them.


Chain overshoots cog when shifting from low to high gears

The following links will show you how to adjust a derailleur:

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur

Note that cables and derailleurs do need replacing from time to time and they do need occasional adjustment, but try to follow one of the derailleur adjustment systems suggested in the prior links (assuming the derailleur isn't bent or something - if it is, take it to your LBS to be straightened). Limit screws only keep the chain going too far into the spokes or out of the cassette, and do not affect shifts between the largest and smallest cogs (only the extreme points of chain movement), so those should not have been tweaked (probably).

Note that bending a derailleur is quite easy even with a small spill. Your LBS probably can adjust this in 5 minutes if you can't figure it out.


Tube patches: dedicated ones or recycling old tubes?

Recycling tubes as patches works, but its a lot more work and can be error prone.

You cut an oversized piece of tube and dust off all the talc.   Then stick a loop of tape on the back side as a handhold for later.   Then sand/abrade it really well, in three directions.

Once that's done you spread some proper vulcanising fluid on the sanded area so its got thin but complete coverage in the middle.  Then leave it untouched for 5 minutes while you do the punctured tube prep, the same way.

While the tube is drying, use sharp scissors to trim your patch to the ight size.  Use the tape handhold and do NOT touch the sticky side.  You can try cutting curves but I find a 45 degree corner snip then to much thinner snips off those corners works well enough.

Then if you can, inflate the tube to about where it would be inside the tyre, so abut 50mm for a MTB 2" tyre.  Stick the patch on centered over the hole.  There should be no part between them that doesn't have dried vulcanising fluid.

Lastly, use a roller, or a dollar coin or something round like the end of a spoon to press the patch firmly into the tube.

Peel off the tape handle, inflate to "firm" which is 5-10 PSI when bare, and leave for a couple hours to test.  If it holds pressure that long its fine.

Then roll and stow it, or refit to the wheel.

Upside - Recycling!  Save the planet!

Downsides

No chamfered edge to the patch, so any movement can wear a fresh hole.  Hence why it has to be stuck down all over.
Prep time is doubled.
Old donor tubes make for worse patches if they're already a bit ratty.

I once fixed a 20mm gash this way, cos I was broke.  That tube punctured again elsewhere but my bodge held for years.  I think its still in a spare 26" wheel hanging on the wall...


Might biking lower forehead temp readings at destination?

The body controls its core temperature, not the skin temperature. Skin temperatures will vary significantly, to the point they are generally considered an unreliable way to measure core temperature, especially for people under heat stress (Riding a bicycle).  (Refer : here)
Screening using such a thermometer is more about the "Security theater" of being seen to do something, but the high incidence of false positives and false negatives make the concept unreliable and falling into the realm of "Theater". (Here)


When basic maintenance for basic Suntour XCM/ XCC fork is needed?

According to SR Suntour's general fork manual (page 14), there are two maintenance intervals:

every 50 hours of riding: check torque on the bolts, check for stanchion damage, oil leaks, etc.
every 100 hours of riding: 50-hr maintence + disassembling the lowers, cleaning the internals, replacing oil, replacing seals and slider sleeves, etc.

In my quick web search to find in the owner's manual, I noticed some links where this fork was for sale for less than $75 (US).
Now the last thing I want to do here is bike shame anyone.
But in my experience, forks such as these are more weight, maintenance, and cost burden than they are worth in performance benefits.
This is because (just a guess) the seals, sleeves, and lubricant will cost you about $15 - $20 and the shop labor would cost around $40 - $50 to perform the 100-hr maintenance.
Their low performance comes from their weight, low-quality (high-friction & easily damaged) sliding surfaces, poor seals that leak oil and permit contaminants to damage the stanchions, poor damping, lack of spring rate adjustment, and lack of damping/rebound speed adjustment.
Selectively reading between the lines a bit, if you're not comfortable paying essentially the price of a replacement fork every 100 hrs of riding or sinking your own time into it, I would recommend finding a good rigid fork to pair with a high volume & supple tire.


Are Osymetric chainring and power2max Classic power meter compatible?

Power2Max say:

  Changing cranks or chain rings does not affect calibration. You can also use oval chain rings (e.g., Rotor Q-Rings, Osymetric, etc). Please note: compact (110 mm) aero chain rings (such as Rotor aero Q Rings) are not compatible with power2max Classic, but are compatible with Type S.

So, yes.

That said, does it really matter all that much if they don't? Stages reckon there's a +4-5% error when using them on their power meters, but recommend you just adjust your threshold accordingly. Once that's done you can carry on as normal, the absolute numbers aren't all that important, the zones you define around them are what matters.


Are frame changes needed to switch groupset from Shimano to Campagnolo?

I don't think you will need to change the frame, I looked at one of the bianchi series a while back and I saw the same frame (the Oltre - I can but dream) offered at different prices depending on the groupset. But the groupsets available were from both shimano and campag. There's variations with Dura Ace, Ultegra, Athena, Super Record etc. I can't imagine the actual frame would be different between these groupsets, otherwise surely it would have a different name?

Here's the link to that page: http://www.bianchi.com/Uk/Bikes/Bikes_List.aspx?RangeIDMaster=74825&CategoryIDMaster=74829

You may want to visit the Scott site, you may find something similar

However I can imagine you're going to have to change just about everything else, though, including wheels (well, as far as the freehub at least).


If I puncture a CO2 cartridge, will it last a while?

Think of these as a one shot device. Once the seal is cracked, any remaining CO₂ will leak out over time, and you have no idea just how much is left. .

How much time I have no idea, but the problem with it is as you have no idea how much is left in the cylinder (which is as likely as not no where near enough to pump up the tire), you have to carry enough cylinders in case its empty.  If your carrying enough in case its empty, you are carrying extra weight.

While I do carry one of these, on long trips (more than 30minutes ride from a road with cell phone coverage), I carry a real pump.  Between the risk of multiple punctures and loosing the gas from incorrect application (Don't laugh it happens surprisingly often)  I see these are a time saver, not a life saver.


Are there any bike tires that can hold 500 lbs (225 kg) each?

At those weights you're looking at three wheels minimum and maybe four.

Simply loading 1000 pounds (500 kg) onto a trailer will be difficult without a lifter of some sort, and you would have to balance it perfectly over the axle.  On a car trailer, nose weight can be several hundred kilos acceptably, but on your bike any more than 2-5 kilos could see the whole thing rotate on the axle while loading.

Three wheels with a super-low slung platform would be safer.

You'll also require power brakes because 500 kilos is a LOT of weight.  I've ridden with 100 kilos on a trailer and it was really too much - had problems getting moving, and it was hard to get over intersections from stopped.

A 2 degree upslope in the road to go over a railway crossing damn-near stopped me cold, and the similar downslope on the other side was a surprise too.

Also check with your local road rules about what constitutes a maximum size and weight for a bicycle.  Could be the dimensions you're planning make the bike too big and could be classed as something else.

Don't be a danger to yourself and other road users - this project sounds dangerous.  I'm all for bikes in life, but look to hire movers or use a car trailer for this one.

bikecalculator.com says that a 500 kilo bike with a 75 kilo rider doing 150 watts on the flat will achieve around 15 km/h (9 mph)  Same combo with a bike of 10 kilos is 28 km/h

I haven't got a good calculation for stopping time for those masses from those velocities, but 5 times the weight will take a minimum of 5 times as long and your stopping distance will be much greater, to the point it would be unsafe for you and others to be sharing the roadway.


Roadside / Temporary fix for skipping chain

The only ''quick fix'' is to find a gear combination that works and hope for the best. Spending a few pounds on a chain wear checker will save you ever having to be in this position as you can check once a month or whatever and change the chain before it starts eating the rest of your drivetrain.


What does "11-25" mean in the cassette description?

The first is then number of teeth on the smallest and the second is the number of teeth on the largest cog.

If you like the current gearing then stay with that.  Or you can adjust.  If you stay with the same then match the number of chain links.

The count is also typically also stamped on the cogs.  On the bike and dirty it is typically easier to just count them.


How can I remove a fork if the bolt on the stem is rusted?

You'll need an allen key - probably a 6mm one to take off the stem, which is the silver part that holds your handle bars. If you loosen the bolt and it keeps coming up, hit it with a plastic mallet to knock it back down which should loosen that.

Once the stem is off you will need a headset wrench, probably 32mm. Having 2 helps because it's basically a double nut that holds the stem on. The lower one holds the stem in place and the upper one locks it into position. If you've stripped the nut, I would take it to a shop and they'll have to do some additional work on it and most likely replace your headset.

If you were in a crash, I'd have a bike shop inspect your bike front to back. A crash can do a lot of damage that the untrained eye will not be able to spot and you could be riding a cracked frame or otherwise dangerous bike.


Do I need to plug internal cable routing ports?

I would plug them. If left open you will have the chance of water ,dirt, etc, inside the frame. The water and grit will eventually make its way to the bottom bracket. Even if the bearings are sealed it will still get on the threads of the bearing shell or threaded inset potentially making it difficult to remove.


They squeal because water acts as a mild lubricant. That's why things are "slippery when wet" ;)
The water makes it harder for the pads to grab onto the rotors. They'll grab for a small fraction of a second and then let go again, and they do this really fast. Imagine the squeaky sound that a your finger makes when your run it over a smooth wet surface, or the sound your shoes make on a tile floor when you just came in out of the rain. Same sort of thing, only constant.
With bike brakes and disc brakes especially, the braking surface (the rotors for disc brakes, the rim for rim brakes) will find a harmonic resonance and thus the really loud tonal squeal.
All brakes have the potential to squeal, especially when wet. I wouldn't worry much about it unless you find that your braking power is being significantly reduced. In such a case, try some different compound pads. Metallic pads are generally considered to be superior in adverse conditions but they're also loud as hell in the rain/mud.
Everything is a trade-off, don't ya know?


New Chain causing skipping on cassette - will this work itself out or is it unsafe?

Over time an old chain and cassette wear together, so you don't notice the wear until it gets really bad.  When you replace the chain while leaving the old cassette the tooth profile is no longer correct and the new chain will skip off of the teeth, especially under load.

Unfortunately it won't get better and the only recourse is to replace the cassette as well.  In the future you can save money by changing the relatively inexpensive chain more often as the cassette wears faster with an elongated chain.

More info:  http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html


White graphite (hBN) a worthwhile chain lube?

Well, white graphite (or hexagonal boron nitride for all the big brainers) is fine to use as a lubricant, but like @mattnz said, don't snort it (mattnz is big brain). Regular graphite can be corrosive do certain metals with moisture, but as long as its white graphite, I don't see any issues that would pop up.


Wet gear.

Granted I'm cycling to work and live in Ireland where we seem to have several rain gods.

It's the top item in my pannier.  Share some of your other items but not quite as organised: maybe I should take note.


What are the benefits and drawbacks of different recumbent seat styles?

In short: There is no definite answer and there are better places to ask.

Having used two different mesh seats (both with a cushioned sit upon part and a mesh back) and one kind of hard seat, I feel I can give some advice. But as most is a case of availability and preference, I will not be able to give a definite answer.

When cycling you sweat and with your back on or against your seat (depending on how much upright you are) you want ventilation.
So your wooden seat is out unless you can introduce a ventilation layer or system.

Next your position on the bike is such that you have much less options to take your weight (as you would do on any bike where your pedals are below you) so your seat will have to work with whatever springs and shock absorbers you have on the bike.
The more absorbers you have, the less flex or cushioning you need in your seat.
On a bike with no spring or shock absorbing you need a seat that takes up all shocks, not a hard one. Cushions can work but are hardly anytime enough.

On all 'bents I have never needed anything to keep me in place. On the other hand, I prefer to be able to change position a bit so I can use different muscles or skin spots to avoid problems on longer rides, just like you may want to shift around on a horses saddle or an upright bike.

The ventilation and cushioning can be aided by the cushion you select.
Ventisit pads are one kind which I have often seen in use, but as far as I know they are not the only kind around.

While I love the stack exchange sites, I feel a question as important as this should be asked where a lot of recumbent riders come together, exchange information and are willing to help out others. Like the Bentridersonline forum.
Again, there are others, but this is one I know that works.

Added:
If your bike is more or less standard or you plan to repair it to standard, why not go for a seat that is standard for the bike or as near to it as you can get it?
The designers have experience with bikes and the design is proven.


Why does my Rear bike tire slow down when Pedaling?

By far the most likely reason is that you've over tightened the bearings.

Did you feel as if you needed 3 hands to get it back together? If not, you did it wrong. :)

As usual Sheldon has a pretty good writeup on this, but the basics are easy enough.

Put one side back together, tighten it up as best you can. Set the cone on the other side to the correct tension. Tighten locknut on second side without turning either cone.

The tricky part is the last bit. You need to hold the cones on both sides at the same time whilst tightening the locknut and you really need 3 hands.

You will most likely have to try a few times to get the tension just right. When it's done it should turn freely but not have any wiggle.