Bought a Vintage Bianchi 1985 road racer, came with Shimano 600, can I easily turn it into index shifting?

Some pictures of the levers and the RD may be welcome and clarify the situation.

Shimano 600 was an indexed shifting system and stands at the beginning of the Ultegra line of products. It can be switched from friction to index by turning the toggle at the side of the right down-tube lever (if you have the original Shimano 600 levers). However if you have standard friction levers you'll have to find a pair of original 2x6 levers. Although the 2x6 thing bothers me a bit as the 1980s Shimano 600 tri-color that I own is 2x8 and cassette type instead of freewheel. It suggests that there are some non-original bits in your recent acquisition. Pictures please!

Indexing happens in the command levers, there is no such thing as an indexed rear derailleur. So there is no need for acquiring a different RD if it is indeed a 600.


Can I straighten bent rims between two flat surfaces?

This is not going to work.

You won't permanently change the shape of the rim by just smooshing it between two concrete discs, as in order to permanently bend metal you need to exceed the yield stress of the metal and plastically deform it. This means that to bend something to a shape, it has to be precisely bent further than its ultimate designed bend, then elastically bend back to the destined spot. Your concrete discs will not achieve this.

It is tricky enough to form a suitably round rim from a perfectly straight piece of freshly extruded, homogeneous aluminum. Once the rim has been bent, it will have been cold worked, and the mechanical properties will not be uniform along the entire rims length. Thus, trying to precisely bend it back into shape will be impossible as the yield strength and elastic behaviors will not be fully known throughout the entirety of the rim.

Trying to heat treat it won't save you either as that will cause the rim to get softer as it will undo the designed-in cold working of when the rim is created at the factory.

Additionally, this scheme, even if it was possible, would only adjust side-to-side trueness, and would do nothing to adjust vertical trueness. You'd also have to remove the hub and spokes, and at that point you might as well just get a fresh rim. In fact if your rim got bent while it was a wheel, many of your spokes are going to be wrecked anyway.

If a rim is significantly bent, it's only future destination is recycling.


Spokes stick out of nipples when rebuilding wheel

It seems the spokes are too long. Two possibilities I can think of:

a) If the rim had been built into a front wheel before, and you are using the same spokes, it's possible that the rear and front hubs have dimensions different enough that the recommended 2 mm margin of error on spoke length is insufficient. The main variable affecting spoke length (besides the ERD, but here I'm assuming the rim stays constant) will be the flange radius (1 mm less means about 1 mm less on radial builds with a smaller difference the more crossings you have), but a big difference in the flange offset from the center of the hub can have a significant impact as well. Use a spoke calculator.

b) you're doing a different number of crossings. This will affect the the required spoke length bigly.


Could rubber parts on bike rack damage the rear shock?

You can purchase a rack adapter thats primary use is for mixte, womens bikes or bike with angled top tubes. It is a removeable bar that attaches to the seatpost on one end and then attaches between the stem and the headset top bearing at the other end. You then hang the bike on the rack by the adapter.


Recessed brake pivot nut stuck in carbon fork

Please don't hammer it from the front. You risk rotating the nut and completely jamming it in the carbon.

Keep at it for a few days with penetrating oil. If that doesn't help:

Try to remove the nut by pulling it out from the rear.
I would suggest finding out what size bolt will fit through the entire nut (perhaps M4). Get a long bolt or piece of threaded rod in this size and slide it through the stuck nut. On the front side, thread on two nuts and a washer (the washer goes between the nuts and the stuck nut).Screw both nuts tightly together.

On the rear side, place a small plate of (ply)wood with a 5mm hole in it. Make sure the block is shaped such that it comfortably rests on the rear of the fork legs/fork crown. Take some time to shape the wood, depending on your fork geometry to avoid any damage.

Thread a washer and nut onto the wood block, and thread on two nuts at the end of the rod again.
Use a wrench to hold the the nut on the wood block, and another wrench to move the two rear nuts to pull out the whole assembly, including your stuck nut.


If you prefer the cushion of the seat post, you could request a new one, especially if it keeps coming apart. It should be covered under the warranty. If you don't care about the spring support, a simple seat post will be more sturdy.


A Twist Resist will let you hold the spoke and resist the twisting. They're designed for holing spokes to prevent windup and spinning on straight pulls.

The internet says you can use a cable holder in a pinch, or even some smooth jawed pliers.

I'd be tempted to try thread lock on the hub end as a quick and dirty solution.


The crankset is not wireless, the power meter inside the crankset is wireless, the power meter inside measures your power output and wirelessly transmits the data to a head unit for display near or on your handlebars.


Front hub conversion Shimano HB-M756L XT to Thru-axle

Not possible. Convertible hubs are made to be that way, and no Shimano hubs are. There are no generic adapters or spacers that can do this.

756 XT far predates 15mm. There's no room for a 15mm axle in there.


Possible to use Cane Creek angleset cups on top and bottom of headset

You can 100% physically do it. Just make sure the angles of the bottom bearing and race will cope with the shift. ie that it works with the change, and is not designed to only work with that specific top one.

Now, you haven't mentioned the bike or the type of riding, or the reason for why you want it slacker.

As a general rule, if you make a bike slacker (from it's intended angle), it will make turning less snappy and stright downs more stable. But obvs whether this is a good thing, is subjective to the bike, the type of riding and the riders ability and preferance/style.

Worst come to worst, you don't like it and you can just switch the headset back. Just keep the original one just in case.

Other things to consider, is how the slacker angle will affect the rest of the bike, both in geometry and in physical forces. For example, if you slacken a bikes, which is not inteded to be, you increase the chance of the headtube splitting from the frame. You also decrease the uphill riding efficiency, lower the bottom bracket hight and the way the front fork travels might change too.


What crankset should I buy to suit an 8 Speed Campy freehub?

Freewheel threading is pretty universal. You can put any freewheel which is appropriate for your drivetrain on those wheels.

Regardless of whether you choose Campag or Shimano, stick with gear designed for one system, and as much as possible one gear number. (8 speed, 9speed, etc...)

For instance, if you use an 8 speed Campag freewheel, use 8 speed Campag shifters, chain, derailleurs, and either an 8 or 9 speed Campag crank set. You will need the appropriate bottom bracket to match your crankset.

It is possible to mix and match a bit, mostly the chain could be either Shimano or Campag without major issues. But best to stick with one system, especially if you don't understand the compatibility changes you're making.

By the way, those wheels are tubulars. That is, glue on tires. Were you aware of that?


Do faired recumbents need more gear range?

Short answer: yes, but a Rohloff works for me.

I've been riding a Rohloff-equipped RotoVelo on and off for a couple of years now. I did play with the gearing a little when I got it and it's pretty usable now. The RotoVelo weighs about 33kg and I live in a relatively flat city.

I have it set up so that spinning reasonably fast in bottom gear I'm doing about walking speed - say 3km/hr. That way I can go up overpasses and the sort of hills we get in Melbourne and Sydney with a bit of work. Set up that way I spin out at about 80kph. Frankly, at 80kph I've usually stopped pedaling and I'm just going "wheeeeee!". My top speed ever is over 100kph, which was a bit scary.

When I stop at a traffic light I shift all the way down then back up a couple. And I mean all the way down, typically at 30-40kph cruise speed I'm in gear 9 or higher, so it's much easier to just twist all the way than try to remember what gear I'm in. Which is an advantage of the Rohloff - all the gear intervals are the same so you can just keep shifting without worrying.

It's possible to combine a Rohloff with a front derailleur if you really need to. I suggest waiting until you have the velo before committing, but make sure you can if you need to - most velo makers normally ship deraillers, so getting them to leave the front derailleur post in place shouldn't be an issue. With your small rear wheel (most velos are 406/20") the low gear should be fine with the Rohloff 2.1x gearing requirement, it'll be a question of how big a chainring you can fit in.

For touring I'd be tempted to use lower ratios than for commuting. With heavy gear in the bike and more hills in the country I found that I was pushing the velo more often than I would prefer. Partly that's from the heat build - lack of ventilation becomes an issue when you have to work really hard to keep the vehicle moving at all up a hill. Not being able to pedal faster than (say) 60kph wouldn't bother me, but being able to sit back and grind slowly up long hills would be better than pushing.


Is SRAM RED AXS Power Meter, 48/35T compatible with Tarmac Pro Disc – SRAM ETAP

Yes they should be compatible - the difference is in the materials/manufacturing:
SRAM Tech Support - Difference between Force/Red AXS

However, you can upgrade your Force AXS crankset to have power:
SRAM Tech Support - Adding power to Force AXS crankset


If you take the rim tape off you should be able to shake it out through one of the holes that you insert the nipples through. I've dropped a few inside rims and never had a problem getting them out this way.


Your bike is an entry level hardtail MTB with quality components. I just did a quick google search and looked at few pictures of the bike. It looks like it isn't specifically XC or Trail bike, it's more like an all round MTB.

It will work for both XC racing and light trails, every XC-Bike is suitable for light trails, just look at the more technical sections of the track in XC-races.

Your bike is just as good for bunny hopping as any other MTB, bunny hops are more about the right technique then about the bike you use. Keep practising.


Since no answers I will post my comment as an answer

Car wheel cleaner. It is made to deal with brake dust.

But I would not user car wheel cleaner on paint.
For hard to clean on paint I use a cleaner wax.


Is there a ranking of bicycle manufacturer brands in terms of quality?

Major brands make a wide range of bikes, some of which are great, others not so much. To further complicate things, some brands license their name to bso's on top of their normal decent quality sales (e.g. Schwinn). So, you can't really rank them on quality in a meaningful sense; just compare a subset of models across manufacturers.

That being said, what are you getting when you buy brand X? Well, it's similar to buying a car. A brand is associated to some extent with prestige, quality and value. Also, how much support you can expect if things are going south (e.g. if there is a frame defect, will the warranty honor it). Giant probably would; Random chinese shop on Alibaba probably won't exist by the time you complain. You are putting a good amount of trust in a bicycle to actually be safe and able to do what its supposed to; that trust is easier to put in when the bicycle is from a quality manufacturer.

At a given price point, different brands will have different components and frame+fork designs. Some of the price is due to marketing/brand name (e.g. if you had an Audi and VW badge on two identical cars, the Audi one would sell for a bit more) and the cut the shop needs to take to stay in business. Other parts of the price are engineering and components.

Note that if you spend more on one part, it means you're going to have to cut somewhere else. Thus, you need to compare bikes (after riding them, hopefully) in order to see whats a good value and fit for you.

Also, note that spending more or going for a less well known brand is not necessarily good or bad. For example, REI used to sell some pretty decent touring bikes under their less well known Novara house brand for considerably cheaper than the usual Trek 520 / Surly Long Haul Trucker / similar.


There are three common causes for erratic steering at low speed.

A possible cause, but the least likely, is that the head stem is too tight. When not on the bike try turning the handlebars. If the movement feels "lumpy" then it needs adjustment.
Riding a bike that has more aggressive geometry than we're used to. You could try borrowing a shopping bike (the kind with an upright riding position and a basket on the front) to see if it's easier to control. If this is the case, then more practice on your own bike should solve it. Meanwhile, as Criggie said, try stopping more quickly so that you spend less time at low speed.
Being out of practice. If the first two suggestions don't help then the solution is just more practice.

Take care.


I've got some wetsuit glue, and the join is really tough.  Just be sure to use it on clean, dry material,follow the instructions carefully (it's a bit like patch cement), and allow it to set for plenty of time before use.  Sadly, you can probably reckon on a nearby failure before too long, as the stress is moved to a different place.

I recommend keeping the glue in the freezer, sealed in a bag -- it keeps longer that way, so you should get another few uses out of it.


TLDR answer: you ran over something
Given the ding/cut in the rim itself that aligns with the cut in the tire, you ran over something metal that was sharp enough to cut your tire and even dig into your rim a bit.
That looks like a deep carbon fiber rim - if so, I'd recommend doing a better job watching what you're riding over because the next bit of debris might be enough to seriously damage your rim - which will be expensive to replace if it is a deep carbon rim.
Nevermind that getting a flat tire in any circumstance can be dangerous if it happens at any decent speed.


How to remove slider legs from old rst suspension fork?

I know that when taking Rockshox forks apart they will often say that you should partially unscrew the bolt at the bottom of the leg and then use a rubber or wooden mallet to hit the bolt. It should free up the lowers from the bottom of the internals.

Once you've done that you may get better luck removing the bolt.


Why mountain bikes had originally 26 inch wheels?

Wheel & tire sizes are a source of unending confusion. The more you learn, the more confusing they get.

29" mountain-bike wheels have the same bead-seat diameter as modern road bikes: 622 mm (which are sometimes referred to as 28" wheels in Europe, which is confusing, because they're slightly smaller at the rim than 27" wheels…see what I mean?).

When mountain biking as we know it today was being pioneered on the repack ride on Mt Tamalpais, riders weren't using road bikes, and they weren't using mountain bikes because mountain bikes per se did not exist. They were using "cruiser bikes," which had fatter tires and slacker angles, making them better suited to bombing down fire trails. This is a case of people using what they had to hand and adapting it to circumstances, rather than designing something for an intended purpose.

The question of why cruisers have a different (and otherwise non-standard) BSD is another matter. I will note that a rim with a 571-mm BSD mounted with a  1¾" tire (which passed for "fat" back in the day) has a very similar outer tire diameter to a road bike using a 622-mm or 630-mm rim with a skinny tire, and sizing the rim to the intended outer tire diameter is common in bike history. Also, Schwinn, which created the cruiser, dominated the US bike market and could make de-facto standards whenever they wanted.

I can't answer whether 29ers back in the day would have conferred an advantage, although you might not have been able to squeeze those wheels into those old cruisers.


It's a JC Higgins Jet Flow from about 1953-57. Here's a forum thread where people are ready to pay $350+ for one in pristine condition.


Bicycles are designed in a way that makes them very stable going forward, at the cost of being unbelievably unstable while riding backwards. The most common fixed-gear geometry (inspired in track racing) doesn't help a lot. As a comparison, BMX is a modality where riders usually ride backwards in half-pipes, but the bike geometry is very different.

What I tried to do (before giving up), and what I have seen people doing, is to try to ride backwards IN CIRCLES, perhaps lowering the saddle a bit to a more relaxed position. I don't think the clipless or toestraps are key here, but a lower gear ratio might be very helpful.

After you perform some circle attempts, you can try to switch sides. Trying to do it very slow aids to gain inside as to which movement you actually have to do, since this movement is very counterintuitive: when you are leaning SLIGHTLY to one side, you have to point the handlebar the opposite way, so that the bike will go under you again.

I could manage to go some 4 meters back when I was trying often, but with almost no control over the direction the bike was going.

Perhaps a good video to start (with interesting links on the sidebar) is this:

Hope this helps!


How can I add full fenders to a frame with no braze-ons?

Crud Roadracer Mk2s offer a bit more coverage than raceblades I believe

http://www.crudproducts.com/products/roadracer/roadracer_


Sprockets are wear parts anyway so just replace. Welding would be relatively expensive and I strongly suspect it would damage the heat treatment state of the steel.


An internally geared system would be the quietest option available for a commuter set up. A groupset such as Rohloff, Shimano Alfine or SRAM would offer near silent operation. You could pair this with a belt drive train to reduce this further. This would also alleviate hub noise. The Rohloff probably has the quietest shifter as it is not indexed.

For brakes I'm not sure if there is any difference between the noise made by rim vs. disc brakes although when they bite they may be louder than a coaster brake but much safer. Disc brakes would be my recommendation if your were considering cycling in the rain. There is no difference in noise between mechanical and hydraulic set ups but for commuting 140mm mechnicals would be just as effective as hydraulic brakes (unless your doing technical descents) as there would be very little differentiation in modulation and they are easier to maintain.

Accessories will be all about what you choose, how you fit them and how you maintain the bike. You will need to keep things well lubricated to keep noise down (anything with a bearing) and taking time to fit things properly and to the right torques (such as bottom bracket). Pumps and tools can be placed in old tubes to keep them from rattling.

For tires I dont think totally slick is the best option, also where you have said rain was an issue but something that had a specifically noise and puncture resistant tread and a low rolling resistence would be best for commuting.


Is it ever legal in the USA not to have two brakes on a bike?

Many places have adopted the Uniform Vehicle Code language.  It currently states:
 12-706. Brake required Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake or brakes which will enable its driver to stop the bicycle within 25 feet from a speed of 10 miles per hour on dry, level, clean pavement. (FORMER 11-1207(c)).
The goal of the UVC is to have consistent laws between states, counties, and municipalities.  It doesn't entirely work - often the process of changing the laws is too complicated, so many outdated variations exist.

In 2006, Portland, Oregon saw an interesting challenge a similarly-worded law.  A cyclist was cited for failure to have two brakes, even though the fixed gear on their bicycle allowed them to meet the requirements of the statute.  (Ridiculously, the previous UVC phrasing that the ORS statute is based on doesn't even require the ability to stop, only the ability to skid.)  The judge and ticketing officer's contention was that a brake must be a separate device.

Meeting the UVC phrasing is your best bet for a US-wide policy, but definitely review the local statutes for the places you will be riding if you are concerned.


What options do I have to charge my GPS and Phone using a dynamo hub?

You might want to look at the Biologic ReeCharge by Dahon. It says it hooks up to any standard dynamo hub. The nice thing about this is that it has its own battery. So the dynamo charges the internal battery and the battery charges your phone/gps/device. This allows you to charge while you are resting, as well as provide added protection against sending bad current to your device.  I don't have any experience with it, but the idea is sound, and Dahon has many good products. It sells for $100 which isn't too bad considering it has its own battery.


I want an old road bike to fix up that goes fast. Where do I start?

I have a similar outlook on bike purchasing - something nice enough to ride but cheap enough to afford.

First question - do you have a chance of keeping up with an expensive bike assuming equal ability?
There are lots of variables - but assuming this won't be an all out race you will do fine on a good quality older bike.

Generally extra costs equals reduced weight.
Here is an article that compares weight with speed.
The bottom line is that a heavier bike does effect speed - but not very much. One extra kilogram on a 100 kilometer ride with mild hills = 30 seconds slower.

There are other factors - bearing quality, wheel quality, tire type and inflation, etc. that come into play. The truth is - it's the rider that makes the biggest difference in performance.

Second question
The three key indicators when I look at a bike in that age range are brand, crank and condition.

I'm looking for a brand I recognize.
It's a long list and it boils down to - look at bike store bikes and not department store bikes. Bike shops back then sold cheap bikes but generally the worst bike store bike was better than the best department store bike (I'm sure there are exceptions but it's guide)
I'm looking for a forged aluminum crank.
Low end bike shop bikes had cranks with cotter pins or cranks that look like this:

The arm and the chain rings are actually two separate parts. In this case the chain rings are steel and the arm is aluminum. The arm is held to the rings with a type of rivet that allows flex while pedaling.

Medium to high end bike shop bikes have a crank that looks something like this:

The arm and the spider - part that holds the chain rings is all one part - solid. This means less flex.

Generally a bike shop bike with a forged crank will have a pretty good frame, aluminum rims and solid components. This will filter your selection into the medium to high range so you can focus on the other aspects of the bike.

Condition

the obvious visual check for dings, rust, etc.
Front tire is has tread and is not cracked/weathered
Front wheel is straight
front brake works well
Headset is correctly adjusted and smooth
Rear tire has tread and is not cracked/weathered
Rear wheel is straight
Rear brake works well
Chain ring is not worn
Chain is not stretched
Cogs are not worn front
Rear derailleurs shift well
Slip the chain off the crank and check for correct bearing adjustment
Remove the front and rear wheels and check for bearing adjustment

An issue with any of these things is not instant disqualification from purchasing - they are all factors in how much effort you will have to put into the bike and how much you should pay.

I'm sure there are other tips for finding the right bike but this is the broad brush I use to focus in on bikes of interest.


Can I carry my tandem on a bumper carrier?

If it sticks out from the width of the car DO NOT carry the bike in the bumper carrier. If necessary, take both wheels out but take no chances, anything wider than the car is a danger to yourself and others, think about motorbikes.


I don't know the official recommendation, but the clamp could be problematic with a carbon DT.

Here's the thing, though: I don't think the clamp is strictly necessary. The purpose of the arm is to keep the bike from swaying laterally - you'll accomplish that as long as the arm is somehow attached to the frame. What I would do is put the DT in the clamp, but don't tighten the clamp: instead, use a rope or strap to tie the arm to the DT.

Another option: don't use the arm at all. Instead, use ratchet straps on either side to keep the bike upright. A lot of people do that when transporting motorbikes. This method seems more secure, but it might be difficult without a second set of hands.


Alleviating pressure from coccyx with padded shorts

Biking shorts could help but it's good to understand some things. First is that your coccyx shouldn't be touching the saddle or minimally if it does. A lot of people make the mistake of getting a cushy bike seat to alleviate such pain. The problem with squishy bike seats is that your sit bones sink down into the saddle and all the squishy stuff packs into your crack and starts pushing on stuff up there. Imagine a really hard seat - your sit bones contact the saddle and nothing squeezes up into the soft area. Of course, between the bones and this hypothetical hard saddle is tissue and skin which can get irritated and bruised. Which is why we have padded saddles. Appropriately padded saddles.

So the first thing I'd suggest is trying a new saddle. Something firmer and made out of quality materials. Stock saddles can be pretty bad.

The chamois in bike shorts is like a second pair of socks on a hike. It adds a layer of padding and friction relief in that bones/tissue/saddle interface.

In short, bike shorts might help but the right saddle alone will enable you to comfortably complete an ~11 mile ride without butt bruises.

Caveat - exceptions to all of this if you are anatomically abnormal in any way, I am particularly thinking of overweight.

Caveat no. 2 - it takes time to get used to being back on the bike. Your butt is going to scream at you if you over-do it and cause some tissue bruising. And if you do that you aren't going to want to get back on the bike. So take it easy!

And oh yeah - look at saddles with anatomical cut outs, those work really well for some people.

And oh oh yeah. Some stores have a test program where they mail you like ten saddles and you ride all of them as you like in order to find one that fits. http://www.sportfit-lab.com/bike-seat-demo.html. WTB also has a ten-pack that they sell shops - shops that have that should rent you a saddle for a week for like 10 bucks.


My wife has Cerebral Palsy (CP) so can’t balance on a normal bike, what are the options so she can go cycling with me?

I've seen quite a few older people in my city riding around on 3 wheeled bikes, similar to the ones shown here.  They offer quite a bit of stability, without making you low to the ground like a recumbent.  However, I can't think of how you would get one into a car.  Getting a regular bike into a car is hard enough, have you thought about a roof rack?

You almost might want to look into stabilizer wheels which can be attached to any bike, and you may be able to find some that are removable for transportation.


What's the best way to lift a bike onto a storage hook?

The trick is to use the strength in your legs plus leverage to lift the bike. It is so simple I can hang my bike up one handed.

Lock both front and rear brakes
Walk backwards, resulting in the bike being vertical in front of you, with you standing behind it holding the handlebars
Feathering the rear brake, manoeuvre the bike in location below the hook. The seat should be just in front of your knee or lower thigh
Put one knee/thigh on the seat and flex that leg at the hip, raising your knee. This lifts your bike vertically with almost no effort required.
Place it on the hook and you're done!

I've shown this technique to a number of people who have been instantly impressed with how effortless it is. It feels a bit weird the first time but very quickly feels natural.


What are typical max speeds for pro downhill races?

The differences are quite significant from race to race - each track is different. Also events such as Rampage are not too much about speed. The top speed may vary between 55-65km/h on tracks such as Mount Sainte Anne up to around 80km/h in Pietermaritzburg which is known for high speeds achieved. Of course all assuming good weather.

Also these speeds are kept only for a few seconds (in the best case), the average speeds come around 30km/h mark course and weather dependent.


My back brakes don't lock the wheel (skid): feature or a bug?

Disc brakes should be capable of locking the rear wheel.

If this is a new bike I would suggest it's a set up/ breaking in issue rather than a fault.

I'm not sure of the brakes you are running, but guessing they're cable discs due to having axillary levers. I'd ensure :

the brake pads are bedded in
the disc brake rotor alignment is good
the pad contact point is correct (refer to your brakes manual)

Check out this question, Disc brake break-in?

If that didn't help I'd check that the auxiliary levers aren't impeding the full cable pull.


This can get expensive, so check the costs before committing.

You require a disk brake caliper and lever, which might be a sealed hydraulic unit or a cable-operated one.

The caliper needs to operate on a disk rotor, and the rotor needs to fasten to the disk compatible wheel hub.

It is probably cheaper to buy a new complete disk-compatible wheel rather than rebuild your current rim onto a new disk compatible hub.

Also check the mount on the new fork - if it's for a through-axle then your new wheel needs a through-axle compatible hub. QRs seem to be vanishing.

Depending on your grip condition, you may need to replace them too.  May need to cut the old grip off to swap the brake lever.

Your tyre and tube should transfer over okay, assuming they aren't worn.


Need help debugging ebike: Laggy motor / inconsistent behavior

The unusual bursts / full blast behavior could be related to your cadence sensor at the bottom bracket. Depending on the type, it could be related to water ingress  / corrosion to the sensing contacts, causing false pedaling to be registered. Also makes sense if it happens around rainy days as water might affect the sensing.

Do you have a throttle you can use to isolate the problem?


What type of lever of a hydraulic rim brake is this?

Based on the picture here I would assume it is a Magura HS 11, but perhaps a older model.  The link has a different color body, but the style is the same.  Additional searching yields other similar results, some with the same colors even.


How do I prevent disk brakes from squeaking in the rain?

The only way that I've found to get them to stop squeaking is to burn the water off.  Big steep hill and stop at the bottom.

As for performance, I don't notice any difference in the feel of my BB7's in the wet vs. the dry after a couple seconds of use.  Even in rain puddles up to the bottom bracket.


As @Nathan Knutsonsaid in response to a now-deleted answer:

  There are several older square taper crank with extractor thread sizes other than 22x1, and there are some older 22x1 pullers with tips that only work with nutted spindles.

The vast majority of cranks have a thread size of 22x1. There are other older crank sets that use different sizes (two others I can think of immediately), but these would only be on what would be considered vintage bikes today.

You need to ensure the tip of the puller is suited to the BB you have. Again, most modern Square tapers are pretty generic and its almost certain any generic puller will do the job.

Be careful about buying a cheaper extractor. I had one that came in a cheap bicycle tool kit that (unknown to me, first time I used one) was slightly undersized and stripped the tops off the threads of the crank. I purchased a Park puller and was able to remove the same crank with no problems.


How often should I check rear derailleur adjustments?

It's really up to you how often to check your adjustments, but I'd say it's not an "every ride" kind of check, unless you're giving your drivetrain a workout! If there's any damage to the derailleur, hanger, or rear wheel, you may want to start there as well.

To specifically address your questions:

You should check your limits any time you have a drivetrain issue. That could be poor shifting, dropped chain, or inability to shift.
Shifter cable tension should only affect how easily/quickly the derailleur moves. However, there could be a case where too much tension could cause the derailleur to move through the last shift enough to stress past the limit screw, but I think this is unlikely.
The rear wheel could be out of dish (centered from side-to-side) which might have moved the cassette further in. Readjusting the limit screws should take care of that, but you might still have shifting issues. (I had the same problem this spring)


Why is the Selle Anatomica X1 saddle rated for longer rides than the X2?

This might be the sort of question to ask Selle Anatomica. However, here is an educated guess based on the part descriptions.
Generally, we know that aluminum has a lower yield strength than steel: in lay terms, aluminum can withstand a smaller amount of force before it fails. Also, given the same external diameter and material, I'm pretty sure a hollow tube is weaker than a solid rod. (NB: given the same mass, a hollow tube is stronger than a solid rod).
Assume the balance of the saddle construction apart from the frame and seat rails is identical. Selle Anatomica may believe or they may have proof that the X2, with an aluminum frame and tubular steel rails, is weaker than the X1, i.e. the entire structure's yield strength is lower.
However, their own descriptions are confusing. This sentence about the X2 directly contradicts their usage ratings, emphasis mine:

The new frame used with our Series 2 saddles is lighter weight, stronger, and user serviceable.

Also, they say that the X2 is, emphasis mine:

Designed for cyclists who ride less than 50 miles per week and/or weigh between 120 and 190 pounds

And about the X1:

Designed for cyclists who ride more than 100 miles per week and/or weigh between 120 and 190 pounds

I'd hypothesize that the literature was written by a product manager who did not really think through how the yield strength of the X1 and X2 might compare. In any case, given the plain language of the descriptions, you should be able to ride either saddle if you are between 120 and 190 lbs. By implication, if you are over 190 lbs, Selle Anatomica might think that you are better off on the X1, assuming that the X1 actually has a higher yield strength. Also, the language is a bit sloppy.


The difference between thin width of tyre and thick tyre width

Tricks in general are often done on bikes with fairly wide tyres, so that might be why you're seeing wheelies on such bikes. They can be done in other bikes though. One of my riding buddies is prone to doing wheelies on his road bike, though he's old enough to know better.

In general, on a dry road, all bike tyres have plenty of grip, but bikes designed for wider tyres tend to be tougher and more suited to the landing (which would be rather harsh if your front tyre was 23mm and 7bar.


Alternatives for mineral brake fluid / oil (in a pinch)

The rubber seals in mineral oil levers and calipers are very easily damaged by using the wrong fluid, and should this occur replacement seals aren't typically available. Experimenting with alternative or in-a-pinch brake fluids is a bad idea for this reason. The results are unpredictable. In the worst case, a brake failure could occur.

Running a different viscosity than intended can also alter brake performance. In particular, higher viscosity fluids have been known to sometimes cause either slower or incomplete piston return. Of course the specifics of the hose, brake, piston count, pad spring, etc are all going to play into that, a fact that no meathead MTB forum poster is ever going to consider for a hot second before telling you to go put LMH in your brakes just because they did it and it didn't blow up.

There's a type of DIYer who loves talking about how they've had their bike set up with hack X for Y years and it's totally fine, so it of course will always be fine for everyone forever. That's a good type of person to categorically ignore. Most of the time, their shadetree nonsense doesn't work as well as they want to believe, and they're really only out to appear as though they have something meaningful to contribute, when in fact the opposite is almost always true.


What maintenance is required for a thru axle?

Keep it lightly greased where it comes into contact with the hub bearing races and dropouts. This helps get it in and stops it seizing against the dropouts (the axle and dropouts are alu).


Older tires may not have the ETRTO/ISO size markings. On your tires the '26x2.1' marking denotes rim diameter and tire width.

'26 inch' mountain bike tires have 559mm rim diameter.
2.1 inch is the nominal width.

With an 21-22mm inner rim width you could run a 1.5 inch / 38mm tire, but probably not much narrower.


Can my relative still ride a bike despite having RSI

I'll note that health and medical advice is generally off-topic here, but the bicycle configuration could have a strong bearing on how your relative manages.
Generally speaking an upright posture, on a "city bike", will place less stress on the hands and arms than a racier road bike or mountain bike.
And some recumbent configurations, especially of the tricycle variety, are also less stressful to the hands and arms.
But it's up to your relative, in consultation with his doctor and a knowledgeable bike fitter, to decide what is suitable.


Front derailleur cage on new road bike will not shift

As others have said front derailleurs are a pain to adjust correctly, so taking you bike to a local repair shop will save you headaches.

However, if you want a shot at getting the front derailleur adjusted properly yourself, stepping through a full adjustment procedure is the way to go.

Park Tool has a great webpage and video that walks you through the entire process.

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


Need help trying to find a solution to these vertical, linear scratches on my Rockshox stanchions

The seals at the top of the leg are known as dust wipers and need regular replacement. They are a consumable part. Inside the seal is a foam donut that wipes any dust that makes it past the rubber seal. Eventually the accumulated dust starts chewing at the legs.
Service intervals depend on the amount of use the bike gets and how dusty your local area is but 50-100 hours is a number thrown around lots. Check the manual for your fork.
You or your bike shop need perform at least a "lower leg service" which is pretty easy to do at home with regular service tools. Theres lots of YouTube videos on the topic.
Dust wiper, foam seal and crush washer kit

Since it hasn't been serviced since 2017 you should consider a full service which is better done by a pro unless you really want to learn about fork servicing and buy the special tools like C-Clip pliers, upper leg sockets and parts/oils/syringes. Not impossible, but easy to mess up and best with a workshop. If the fork feels "notchy" when you compress it thats a big clue that a full service is required.


Usefulness of high-pressure/high-volume switch on a track pump

Are you riding on Tubeless tyres?  If so, the high-volume pump can help to "seat" a tyre to the rim.

Some tubeless-focused track pumps have a reservoir which can be charged with air, and then released in one fast PHSSSSST to "pop" the bead out to the rim and establish a seal.

Note they should not be stored charged, so its not like a portable air tank or a CO2 cannister.

I've never personally seen a track pump with a switch like you describe, but guessing its trying to be more things for more people.   A conventional floor pump will probably work fine for your bike maintenance needs.   Get an entry-level track/floor pump and go from there.


Answer:  No.  There are no good quick and easy top-coat treatments for your situation.

The problem is that pitting is a loss of material.  The metal is gone already, and the non-smooth surface will hold and hide moisture even when it looks and feels dry.  The corrosion will not stop because you've painted it even with anti-rust paint.

Not-Good Answer You can paint on rust-converter, which will transform the red/brown rust oxide into a more stable black oxide with a white foamy layer on top.  Once its converted and dried, wipe off the white stuff and then paint.  This is only a slowing action, but if it slows the rust down by 10 years then that may be all you require.

Stripping the paint at a bead blaster or sandblaster will remove all the paint and decals and chrome.  You need to take everything off the frame and forks, and protect head-tube bearing races with wood bungs or take them out, optionally replacing them with new.

Since you've gone to all this work to clean the frame, may as well finish it properly too.   Fill any holes and sand and prime it, then paint with many thin layers of good paint, lightly sanding between layers and let it cure properly before the next coat.

Another option is a full-on powder coat paint job by a pro.  However the costs keep going up, so you need to weigh the value of the bike to you against the time and effort required.

I can't speak about chrome - never really had to deal with that side.  There are chrome spray paints in rattle-cans but they seem to be cosmetic only, and not shiny.


Is it safe to ride a steel bike with a dented/buckled frame?

All steel frames of any age get a few dings from serious use.

The failure point for steel frames is usually the highest stress points: the joins. That is why we used to have fancy tubing sets likes Reynolds 351 double butted, and I notice that your frame does too.

So, if the dent is away from the joins I say the frame is ok for general use. Steel is quite a forgiving material, but I wouldn't be doing bunny hops on it :-)

If the dent is within 25% of the tube length, but more than 10cm (4 in) from a join, then I would be using it, but cautiously. If it's closer than 10cm from a join then I would get a shop to look at it.

I would add that I've ridden high-end bikes for decades after their first (heart breaking) dents. One of them has just died, but a fork failed (at the join), not the dented frame.


Recommendations for 'upgrading' gravel bike with road tires?

"whether it's a reasonable goal to try to make your gravel bike 'more road bike-like' with different tires"
It is.
"and how to achieve it."
By mounting a road tyre. That is all there is to it.

We can then get into long arguments between the proponents of Continental vs. Schwalbe, vs Challenge vs. Vittoria vs. Tufo vs. whatever...
It is not productive.
Take a a high performance road tyre and if you really need high performance, think about an aero road wheelset (or an ultralight one, if you mostly climb hills). That is, of course, much more expensive.


Crank arm snapped: what could have caused it?

Crank arms snap all the time. Odds are pretty good that it was an older crank and the fatigue in the metal built up enough that it was no longer structurally sound. Metals are a lot like crystals on the atomic scale, but when you repeatedly put a load on them tiny cracks begin to form and grow, until the metal is warn out and cracks.

Fatigued metal is also more likely to snap when subjected to above average forces, so it makes sense that this happened when you were hammering up a hill.

Airlines around the world are required to have their aircraft x-rayed periodically for signs of fatigue. When they see microscopic cracks they replace the part.

If it wasn't an old part it's likely that there was a flaw in metal.


If you are expecting a number, sorry can't give one.

However these are the variables you will have to consider

Bike - some bikes shimmy at high speed.  This can be caused by minor unbalancing like a yellow spoke reflector, or a small variation in rim weight and balance.
Wind speed and direction - side gusts have a greater impact at speed.
Traffic - Cars can get in your way, plus they act a bit random when cyclists start doing unusual things
Road - a descent often goes down a hill, and tends to wind in and out of valleys and bluffs.  Your line of sight can be quite limited by the hillside or vegetation.  So a corner may cry out for shortcutting, but you run the risk of going head-first into an uphilling vehicle or other rider.
Weather - road temp and dampness will affect tyre grip.  Heat will cap your ability to cool down by sweating
Reaction time - as you move faster you cover more ground.  Means you need to anticipate better and to predict further ahead.
Wind - if you go fast enough you get cold ears and eyes, nose, fingers and toes.  Also, the passing wind can set up a howl or whistle as it passes your helmet straps.  I find this may be one cause of my gradual hearing loss.

Ultimately the limiting factor is likely to be your Confidence, and the point at which you reach for the brake levers.

To calculate your likely downhill speed, you need to know your CdA, your input power, and so on.  A website like http://bikecalculator.com/  helps give a guesstimate.

One example, assuming you're putting in 50 watts of power (and that you're not spinning out the gears) you weigh 90 kilos, your bike is 10 kilos, the grade is 5% down, there is no wind relative to the ground, its a 10 km long segment with an air temperature of 25 degrees C and its 1000 metres above sea level (not sure if thats start or finish elevation sorry)  and that you're in the drops the whole way, you'll be doing 62.7 km/h and do the whole thing in ~9.6 minutes.

If you don't pedal at 50W you'll do 60.9 km/h and do the whole distance in ~9.86 minutes, so 17 seconds slower.

Of course these numbers are completely calculated, so you play about with the inputs.  EG a 250 kilo rider on a 50 kilo MTB bike would do 81 km/h on coasting ?

On most downhills you spin out your gears quickly.  http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html is another good calulator for this.

It shows that a 52 tooth chainring with an 11 tooth rear would give you 71km/h at 120 RPM, assuming normal road wheels.  Thats really fast pedalling and feels crazy.  At 90 RPM that same gear combo would be 54km/h.  Hence why I used 0 Watts in the previous calculator, meaning coasting.

Lastly - do ride with something like strava or some other recording tool to measure how well you did.  This also gives you fairly accurate proof for next time you do the ride to compare.

Doubtless there will be strava segments defined so you can compare your output with other riders too.

And ultimately, your time to ride UP the hill is just as interesting :)


In cycling friendly cities, how do near-sighted cyclists who need glasses manage to bike to work or school in the rain?

I'm very short-sighted and couldn't cycle at all without my glasses on. I don't find any particular problem cycling in the rain, and I don't see how the cycling-friendliness or otherwise of the city would make any difference to that.

Yes, rain on my glasses degrades my vision a bit, but I've never found it problematic. Wearing a cap helps a bit. People say it keeps rain off your glasses but it doesn't; what it actually does is shade your glasses so that the light of the sky during the day or street lights at night doesn't bounce around so much in the raindrops, causing a bunch of glare.

Considering your possibilities:

  Myopia rates are low

Why would they be? Especially given that people move freely between cities. Doubly so in the UK, where the main cycling cities include Oxford and Cambridge, which have huge transient populations of students.

  Contact lenses are used
  Laser eye surgeries are used

In cities where lots of people cycle, they're doing it purely for transport and they tend not to do anything special for cycling (e.g., they cycle in whatever clothes they want to wear at their destination). Such people will wear contacts if they want to wear contacts, and have laser eye surgery if they want to have laser eye surgery but it seems unlikely that cycling will be a significant issue in that.

  Fairings are used

Not sure what you mean.

  Having poor vision isn't that dangerous given the high quality cycling infrastructure

There are plenty of people whose vision is bad enough that they can't cycle without corrective lenses, regardless of how good the infrastructure is. For example, I'm sitting about 5m from a row of parked bicycles visible through my office window. If I look over the top of my glasses, I literally can't identify what those blobs are. Even knowing that really they're bikes doesn't help me.

  Glasses tend to have more advanced coatings so they're more rain friendly

I've bought glasses in cities where lots of people cycle and cities where few people do; there was no difference.


Brake lever clamp too loose for handlebars

Normal aluminum cans are basically .1mm thick, so a wrap gives you .2mm. Most of the smaller scale clamp diameter discrepancies, say from a tolerance problem or from a mismatch like a 26.0 aux lever on a 25.4 clamp area, one encounters clamping controls and acessories on to bars can be resolved with aluminum can shims, or stacks of them. Going up to putting a 23.8 aux lever on a 22.2 section with them gets dicier; other kinds of shim stock will work better, but even there putting 8 layers of can on is probably fine. As long as your shim material is metal and as long as the finished product doesn't slip readily, it's probably fine. Fiber grip/carbon prep can lend a lot of solidity to such hacks.

Use scissors and math to prepare the shims. Don't cut yourself.


How do I work out tube and rim strip size

You need to know what caused the flat first (recommended reading here); it may merit replacing the tire itself depending on cause.

The tube will be 700c x a-b where your tire size is between a and b.

The rim strip needs to be matched to the rim width. See this question to measure it. Depending on why the rim tape snapped, you may need to make some adjustments to the wheel itself.

If you take the wheel+tire to your local bike shop, they should be able to sort you out with this very quickly and even install the new tube and rim tape quickly for some nominal fee.


Tightening a quick release wheel and having one spring

The springs simply keep the quick release (QR) skewer centered in the wheel hub, making it easier to insert the hub (and wheel) into the frame dropouts.  It has no safety function other than to facilitate seating the wheel correctly.  If the wheel is not seated correctly in the drops when you tighten the QR then you run the risk of the wheel coming out during a ride. That said, this is true whether or not you still have the QR springs.

When tightening the QR, it should be tight enough that the QR lever leaves a mark in the palm of your hand.

Finally, if you are getting a squeaky metal noise your single QR spring may be on backwards, or as pointed out by Daniel R Hicks' comment, the two springs could have gotten combined together. First check to see that you only indeed only have one spring and that two springs haven't gotten entangled.  When placing the springs back on the QR, the narrow end should point toward the hub, the wide end toward the end of the QR skewer. If the spring was installed backwards the wide end of the spring can get jammed into the frame and hub axle, potentially making a squeaking noise when tightening the QR.


Is there any replacement for the chainrings of a Shimano STX crankset?

Just look for any chainrings that have the same bolt circle diameter, the same number of bolts, and are designed for the same number of gears that you currently have and you'll be fine.

Although you may find that it's cheaper to simply replace the whole crankset than to buy individual chainrings.


Derailleur hanger compatibility / fender angle

It looks like a tricky problem.  When I am faced with such problems I try to exhaust options before altering original parts..

With that in mind, I would look for a button head (rounded top) screw to replace the hex-head that hold on the derailleur hanger to see if the lower profile of the button head gives you the needed room to mount the fender in its designed configuration.

If that does not do the trick I would weigh my options between the fender angles you mention (hard to comment on effectiveness not seeing pictures) and perhaps countersinking the derailleur hanger so a flat head screw can be used to buy you the clearance you need.

Final thoughts... the derailleur hanger hex head looks pretty beefy.  I have seen them attached with a couple 2M screws which are quite small.  Changing the screw to button or flat head will result in using a smaller hex wrench for tightening.  If getting the required torque to tighten it securely is a concern you may want to consider using some medium strength lock-tite as a measure against potential loosening due to vibration.


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

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

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

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

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


I've decided on Bar End Shifters for my Vintage tour bike rebuild. I think I've got it down to these. Any reason to choose one or other?

If you're friction shifting go with the Dia Compe. They have a ratcheting mechanism in them originally developed by SunTour to counteract the spring in the derailleur. This gives them a very even feel in both directions - you apply as much pressure to upshift as to downshift. They also look better on older bikes. The Shimano shifters OTOH rely purely on friction when in friction mode. This means shifting into lower gears takes more effort than shifting into higher gears. Of course the advantage of the Shimano shifters is that they also have indexed mode though you need an 8 speed cassette.


What does a flashing yellow arrow traffic signal mean?

Flashing yellow arrows have been introduced in the US recently to help ease congestion at intersections. This signal should be treated similar to a yield sign or a turn lane not controlled by its own traffic signal. If there is no oncoming traffic, you may make a left turn if it is safe to do so, but you must yield to any oncoming traffic and to any pedestrians in the crosswalk you would cross when turning.

Although laws vary regionally with regards to how bicycles are treated in traffic, in most cases a cyclist would handle this situation the same as any other vehicle. If there is no oncoming, you can make a left turn, but be wary of traffic coming the other way. It may be safer to wait if you don't have a full view of oncoming lanes (i.e. if there is a blind corner or low visibility), since it will take you longer to clear the intersection than a motorized vehicle, and drivers coming the other way will not be expecting a bicycle in the intersection during their green light cycle.

This animation from the Alaska DOT shows how the flashing yellow arrow sequence works:


Would these upgrades give me a better bike than I could buy with my budget plus the sale of my current bike?

$1K USD new would get you in the range of 9 speed Sora with a low to mid-range aluminum frame, so it wouldn’t be too bad of an option either. In the used market, you could likely get 105 11 speed mechanical on a mid-high end aluminum frame.
Those Campagnolo wheels appear to come with the campy freehub body, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of a conversion to HG for Shimano cassette compatibility.
If you’re happy with the 8 speed setup, go for it. If you want to go to Tiagra, then just buy a new or used bike with the additional budget. Having a shop install an entire groupset will get expensive quick. Speaking of which, how much of this work would you be willing/capable of doing yourself? Your own time and/or LBS expenses need to be factored in too.


Magura HS33 brake pads strongly pressed against rim, despite adjusting screw fully open. Too thick? Wrongly installed?

On the brake cylinder, the brake shoe holders are pushed too far toward the rim.  To pull them out:

Unscrew the adapter screws (marked in red in the image);
Pull the brake shoe holders away from the rim;
Rescrew the adapter screws.

Repeat for the other side (the other side is quick release, so only has one adapter screw).  Magura recommends that there should be 1–1.5 mm space between the front of the brake pad and the edge of the rim.


You should look at using mountain style Shimano SPD compatible shoes.  In general, mountain shoes have a little more room and give and there are a lot of brands that are SPD compatible.

Keen has a line of cycling shoes and sandals that you can find at larger outdoor retailers like REI or many places online.  I mention REI specifically because in the past I have ordered two sizes of clothing and footwear online and returned the one that didn't fit with no hassle.

My experience with Keen footwear is that the run a little wide all over and are especially wide in the toe box.


Can a Sora 9 speed rear derailleur short cage support a 12-36 cassette single chain ring 56T?

I've done this. You need to fit a small nut on the end of the longer B screw because the change in angle means the screw misses the frame. the nut essentially widens the screw.


What do I need to know about this rubber stopper?

On your particular shock, it is as you guessed just a cover to keep out dirt. Replacement parts for these shocks are generally not available. I would suggest a visit to a local hardware store and find a generic rubber /plastic plug that will fit in the hole.


Chainring wear and noises on fixed/singlespeed drivetrains can be a little nebulous and I think by experimenting with switching back to the old chain you've probably diagnosed the issue as well as possible. I wouldn't expect that ring or cog to be exactly worn out either, but if you look at it you can see the contact side of the teeth is worn down visually from the back side.

If your chainline isn't great that could conceivably create a situation where noise is exacerbated, but if the old one isn't doing it then I doubt it's much of a factor.

Given the choice, I tend to put 1/8" singlespeed chains on every kind of singlespeed drivetrain because I think they add a little bit of smoothness and tend to run quieter and last longer, all else equal. There's no issue with putting them on 3/32" parts like yours. But if wear is causing this then it likely wouldn't make a big difference.

If wear is causing the noise, it will subside when the wear state of the chain catches up to the rest of the parts. Personally I hate playing that game and would rather enjoy a quiet bike.


Do I Install Tape or Valve First on a Tubeless Rim

Having looked a bit closer, I see these are tubeless specific road wheels. These shouldn't need a rim tape at all.

Just, make sure no rim tape ist mounted, stick the valve in, screw it on and mount your tires.

PS. This has complete instructions on page 10.
http://www.dtswiss.com/Resources/Support/WHEELS/WHEELS-User-Manual.pdf


Turn anti-clockwise as seen from above and use more force. You should be able to get them off by hand.

If you do destroy the caps, go to a bike store and buy replacements. Ask for 'Schrader' type caps.

Can we assume you are borrowing a bike and need to inflate the tire? The statement 'the bike isn't mine and the owner doesn't know' is slightly troubling. If you have trouble with a borrowed bike take it back to the owner. (deleted as based on misunderstanding.)

Brand and model of bike does not matter, tube valves are either 'Schrader' (same as on car tires) or narrower 'Presta' types.


In the winter when the garden hose is disconnected I use a watering can filled with warm water to wash the dirt/salt off the bike before taking it in. I use mild detergent soap to speed up the removal of oil and grease then pour the warm water from the can to remove the soap.


What can be done to seat post too long/saddle too high?

I think what you are saying is that you need to drop the seat post all the way down into the frame, so the saddle is as close to the frame as possible. You need a seat post to connect the saddle and frame. You can't attach the saddle directly to the frame.

If the post cannot be slid all the way into the frame due to an obstruction it can be cut down to shorten it. As long as the minumum length is inserted into the frame you will be structurally safe. You can buy a shorter post of course.

However, if you need to drop the saddle all the way to the frame the bike is likely too large for you and possibly dangerous, as you will have no standover clearance.


Compatibility of predictive steering hub with boost 110 fork

According to SRAM's website, the Predictive steering hubs use a "dedicated interface for the RS-1 fork".

The hub/dropout interface is toothed, to lock the dropout and hub into place and prevent twisting.

Boost 110:

Predictive Steering hub:

In addition, the Maxle Ultimate which is designed for the RS-1 and is required on the hubs, is only available for the RS-1 and some recent model year Pike forks.

It is unlikely that the predictive steering hub is compatible with the standard Boost 110 spec.


Can a Shimano Alfine 8 speed be reduced to 120mm hub spacing?

No, with either the 8 or 11 speed Alfine hub, there is no possibility of using it on a 120mm frame. The hub shell itself is about 120mm wide, without the cable carriers for shifting, or any spacers at all.

If, as it appears from your 120mm reference, you are considering a fixed gear frame with that spacing, then you should reconsider. 120mm spaced dropouts are typical on  track specific frames, or track frames from very traditional builders.

Frames like these will also have geometries which are not suited to use on the road, and I assume you don't want the bike for the velodrome, since you want gears.

There are plenty of fixie frames with 130m or or 135mm dropouts. If it is 130mm and steel, you will have no trouble adjusting the frame to fit a 135. Otherwise, you should use a 135mm spaced frame, which likely means a hybrid or mountain bike single speed frame, or a frame with a concentric bottom bracket.


should the chain be uniformly tight on a fixie?

A little bit of variation is normal, yes. If the chain is so loose at the loose point that the chain falls off I'd call that a manufacturing or assembly defect and take the bike back to where you bought it and get them to fix it.

In more detail the issue is exactly centering the chainring on the bottom bracket/crank, where normally the chainring is not perfectly round or perfectly centred. You can often tweak this a little by slightly loosening the chainring bolts and using the tiny amount of play between the chainring and spider to get a slightly better fit. Loosen the bolts, rotate the crank to the tightest point, pull on the chain to shift the chainring, repeat. You'll almost certainly not be able to entirely fix the problem, but you will probably be able to reduce it.


Terminology: coaster brakes vs free wheel?

It doesn't make much sense to insist on one thing being the opposite of another, so let's just focus on what these things are, and you can decide for yourself what, if anything, is "opposite" of what.

A fixed-gear bicycle is one in which the rear sprocket is mounted rigidly to the rear wheel, so they can only rotate at the same speed as each other.
A freewheel is a mechanism that allows the rear sprocket (or sprockets) to freely rotate more slowly (fewer revolutions per minute) than the wheel, including rotating backwards while the rear wheel is stationary or moving forwards.
A coaster brake is a mechanism where pedalling backwards engages a brake within the hub.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Freewheel has nothing to do with pedaling backwards." The freewheel is precisely the mechanism that allows you to pedal backwards without either driving the bike backwards (as would happen on a fixed-gear bike) or braking (as would happen with a coaster brake).


Wheel Building - Should key spoke be inside or outside flange?

For the pulling spokes, the knee should be at the outside of the hub flange (i.e. spoke heads inward).

If you look at the wear marks of a used hub (picture below ; pulling direction clockwise) you see that the pulling spokes leave a strong impression on the hub flange. Such marks are absent on the inside.
The knee of a spoke is the most vulnerable spot. With the pulling spokes running tangential on the outside of the hub the load on the knee is shifted to the line of contact of the spoke with the hub. Also the dish (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_wheel#Dish) is larger when the pulling spokes run outside, which increases lateral stability.

In building a wheel and making final adjustments in spoke tension, you often have to add or reduce a small amout of tension on each spoke. It is difficult to avoid a torsional wind-up because the nipple doesn't rotate freely. There are many craft practises to reduce and release this wind-up, but often they leave some residual tension. If the pulling spokes are running inside the hub, the wind-up tension is mostly concentrated on the knee of the spoke. If the pulling spoke is outside the hub, the wind-up tension is more distributed between the nipple and the hub.

For disc-brake wheels, the spokes on the disc side running forward share most of the braking force. So they also should be mounted with the spoke heads inward.


Tufo makes tubular clinchers.  Clement made something similar in the eighties, called the Ritmo, I believe.  I don't think Continental does, I'm pretty sure they're just regular clincher tires.

You can ride tubular tires on clincher rims in an emergency, but they'll roll off the wheel if you're not very careful in the corners.


References: Bikehub - Cycling and the Law, Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994, Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

A velomobile or recumbent bike is covered by the same law as regular bicycles:

  "pedal cycle" means a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle of such class as is to be treated as not being a motor vehicle

So it's legal to use to ride one on the road in the UK.

Cycle paths are a bit more complicated as some legislation refers to "bicycles" and some to "pedal cycles", so it would depend on how many wheels you've got and what type of cycle path / cycle lane / cycle track you wanted to use.

If you want to use a velomobile or recumbent bike on the road between sunset and sunrise then you may have problems. To be legal you'd need 2 pedal reflectors on each pedal and these have to be clearly visible from the front and rear. The design of most velomobiles and recumbent bikes do not meet this requirement. This law is rarely (if ever) enforced, I think your main worry on this point is if you were involved in an accident then the other party might try to use your lack of reflectors to show negligence.

Note - If your velomobile or recumbent bike is electrically powered then there are additional regulations that must be complied with, but I think that's beyond the scope of the question.


I generally commute along four-lane 30 mph [50 km/h] main streets. Is this wise?

You need to exercise judgment based on your circumstances.

I generally agree with the advice to ride on arterial roads rather than side streets. But in my own town, there are some arterials I'll gladly ride on, and some I won't go near. There are many side streets that would be slow, with constant stopping, and a couple that are practically bike highways.

So: is it "wise" to ride on main streets? That depends on whether you're trying to get somewhere quickly or want to take it easy. On how fast and aggressive traffic is on the road. On how wide the lanes are.

If you're asking whether it's "safe," that's another question. Bike riders tend to be overwhelmingly concerned about "overtaking collisions," where the car runs over you as it passes you. These are obviously scary. They make up a low proportion of all bike v car collisions, although they do make up the plurality of all bike v car fatalities (although less than 2% of bike v car collisions result in a rider fatality). Most bike v car collisions occur at intersections. If an arterial has fewer intersections along the way, and those intersections are better controlled, it seems that the arterial should be a safer place to ride.


Unless you have a lathe the tolerances are going to be too high for you to be able to to do an acceptable job here.  Plus, I believe that the cone is surface hardened, after you grind through that the underlying material will be too soft.  If you visit your local bike shop they should be able to match it up.


Can big drop-offs and rocky descents be handled by 29er with 120mm

A 120mm 29er with Trail geometry would allow riding down large drops and rock descents and the shorter travel will also allow for sharper turning radius than a longer travel bike.

There are a number of 120mm 29" bikes have been designed in the last few years to have a trail orientated geometry that is more progressive than that of 29" XC bikes (such as the Whyte T129 and the Specialized Camber EVO). They are designed for similar riding that you'd expect on 140mm/150mm 26". 29ers do not need as much travel as the wheels allow for a lot more compliance over rocks and roots. The ride won't be twitchy like an XC bike but it will be closer to the feel of a hard tail than an all mountain bike.

29" wheels may suffer more with more aggressive riding but this has to be balanced with the other advantages of wagon wheels. If stock wheels need replacing you can get a sturdier set to suit your riding.

I wouldn't recommend a 29" if you were expecting to do any big jumps.


Cons of using an infrequent use long range e-bike battery trailer using SLAs

Lead acid batteries are heavy. Too much extra mass, even in a trailer could to put strain on the motor and brakes. You'd have to figure out what the mass of  batteries you would need, and see if it would exceed the bike's maximum load specification.

Also, is it possible to run an eBike from an external DC power source?


I think 30 hours is probably conservative, it's too often and won't add much additional value. That would be about right for an air sprung fork with an oil damper, possibly even a coil with an oil damper, both in dusty conditions.

Fork service interval for each fork is dependent on the fork, the type of riding you're doing and cleaning you do after each ride. Servicing is done to ensure optimal performance, prevent accelerated wear and prevent failure. Generally servicing of forks includes a replacement of oil and seals, a thorough clean (to remove grit) and a lubrication.

Suntour coil forks use a sealed unit for damping and the coil spring. This means there is actually very little servicing the can and should be done. Apart from the dust seals I don't think there are any seals inside the fork to replace, so pulling it apart would only be to clean out any grit that had got past the dust wipers/seals. Servicing would be pretty simple once the fork was apart clean the dust seals, degrease anything that had dirt contamination, re-grease and check the elastomers to make sure they aren't deteriorating.

In terms of removing the fork, if you have a repair stand you could remove the brake caliper and drop the lowers off. I imagine you have the XCR RLO and the remote is why you need to remove the grips, apart from lock on grips or split clamps there's no easy way sorry. I've always found grips give out pretty quick anyway and start sliding around so now stick only to lock ins.


What should I look for in a torque wrench?

You want to make sure that it will serve the range of torques that you will realistically be using.  Most bicycle tasks will require quite a low torque (e.g. 8 Nm) but occasionally (crank bolts, pinch bolts) you'll need much higher torques (e.g. 50NM).
I have 2 torque wrenches, a 'sensitive' one which ranges from about 5NM to 20NM (in fine graduations) and a medium duty one that ranges from about 20NM to 100NM (in broader and less accurate graduations).

It's handy to have measurements in NM and lbFt, but I'm sure every torque wrench on the market will display both values.

Most torque wrenches accept square drive sockets but the really swish ones also have adapters that let you use open wrench heads. This is great for places, such as the pedal axle, where you couldn't use a socket (Beta do such ones).

If you already own a lot of square drive sockets, then you may want to get a torque wrench that accepts the same size.

Tip: ALWAYS unwind your wrench after using it. Storing it 'torqued up' will affect it's calibration.


What is the difference between Shimano TZ50 and Shimano RD-FT55-SS

A quick compare of both linked websites shows that the TZ50 is rated for a total capacity of 34 whereas the FT55 is only listed as capacity of 17.

Both are rated for a biggest big of 28 teeth, which is also their smallest big cog supported.  IE its 28 tooth only.

The FT55 has a small of 11-14 and the TZ50 has a small of 14 only.

That means the FT55 is really only intended for a 1x setup, because 28-11 is 17 which is its maximum capacity.

The TZ50 is rated to be used on both a single and double chainring.

Additionally, the FT55 has a pulley wheel in the rear to reduce the amount of outer cable required.  Your inner cable could be shorter and have less loop to catch on things.  All up, I suspect the FT55 is intended for folding bikes with a 1x 14-28 freewheel.

These are $10 / £10 / €10 parts.  Realistically, noone cares about weight or colour or anything at this end of the parts spectrum.  Even the orange jockey wheel is pretty irrelevant.

And remember Shimano's specs are very cautious.  I personally have used a TX-50 6 speed derailleur very similar to this, and it now runs an 8 speed cassette with a triple on front and the cassette ranges from 11 to 32 tooth, and works well enough.  30 tooth would have been less clattery, and I suspect 34 tooth wouldn't work at all.


Since seat tube angle has little effect on max power output, why not adjust the reach with saddle setback?

Bike fitting isn't just about maximising peak power output. In fact it's rarely even the priority. The study that you've linked only touches on absolute max power without looking at any other factors which may actually be more important for most cyclists. This study is only really relevant to track sprinters who have to do a max power effort, almost as soon as the race starts.

The most important thing for most riders is comfort. For recreational riders, this is because they enjoy riding more when comfortable. For racers, this is also important, because it becomes very difficult to race for hours on end if your bike fit is uncomfortable.

The study doesn't look into the effect of saddle position over the course of a longer effort. You might find that while the difference is only 1% in a max effort, it could be far more important when looking at the power that can be produced for hours on end.

Bear in mind that elite track sprinters will spend very little time on their bikes at all. They always set it up for their very short race efforts, because it doesn't matter to them how they feel on their bike after 20 km of riding, because they don't need to do that. Be wary of applying the findings of this study to cycling in general, because track sprint is a very specific discipline with very different requirements which don't apply to the rest of cycling.


Is it possible to put a chain on without removing the rear wheel?

It depends on the style of master link and how much chain tension is in your setup.  An SRAM power link needs about 1-2mm of chain slack to unhook the link.  If you can find this amount of slack, it should work with most types of master link.  If your chain doesn't have 2mm of play, but isn't too tight, a master link that snaps off the side (like the first one pictured in the terminology index) should work.

The tighter your chain, the harder this is going to be to snap back together.  Depends if you would prefer fiddling with a master link on a tight chain versus the re-aligning the rear hub.


Can I convert hybrid to mountain bike. Tyres and tubes?

There's a bunch of weird standards for naming the size of tires and rims, and there's an actual ISO standard.

The best thing to do is ignore the big letter printed names that have inconsistent conventions, and look for the ISO standard stuff, like "42-622".

The ISO standard size of your tires and rims is 622.  (18mm wide rim and 42mm wide tire)

ISO 622 is the same as "700c" (common road size) and 29er (new larger mountain tire).

In other words: yes, a 29" tire should work fine, as long as it's not too wide.

Try to stick with something close to the same width and they'll work fine with your existing rims. Mountain (off-road) tires with their knobs can require more clearance at the same size.

As long as you keep to about the same size tire, your existing tubes should be fine.


I have exactly the same type of mount and the same type of GPS with it, and after a few years of use the contact interface has become worn out, just as you describe.
The problem was exacerbated by the fact that it was both the mount guides and the GPS unit's backplate grooves that got widened, so replacing just the mount part would not be very effective.
What I did was to use molding plastic that hardens over 24 hours. There are brands such as Sugru, Kintsu glue etc. that sell it.
Spread a very tiny amount of the substance along the rails of the mount, as well as inside the grooves of the device's backplate.
When hardened, the resulting silicon creates quite extra friction when sliding the device onto the mount. This makes the rattling go away, and secures the device.
Additionally I put some of the stuff onto the "tooth" that latches into the backplate (left side of your picture) and also the square "hole" in the middle of the mount so that it will take up some slack created by the wearing process.
The restoration has worked for me so far. I do not expect it to last forever however, but the procedure can be repeated later when the surfaces are worn again.
Even before I've encountered the problem with the worn-out mount plate, I've always used a piece of a thin cord to tie the GPS device to the handlebars. When I crash, zip ties that hold the mounting plate can snap if something strikes the handlebars (it did happen several times). The GPS can then fly away into an unknown direction if not for the cord.
The same cord is used to bear the GPS on the neck when I am off the bike (I once lost my GPS in the water when crossing/swimming across a wide smelly ditch in the middle of the night. I won't ever dare to hold a GPS device not secured by a cord).


There are some decent websites where people talk about building composite bikes, and even a couple of answers here. But those are mostly either very simple complete bikes, or aimed at people who know a reasonable amount about framebuilding. The book you found is about steel forks, and has only one chapter that seems relevant to what you're doing, and that chapter is marked "optional" in the ToC.

That design stage is critical though. Bicycles are surprisingly hard to analyse using modelling tools, and the front fork is far from the easiest part of the bike to work on. It's also a part where failures are very likely to result in injury. Those two factors mean that it's not a great part to start experimenting on, especially "start toying with framebuilding".

These days with cheap sensors and high-rate portable data collection units it's not impossible to get at least an approximation of the major forces on a diamond frame bike (because you only need 30 or so channels - 8-10 tubes for the frame, maybe  four for the fork, with tension and torque for each), but you're only getting an approximation. I don't know of public data like this, unfortunately.

Your design is also relatively unusual as far as carbon forks go, it's more an MTB fork with carbon blades. That doesn't mean it can't work, just that no-one else makes one and there may be a reason why (bast case it might be unprofitable, worst case it has bad failure modes). If you're just going to combine OTS tubes with machined lugs it should be simple enough to build one and see, though. That will also avoid most of the mess and complexity of working with composites, and that's good.

In your position I would be very tempted to make another part first and test that to destruction. That way you get to run through the process and get an idea of your abilities and limits, and you get a part to test. Seatstays, for example. When they fail you tend to end up sitting on the ground, rather than using your face as a digging implement. If you threw together an inverted 4 frame with single bar seat/chain stays you'd have a part similar to a front fork, but with safer failure modes.


It depends. For most gravel bikes it will be an easy, yet expensive, swap. A couple of gravel bikes frames are built in a way that makes shipping a front derailleur as good as impossible. There may not be enough room for the chain stays to clear a second chain ring. What is more, some frames lack mounting positions and the shape or material of the seat tube does not allow clamping. A minor obstacle might be cable routing.
Many gravel bikes come in 1x and 2x configurations. Only the group is different while the frame is identical. Migrating on these bikes from 1x to 2x is easy to do.
The costs involved are substantial though. You will need to replace crank-set, brifters, rear derailleur, chain, bar tape.
Unless you use SRAM's wireless group you also need to rout a cable. As before, gravel bikes that come in a 2x configuration make this easy. Bear in mind though, for internal cable routing you might have to remove the bottom bracket. Cable routing can be substantial and frustrating work, and may be expensive in a shop.
With so many components to replace, a good way to estimate component costs is to look at the price of a group set. It is typically at about 1/3 to 1/2 of the complete bike's price. Together with small parts and finishing kit you can expect the cost of modification to exceed the value of the bike after a year of riding.


Don't have a belt drive myself, but a guess would be:
Running appropriately snug (I assume they crafted the app for a reason) would make sure that the stresses and load on the belt is distributed appropriately. Consistent tension on the belt has to be better than a looser belt undergoing stress fluctuations as portions of the belt change from a loaded state (on/between the rear hub and the front crank) to an unloaded state. I expect that higher stress fluctuations on a looser belt would create additional 'belt fatigue' and reduce the belt life.


Experience with surfboard bike rack (or cart)

I agree with Daniel R Hicks- go for a "Bob" trailer style- especially given the distances you're indicating you want to travel.  On the coast, there's always a breeze- and a surfboard turned broadside to the wind will turn your bike into a sail-a-bike and your 150km into what feels like 150,000km.

I'd hit some pawn shops or yard sales and look for one of those aluminum kid-trailers that clips to your rear frame.  You can disassemble the kid-carrying part and have a nice, low frame to strap not only your surfboard but other items you'll need for a trip that long as well.  The extra length of a trailer may not seem ideal to you at first, but I think after your first windy day to the beach, you'll appreciate the low-profile nature.

Here's the type of trailer I'm talking about: http://compare.ebay.com/like/230660800807?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar


Is a chin strap with a cup safer than an under-chin strap?

Helmet strap will strangle kids, there are cases of children in play grounds not being able to get out.
I would add the magnetic buckle as the solution to these problems. e.g.
https://www.fidlock.com/en/helmet-buckles


(I've never owned a cannondale bike) judging from the parts :

a triple crankset
bar end shifters
cantilever brakes
the rims seem wider than typical road bike rims.
a long cage dérailleur to accommodate big cassette (Not sure since the pic isn't the drive side)

It's likely a touring bike, so it's probably a modified Cannondale SR300, or Touring 1


Can I flip my worn chain to extend it's life?

I would say that this won't have any effect.

Flipping the chainring on a single speed makes sense as you use the other side of the teeth on the chainring which have not been used before. But with the chain it's a different story: The stretch is independent of directions so reversing its direction won't change anything. Also on the small "rolls" in the chain links on which the chain lies on the chainring I wouldn't expect any effect as they aren't fixed in the links but can rotate and therefore should wear out equally all around their circumference.


If you're talking about the crack running from the opening down into the fillet, that doesn't appear to be likely to seriously affect integrity (though I'm sure there are some here who will disagree).  The lug in that area is reenforced by the steering tube, so there's very little stress at that point.  (In fact the crack may have been there since manufacture -- it looks like a touch of braze was placed over the crack at some point.)

But you do need to be concerned that the crack might propagate over time and turn sideways in the fillet area.  That would threaten integrity.  So you should check the crack regularly to be sure it's not getting worse.

But before integrity is threatened the crack would have to get significantly worse.  Even then, failure would be unlikely to be catastrophic -- unless you're totally out of it you'd notice the joint flexing before it went entirely, and a bike can remain rideable (though I don't recommend it) even with the downtube entirely separated.


How do you measure return on investment (ROI) for an electric bike?

It's only so expensive because you are going for the most expensive bicycle option on the market.  One could easily buy an $800 bicycle and spend $1000 on retrofitting a motor and battery and end up spending a lot less on the bike, or you could just ride the $800 bicycle without the motor, and save even more money.  You're spending as much on the bike as it cost you to buy a car, plus you are using Uber when not on the bike.  Most bicycle commuters will use public transit (bus or subway) when the weather doesn't permit riding. You aren't going to save much money when you spend $3500 on a bike and related accessories.


How can I avoid getting chain grease on my trouser leg

Leg straps or clips (especially on the chain side) are the way to go.  Not only does this keep the pant leg clean, but it prevents the cuff from chafing or hanging up on something.

You can improvise with a large rubber band, but the Velcro straps are readily available and very easy to get on/off.  When not in use they can be wrapped around your seat post or some such.

(And if the straps -- you can use two per leg for really baggy pants -- don't do it you can buy "gaiters" that cover the entire ankle and lower shin.)


General consensus is that a 'clutched' rear derailleur is also a key component to a good/successful 1x setup. These derailleurs provide a tighter 'pull' on the chain and help keep it from hopping off the chainring on rough terrain.

For cassette/freehub compatibility, read the discussion that occurred here:
https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/28908/30533 ...

  Shimano/SRAM 11 speed cassettes are wider than 8/9/10 speed ones. So yes, you need a new, wider freehub body, unless your old one was not very old and used a spacer to fit a 10-speed cassette.


shimano CS-5600 compatible rear hub and freehub body

Assuming that you have a rim-braked road-bike, any rear hub that is Shimano 10/11 speed compatible will take your cassette and all other 10-speed Shimano road cassettes.

Just be aware that you need a 1.85mm spacer that goes on a freehub 11-speed body before you put on the cassette. Without the spacer the 10s cassette will move sideways.


After the discussion in the comments, I suspect that the rim is deformed.

This can happen if you hit a pothole or kerb too hard, especially if the tires are not pumped up hard.

If the rim is deformed then you may be able to see patches where the brakes have worn the rim more. It's the brakes grabbing on these that create the feedback you are feeling.

There is not much to be done about it. Some people try to straighten them using a wooden mallet, but the success rate is low. Often the wheel is worse rather than better.

To avoid this kind of damage in future try to get your weight off the wheel as it hits the bump, by getting out of the saddle and moving back as the front wheel hits, then moving forward before the back wheel hits.


In general, switching to a slightly less wide tire should not cause any problems, unless the tires are much too narrow for the rims. Sheldon Brown's Tire Sizing page (under Width Considerations), suggests that if the tires are much too narrow, this can cause pinch flats and rim damage. If you're just going down a few sizes, you should be fine.

Switching to 26" wheels is impractical. The brakes wouldn't line up with the rims, and I don't know how you could fix this. Maybe someone else will have a suggestion, but my hunch is that if it's even possible at all, switching to smaller wheels could easily cost more than the bike is worth, especially for a bike in this price range (about $150?). Do you have any particular reason that you would want smaller diameter wheels?

Finally, 29" tires are the same diameter as 700c (also mentioned on the Tire Sizing page). However, make sure not to use tires that are really narrow relative to the rims.


The HP Velotechnik Scorpion is available with three front chain rings, three-gear internal hub, 8-speed rear derailleur setup. This has the additional advantage that you can shift while stopped, e.g. after emergency stops or similar.

I found it rather tedious to keep the overview over which gear I'm currently in. My Velomobiel Quest has triple front, 9-speed rear derailleur and that covers enough ground for me. Walking pace is not a problem and I spin out at about 70km/h, which is already pretty hard to keep up, even with race fairing.

Depending on where you live, riding 70km/h is already pretty dangerous taking into account that trikes cannot brake too well because the rear wheel will lift off pretty quickly.


Bikes break because they've been either mistreated or not cared for.  Riding a bike down stairs should be okay provided you don't fall off or catch anything.... that's what a MTB is built for.

Proper care and maintenance keeps everything working, so lubrication and washing off mud/silt etc will keep the bike functioning.  Storing your bike inside out of the weather is the single best thing you can do to preserve it and extend its life.

If your question was about a road bike or a hybrid/commuter, I'd say stairs would be outside the normal usage for such a frame.

Finally, every bike needs to change gear while going uphill.  The only trick is timing, to get the chain to move cogs/chainrings while at the top of the stroke where the pressure is less.  If you're changing gear with the pedal cranks horizontal then that's sub-optimal and bad for the transmission.

This question is likely to generate various opinions.


Generally speaking, a frame/wheel hub that is fitted with a 8/9/10 speed cassette can take any of 8/9/10 speed because they're all the same width, just pack an extra cog or two in by thinning down the chain and inter-cog spacing.
11 may be possible but it depends on how the cassette can overhang inboard of the freehub without grinding.  12/13/14 speed is right out, unless you're buying a new bike.
The reason for staying with 9 is that you don't need to change the shifter and possibly rear derailleur.  The cost of these parts adds up, so going to 10 speed gives you only one more cog but costs a lot more.   Minimal change from maximal expense.

You're right the chain absolutely needs changing.  The chainrings may be adequate as-is, but its wear-dependent.  Also check your derailleur's jockey wheels - there its sideways slop more than tooth wear.

Mostly all 9 speed stuff is interchangeable. At 10 speed the standards start diverging, with differences in MTB/road, and tiagra doing its own weird mixed up standard.
Personally I'd replace with a 9 speed chain and cassette, check for wear in jockey wheels and chainset, and then keep riding.     Shout yourself some new bartape too, and the bike will feel awesome.


Thanks for all the help! I had a friend take a look at it in person. Turn out the cable housing between the frame and the derailleur was too short. The derailleur was cocking back until it caught the cable housing, then working as normal. After a replacement with longer housing, the bike is now working perfectly.

Thanks again to all who helped!


Shimano GRX Left 2X lever with dropper post

No, but provided you are running a 1x setup, you can use the Shimano GRX ST-RX810-LA left hand lever, which is specifically designed to control a dropper post


If you keep a bike inside for months in a row, do you have to check it?

I'm gonna sorta disagree with Zen on this one.  If you're talking months vs years, and the bike was stored inside in a location where condensation would not have occurred (eg, not in a cold corner of a basement in a humid climate), and the bike was in good condition when stored, then all you need to do is air up the tires and wipe the dust off.

The tires and brake pads won't rot overnight, the lube won't leap off the chain.  Properly lubed bearings won't corrode.  Disk brake rotors (and caliper brake rims) may develop a slight coating of oxidation, but that will be worn off in the first ten miles.

If it's been stored for several years, however, you may want to squirt a little oil on the chain and give it an extra wipe, both to get the dust off and because oil does slowly evaporate.  And check the tires and brake pads for rot.

Once or twice a year a bike should get its cables lubed, and the chain should be cleaned and reoiled every 200 miles or so (or at least once a year).  This is unrelated to how long it's been stored, but a good time to do this is when you take the bike out of winter storage (though a better time is before you put it into winter storage).


Which are bicycle-politicized groups or advocate groups?

I don't know of any truly worldwide organizations of that type, and doubt any are out there. I believe you'll have an easier time finding a local organization. I believe a local organization is also going to be more effective at achieving the goals you mention.

Bicycle advocacy of getting better infrastructure (roads, paths, lanes, etc) will have to be focused on the government agencies responsible for constructing and maintaining that infrastructure. Laws about bicycles are an important aspect, too. Cities, counties, states, provinces and countries are responsible for roads and laws, not international/worldwide organizations.

For example, I live in California, in a city about 50 miles from San Francisco. There's a local county-wide organization (bicycle coalition) that works with the county-wide government and the governments of many of the cities inside the county. That county bicycle coalition is affiliated with an organization that covers the whole San Francisco bay area and deals primarily with programs that cover that whole area. Then there is a California-wide coalition. And there are several US-wide national organizations, with one (the League of American Bicyclists) that they all seem to work with somewhat.

There are also organizations that advocate for non-automobile ("alternative") transportation, for pedestrians, for public transportation, for less fossil-fuel usage, etc. Some of those are focused specifically on their particular issue, but many include some amount of bicycle advocacy, too.

League of American Bicyclists (nation-wide US organization) has list of international and US nationwide organizations on their website.
Ask at your LBS like @ChrisW says above. The bike shop is likely to be a member of at least one advocacy organization, since better bicycle infrastructure will help them sell more bikes.
Find out about local public meetings related to planning for cycling infrastructure, show up and look for other bicyclists there (does your city have a council/board that meets regularly and publicly that you can find out the agenda for and check when there's transportation issues on the agenda? Maybe a committee or board or something that plans the city's transportation?).
Get some other dedicated bicycle-people together, start your own, and figure out who in your local government to talk to in order to improve the bicycle infrastructure in your own area.