Revised to make a more standalone answer, rather than rely on the context given by @FalseIdentity's question, and to incorporate some of the commentary.

As with all testing, we want to find problems, so we need to do things what will discover them. But we are also the test pilot, so we have to maintain safety.

Essentially, we need to test every aspect of the bike. Even though a bicycle is quite a simple machine, the list of what and how to test is fairly long.

The first thing to do, as mentioned in the question, is to systematically check that every part seems to be properly assembled and works, while the bike is on the work-stand or still in the workshop. So, as mentioned below, check the head assembly, the front and read brakes, the front and rear gears, the bottom bracket, the wheels. At this stage we are checking that every item is properly assembled and seems to work correctly. As @Criggie says, look at and wiggle everything. I find I need to explicitly carry out this step. Many is the time I've assembled a bike and discovered something later, because I had an interruption at some point.

The next stage is test the bike by riding it. We need to maintain safety, so the first thing is to test basic brake operation. And of course we want to test basic gear operations. We'll be riding back and forth in safe environment, and so we'll be implicitly testing the steering (head set) at this stage.

The first two things to test can be done together, then move on to the others

Start in a low gear, and test the brakes at low speed.
Test the gear changes to a higher hear, go a bit faster and brake harder. Listen, watch, and feel for anything unusual.
As you gain confidence that the brakes are working, build up to testing them with a full emergency stop. You don't need to be going fast, just brake hard. Be sure to test both brakes. Make sure the levers have full travel and don't touch the bars.
Now that you know the brakes work, test all the gears, changing up and down. First without any pedaling force, then under "normal" pedaling pressure. Stop the test if they are not perfect and go back to adjust them. Also see how they feel.
The next test is multi gear changes. Does it change through 2 or more steps at a time. This test depends on the level of gruppo you have. Cheapies have less ability in this area.
If all is well keep testing under more force until you're out of the saddle and changing to higher gears with the rear derailleur. A high end gruppo should do this flawlessly. The rider risk is dropping the chain; this can be painful so take care. A good derailleur should also cope with changing down under such high pressure but this tends to be needed less.
The big gear test is to change both at once. Again this is only for a high end gruppo. Use low pedaling pressure and drop from the big ring to the next smaller at the same time as you change up at the back. Don't do this out of the saddle or with much pedal pressure.
All through these tests you must have been riding someplace safe one way and turning back. Watch for stiff or loose steering.
Check the saddle height. Does it feel right? Be careful in your enthusiasm that you don't set it too high.
Notice how the pedals feel. If they feel loose, lumpy, or grinding then go back immediately to find and cure the problem.
Test the suspension. First with just your own weight, then with small bumps such as kerbs, then with bigger bumps and jumps. Does it feel right? Does it damp properly? Does it recover properly?
If lights or computer are fitted then test them. Computer sensors can be fiddly to get right.
Test the bell :-)


The typical thing to do here would be pull the cranks and measure the spindle length with a caliper. You don't need to pull the BB itself, all you care about is the spindle length. (On older bikes you'd also care about whether it was symmetrical or not, but yours will be).

There are some tricks you can play if that is not an option.

If the spindle is hollow, you can remove the crank bolts and poke a wire, spoke, QR, or string all the way through, mark it, pull it out, and know your spindle length that way.

If it's not hollow, you can remove the crank bolts and then use a caliper or pocket ruler to measure the distance between the tip of the spindle and the outside surface of the crank. Then you could use a couple straight-legged chairs or similar pieces of furniture, or some big squares, pushed up against the surfaces of the crank on either side of the bike to measure the spindle. Sandwich the bike between them, gently lift it up, measure the distance between the two surfaces, subtract the inset distance of the spindle tip, and that's your spindle length.


Replacing a Positron II with a modern gear shift

Positron doesn't have return spring but instead uses single wire for pushing and pulling. That means you have to replace the cable and shift lever, too.

The photo shows that the bike has claw mount derailleur. The best bet is to get a cheap claw mount derailleur and non-indexed shiter.


Picking the appropriate hybrid bike frame size

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

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

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

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


Is it safe to ride on an unevenly bulging tyre?

Short answer, no it is not safe.

This looks like the tire bead is not correctly seated (not clinching the clincher) in which case deflating and reseating will likely fix the issue (check the bead...if it's damaged, the tire is done).

The other, less likely, possibility is a weak area on the tire. This is usually accompanied by a scrape or other damage to the sidewall of the tire...can't really tell in this picture, but I suspect you would have mentioned such.

In either case, riding on this can lead to a blowout. As it's a rear tire, this is not quite the horror it is with a front tire, but it still is not a lot of fun.

Be safe, fix or replace.

Happy Riding.


Damaged pedal threads on crank arms, having a hard time finding a replacement, what do I do?

You might be able to rescue the threads in the current crank with a thread tap.  Running the correct size back through the damaged threads might clean them up enough to work.
Failing that your LBS should be able to give you a price to Helicoil them.  Basically they increase the size of the hole and stick an insert in for the pedals to screw into.


What size innertube for 35mm tires? (or: get innertubes on the big side or small side?)

Either will work.

Use what your prefer.  Smaller will weigh a bit less and be easier to install.  Larger won't have the tube stretched as much, so hypothetically could survive a puncture better.


Can disc brakes be considered safe for road group rides?

I have never ridden in a peloton but I would say they should be not more unsafe than the chain blades that are already on your bike.

While riding, the only parts of your neighbour's bike that you would be able to hit should be the handle bar and maybe their pedals. Everything else is far less outstanding than those two parts and you should collide with your neighbours body before coming even close to say their disc brakes.

So the only real chance to hit someone else's brake rotors might be in case of a crash where you fall on their bike or their bike falls on you. In this case, there are a lot of parts on a bike that could give some bad injuries, for example the chain blades. And you will also hit the ground, so chances are high that you get injured by the fall as well. Adding disc brake rotors (which even are somewhat "shielded" by the wheel itself) might not add significant injury risk in this case. So I would consider them safe in these terms.

Another point that might be worth a thought is their performance. Image the guy in front of a group is the only one to have disc brakes and does an emergency stop. With their bigger brake performance they might decelerate much faster than the ones with the conventional brakes behind them, causing all others to hit him from behind.


Are you using cable disc brakes? If so, is the rear caliper mounts to  the chain stay or the seat stay?  If it is the chain stay, the brake cable will likely dip down then run along the chain stay (see picture).  If the brake caliper doesn't not have a cable boot (most systems except Avid BB7) water can enter and get trapped in the cable housing.  If there is water in the cable housing, when it is freezing out your rear brake will quite literally freeze up.

This won't happen on the front brake because the cable housing is vertical so water will continually drain out.  This is also true for rear cable disc brakes mounted on the chain stay.

Solutions

If you bring your bike inside to thaw, then you can hang the bike rear wheel down to let the water drain from rear brake the housing.  If this doesn't fix the problem (water cohesion may retain some water in the system) you can also try evacuating the water with oil (then the drain the oil out of the housing to reduce the amount of dirt that will be attracted).  Finally, failing all else, you can replace the cable and housing (but riding in the rain will send you right back to where you were when it freezes again).

This is an unfortunate side effect of mounting a brake caliper on the lower (chain) stay and not fully sealing the cable housing. As an aside, mounting on the chain stay makes it easier to mount rear pannier racks, which is a much more difficult task when mounting the caliper on the seat stay.


Front Disc Brake not braking to it's full potential

The disc could be a little smaller, so you need to press your lever further. Normally a hydraulic disc-brake will do a correction on this, but it's worth to re-adjust your brakes.

Most likely, cleaning them will solve the issue. Make sure to clean them correctly. If your pads are greasy, then you might need to replace them.
See: What do I clean disk brakes with?

Also, if they are brand-new, you might need to break them in. See user manual for that as brands specify other methods. (Generally you need to do several hard stops).


Solutions for a slightly loose crown race

I was checking out Sheldon's website again and came across the following line in the article Servicing Bicycle Headsets:

  If the crown race is loose, sometimes you can fix it by using a hammer and centerpunch to create a series of "craters" in the side of the surface that locates the crown race. The raised edges of the craters may be just enough to remove the slop.

Although I was skeptical, this actually did the trick! I made punches 1/4" apart around the fork crown. Once I fitted the crown race again, there was no play at all.


If you remove rear coaster brake shoes will it affect the rear gear?

If your coaster brake system is anything like the one seen in these videos:

You might risk unscrewing the 'çlutch cone' from it's threads on the 'driver' (see image below for which parts are which) when you backpedal (too many turns) with the brake shoes removed. If you could somehow limit the movement of the clutch cone such that it will always stay on the driver you might be good. you could perhaps consider drilling through the driver and installing a bolt which will prevent the clutch cone from screwing off of the driver. maybe alternatively you could think of a way to use a locknut with a big flange or two shallow nuts interlocked with a ring together on the hub axle (part 10) such that the ring/flange sits approximately where part 11 is located (such that the ring/flange prevents the clutch cone from running off the driver's threads), but it might be difficult to achieve that in the limited space.


How to reduce vibrations to handlebars on aluminium road bike

I have an aluminium bike with a rubber dampener built into the handle bar, it's part of Specializeds range, not sure if there are general versions.

A suspension fork would iron out more bumps than a carbon one, but may not fit your bike.

I've taken videos from a handlebar mounted camera too and I think there will always be a lot of jolting that is impossible to dampen. Low light will make this worse.

I think the best answer is to use a helmet mounted cam, so the suspension system is your body and neck. I've seen some fantastic videos of the New York alley cat races and they all use helmet cams. They also need strong necks!

How much image stabilization can your camera provide?


Tires for 28' city bike (622x19C) to reduce rolling resistance?

I have replaced 2.0 (50mm) Schwalbe Marathons for 1.35 ones, and that made an ABSURD difference in my roling resistence. I was feeling burnt out by commuting, and since then I started to feel "exercised", getting to destination much faster and/or with less effort.

Then I got a bike with 700x23 tires, and THAT is good, concerning speed and low effort.

The only thing I think is very important: these skinny tires work fine, even with not-ideal road condition, if the bike has a more performance-oriented position (a firmer grasp on the handlebar - which is lower - , less weight on the saddle). If you take a more upright citybike (the first bike I described), the extra speed gained from thinner (not skinny) tires can make the bike too uncomfortable if road condition is not good.

I have also heard those theories about "balloon is the new fast", but that seems very non-scientific, since the "studies" never describe the parameters that varied versus those that remained constant, not to say other methodologic steps. As for me, narrower is obviously always faster (which doesn't mean always better).

Hope this helps!

(by the way, I think 32mm is a good number to try)


Cheap clothes for 50 km per day in the summer

You've got some pretty demanding criteria there, especially if you have such wide variations in a single day.

The key is "layers" -- different pieces of clothes you can easily put on or take off as conditions change.  And, for that many layers you'd probably want to have a pannier or some other sort of bike bag to carry what you're not wearing (though you could probably get by with a backpack).

Since cost is a factor, you should start with what you already have (maybe not designed for cycling) and add a few critical pieces.

First and foremost, you need some good rain clothes -- a lightweight jacket that is waterproof (or close to it) and some sort of pants that shed water well.  The jacket needs to "breathe", so you don't begin to sweat too quickly.  (But even if it "breathes", you'll find that it gets sweaty very rapidly.)

You also need "wind clothes", so the wind doesn't penetrate your clothing on a cold day.  These should be anything that is thin but tightly woven (but not waterproof).

Otherwise, you need layers of clothes that keep you warm without making you sweat and without holding sweat (or rain) close to your skin.  Wool is the old traditional favorite here, though there are many synthetic fabrics (such as CoolMax) that are better (and not as scratchy).  But stay away from synthetics such as nylon, polyester, etc, except perhaps as a thin outer layer.

Cotton is to be avoided in cold weather (because it insulates poorly and holds moisture against the skin), though many of us prefer to cycle in a simple cotton tee shirt in warmer weather.

All of these clothes should fit fairly tightly, so they don't flap very much in the wind.  (Though the rain jacket should maybe be a little looser than the others, both to "breathe" a little better and because you frequently need to put it on and take it off in a hurry.) Flapping slows you down and also reduces the insulating effectiveness of the clothes.


Square taper crankset develops play after changing bottom bracket

As some commenters have indicated, your crank arms are worn out.

We can speculate all day about what was the cause, but since you indicated that you felt some wobbling, that means they are now because that is the fast-track to ruining the square taper interface.

You'll have to replace your crank arms.* When replacing them, make certain that your crank bolt is tightened to spec. It needs to be pretty dang tight. Also, when you get the new crank, replace the crank bolts with the snazzy allen headed crank bolts.

*If you are short on cash or like to gamble, you could also just replace the crank bolts with the snazzy ones, then tighten the absolute snot out of the bolts. While a low chance of success, it might work. The BB spindle is hardened steel, and the cranks are aluminum, so you don't pose much risk to the BB spindle if you choose this option. But still abide by the no riding when the crank is wobbling rule.


I would not. You are paying for the frame. The SX Eagle RD has quite a few reports of failure, and it's bad quality overall. There's nothing special about the brakes (bog-standard entry-level), or the fork (Judy Silver TK, 30mm steel stanchions & basic Turnkey damper).
A carbon frame will provide more responsiveness on trails than alloy, but on-road this is no better - you'd be better off buying two bikes if, as per your previous questions, you'll be riding on road a lot as well. The weight saving here is nothing compared to the heavy tyres and upright position which will slow you down on asphalt.
And if you want a pure off-road machine then full-suspension alloy frame would be better.
If you are buying a bike with the advantage over alloy that it's 'more confidence-inspiring', then it doesn't make sense to buy one where you are concerned about frame damage before purchase.....
As far as this bike goes the frame seems to be the ONLY feature out of the ordinary, where the brakes are merely 'good enough', the fork 'entry-level', and the groupset 'cheap and nasty'.


What modern wheel and tire size could be replaced from 32-630 ( 27 x 1 ¼ ) wheels

After measuring the outside diameter of my ETRTO 630 sized rim and tire with a modern ETRTO-622 sized tyre, (ie a "700c") I notice they have a slight difference which my fork and frame can tolerate.

The 622 rim is 8 mm smaller diameter (4mm smaller radius) than a 630 rim and is a good fit.   So therefore I will go with a more modern 700c wheelset.

Thank you for those who have comment and helped me decide better.


You can probably use a small wire brush to get the rust out of the frame and for the future use JP Weigle Frame Saver spray. It acts as a rust inhibitor so should slow down/stop any rust forming on the inside of the frame. You can get frame saver at JensenUSA (I'm sure there are lots of other spots too).


Why are the rear wheels of time trial bikes disc shaped rather than having spokes?

Disc wheels have lower drag than spoke wheels.  See Wheelbuilder aerodynamic data and Aerodynamics of High Performance Race Bicycle Wheels.  (One link shows simulated data, the other measured).

Most of these tests run up to yaw angles of 30 degrees.  The argument is typically that at higher yaw angles (closer to side-winds) the rider would choose a spoked wheel instead of a disc.

Disc wheels are typically preferred for courses and days that do not see a lot of cross-winds not because of drag, but because they present a large area for the wind to push on, and can lead to unpredictable performance in high-crosswinds.  This is one reason you don't often see disc front wheels in a non-velodrome environment.


Impossible to disassemble a Sturmey Archer 3 speed

Found it !
It is indeed a right handed thread.
Official video of Sturmey Archer :

I ended up being able to unscrew it by using two clamps to maintain the wrench in place, and banging on it like my life depended on it. I need a bigger hammer... :


Ebike brake lever cutoff switch / interrupt switch : How does it work?

In your current set up, the electric brake lever sensor will protect against the situation where you're emergency braking but forgot to release the throttle.

The brake sensors override the throttle because there's basically no reason to power the motor while braking.

If your bike was configured to use a pedelec or pedal-assist mode, then the controller will detect when your cranks are turning, and the controller then instructs the motor what power levels to be putting out.  There's generally some lag, where you have to do some rotation of the cranks before the motor starts to power you.  At the other end, the same crank sensor will take a short time to decide you've stopped pedalling before it drops the motor assist.

Its conceivable that you may be braking hard, and have been riding at 60 RPM on the crank.  Your feet may turn another half rotation, and then the motor takes a "missing" half rotation to decide to cut the power.  That could be an entire second of time where your motor is powering you forward against the braking force, which is 7 metres at 25 km/h or about 2 car lengths.

The electric brake lever sensor should be telling the controller to STOP RIGHT NOW and override those other inputs.

Additionally, electric brake lever sensors can be used to activate secondary electric brakes and scavenge some power back into the battery.  Sometimes this simply uses the motor as a generator, and sometimes there are separate coils.

This is relatively rare on ebikes, though electric trail bikes may have this feature.

Side note - electric brakes aren't legal, and the bike still needs mechanical brakes to be on the road.


I have two bikes with this kind of adjustable stem for handlebar. It is using a simple "tooth" that hold it on position. If it is not tightened properly, the tooth will be grinded down and become lose after sometime(that cause the wobble).

To check it out, you need two wrench(with hex bits) or hex key. Wrench with hex bit is recommended, because it gave you enough torque to twist open the screw. One side turning at opposite direction while another holding the screw from turning.

After you loosen the joined screw,  you will know what I mean. Now adjust the handlebar and make it "locked" properly, then tighten the screw. Make sure you make it very tight (I don't have an expensive torque wrench to measure the torque) when you place the screw back.

(UPDATE)
The funny part of these kind of adjustable stem, is the "lawyer notes sticker" mentioned in Sheldon brown hands up article. Both of my bike come with this sticker.  I have better quality adjustable stem on my touring bike, which you don't need much force to tighten the screw and only one hex key is required to adjust the stem.

(Photo borrow from Sheldon Brown website, http://www.sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html )


Is it legal for a car to overtake me as I overtake a parked car in UK?

A parked car isn't moving, so you're not overtaking it.

Whether it's legal, safe, or sensible for the car to overtake you is another matter, and very heavily dependent on the circumstance. Consider a long straight road with a line of parked cars and no oncoming traffic. You take up much of your side of the road staying outside the door zone, and the car is mainly over the line as it passes you with plenty of room.  No problem. Now you approach a bend, the the centre line goes to a double solid line. It's now illegal to overtake you, parked cars or no parked cars (unless you're doing less than 10mph).

Generally speaking you should rise far enough from parked cars that if one of them suddenly opens a door it doesn't hit you. That's not always possible (the worst obvious problem case is when the door zone is marked as a bike lane). Riding this wide is likely to delay cars behind you depending on oncoming traffic, and in reality that is something you need to take into account.


Flared drop bars making my wrists numb, so am I using them wrong?

Warning: As pointed out in comments the speed at which you develop numbness suggests a more serious lurking issue that the change in position may be setting off, it could be worth seeing a doctor as it sounds like you have a lot of inflammation.

  so what I want to ask this group is whether there is anyone riding a road/gravel bike with flared drop bars who finds them very comfortable, or if many people here have had similar issues?

I have been using flared bars for about 4-5 years now on my commuter (12 and 16 degrees). I personally find them quite comfortable on my longish commute (~1.5 hr a day). They took some time to adapt to but I found they afforded improved breathing and shoulders position, especially as I also adapted my fit to better suite the bars. Compared to regular drop bars, I find flared bars are more suited to a  upright + shorter riding position where you set your shoulders back (similar to standing) open up your chest and flair out your elbows a lot more. I even went with a bar that was 2 cm wider than my more aggressive “fast” road fit, as the flare seemed to suite a more wider overall arm position. All in all, I find the wider more upright position is quite relaxing for long rides and encourages you to support proportional less of your weight with your hands and wrists, compared to a more classical road fit.

  I've found that to keep my wrists straight, I have to spread my elbows out ridiculously, otherwise no matter how I hold the bars, I end up with my wrists pointing outward after a few revolutions. I'm trying to decide whether the problem is the flaring and I just need straight drop bars, or whether I'm too close to them and so my wrist bending is inevitable.

The fact you are falling into a pattern of pointing your wrists out, rather than your elbows, is concerning and probably isn't helping the numbness. If anything I would hazard a guess that it is a driver behind your numbness. As you point out in your question flared bars encourage a very wide elbow and arm position, bringing your elbows in means that you need to compromise on your wrist position, which is not ideal for extended periods.

If you do not like, or cannot adapt to having your elbows flared out, then you may need to switch to a regular low flare drop bar. That said, you can also try working on your riding position by focusing on keeping your elbows flared and your wrists in a more neutral position. You may also trying a more of an upright position, as it is more natural to ride with flared out elbows if you are more upright.

Finally, position changes can take time and may not feel "intuitive" at first, especially if you have spent a lot of time in a more classical aggressive road position.


Can I do cyclocross if I've never really been very athletic?

Looks like the main question you have is "what should I start doing now to get myself in shape, so that in a year I can race cyclocross?"

Periodization is the Roadmap - Intervals and Hills are the Key

Periodization
The main principle in athletic improvement is interchanging periods of Base Building / Recovery with periods of Strength/Speed/Skill Building.  Where you are looking at starting a race schedule a year from now you have the chance to go through several of these cycles.

For your base building the primary activity is riding a lot, and maybe some cross training.  You can use an indoor trainer or stationary bike, but with the right clothing and equipment you can continue to ride outdoors.  If 30 miles is your longest ride, you may want to set a goal of riding a metric century (62 miles) in 10-12 weeks.  Any beginners plan for riding a century will work as a guide for your base building period, but you would alternate hard and easy days and do progressively longer rides on the weekends.  Normally base building periods last 8-12 weeks.

For your Strength/Speed/Skill Building you add event or goal specific activities - but the two primary activities are intervals and hill climbing.  Doing a search here on 'intervals' will give you some direction, but basically within a given ride of say 30 miles, you would intersperse periods of high intensity riding with brief recoveries. Doing so trains you to ride efficiently at a higher level of effort.  Climbing hills works the same way and builds muscle strength.  Typically you follow a base period with 2-3 build periods each lasting 3-4 weeks with a rest week in between.

After doing a couple of build periods you go into another base/recovery period.  So, if your goal is to start riding races in October of next year, you can build a calendar backwards from your first race and build in several build/recovery cycles.

For good books to get training ideas look at Book Recommendation: Training

For building a base or strength while commuting look at How to make the most out of daily commute?


New Huffy rim and new tire/tubes but tire is coming off rim and tube is blowing

26-inch tires are a major quagmire.  Unlike most other sizes, if 26-inch tires are fractionally sized (vs being sized in decimal) then the rim diameter varies with the tire width.  So extreme care must be taken when replacing tires to assure that the right size is being used.  It's best to refer to the "bead circle diameter" that is expressed as the 3-digit portion of the ISO size.

See Sheldon Brown's page on tire sizes.


8 speed flat bar set up with Dura Ace RD-7700 or new Claris RD-2400

The 7700 is higher quality when new than a new Claris derailleur . In particular jockey wheels are sealed bearing and more durable than those on cheap r/ds sold today.
http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Shimano_Dura-Ace_derailleur_7700_GS.html
A new rd might be better than a worn out old one with worn out jockey wheels (which you can replace), but inherently the 7700 is certainly better, and there probably isn't a better (when new) rd today that will work with your shifters
You can replace shift cables and outers and this will often give improvements without changing any other parts, depending on when they were last changed.


Rear Rack for Cannondale Trail 6 with Disc brakes

Another option could be the Blackburn EX-1 rack. I've used it on my cross bike due to it not having rack mounts and it carried my bike camping supplies quite well. It also comes with the long skewer. Also compared to a lot of racks it is fairly cheap.

Might not be quite as easy to remove/install if you don't have rack mounts.

Blackburn EX-1 @ Nashbar


How do you compare chainsets on MTB? Which is better?

You are mixing quality with quantity (on this case gear range).
1x in a true MTB setting gives more than enough range for a majority of riders most of the time. MTBers on 1x tend to elect a chainring that gives the lowest low gear they need for climbing, and accept the limited loss of time that occurs the few times they are spun out at high speeds.  Reality is if a technical MTBer is going fast than spun out speed, they are concentrating on lines, jumps and landings, speed is far from a  priority.  The advantages (listed in the answer by @MaplePanda) out weight the loss of top gearing.
2x is useful for those who ride big hills on roads and need a low gear for climbing and a high gear for high speed descents, or weaker riders than need super low gears for hills. Until recently 2x has also been a viable choice for budget, but 1x is now avaible as some quite low price points.  The 1x fanboys often come with a 1 eyed view of its advantages, most of which suit experianced rider significantly more than inexperiacned riders (eg. Anyone thinking about Altus or SX is not a weight weenie, probably cannot afford a dropper and almost certainly buying a hard tail where there is plenty of room for a front derailluer)
There are many other group set options on bikes - if you cannot find what you like at the price point you can afford, keep looking.
In terms of quality, Deore is (IMHO) the best in the list you have given. Altus is considered too low quality for reliable operation MTB standards, but is suitible for road and occasional light offroad use.  SX Eagle is somewhere close to the Deore in quality - probably comes down to personal preference.


Should I get a performance bike or an endurance bike for 180 km rides?

The terms "performance bike" and "endurance bike" aren't very well defined. To many people, the term "endurance bike" describes touring bicycles, which are used for long-distance self-supported rides where you're carrying a lot of equipment and supplies. However, Fuji (which you referred to), uses the term "endurance bike" to mean a road bike with a more relaxed geometry and "competition bike" to mean a road bike with more aggressive geometry. Trek (the other manufacturer you referred to), seems to use "sport bike" to refer to the relaxed geometry bikes, and "race performance bike" to refer to the aggressive geometry bikes.

The "endurance" and "competition" bikes are both high-performance road bikes, it's just that the "competition" bikes sacrifice a bit more comfort to eke out the highest possible performance (in theory, anyway). Most bike manufacturers have multiple product lines that cover both categories, so the general category of geometry doesn't necessarily dictate a decision between manufacturers.

I suspect that for the length of ride you're considering, you'll feel more comfortable on an relaxed geometry bike (e.g., "endurance" at Fuji or "sport" at Trek). But in the end, it's all about how you feel on the bike, so you should really test ride a few different bikes and see what you like best. No list of specifications, however long and detailed, can remove the need to try a bike and find out for yourself whether it works for you.


Whether disc brakes are better or not, depends on what application you plan on using them for. Road bike? Mountain bike?

For mountain bike use and possibly even a commuter bike, yes, disc brakes will be much better. They can provide more power, better control and they can usually be easily modulated. They will almost always be better in rain and wet weather, which I think it one of the main advantages of using disc brakes.

On the other side of the coin, if this is your first time switching to a disc brake setup, then you will have something new to learn in terms of maintenance and brake adjustments. Of course, anything can be learned... Disc brakes will also weigh a bit more than traditional rim brakes.

Personally, I will always go with a bike with discs. Reason being, is that I know they will always work, no matter the conditions. They are reliable and provide the confidence that I need when I am riding a bike, whether on the road or on the trail.


As noted by @AndrewHenle this appears to be a 1987 or 1988 Peugeot Aubisque; it's a very good match for this (identified as) 1988 catalogue image from http://www.peugeotshow.com/:

I had previously found a less clear copy of the same catalogue at www.bikeboompeugeot.com where it was identified as a 1987 catalogue.  The 1989 catalogue has an Aubisque with a slightly different paint job.


How can I find inexpensive salvage repair (frame) parts?

For this bike you may be able to get replacement seatstays or chainstays from the manufacturer.  See their frame parts section of their store or give them a call.

http://shop.titusti.com/category-s/1836.htm


How can I check if my bike is safe for touring?

Get the bike serviced, giving yourself enough time to thoroughly test it, so that if the service introduces any problems, you discover them long before your trip.

There is no standard test for worthiness, you'll have to rely on your judgement.


Unless I'm missing something, you should just be able to remove the chain using a chain tool, and then slide the wheel back in the dropout.  This would free the chaintug from the back of the dropout, then you could rotate it down out of the way and be free to slide the wheel forward and remove it.  Once the wheel's out, take the chaintug off the axle and have the full suite of machine tools available to drill out or otherwise remove and replace the broken bolt at your leisure.


Fork lube. Should I use it? If so how often?

I have not looked into this but my first inclination is to avoid it.  Your fork already has oil on the inside and seals that are supposed to keep elements on the outside.  So, for this lube to make much of a difference it would have to soak into the seals, which means the seals aren't that sealed!

I would also think that putting lube on the stanchions would attact grit and grime, something I work hard at keeping away from them.

If your fork is sticking or otherwise not moving smoothly through it's travel, you may want to look into getting it rebuilt.

Just my two cents.


What tool is needed to adjust this headset on a children's bike?

The bottom ring is used to provide tension against the bearings to stop the headset from wobbling around. It only needs to be hand tight, hence no spanner/tool attachments.

The middle and top ring are tightened against each other, as a lock ring to prevent the bottom ring from loosening.

The top ring can be tightened with any spanner of the right size.

The middle ring requires a specialised spanner called a C-Spanner, a hook wrench or a hook spanner. It looks like the image below and is readily available from any bike shop or online store. Eg: Chain reaction sells one from Park tools


What bike is this? Need to find derailleur hanger

It looks like you need this one (Wheels Mfg 21, which they list for Giant Boulders of all years).

If you took the bike to your bike shop, they'd compare the derailleur hanger visually to other ones used by Giant and see there is nothing else like it. Or pull up a chart from Wheels Mfg and look up what bike it is and which ones could fit.

So it looks like the one you have found on eBay is the right one.


How to fit 10 speed cassette on this hub

I have experienced this exact problem except trying to fit a 4600 cassette on the same hub.

If you look at the cone, you will notice the threads expand slightly nearer the centre at the point at which they start to stick.

I will update this answer if I ever get a clear explanation for this design feature.

Update: lbs got it on with some brute force! Presumably a one way road? Will update if it goes badly wrong.


Is there a matching ding on the other side of the rim at about the same place?  If yes I'd say it the bike was ridden hard into a pothole with a sharpish edge.

Source - I found an unexpected kerb while riding recently.  The front wheel came up in time but the back wheel didn't rise soon enough, and I pinch flatted with cuts ~10mm long, wrecked the tyre, and now have two small dents just like this, but a little longer and shallower.

Personally I'd remove the tyre and gently file off the lip shown in the photo.  Look inside for a matching rim.  File off no more than you have to.  The braking surface should be smooth and not able to catch the brake pad at all.   Don't file the outside (round) edge of the wheel, and don't bother trying to fill the gap.

If you're concerned about weight imbalance, file all the dinks out and then put the rim, tyre and tube back in the frame while its off the ground.  See if it has a definite "heavier" point that settles lower all the time.  Use some clip-on spoke reflectors as weights to balance your wheel again.


Building a Dirt Jump Bike - Spanish Bottom Bracket?

I'd heard of English and French threaded BB shells. My first thought was that it is a mistake, but there is such a thing as 'Spanish' BBs. They are press fit direct into the frame and seem to be specific to BMX and dirt jump MTBs.

https://www.danscomp.com/tech-help/types-of-bottom-brackets/

http://www.moovebikeco.com/mtb/difference-between-euro-mid-and-spanish-bottom-brackets

There seems to be two crank spindle diameters. It would be a good idea to buy cranks and bottom bracket at the same time to make sure they are compatible.


What kind of pedal do I have and what shoes do I need to buy?

Those are not clipless pedals and you don't need any kind of special shoes. Those are pedals with toe clips and are meant to be used with regular running shoes.


How bad is this broken brake cable strand?

I wouldn't say that a single broken strand on a new brake cable would render the bike "totally unsafe to ride," but if it is an option you should bring it back to the shop and have them replace it. This might be a sign that whoever put this bike together or inspected it for sale doesn't have a very thorough shop ethic. If they were careless enough to install a brake cable incorrectly, there may be other - more serious - oversights which can add up rather unpredictably. Not totally unsafe, but not ideal for a new bike.

In any case, brake cables are cheap and should be replaced at regular intervals.


Can you identify this "BSB 400" steel frame?

It is apparently a hand-made frame by Bell Street Bikes, London.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=184850&start=490#p2234953

  It all started back in '87 when I worked in Bell Street Bikes NW1 after school building bikes like the BSB400 touring bike and the BSB Blazer ATB which was a 531 frame with TA chainset, Dia Compe brakes and Suntour index gears, this sold for £400.

I also found a comment on a Guardian article from 2011:

  Geoff [the builder of the bike] passed away last year. Complications of leukaemia finally took him, even though he had battled it twice. A great guy, a funny man and someone who cared for other people. I used to work with him at Bell Street Bikes and it was one of the happiest periods of my life.

I'm very pleased to have to have learned more about it. I inherited it from a friend of a friend, who also died from cancer.

It has always been "Gary's bike" to me, even though I never met Gary. It's a lovely bike that I have spent many happy hours riding. Here it is half-way up a Spanish mountain (it's the one with yellow panniers):

My plan is to have it resprayed and rebuilt.


There are only a few measurements you need to be aware of when purchasing a new fork, particularly if you're avoiding suspension.  If you don't need suspension, don't get it - it will only add cost and complexity, and a cheap suspension fork will be much worse than a rigid fork.

The basic measurements you need to be aware of are:

Headset type.  Not truly a measurement, but there are two types of headsets - threaded and threadless.  The photo you show is of a bike with a threadless headset; the fork's steerer tube will be a smooth, unthreaded tube and the headset is tensioned with a bolt from the top and the clamping action of the stem.
Steerer tube diameter. Also two main options, 1" (25.4mm) and 1 1/8" (28.6mm, also known as 1.125" or 9/8").  Nearly all threadless headsets use 1 1/8" steerers. You can verify that the frame you have is for that size by measuring the inside of the head tube, it should be 34mm.  If you already have a headset installed, you can verify that the inner diameter of that is 28.6mm.
Steerer tube length. If you are purchasing a new (or "uncut") fork this is extremely unlikely to be an issue, but on a used fork you'll need to check. The steerer tube needs to be long enough to extend above the top of the headset with room for the stem to clamp fully.  Too short and it can't be used with that frame.  Too long isn't an issue, since you can easily use spacers and/or cut it to length.  If you measure your stem clamp, your headset, and the length of your head tube and add a few mm for a safe margin you've got a bare minimum steerer length you'll need.
Wheel size and brake type. The bike in the picture has 26" (559) wheels and is designed for cantilever or v-brakes. The position of those brake mounts is specific to the wheel diameter, so you'll want to make sure it's for the right size wheels.  If you switch to disc brakes, you can omit this concern, but not entirely, because of...
Axle-to-crown length. This is the distance from the center of the axle to the top of the fork crown, just below where the steerer tube starts. The frame's geometry was designed around a certain distance here, and changing it dramatically will alter the handling by increasing or decreasing the angles relative to the ground.  For mountain bike forks this information is more difficult to come by than for road bike forks, but if your bicycle originally had a suspension fork the rule of thumb for rigid is to find a fork that is "suspension corrected" for the amount of travel your bike originally sold with.  In the case of the Scott Tocana it looks like most models shipped with an 80mm suspension fork, so an 80mm suspension-corrected rigid fork should keep things normal.

Basically, given the bike you've shown, if you look for an '26-inch fork, 80mm suspension corrected, 1 1/8" uncut steerer, v-brake posts' you will probably find something suitable.


Can anyone help me identify this touring bike?

I have a bike just like this one, same color - if you look on the back sprocket protector, (the black plastic piece), it will have Cannondale in raised letters. I bought the bike, along with a Cannondale LL Bean mountain bike in 1983 (I believe) from the catalog, and I'm pretty sure I still have the owners manual.  The rear rack is not original to the bike.  It has twelve speeds, which was pretty cool at the time when everyone else was still riding bikes with ten. Cheers!


Need to know what bike I have the serial # is LP9 0246 badge # is 0589

That serial number is consistent with a Schwinn frame produced in Chicago in November 1978. The numbers on the headbadge refer to the 58th day of 1979, which presumably was when the full bike was assembled, so it was probably a 1979 model.
You can find old Schwinn catalogs online at Bikehistory.org, so I suggest you look through the 1979 catalog and see if your bike matches any models there.


Dent in titanium MTB frame, is the frame OK to ride?

such dents happen from rocks flying off your front wheel and hitting the frame.The dent doesn't seem big enough to be dangerous as long, as you don't do some hard-core mountain biking, just make sure to check it from time to time, if dent gets bigger you should replace the frame.


Yellow anti-rotation washer, Shimano Nexus 3 speed with trailer?

If the wellow washer is a anti-rotation washer - one that fits in a slotted dropout and prevents the internally geared hub from rotating with the axle - then yes it needs to be in place.


It turns out I was measuring in the right place (steerer) but I was using my new vermier caliper incorrectly. I've tried again and the steerer is about one inch. Apologies and thank you for all your help


It looks a lot like the 1972 Sears Free Spirit in this post.
Bike makers used different decals on the same bike at different times.
This frame was used in different configurations for single speed coaster brake bikes, three speed, five speed and ten speed bikes.
If you had access to Sears catalogs from 1970 to 1975 you could probably hunt down the exact decals and configuration.

According to the post:

It’s a 1972 Free Spirit Sheffield sold by Sears.
this bike is actually made by a bicycle manufacturer called Puch in Austria.

I believe both of these bikes have 24 inch wheels, this would explain why it's sold as a children's bike. Adult versions of this bike in this era had 26 inch wheels.
Finding a bike exactly like the red coaster brake bike can be tricky - they come and go.
If you broaden your search to a "ladies coaster brake bicycle" you will find a lot more options to choose from.
Two suggestions:

Stick with brand names you recognize as bicycle makers.
Never buy anything without riding it.

As a rule of thumb I try to stay away from anything branded as Sears. The bike pictured here would be an exception. In the 80s and 90s Sears sold thousands (millions?) of poorly made and assembled bicycles.


Apparent pedal force improvement from swept back handlebars; why not use them?

For one thing, the aerodynamics are terrible. For another, most cycling is not dependent on peak power, but on sustainable power, for which leg strength (or body strength) isn’t as important as cardiovascular capacity.
Some recumbents do use bars like the ones you mention, but the geometry is so different that muscle recruitment is also very different.


What alters the efficiency of (cantilever) brakes?

I have had similar problems in the past, and I would group them in these "categories":

Your rims are different. One of them has a smoother surface, or a different alloy, or a different quality alloy, and the actual friction is lower in one of the rims. I have this problem currently with one of my bikes;
One pair of brake pads is different. It can be from a different batch, or different model, or different brand, or different material, etc.;
If your pads are the (very common) asymmetric type, THEY SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE LONGER SIDE POINTING BACKWARDS! Everytime you brake, the pads tend to rotate "outwards", pulled by the moving rim, and that's why it's always best to assemble the pads with the longer side pointing backwards;
One or both of your brake bosses (and overall bike structure) flex when you brake. Specially on the front, where the "rotating outwards" can combine with the (carbon?) fork "opening" while braking. This is very successfully solved with a (somewhat infamous) "brake booster";
There are some possible geometric tunings, but this specific model doesn't seem to allow for tuning the pad position or the straddle cable length. If that were the case, attaching the pads away from the brake arms (thus widening the angle between the arms) and increasing the angle of the straddle cable gives the best mechanical advantage;
The pads have not burned in yet. Going for a tough ride, with long descents and possibly some dirt, could allow the braking power to emerge;
The braking surfaces keep being contamined by some non-cycling-related influence in your house: car exhaust near the front wheel, use of some spray product near the bike, oil coming from some wierd place, etc.

I hope this helps!


The grey part is a wedge and has a split in it. You could use a metal pick to pry it out at the split. If you deform it in your attempt, file or sand off any burrs before you reuse it.
If you hit the top of the fork too hard it's possible to knock it out of round, even with a rubber mallet.
The problem you have encountered is quite common and can be frustrating for the mechanic when there is also corrosion on the steerer tube.


what should I do when single track gets narrow

Presuming you cannot see the other rider before entering the narrow section (if you can, wait for them to pass through), going back is not my first choice - as others have commented, if there's enough room to turn a bike around, there's enough room to get past - even if it means both dismounting.

Given most riders are human and can communicate even if they speak a different language, some form of dialogue should quickly come to a solution that meets the needs of the specific situation and individuals involved. Its also rare for very narrow sections to last for more than a few yards - perhaps "backing up" to a passing place would be quicker and easier.

If there is not enough room for the bikes to to be passed around, and its too far to back up.... you could offer to swap bikes and meet up next week, same place, same time...... Especially if his bike is nicer than yours.


A nice one is the use of with-vinegar for rust removal. Works quite nicely on bolts and rusted bits.
Not personally tried, but some people reccomend the use of furnitre polish to wax your bike, to create a sort of a coat able to protect from water and moisture.
WD40 to simply remove old stickers and "unknown" dirt on the bike frame.


Can I remove one spring from my suspension fork?

No, i would not advise doing so. If it is a dual spring fork like your image illustrates one spring-less leg would put the entire thing under constant stress. This seems like a horrible idea all around. It may loosen up some after time, and you may be able to adjust some settings if that is the same fork in the image.

Does is have any knobs on the top of the legs like those in the image?

I would advise either buying softer springs if available, a new fork, or just learning to deal with it. Inexpensive fork are not really made to be adjusted or tampered with generally and i would not trust them to perform after doing so.


Are there any bike GPS computers / devices that can create routes themselves out on the road?

Yes.

The Garmin Edge 530/830/1030 can be loaded up with extensive map data, and can give you live routing, even without a cellular connection.
Wahoo's ELEMNT ROAM can also do routing on the fly.
The Sigma Rox 12 also has extensive navigation functions.
Probably others.

There are some smartphone apps that can do this—I think the best-known are Ride with GPS and Komoot. The idea with these apps is mostly that you would use them instead of a dedicated bike computer, not together with one, but you can do that too. They create a route stored in the cloud that you can sync down to your bike computer (using the phone as a hotspot, of course).


How do I make a road brake lever work alongside a mtb brake lever

What you're looking for are called Cross or Interrupter levers (i.e. they interrupt the brake cable housing--the cable passes through them. It is worth noting that in the video the cables protruding from the sides of the brake hoods are shifter cables...the brake cable is routed under the handlebar tape to the cross levers).

Most setups are designed to work around short pull brakes (cantilevers, side pulls, &tc.). Long pull brakes (linear pull v-brakes, most mechanical disc brakes) require more cable to be pulled per motion of the brake levers, so it is generally not recommended to mix short and long pull components (though some report varying degrees of success).

If you have cantilever studs on your frame, you can easily find a set of cantilever brakes and a cross/drop lever combination that work well together. For long pull drop levers, there are fewer options (the ones that stick out in my mind are Cane Creek Drop Vs, and Tektro RL520s). For cross levers, there is only one that I've found that has a long pull option: Paul components makes a cross lever which can switch between short and long pull pivot location. (Alternatively, there are a few "mini" v-brakes which are short pull brakes.)

Your best option, given the availability of long pull road/cross levers, is to invest in something called a Travel Agent--it mounts to your v-brakes and effectively makes them short pull so that you can use any kind of road brake levers. They cost ~$20 each and are well worth it considering the headache of procuring compatible components or setting up cantilevers for the first time.

If you have mechanical disc brakes (which are generally long pull), you can either invest in long pull levers or switch to the Avid BB-7 Road calipers which are short pull and work quite well.

Additionally, pay attention to the diameter of the drop bar you'll be using and the levers you install! Most mountain bars have an OD of 22.2mm where road bars have an OD of 23.8mm.


It's generally a good idea to use a trainer tire for a trainer, because the tire wears down significantly faster (plus they get hotter, make more noise, etc).

Rollers don't cause as much tire wear as a trainer does, but they aren't exactly the road. Many people use their regular road tires on them without any adverse effects. Some people experience increased wear (on the back, usually).

If you're really worried though, just buy some cheap 15 dollar tires and put them on your wheels. On a trainer, they wont last as long as a trainer tire but they will save your good tires. On rollers, you generally have less wear, but still, you're going to save your original tires (since they aren't being used).


Maintenance for an idle bicycle kept indoors?

A lightly-used bike stored indoors in a dry (not humid) environment does not need much special maintenance. Just keep it clean with light lubrication on the chain.

The tires will slowly lose pressure. A bike left sitting for a long time on one spot on un-inflated tires is probably not good for the tires or tubes. Keep some air pressure in the tires or hang the bike up off the floor if you can.


SRAM Drop bar to MTB hydraulic brake interoperability

I was very interested in this question, because I have a set of Apex road brakes (levers & calipers) mismatched with one flat mount and one post mount. As noone has provided a satisfactory answer, I thought I'd do it myself.
For my new frame, I need post mount brakes, but the HRD calipers are rather hard to find and expensive. Also I have a set of Avid Juicy 3 brakes sitting around, one fine, the other seized.
At a glance, and without taking any measurements, the Juicy caliper looks very similar to the Apex Post Mount caliper with a very similar size and shape body, similar pad area and very similar piston diameter, so I hooked up the front of the bike with the standard Apex setup and the rear of the bike with the Juicy caliper.
The brakes feel similar to each other at the lever, enough to say there's no difference. The Juicy caliper works very nicely though does provide a little extra braking power. In my opinion, the SRAM road disc brakes are a bit weak, so this is welcome.
I doubt there will be longer term problems but I will update with how things go as the (new) pads wear down.


Is there anything specific you'd like to achieve or try while cycling? I cycle purely for fitness purposes and will cycle quite differently depending on available time as well as what I'd like to achieve in terms of strength or cardiovascular goals. As you're a runner, I'll assume you're well versed in gps devices like those by Garmin which will assist in tracking your efforts.

I was able to increase fairly quickly from regular 10Km trips to once off trips off 30Km to 50Km to 80Km to 200 Km in the space of 1 month. Since then I've focused on better return for time in the saddle as opposed just worrying about distance covered.

For my round trip commute of ~20Km, I will cycle pretty hard either on the way to work or on the way home which usually gives me a pretty good cardiovascular workout over ~20 minutes. For part of this I may go all out for 60-90 seconds.

If I've got 1-2 hours available for a cycle then I'll either go for a 25-40Km flat route at 25-30Km/hr effort for cardiovascular training or a 15Km hilly route which will provide cardiovascular and strength training.

For long spins of 3+ hours I will try to cover mostly flat terrain with a couple of hills included and will aim for about 25Km/hr depending on weather conditions.

As with any exercise, your nutrition and fluid intake before, during and after will be key in helping you maximise the return on your efforts.


Inner tube popped on back side of the valve - why?

What that looks like to me is that you had the tube pinched (folded) up along side the value stem.  That would explain both the cut and the bulges.  That cut looks like a tear - a faulty tube would have more of a clean split.

When you mount tire make sure the valve is free (you can push it in).


The spoke and nipple are turning together? This wheel uses straight spokes. Don't think it's likely, but the notch could be stripped at the hub, meaning there wouldn't be anything you could do about it besides get a new hub.

I think more likely your spoke nipple is probably stripped. Try to get another one from somewhere that is the same size as the ones already in your wheel, and try to replace the bad one. You just need to take off your tire and rim tape, and pull the bad nipple all the way out. Then get another nipple (2.0mm diameter) and thread on. See if it works. Could also be bad threads on your spoke.


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


What's this red cylinder thing below the front axle?

I put this question to a bunch of bandit-bike nerds, and their consensus is that it is a timing chip, similar to a toll tag.


What does double and triple gear shifters mean?

Double and triple refer to the number of chainrings (front gears) that you have.

Here are the detailed service instructions, which allude to this fact:

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/NonSeries/ST-R221-R225/SI_6LU0A_En_v1_m56577569830606213.pdf


How to calculate the capacity of a rear derailleur

If you are asking how to calculate the maximum capacity of the chainrings and cogs, based on looking at the derailleur, then it's not going to be as easy as just looking at them.

Finding a derailleur to fit your chainrings/cogs based on just the chainrings/cogs is going to be a lot easier than finding chainrings based on looking at your derailleur. HOWEVER, there are some standards for manufacturer, I have listed them below. I have also included the formula to find out your capacities, since I misread your question initially and decided to answer the part you weren't concerned with. I am not deleting it because, well, it took a while to type.

According to United Bicycle Institute:

Determine Maximum Chainring Difference by subracting the number of teeth in the smallest chainring from the number of teeth in the largest chainring
Determine Maximum Cassette Cog Difference by subtracting the number of teeth on the smallest cassette cog from the number of teeth on the largest cassette cog
Determine Total Drivetrain Capacity by adding Maximum Chainring Difference to the Maximum Cassette Cog Difference
Record the Maximum Cassette Cog (the number of teeth on the largest Cassette Cog)

For Shimano:

SS - Short Cage Road Double - Maximum Cassette Cog is 27 and Total Capacity is 29

GS - Medium Cage MTB/Road Triple - Maximum Cassette Cog is 34(MTB)/27(Road) and Total Capacity is 33(MTB)/37(Road)

SGS - Long MTB - Maximum Cassette Cog is 34 and Total Capacity is 45

For SRAM:

Short - Maximum Cassette Cog is 34(MTB)/28(Road) and Total Capacity is 32(MTB)/31(Road)

Medium - Maximum Cassette Cog is 34 and Total Capacity is 37

Long - Maximum Cassette Cog is 34 and Total Capacity is 45

For Campagnolo:

Short - Maximum Cassette Cog is 26 and Total Capacity is 27

Medium - Maximum Cassette Cog is 29 and Total Capacity is 36

Long - Maximum Cassette Cog is 29 and Total Capacity is 39

NOTE - THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY MANUFACTURER

And a great source for all of this is Sutherland's 7th edition

http://www.sutherlandsbicycle.com/7th_Edition.html

Hope that helps


What are the practical limitations of a road bike compared to a mountain bike?

Honestly hopping curbs isn't something that I would consider as an important factor to consider in choosing a bike for commuting. Riding a road bike it's almost always faster to just stick to the road, and if you do way to exit the roadway it's rare that you will have to travel more than a few seconds before there's a driveway. Still, YMMV - I don't know your route.

Roadbike frames are fine, it's the wheels that will go first. Don't get silly 16 spoke wheels to commute on.

There are a couple of things to be aware of with a roadbike though:

crossing small rises at acute angles - with skinny tyres when you roll up a small bump at an acute angle (ie. across the edge of a footpath that is raised above the surrounding grass) if you hit it at too fine an angle your wheel will skid off and straighten out whilst your momentum continues over the bump - resulting in a stack.
bottom bracket/crank clearance is less than on a mtb - be careful pedalling through bumps/corners.


Are all vintage bikes difficult to work on?

No.  Older bicycles are no harder to work on than modern bicycles provided you have specialized knowledge regarding older standards, possibly specialized tools and the ability to obtain parts designed for older standards.

Generally a bicycle built now will likely conform to a set of standards that are common and in place now.  If you bought a bike today, and purchased all the tools necessary to work on it today, you'd likely find that new bikes five years from now would have a lot of overlap, but some standards would be new/different and a few new tools may be required.  In addition, all the parts necessary to rebuilt said bike would be available.  Five years from now you would have a lower percentage chance of finding all the parts, but it would still be very high.  Additionally some of the newer mechanics may not be familiar with your "older" setup, but there would be many around that were very familiar with it.

Drag this out for 30+ years and you see where it is headed.  A "vintage" (a term badly stolen from the wine industry and used incorrectly) bike will have mostly standards that are no longer used, require some tools that may no longer be common, and may or may not commonly have parts available.  Additionally, 30 year veteran bike mechanics are a rarity, so someone with all the knowledge of said bike is going to be hard to find as well.  It simply isn't worth most mechanic's time to try and figure out a bike from sometime around when they were born or earlier (especially when they are paid by the job).

People often buy inexpensive (or overpriced) "vintage" bicycles thinking that it should be cheap to fix up an old bike.  The truth is that it requires specialized knowledge, parts and sometimes tools.  It should be similar to what you would expect buying a 1978 Ford LTD that is rotting out and not currently running.


When using a ptfe & paraffin waxed chain, does the casette require any lube?

I'm going to give chain waxing with PTFE and paraffin a shot as I'm sick of filthy dirty hands when I get a puncture.

Carry a pair of disposable nitrile gloves if this is your only reason for waxing. A lot less hassle!

I've read quite about about the process of cleaning the chain and applying the wax and PTFE.
What I'm not clear on is do I put any lube or spray on the rear cassette and front crank?

You should actually strip all oil and grime from the cassette and chain ring(s).  Wax adheres best to very clean metal. Oil contamination will cause the wax to break off of the chain surface earlier, requiring more frequent waxing.
Typically what happens is that the chain transfers a very thin layer of wax to the cassette/chain ring. The reason you don’t wax these components ahead of time is that the drive train has reasonable tight tolerances. The layer of wax takes space. Adding wax to everything will throw off the tolerances and shifting performance.  Just stick to waxing the chain and all will be good.

I imagine with no oil they will get rusty eventually, but oil will negate the clean chain benefit of waxing?

If you are using higher end components they usually have some sort of coating that prevents rust. You may get spot rust on lower end cassettes/rings. This is usually superficial as chain rub removes most rust on the chain cassette/ring interface.


How to copy cleat angle on the same shoe?

I'm not using SPD pedals anymore but I would try following to transfer cleat position to new shoes.

I remembered that I've read somewhere that some shoe manufacturers have some kind of paper pattern to mark position of old cleats and use that pattern to adjust position for new cleats. Since I guess your shoe size iz the same for new pair, making this kind of paper pattern and marking where cleat starts/ends would be rather easy. In order to increase precission you can combine this with measuring it with ruler.

Added: There are also products like Ergon TP1 Pedal Cleat Tool but I guess it's rather expensive for just one time use.


How should I set up my rear shock (with ProPedal) to minimise bob when climbing?

Pro-Pedal provides bob resistance when on, 1 being lowest.

Try this.  Pull out the numbered knob and position it so that "3" is in line with lever.  That will give you the most Pro-Pedal.  Now, try riding up a hill with it off and again with it on.  You should notice markedly less bob with it on.  If not, I might take it to a shop to make sure that it is working.


Will a 73 inch long electric bike fit with 28 inch wheels

You can find the specification sheet for the racks here:

https://www.sportworks.com/assets/files/Model-Overview.pdf

The maximum wheelbase (distance between front and rear dropouts) supported is 44" or 48" depending on which model is installed.  A bike that's 73" end to end probably has a 45-46" wheel base so you may not be compatible with all racks.

Note a beefy e-bike with battery installed could also easily exceed the 55lbs rated weight limit.


Is it ok to store a bike with the (hydraulic) brakes locked (i.e. pressurized)?

The self-adjustment is a valid concern. The way that's implemented is through the drag and elasticity of the piston seals. Holding those seals in the extended position for long periods could lead to gradual elastic deformation of the piston seals (reducing their ability to retract). It could also result in the seals gradually creeping back down the piston toward their relaxed state. The latter would cause the pads to drag, but is easily remedied by removing the wheel and forcing the pistons back just as you would do when changing pads. But seal deformation could only be remedied by a caliper rebuild.
We can only speculate here as I don't know of any testing that's been done for this use case. It's certainly outside the scope of the requirements the caliper designers worked to. Doing this for days or even a couple weeks is unlikely to cause any problems, but longer term storage this way (an entire winter) is definitely questionable. A zip tie around a spoke and the chainstay or fork leg will be equally effective and significantly lower risk.


Can I install a handlebar brake handle without removing the grips?

Many BMX levers are hinged, so they don't require messing with the grip. These can be had for either short pull (canti/caliper/u-brake) or long pull (v-brake/mechanical disc), so make sure to get the right pull. They're intended for one or two finger use.

Various basic "touring" levers, of the stamped sheet metal variety, also go on and off without removing the grip. Some, as in the currently made/available Sunlite one pictured below, have little clampy bits that detach and then are slid back into place, and others have a steel band clamp you can open up to bend around. These generally aren't the nicest brake levers, but they work and may match the aesthetic of the bike better.

FWIW, most nicer modern hydro levers have either a hinge, faceplate, or other scheme to allow this as well.


What tyre characteristics should I look for in a commuting tire?

Generally, wide tires have lower rolling resistance than narrow ones, and they will be more comfortable due to cushioning. Hence, there's an argument you could go all the way up to a 45mm tire, the maximum I think your bike will clear.

For performance-oriented road riders, aerodynamic considerations might come into play, but these are probably irrelevant for you.

If you’re running tubeless for the flat protection benefits, that may be an additional argument for a wider tire. We know that tubeless tires don’t work as well on performance road bikes as they do on mountain or gravel bikes. This is likely because of high pressure and relatively small volume. A punctured 25-28mm road tire at 70-90 PSI deflates very fast. A 40mm gravel tire at 30 PSI deflates more slowly. I have a hunch that if you want to run tubeless, wider is better, all else equal.

If you want to run mudguards (aka fenders), you may need to limit the size of the tires you fit. It's best to maintain adequate clearance between the fender and tire. If there is too little clearance, you can get a branch sucked between the tire and the fender, and this can break the fender. I don't believe there are any other practical tradeoffs in going to a wider tire. You'll increase your coefficient of aerodynamic drag, but this is probably of little consequence here. I didn't see if Trek's stated tire clearance is 45mm with fenders or without; I suspect the latter. If so, then I suspect 38-40mm tires will fit and still provide a very nice ride.


Park Tools has a great description with a video, pictures, and instructions.

Expanding the Park link a little:

1 - you can start at either end, conventionally start at the bar ends because that way the overlap on the wraps has the lower side out so smooths as you slide your hands down the bar. That way it lasts longer and looks nicer.

2 - wrap up the outside on both sides. So the answer to your question is "yes".

3 - this is where most of the variation in styling occurs. Tape that is more flexible or stretchy can have fewer wraps around the brake levers, although you can often do a single skip around the back of the lever even with quite unyeilding tape. I prefer to go once around the levers to get 3 strips of tape behind them. Experiment to see what works for you.

If you're wrapping bars for the first time I suggest buying the cheapest tape you can find to experiment with, as well as the stuff you actually want. It's something that's not too hard but you will probably make mistakes the first time.


What book should I read to learn how to maintain a bike?

I'd recommend Park Tool's Big Blue Book of Bike Repair. Plenty of pictures and good explanations. This book has made a number of things seem a lot less intimidating.


Scott Addict R2 2008 crankset replacement

It looks like your frame uses BB86, so you'll need a BB86 bottom bracket for BB386evo cranks: https://www.bike24.com/p2114179.html


Why is a tandem harder to ride uphill than a single rider bike?

Everyone climbs at their own best rate and cadence.

On a tandem, both riders have to ride at the same rate and cadence, which will be closest to those of the strongest rider. So neither of them are climbing at their best rate and cadence.

On a tandem with very well matched riders, they are in fact quicker, largely due to the draughting effect of the two riders being so close together.

On the other hand, if the hill is so steep that the riders would have to stand, it becomes a matter of rider skills. Many tandem riders struggle to master the two-person coordination of efforts required to make the transition to the standing position.


TRP HY-RD brake pistons won't retract to take new pads

Detaching the cable reduced the pressure and allowed the pistons to both slide back.


The gearing of your bike seems reasonable, the 26 front/34 rear combination will (eventually) make climbing hills easy. But till then…

Before you do anything else, take @cherouvim's advice and make sure you seat is at a reasonable height. It should be high enough that if you place a heel on the low pedal your leg is almost fully extended (just short of locked). From there you can fiddle around a bit with the height. Ultimately the seat should be as high as you can get it without needing to rock your hips as you pedal. If your seat is too low climbing will be really hard!

The first question I'd ask is what happens when you run out of steam climbing the hill? Are your legs aching and burning or are you breathing really hard? The reason that I ask is that the different answers point to different immediate problems and possible solutions.

If you're legs are burning, it's a good bet that you're not using a low enough gear. In this case, try shifting to a low gear much earlier in the climb, let your feet "spin" on the pedals. You'll slow down, but the climb should be much easier if you do this.

On the other hand, if you're breathing super hard, you may be spinning too fast. It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but it may help to use a slightly higher gear, but I'd still make sure that you're starting the climb in a relatively easy gear.

As other's have said, I don't think it be too long before you notice that you are doing much better on the hill. I live in a relatively hilly part of the US and a similar situation to you. I was out of shape from years of sedentary work and infrequent riding. So the final things I want to suggest are ideas for keeping going until better fitness kicks in (I think we're talking weeks, not months):

Pedaling faster (at a higher cadence) in a low gear is usually easier than pushing harder in a higher gear. There was a good answer a while back that explained nicely how to find a good cadence for you. I'll see if I can find it and link to it.
Choose a strategy for the hill that seems to work for you (really any strategy, just some idea about what you want to try). Having a strategy will make it easier to see if you're making progress and it will also help you identify what to do differently if it feels too hard (e.g., legs really burning? try a lower gear). One idea I'd suggest is to try starting in a lowish, but not your lowest, gear – for me it is very comforting to know I've got a lower gear I can drop down to when the hill gets hard.
Keep track of your progress. Notice where you are on the hill when you "bail out." As you get close to that point on each ride psych yourself up to make it or even make it a bit farther. For me, it is easier to push through burning in my legs than through gasping for breath, so I tend to moderate my climbing so that I can breath easily and tough it out on my legs (but that is me, you might have a different way). The important thing is to have some standard for progress so that you can see you're gains – even before you can make the whole hill.
Practice standing as you climb, you might find it easier to climb standing. For me standing helps on some hills, but I have to start before my legs are too tired and my gear can't be too low. Standing is one of my "escape hatches" when I discover that I'm in too high a gear on a hill. Sometimes it is just fun, but not @andy256's comment below – it is not an efficient way to climb. The energy expenditure is actually higher than when spinning.
My understanding is that working really hard (too the point of exhaustion) a few times a week is necessary to stimulate muscle growth. I don't think you have to work hard for long (just a few minutes), but apparently it is essential.

Two books that I've found really helpful are Just Ride and Eat Bacon, Don't Jog, both by Grant Peterson.


Best practice for patching snakebite pinch flats on skinny tubes

Use the thinnest conventional (tube-of-glue type) patches you can find.  They should be the type with feathered edges.  A little overlap is OK, but trim the edges if there will be a lot.
Better still, swap in your spare tube.
Better still, don't let your tires go flat.

(Avoid using large patches as they won't expand as the tube expands.)


Strange noise coming from bottom bracket/crank

If you only just bought it from a shop, take it back and get them to sort it, but do ask what the problem was.

If you want to fix it yourself, it's worth determining the frequency and type of noise that you're hearing. I used this site when I had an issue similar to yours and I tried taking pedals off, the crank arm off and eventually took it to a bike shop and it was the bottom bracket that was making the noise.


I want to weld or braze the pedal to the crank arm, but what metals are they?

Welding aluminum and steel is not a DIY skill - read This.

If you must repair rather than replace, a helicoil is the correct way to address the problem. A crank would be cheaper than the coil alone, let alone the time to fix it. Chemical bonding (AKA. Glue) is probably the only DIY solution.

The issue I see is that when a pedal comes off while riding, it usually ends in tears (at best) up to a stay in hospital or worse. Why take the risk?

Second hand cranks are readily available - I have a box of bit with at least 2 sets and an old bike with another if I needed it.  Your LBS will probably have something for a few dollars. Visit you local rubbish tip/recycle center - I can almost guarantee they will have an old, unride-able bike with usable cranks.


Should brake lever move if you press the (V-brake) calipers together?

I think you have the right idea. When you push the brake arms together, you are shortening the system, without changing the inner wire length. This in effect makes the inner wire 'longer', and because it is fixed at one end, it wants to move up towards the lever, exerting a force and causing the lever to move.
It seems likely that the low friction of the new housing/cable is helping to send all of the force to the lever end. I suspect that if there was more friction somewhere, you would see a different result, maybe the noodle would pop off the end of the housing, or the housing would come out of the lever at the barrel adjuster, but the housing would find some way to accommodate the relative increase in length of the inner cable, like this perhaps. At the moment, the lever itself is giving the least resistance and pivoting, perhaps this will always be the case.
The effect is further evidenced by you observation with the rear brake. Because the housing is interrupted and there is bare cable exposed, it is able to flex and bend into a curve so that the 'increased' length is accommodated and the cable slackens. This can actually be a useful aid if you want to disconnect a brake or derailleur temporarily, without undoing the cable pinch bolt. A kind of quick release.
On the front brake with uninterrupted housing, the cable is constrained by the housing and is unable to flex, so acts more like a rod, pushing the lever.
All of this, I think, is just to say 'yes' to your own observations and explanation, although I would be doubtful of its diagnostic merits, its just a fun thing you can note. Visual condition of the cable is more useful as well as the lever feel and responsiveness as you use the brake. these will degrade a little as the cable deteriorates.


I'm evaluating how to best match a new handset and rear wheel to a vintage rebuild

Tsunoda are/were a mass manufacturer in Japan somewhat similar to Schwinn in the USA. Most of the bikes they produced were low end though they did make some mid-to-upper end models (I once had a Tsunoda made Lotus branded frame from the early 80s). I believe the brand is still around in the Japanese market but now mostly making folding bikes. Your bike sounds like a mid-range bike based on the SunTour parts. It's a very nice sport-touring bike. It's nothing special though arguably better made than comparable bikes of today. In their day the Japanese made mid-range bikes were almost always better built than comparably priced European bikes and often better built than many high-end European bikes! Japan still make amazing bikes though exchange rates keep them from being exported the way they used to be.

The rear end is 126mm, not 125. 126mm was the standard up until the late 80s when 8 speed cassettes were introduced. The 126 spacing, VX derailleur and SunTour 6 speed freewheel likely dates your bike to the late 70s to mid 80s. The 27" rims while rare in most of the world by this time were still very common in Japan.

Not sure what you mean by "handset". Are you talking about the STI brake levers that also act as shift levers? I'm assuming you are since those are now the norm. If so, there are a few things to consider:

You will need to respace the rear end of the frame to 130mm. This should be done by a bike shop and even better by a frame builder. 10 speed cassettes and modern hubs are spaced to fit 130mm frames. It's not an expensive or difficult process but does take a certain degree of skill and specialized tools.
Yes, you would need to build a new wheel to convert to 10 speed. Your wheel uses a freewheel hub. This means the cassette cluster also houses the freewheel/clutch mechanism. Modern 10 speed drivetrains use a cassette hub in which the freewheel/clutch mechanism is part of the hub and the gear cluster simply slides onto the hub. You can still find 27" rims, especially in Japan. Unless the rims are very worn out I'd probably stick with the original rims and just change the spokes/hub. Panaracer still make some nice 27" tires.
Ideally, you would also replace the chainrings. Modern 10 speed drivetrains really work best with the special chainrings designed for them. These rings have cut away teeth, pins and ramps designed to help the chain move smoothly from one ring to other (especially from small to large). You can often buy a crankset with rings for not much more than just the rings themselves.
You will need a new chain. 10 speed drivetrains require a much narrower chain.

One last note: the 27" Araya rims you mention are almost certainly a hookless design. Most rims have a small lip design to help hold the tire on when it's inflated to high pressures. These rims almost certainly do not. I would advise against inflating the tires past 75 psi/5.2 bar.


When riding uphill you are putting more force on the bars to counteract the greater force you legs have to exert on the pedals.

What is probably happening is when you exert more force the handlebar or steerer tube is shifting in the stem clamps slightly, causing a creak or click.

Your stem clamp bolts should be tightened to the correct maximum torque. If that does not fix the problem the stem may need dissembling and re-assembling with some grease or assembly compound.


Reinstall a Shimano nexus 7 wheel after puncture?

The yellow dots should be lined up when in a specific gear, which is gear 4 for a 7 speed nexus, (gear 6 for an 11 speed alfine)
Generally speaking, to change tube on an IGH wheel you need to get the wheel off the bike.

Release rim brakes to make room for tyre to pass through
Undo wheel nuts with 15mm spanner - your bike won't have a quick release.
Unclip the control cable from the rotary part, and pull the chromed cap off the retainer.

Then the wheel should come free (actual method depends if you have a tensioner, or if the bike had dropouts or trackends, etc)   and you can do the tube swap or patch the hole.
To reinstall the wheel, its roughly the reverse.   You should not need to adjust the cable in any way - the clamped on stop on the inner cable won't have moved.
If you've somehow undone the "cassette joint" and parts are coming off the side of the hub, then something has gone quite wrong.  Please post a clear well-lit photo of the right side of your hub, and perhaps the right side of your bike too.


If the aluminum is sufficiently stiff it makes zero difference -- the crank could be any shape (a disk, an S shape, etc), but the relationship between the two contact points would still remain the same, and that's all that counts.

The only effect the crank could have is adding a bit of spring to the crank, which might be good or bad for effective cranking.  But aluminum makes lousy springs, and if it flexes much it will soon fatigue and fail.

The risk to your body parts is getting cut by sharp edges when the crank fails.


Can I put 700x32 tyres on my Avanti Blade?

If you've got 28 mm tyres on there already, you should be better placed to tell than anyone who hasn't already fitted 32s.  Just check that there's a few mm clearance at the sides and top/front (in theory you only need 2mm extra either side but you need a little spare room for flexing, different tyres coming up a diffewrent size etc.).  From Sheldon Brown's width table you can see it would be a rare rim that couldn't fit 32s if it could fit 28s, and he admits the table is rahter cautious anyway.


Does splitting long endurance rides really affect the training effect of the rides?

"Long" is subjective but those aren't really endurance training sessions. The 30 minute sessions could be completed on glycogen stores alone, and at least the 90 minute sessions after a decent breakfast. One way of thinking of endurance rides (events if you're thinking tri) is those where fuelling during the ride becomes important.

But there's a massive gap between general fitness advice for the unfit, as you've linked at the end, and training for competition or other challenges, as you've linked earlier. To me you've described athlete A's habit (or even commute) , and athlete B's training plan, as you say the pace is the same and an endurance pace.


can I use an aluminium seatpost to install a tagalong on a carbon fiber frame?

It's in the realm of things where nobody can tell you it's absolutely going to be fine, but it will probably be fine. There are some wimpy carbon frames in the world. Also it depends on how much you weigh, because as far as the frame is concerned, the forces generated by the trail-a-bike are going to be added to those generated from your seated weight. If this is a road bike and you're at around the weight limit already, it's probably not a good idea.


Should my pedal be this shape or is it bent?

Yes, your pedal is bent.
I drew some straight lines on your photo to illustrate the places I see bends.

"Side A" is bowed in toward the pedal axle.
"Side B" - the ends are bent toward the crank arm.
In a more direct top down picture I think it would be clearer that your pedal is no longer a rectangle - a quadrilateral with four right angles - and that the whole pedal cage is off square.

can I bend them back?

Yes you can bend them back.
If you:

Figure out exactly what it should look like.
Analyze where you need to bend to get it back to ideal
Carefully apply force in the correct place

You can get it closer to the original but probably not perfect.

If they are in place on the outside cup the inside edge rolls round the nut of the axle. I wanted to replace the dust caps to stop them gunking up inside but it would cause them to sit in this position.

I'm not sure what this means - possibly that the cage is no longer connected to the axle housing preventing the installation of the dust cap. Straightening the cage may help, but it also might make it worse.
It might be best to ride what you have until you can afford to replace the pedals and not worry about the dust caps.
Maybe look for some used pedals in better condition.


Any bike store, and probably any Walmart/Target/etc, will have what you need.

700C (or 650c, 26", 29", etc) is how big around the tube/wheel is, while the x23,28 or x30-42, etc are the width range. You want to find one that, as you mentioned, includes the target size within the range and is a match on size and valve type.

Based on the "replacement" not fitting, I'm thinking your wheel is a 700c/29" and you are most likely looking for the right tube: 700x[range including 35] with a presta valve. That said, if you have a local bike shop, swing in there and the bike mechanic can make sure you are getting what you need. In most cases, the tube is going to cost the same (it's actually cheaper at the LBS I hang at as they buy tubes in bulk and sell them at close to cost) and you will be sure to get the right item.

Bonus: Ask the mechanic if he'd mind coaching you through changing out the tire. Someone who has changed a couple hundred tubes can usually give you pointers on how to roll the tire back on without tools, hot to prevent a pinch flat, and how to make the whole process quicker and easier.


The point of the quick release skewer they give you with a trainer is generally to prevent damage to your fancy skewer already on your bike, and make sure the trainer can grip onto the axle properly. If you have a quick release system, you should use the provided skewer.

If you have a thru axle like a Maxle, you may need to buy a special adapter.

If you have a classic nutted axle (which you most likely have), you can generally use it directly in the trainer, but you may want to double check with the trainer manufacturer.


DT swiss 370 hub ends in a thread, what is is for?

Outside of the hub, the DT 370 rear axle looks like this:

135x10, 135x10 QR, or just 135 QR, would all be accurate ways of describing the axle standard as far as frame compatibility is concerned. What can be confusing is "135x10 axle" could be taken as referring to a standard repair axle of given dimensions (in this case 146mm long with M10x1 threads) that a common cup and cone hub would use, like what a typical Shimano or OEM brand mountain/hybrid/etc hub would want if its axle got stripped or broken. Your 370, like most fancy cartridge bearing hubs, takes a specific proprietary axle with shoulders, flat machined spots, etc.
The stub of external thread is what the axle hardware threads on to, what you use to adjust the bearings, etc. It does in fact contact the frame. This can be counterintuitive, but the other counterintuitive thing is the very high amount of clamping force provided by the QR skewer. As long as it's clamped down adequately, that connection is keeping the axle from rubbing against the frame in a way that could damage anything.

Also, 9mm is associated with QR front hubs, not rears.


Chainrings for Shimano FC-M760 crank worn out, need help

It's a very populous crank and generally speaking any aftermarket/replacement type chainrings will go on it. It tends to be true that the designated Shimano chainrings make the best replacements for their cranks in terms of performance, or at least avoid minor weirdness with spacing or spider fit, but it's rare for those issues to be insurmountable when fitting aftermarket replacement rings on to a mainstream crank like this.
There are some 104 rings where the rounded contour of the spider can be a mismatch. If memory serves you get into this from mounting Truvativ/SRAM rings on Shimano cranks, but I may have that in reverse. You knock the ring down slightly with a half round file and it's fine.
Some brands to look out for aftermarket replacements are Origin8, Dimension, Blackspire, Vuelta, and TA. The 2020 parts shortages have not hit generic replacement chainrings that hard and I see some of these are still readily available from distributors.


What are the main improvements in suspension technology in the last 10 years?

I'd say the biggest change is the shift from coil and oil shocks to air springs. Even at the cheaper end of the market most bikes designed to go uphill will be using air shock suspension. Air suspension is lighter but in the past has performed less well and been more expensive. Over the years price has fallen and performance has improved.

The other big change is the amount of adjustment that can be achieved just by turning a dial. In 2002 I had to adjust the travel of my forks by taking them apart and moving spacers about. To change the rebound I had to use a different spring and to change the damping I had to use a different weight of oil. Now I have dials to adjust all three.

Lockouts that stop the suspension moving for more efficient climbing have also become widespread and much more reliable. Initially applying too much pressure to the shock while it was locked would break it. Now it will 'blow out' and switch back into non locked mode. Cannondale are taking this a step further in some of their new bikes which offer remotely adjustable travel on the fly from the handlebar.

Ps. this a great question and would be interesting for other parts of the bike. Bikes has changed massively since the birth of the sport.