Aluminum frame quality - how much variation can there be and how to tell?

You actually point out two important characteristics in your photos: welds and hydroforming.

The more expensive frame (looks like specialized bikes) has shaped tubes and very clean welds, while the second frame has straight tubes and messy welds.

The shaping of tubes (hydroforming) isn't just for looks.  By shaping the tubes (in addition to butting) the bike designer can tune the ride characteristics. This can make aluminum behave stiffer or more supple depending on the application (e.g., stiff for a criterium bike or supple for an endurance bike). Shaping can also be used to get a mixture compliancy in one direction and stiffer in another. Because of the time and money involved in shaping the tubes, aluminum frames with highly shaped frames tend to come on higher end bikes.

Welds are also a good indicator of quality.  Cheaper frames will use less experienced labor and will care less about the fit and finish and more about hitting a particular bottom line.

Of course neither of these characteristics are an absolute guarantee of quality, but welds and hydroforming  do tend to be associated with better build quality.

Finally, you also mention weight.  The biggest weight difference will come from the components used to build the frame rather than the frame itself.  When comparing two aluminum frames the weight difference will be less than 500g. Even if you knew the weight I personally don't think this is a good metric and the optimal weight also depends on the application and the typical forces that are expected to act on the frame.


First time repairing a rear wheel hub, I am hearing bearing on bearing rattle/clicks when spinning

When spinning the wheel before putting it on the bike I was feeling a bit of crunchiness but no noise.

My guess is that the crunchiness you felt has become the noise you hear with the wheel bolted into the frame. Crunchy is always bad when it comes to bearings.
Sadly, you need to tear it back apart and find the crunch.
The comments have good suggestions and I'll add a few:

MaplePanda says - Is everything nice and clean? Sand, dirt, metal bits, etc. are possible causes.
Carel says - Correct number of bearings?
You replaced the bearings, axle and dust caps. Possible wear on the cup or cone bearing surface?
Could the dust caps be set a little too deep coming in contact with the bearings?
When you say "The wheel has a tiny bit of play" does that mean in the bearing adjustment? If not make sure the cones are not too tight.


I just banged up my bike, what damage should I look for?

Start with a basic M check.  Look for both damage and functionality.
The original M check is https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/get-active/2019/everyday-walking-and-cycling/the-m-check-for-your-bike-in-11-steps
Essentially you methodically examine and test every part of your bike, starting at rear wheel, progress up to saddle, down to BB, up to headset, and down to front wheel.

You methodically test that every part works as it should, makes no bad noises, and is not malfunctioning.  You also check for loose items that should be tight, and tight items that should be loose.
If you have access to a workstand, or some other way to hold the bike, then its a bit easier to work through all the gears, but this is not required.  You can either hold the rear of the bike off the ground, or hang it by the saddle from something convenient like a tree, fence, cord, or similar.
Another viewpoint on the M check is at https://bikethere.org.nz/im-riding-in-traffic-free-places/m-checks-and-handy-tools/

Specific to your description, you "slammed your bike" and then dragged it through undergrowth.   So something happened to make you fall off, and then you wheeled the bike through some vegetation.
Part 1 - falling off.  Figure out why you fell off.   If you hit a rock or pothole with a wheel that stopped your forward motion, then check all around that wheel/rim for damage.   If you overcompressed your suspension and hit the ends, then check for air loss (if air based) or that the resistance hasn't significantly changed.   If some part of your bike was the cause of the fall, then check that part.
Part 2 - undergrowth.  Not sure if you rolled your disabled bike on its wheels, or if you literally dragged it sideways while the bike was lying down.  Either way, shouldering the bike would have been a better way to move it.     Check the whole frame and transmission for bits of grass/twigs/stones and removed them.  Give the bike a good wash to remove grit and dirt that will increase wear.
Part 3 - it runs slower.  That means something's rubbing.  The prime candidates are

tyres rubbing on frame/mudguards
brake pads not quite opening enough
transmission not quite in line (ie something's out of position)

The cause should be pretty obvious once you find it.
It often helps to clean the bike before or while checking, to help remove dirt that could obscure damage.
If you have any areas that seem suspect, do take some clear photos and edit them into your question.

Shouldering a bike to carry it:
Essentially putting your right arm through the frame.  This keeps the oily transmission away from your body.  Some frames may not have room through the frame, so you can hook the nose of your saddle over your shoulder instead.  A long walk may require some padding between your shoulder and the frame.
 By Original uploader was Julius.kusuma at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3778736


Rear bike stand: 2 points of contact vs 1

A single-tube clamp has to be fairly tight to prevent rotation, especially if the bike is heavily/unevenly loaded.  A double-tube clamp doesn't have to be as tight.  Whether this is enough to allow you to use the double-tube version on fragile materials is another matter.

The fit of the double version has to be much more precise. With some frames it just won't work.  I wouldn't be confident about getting it to fit with rear disk brakes.


Wheel position in track-style horizontal rear forkends

Where it is now is perfectly safe.

You can even go as far back to the blue line (where no part of the nut crosses the line).

Just want you to check whether there is a screw/bolt in the red arrow? I'm pretty sure there should be, but from the picture, it looks like it might be missing.

In general, you want the axle to be central to the dropout, if you have it too far forward, you might find it hard to install or remove the chain to take the wheel out.

There is also some element of changing how the bike rides by changing position of the axle. Further back is more stable in a stright line, further forward is better at cornering/changing direction. Although how it affects the rider is pretty minimal, if at all noticable.


ebay.com, "Electric Bike" brings up dozens of possibilities. "Petrol bicycle" brings up several petrol option. Any of these kits will do the job, but you will get what you pay for.

Electric kits are expensive, at least twice what you have suggested.

In the price range you are looking, a petrol motor version might be best. It's tried and old technlogy, is reliable, is cheaper and has a longer range than electric.  Electric does carry the "Green Tax", is new and relatively expensive for good solutions.

Be aware of local laws as far as limits to motor power and speed go. Most locations limit the power to about 300W and often speeds to below 20km/h or 25km/h (above these the motor is not allowed to provide assistance).

What research have you done, is there any reason any of these is unsuitable?


The ants don't really have any reason to stay in/on your bike. Worst case, depending on how bad it is, I would wash it down using soapwater. That way if there is any sweet juice or bug parts left to eat and make your bike more attractive to ants, it would no longer be a problem. Good Luck, I hope you can reclaim your bike back from the ants! Next time the ants should buy their own bike... not satisfied with an anthill I guess :-)


How should I fix my Ortlieb Rack Pack (medium, 31 litres) to my rear panniers?

I'd go with a couple of bungee cords, maybe the adjustable-length ones.  That's probably going to be more versatile and adaptable than something more specialized.

There are some flat adjustable bungees, like these:

http://www.amazon.com/ROK-Straps-Adjustable-Loop-Thru-BLACK/dp/B008ETMV8I

That particular type is attached on either side such that you can open it without having the entire strap coming off the bike. Both ends are a plain nylon strap, and the middle section is stretchy.  I've used these for motorcycle luggage and I liked them.


Can't get tire to seat right when changing tube

It depends on your rims.  Some rims are much worse than others, and the effect is exaggerated with some tyres.  Some things I've found that sometimes work:

Inflate hard, let the air almost all out, then try to seat by pushing/pulling the tyre into the bead seat by hand.  Pump back up.  You may need to do this a couple of times.
After it doesn't pop into the seat properly by inflating hard, release quite a bit of the air (though not as much as in the previous suggestion) and bounce/roll the wheel (while leaning on it if you're rolling it). Add the air back gently, rolling every now and then.

Taking this to extremes: ride (gently) with the tyre almost as soft as you can without risking the rims.  Just for a few tens of meters and slowly. Pump back up.

Sometimes wetting the tyre bead to reduce friction helps.  I would use plain water for this, as it doesn't damage anything and once it evaporates it leaves nothing behind.


First thing is ( as suggested by @whatsisname )go back to the shop and ask for an exchange, explaining why. Worst happens is they say no.

Presuming they say no, have a conversation about about finding a way to get you onto a bike that suits better.  You will essentially have have two choices - try to make the bike suit you better, which will almost certainly have limited success, or write it down to experience, sell the bike for what you can get for it and buy something more suitable. Keeping in mind the total cost of the bike, I do not recommend spending money making it fit better - it will only ever be a comfort bike.

Free stuff - things like seat height and handle bar height. If the bike shop that sold it to you will not take it back, they should make some adjustments for you (If not, put the cost down to experience and find a better bike bike shop).

Looking at the picture of the bike a few thoughts-  the rear spring/shock will be gobbling up power as you pedal. Tighten the preload as much as you can (or replace the 'shock' with a solid tube).  The effective top tube length (The tube that goes from the seat to handle bars) appears very short. This gives a very upright riding position which is less than ideal for speed (but good for comfort). Not much can be done to change this - putting the seat back as far as it will go, and lowering the handle bars might help a little.

Pump up the tires to a reasonable pressure. Check sidewall for max pressure. Play with pressure starting at highest on side wall and lowing it a few PSI at a time till you find a sweat spot of comfort vs rolling resistance.


Waht is the difference between Shwalbe's Basic compound and Performance compound tyres?

A simplified way to think about this is a tire has three core attributes: performance, durability and cost, but you can optimize for only two of them.  That, and marketing, is what seems to be afoot.

Schwalbe's web site has some general information on the construction of tires.  A takeway is they can tweak the rubber compounds to improve a tire's characteristics for specific needs. Their very high-level/marketing view list enumerating compounds equates the "Triple Star" compound as the best family, but it's tuned the specific user type mountain (grip, speed), road (speed, weight) and touring (durability, fewer flats) use.  It's not that different from 105/Dura Ace vs XT/XTR.

It may be more helpful to consider their suitability ratings within each category.  For example, under the All Mountain, the Nobby Nic (with the PaceStar, the high-end compound) is touted for its grip in soft surfaces and decent on hardpack/loose.  Its other virtues are comparable to the Rapid Rob (standard compound) at approximately 60% of the cost.  Thus if grip on soft-pack is really important to you, you might be willing spend more.  Skimming through their touring tires, there does seem to be a tradeoff between speed/grip and protection/durability.

Schwalbe's breakout seems reasonable, though I'd like to see some comparables with other vendors for calibration, ideally by the folks at Bicycle Quarterly who have done work trying to quantify aspects such as inflation pressure vs tire width.

Hope this helps.


Uncomfortable road saddle, how to choose a saddle for my riding?

The general rules of thumb seem to be:

Softer saddles for shorter rides, harder ones for longer rides
Width to match your sit bones plus about 2cm.
A large portion of personal preference

Source: Sheldon Brown.

There's some more detailed analysis here.


Cycling on Manchester Metrolink tram routes

Highway Code rule 300 - You MUST NOT enter a road, lane or other route reserved for trams. A road or lane reserved for trams will have signs like this:

or road markings that say TRAM ONLY.

If cyclists are allowed on that particular section of tramway then it will be indicated by a sign, like this above or below the tram sign:

or the road markings will indicate that cyclists are allowed (this is from Edinburgh):

Legal issues aside, cycling along a tramway can be dangerous. This blog entry describes the problem:

  The tram lines have also proven to be a nightmare for cyclists – set in smooth concrete or rough setts, with buses and taxis forcing your line and on dark and wet nights, many a cyclist has fallen victim to them and broken their bones and their bikes. It was apparent that the people behind Edinburgh’s tram had made absolutely zero allowance in their thinking around how cyclists might “interact” with tram lines when forced across them at shallow angles by poor road design and by other road users.


Competing against a 10 Speed Bike with 7 Speed bike?

I'm not necessarily sure that the number of gears here is the key issue - it's going to be the upper and lower range: what are the extremes of your gear ratios (or gear inches, if you'd prefer)?

Maybe your largest gear just isn't large enough. Maybe you need a bigger front cog (or a smaller rear one) to allow you to get up to the same ratio that he can use.

cadence * gearing = speed

The extra gears on his bike just means the transition between gears is smoother - less of a leap between neighbouring cogs.


A felt clicking is likely to be a bottom bracket or pedal bearing problem. Chain problems tend to be audible clicking or clattering.

If the click is felt on one side only that points to a pedal bearing problem rather than bottom bracket.

A constant stiffness, roughness or 'notchiness' as the cranks turn would indicate a worn out bottom bracket bearing.

You can check the pedals by simply turning them by hand. If they don't turn smoothly the bearings need greasing, servicing or replacing.

You can also check the bottom bracket in a similar way by turning the crank by hand. Taking the chain off the chainrings makes it easier to feel stiffness or roughness in the bearings. Also check for play (slight looseness) of the crank axle in the bottom bracket bearing.

If you are not familiar with bike repair, it’s best to have a local bike repair shop check it out. Bottom bracket replacement is best done by a repair shop in any case as special tools are needed.


If this bike is your only transportation and you have limited funds to fix it don't take it off road.

Otherwise, don't worry about the bike. You might as well break things on a less expensive bike first.

Make a plan to ease into off road riding.

Start small for several weeks - easy off road riding at low to moderate speeds - and learn about how to choose your path and handle various terrain.

Work your way to moderate riding - building skill and getting to know your bike. Do moderate for several weeks.

Experiment a little with more difficult off road - ease your way into it.

Your goal should be to maximize experience and minimize risks.
Expect things to break. You will get more flats. If you hit rocks and holes you will bend wheels. Don't get too far from civilization.

Several things will happen if you take the "ease into it" approach.

You will learn how to handle your bike
You will build strength
You will find out the limits of your bike and what qualities in a bike are needed to support the type of riding you like.

This information will be very valuable when you shop for your next bike. The skills you develop will help your next bike last longer because you'll know what to and what not to do.

Carels suggestion of removing the kick-stand is very good.


Do new hubs need to be adjusted prior to use

Most lower end hubs do not come perfectly adjusted from the factory.  A quality LBS will have a step in a bike build process that checks and/or adjusts the hubs accordingly.  It can be hard to adjust a hub that is unbuilt and between that and machine assembly, they are often close, but not as good as they can be.

If you are feeling vibration, I would guess they are too loose and look into adjusting them as soon as possible to prevent damage.


I guess your bottom bracket is a standard square taper?  And that your bike is getting a little old in years?  The fix is to replace the cranks.

The cause is that as you tighten the nut, the square taper hole on the crank mashes up close to the axle.  But as you pedal, and brake in your case, the cranks will minutely flex in the hole which creates a tiny space so fretting can occur.  This is when minor amounts of metal are rubbed off the inside of the crank's square hole - the bottom bracket axle is normally tougher than the crank metal.

Once there's a bit of play in the square hole of the crank it will never tighten up right again.  If you're handy with tools you might be able to take some metal out of the middle of each side of the square hole, but in reality its only a delay.

Worst case is your cranks crack through while emergency-braking.

Check out your local bike co-op.  Cranks are mostly okay on scrapped donor bikes, so they should have some in spares for cheap.


How to retrieve broken off end of gear cable from inside Shimano 105, 11 gear, lever?

I just got done doing this to my 5800-series brifter. Looking at it, it seems to be kind of fortified against amateur disassembly.
However, I discovered that this took a lot less disassembly than Criggie's answer had led me to believe. Indeed, you could do it with the brifter still on the handlebar.
All it took is undoing one screw on the underside of the lever:

This let me remove the two bottom parts of the brifter's case and access the part of the mechanism the stub of wire was in:

As a reassembly note, the larger piece is backwards in the image, those "teeth" point backwards in the assembled brifter.


If this is the bike at http://www.sebikes.com/bikes/cat/rad-series/big-flyer-29

Then it can’t be done. The frame and fork lacks mount points for disc brake callipers.


I have a broken my drive side crankarm - what do I need to do?

Yes, you need to replace the crank arm, if tightening the bolt does not make it 100% solid again.  No doubt the crank arm had been loose for days, and had you tightened it earlier you might have "saved" it.

And there's some danger that you have damaged the crank axle as well, meaning the bottom bracket cartridge will need changing out as well.

I have speculated that a slightly misshapen crank could be saved by fashioning a shim of aluminum sheet metal (ie, beer/pop can), but I've never had need to try that, and it sounds like yours is in too bad of shape for that to have a chance to work.

(I'll add that replacing just the arm vs a larger assembly is a matter of feasibility and economics.  If you can't find a compatible replacement arm you may need to just install a new crankset, or you may discover that the entire crankset is cheaper than the replacement arm.)

Added

As others have pointed out below, the OP's description is more consistent with a failure at the joint between the crank arm and the pedal than between the crank arm and the crank shaft.  If this is the case there is some chance that a "Helicoil" can be installed to fix it.  This can be done by a skilled bike mechanic or a machine shop.

(In this case the pedal is likely toast, however.)


The problem is not the stress from the weight of your U-lock.

The (true) stress comes from the compressional hoop stress of the bracket to the carbon fiber tube. The bracket stays in place thanks to the friction, which requires certain amount of compression.

Unfortunately, this hoop compression coincidentally directs at the weakest point of this (tubular) design. Buckling will appear over time if enough compression is applied.

It is hard to say whether a simple bracket would cause the bike frame to fail. It depends on the user (over-torque), the design of the bracket (causing notch/localized stress on the frame), and how the frame was design (strength of carbon fiber in certain direction), etc.

There are many example of this failure type, one of which is the failure of carbon seat post. Usually, the bike frame (clamping type) was not designed to accomodate carbon seat post and cause large compressional hoop stress to the seatpost. That is why the seatpost often fail, not because of the product quality, but often the mis-use from the user.

Ref:
Compressive failure in carbon composite, N.A. Fleck (Cambridge, Advances in Applied Mechanics Vol 33, 1997)


Cross training athlete, running out of energy during long rides, what should I eat before I ride?

I don't know what you consider a "long ride" to be but I just did a 77 mile fund-raiser ride yesterday in Ohio. I averaged a little over 16mph for the entire ride. About 50 miles of the ride was into a 10-15 mph head-wind.

During the ride, I probably went through 10 large bottles of water and Gatorade, a dozen energy bars, a couple brownies and a Subway sub. The temperature was in the mid-80's with a little humidity. Even with all that, there were times I was a little light-headed and got some chills (almost a sure sign of not enough hydration). So on rides like this, you almost cannot drink and eat enough. It's very important you try though. If you don't, your body will let you know it, and you won't like how it feels :).

You don't necessarily need the pack to stop just to hydrate and eat. Most cycling jerseys have enough pockets to store a lot of energy bars and bottles of water. And you can probably include two bottles on your bike.


changing disc brake pad material while keeping same rotors

Just called Shimano to ask this question for a customer's bike. For switching from a resin to a metallic padset, the answer is clean rotor with isopropyl alcohol and do a standard bed-in.

Didn't ask them about metallic to resin


Building an Entry Level MTB. How should I choose suspension forks?

Also, the sram product matrix can be handy (y is cost, x is severity of impacts):

source: https://www.sram.com/sites/all/themes/sram_2011/st_rockshox/_images/products/product-matrix.png


In general manufacturers each give specific numbers for this, and it tends to be 30-55mm of total spacer between the headset and the stem. Beyond that there isn't really a universally agreed upon rule of thumb. I would use the number 30mm lacking any specific recommendations, including any large conical spacers that are part of the headset. (In other words, the big spacers or the headsets that use them as a top piece don't let you "cheat" here; what's in question is the distance between the upper headset bearing and the bottom of the stem). 30mm is conservative, but this really is a good area to do what the fork maker tells you.

The maximum steerer length for a given frame gets into the stack height of various stems and whether you're running a spacer above the stem (a good idea unless you're using a compression plug that reinforces the clamp area, in which case some manufacturers recommend against it), so it's probably not the most useful number. You need to know your stem's stack height to determine it. It's that number plus the stack height of your headset plus your headtube length plus the spacer limit plus about 3mm if you're using a 5mm spacer on top of the stem, or minus about 2mm if you're not.

It doesn't make a difference whether the fork is tapered or not.


the 14t, 15t, etc. is the number of teeth. You currently have a 16 tooth or 16t freewheel. More teeth and the easier to spin, but the slower it spins. Think of teeth on the rear cog as inverse to ease...lower numbers take more power to move; higher numbers take relatively less power. You want to find a good mix that allows you to make it up whatever hills you have while still not requiring a super high cadence for the flats.


What is the diameter of the seat post on Citizen folding bikes?

The seat post dimension for Citizen bikes, according to customer support, is 31.8mm.


Am I too heavy for my Trek 7200 multitrack?

Being too heavy and getting too many flats may be separate issues... On one hand, weight will always seem to increase the rate of flats, as I have discovered by going cross country with 60 pounds strapped to my rear rack.

On the other hand, as long as you are not popping spokes, you are not "too heavy" for your bike.

To phrase this another way, this is not a bike issue, it's a tube-popping issue. If you're getting too many flats, make sure you're running the correct pressures, and maybe get some thorn resistant tires and or tubes.


Do bikes with carbon frame get detected by induction loops?

The loops actually detect the metal in your wheel rims more than the bike frame:

So it's less about a carbon frame and about having carbon or plastic wheels.

One trick if the loop doesn't detect your bike is to tilt your bike so that the crank and pedals (which are mostly made of metal) are nearer to the loop and the ground.

Some areas will paint the road with the location of where the loop is most sensitive to bicycles.

They also sell magnets to help motorbikes trip automotive loop sensors but I'm not sure of how well they work -- on motorbikes or bicycles.

Addendum: I have a big honking ebike so I don't have problems tripping the bike specific sensors here in California. In Connecticut where I rode a road bike and the sensors weren't configured for bikes, only cars, I did have more trouble both with my motorbike and my bicycle and I seriously considered getting a magnet.


Put link into chain, hold chain on either side, use thumbs to hold snaplock over link. Gently pull chain using thumbs as fulcrums...this will put pressure on the pins forcing them just a tiny bit inward. Snaplock should slide over. (Think of it kind of like bending but not breaking a pencil...both hands on pencil (chain), thumbs next to each other, gentle pressure.


Tyre management is tricky. I also notice the gashes and cuts in the tyre. Also if you take your tyre off and look really closely (while bending the rubber back and forth) you'll find heaps of glass and metal embedded in the tyre. If you were really keen to extend the life of your tyres you can go through and pick out all the junk you can find.

I personally replace my tyres when the frequency of punctures gets too high. Over time it happens more regularly until I get sick of it and buy new ones.

If you want a longer lasting tyre, I've had good experience with Continental Gatorskins. I generally run 4000S's on the front for the amazing grip, and Gatorskins on the back for longer life.


New bike advice - Singlespeed/fixed, mountain, or road

There are only really two things. First, as you identify, there is the issue of gradients. If you think that difference goes away if you just "man up", good luck with that. Even if you had the leg power (most of us don't, we'd end up pushing the bike and likely mashing our knees in the process), it would be very difficult to select one gearing that would be suitable for all gradients.

The second thing is maintenance. Single speeds are a bit easier to maintain because there is no derailleur arrangement. Get your chainline right and you're basically down to fixing punctures. So if you're not into diy, or money will be tight as regards keeping the bike on the road, then that could be a factor. But you still have tyres, brakes and less frequently bottom brackets and chainrings to worry about, just like a road bike.

I think your reasoning about theft is likely wrong, or at the very least governed by geography. I can imagine certain places where it is ultra-cool to ride a fixie, and therefore they would be in strong demand. For example, London, Tokyo, probably other cities too. I mean, these things are largely fashion accessories. Also I think buying a bike because it is less likely to get stolen is a recipe for disaster (especially when it gets stolen).

I think you're right in terms of your price analysis though. In the "new" market, a budget of £400 will not buy a good road bike. You might have a chance of finding something if you're wanting a flip-flop, although my flip-flop (a nothing-special Charge Plug) retailed new at around £600 iirc. Secondhand gives you more scope, of course (I got mine off eBay), but you need to know what you're looking for.

You mention mountain bikes in the title, but not really in the question. The pros/cons of these are pretty much the same as the pros/cons for road bikes, in this context at any rate.


Rear derailleur bouncing up and down in easiest gear

That sounds like either the A or B tension spring on the derailleur broke.

The A spring rotates the cage to tension the chain. The B spring rotates the entire derailleur around the mounting bolt. If you pop the chain off the chainring on the crank to slacken the chain you should be able to see that the derailleur is moving freely without spring tension.

The solution is to replace the whole derailleur, as I don’t believe they can be disassembled to replace a spring.


Do I require a washer/spacer/shim between a hub's cone nut and lock nut?

I've just rebuilt a totally stock Shimano wheel set and it had locknuts touching cones all over the place. Go for it.


What can I add to a chain cleaning bottle to get between the links?

I am not sure that any of the additives that you mentioned are necessary. You already have fluid flushing through the open spaces of the chain. I'd recommend just changing your degreasing solution and shaking the chain again, several times if necessary.
In addition, dirt between the link plates may not matter as much. Most friction is generated between the rollers and pins. If you were looking to totally optimize your performance and chain life, you'd need to get the dirt and old lubricant flushed out of that area, not just between the link plates. Repeated washing in a bottle appears to be sufficient to remove most of the contaminants from between the rollers and pins (demonstrated below), and it should suffice to get dirt out from between the plates.

Parts of a chain

The image above is courtesy of the blog Bike Gremlin.

chain link
inner plates
roller
pin
outer plates

As I mentioned, the majority of chain friction occurs between the rollers (#3) and pins (#4). Also, our chains wear as dirt gets between these items. In conjunction with lubricant, this forms a grinding paste that erodes the rollers. Thus, you ultimately want to minimize the contaminants that get between the pins and rollers if possible.
Cleaning your chain
It is not necessary to remove your chain to clean it. Per this Cyclingtips article, most riders should find it sufficient to a) wipe their chains with a rag after each ride and b) periodically use either degreaser and brushes or an on-bike chain cleaner as described by @Mr_Thyroid in comments.
If you are determined to clean your chain more thoroughly than this, I'd recommend watching this video by Josh Poertner of Silca. He does demonstrate why a degreaser and brushes is inferior to shaking the chain in a bottle of degreaser. In his demonstration, he showed that 4 solvent changes in a bottle produced a very clean chain, which he described as nearly equal to an ultrasonic cleaner. Again, if you are determined to use a bottle and solvent, simply change the solvent as often as you feel necessary.
NB: He created this video as part of an instructional series for Silca's wax-based chain lube, which requires every bit of petroleum-based lubricant to be removed from the chain before application. You don't need to buy his wax lubricant. You should merely take his broader point about chain cleaning. My read of the video is that he didn't consider an ultrasonic cleaner vital for the purposes of applying wax lube. That implies that for general purpose cycling, multiple agitated solvent baths should be a very good solution.
Now, if you are deathly determined to extract every last bit of gunk out of the chain, by all means, consider buying an ultrasonic cleaner and finishing your chain cleaning in there. Remember that this is not necessary for almost all cyclists.

Some miscellaneous comments: new chains come in a cosmoline-like substance to protect them from corrosion. Some argue that this substance is an excellent lubricant, and should not be removed. Others argue that the factory lubricant is high-friction and is excellent at absorbing dirt from the environment. It strikes me that allowing the chain to soak for a few minutes could help dissolve the grease, if any is left on your chain. However, beware that many citrus-based solvents can cause embrittlement of the metal, as discussed toward the end of Poertner's video. Basically, do not soak your chain overnight in a citrus-based solvent.
Also, you may be aware than many quick links are not rated as reusable. Consider how much force you have to exert to close many 11s quick links. While many riders including myself have re-used our links without apparent issue, it is best practice not to do this if the link isn't designed for it. I would expect that the link gets weakened with each use. The more you clean your chain off the bike, the greater the likelihood of an unexpected failure.
To my knowledge, Yaban (YBN) rates their links as re-usable for 5 times, and Connex has no specific upper limit. Some KMC links are reusable, but some are not; check the package. I have personal experience with 11s Yaban and 10s Connex links, and I believe either would be a good purchase if you are set on frequent agitated solvent cleans.


Starting from a new split chain:

Thread chain onto largest chain ring and largest cassette sprocket. Either thread through front derailleur or move it out of the way. Do not thread chain through rear derailleur.

On the chainring, find the links that will join to form the shortest possible chain that can be connected. Add 1 inch of chain to that (two rivets or 1 inner and 1 outer plate link).

If using a quick-link, remember that takes the place of one outer plate link.

Reading between the lines, what you are actually asking is 'what's the correct length of chain for a modern derailleur' bike?'

Given that modern derailleurs can accommodate the chain running from the chainring to sprockets in almost a straight line, the shortest possible chain that fits over the largest chainring and sprocket, that can run through the derailleur is desired. This is because:

Eliminates rick of breaking chain or derailleur if largest ring and sprocket are selected.
Maximizes chain tension and the slack that the derailleur can take up, enabling the largest spread of gear ratios.

If one had a system where the derailleurs could be prevented from selecting the largest chainring and n largest cassette sprockets at the same time - which could be programmed into Di2 or eTap systems - then the chain could be sized for the large chainring and n-1th sprocket.


I think what you are getting at in your question is: is there and optimum bike geometry for any given rider and riding position or style? Yes, there is, but stack and reach are not the measurements used to specify bike fit per se and they are not the only frame geometry parameters that affect bike fit. Seat tube angle is also important as it affects where the seat is located.

The basic measurements used in bike fit deal with the three contact points on the bike: feet, butt and hands:

Saddle height above bottom bracket
Saddle horizontal set back aft of bottom bracket
Horizontal saddle to bars distance
Saddle to bars vertical drop

If you know what those are for a rider you can pick a frame with stack, reach and seat tube angle that will allow seat, seatpost, stem and handlebars to be positioned and adjusted to get that fit.

Of course, that is not the whole story. The steering geometry that is influenced by wheelbase, chain-stay length, head-tube angle and fork trail are big factors in bike selection as well as cockpit geometry.

I think because stack and reach, along with other frame geometry parameters are published by bike manufacturers people thing they need to find 'their' preferred or optimum stack and reach. I would not pick a bike that way. The best advice is to test ride an array of bikes at a number of different stores and let bike store staff give you some advice on sizing and fit. See what feels best for you.


Shimano Claris 1x8 11-28t, can upgrade to 1x10 11-34t?

No. You cannot use a 10 speed cassette with an 8 speed derailleur and shifter.
Cassettes with increasing numbers of sprockets have narrower sprocket spacing, to allow the larger numbers of sprockets to fit on the hub. Shifters and derailleurs for different drivetrains with different numbers of sprockets are designed to move the derailleur cage the proper distance for each shift. Higher speed chains are also incrementally narrower to work with the narrower sprocket spacing. The chainrings are also more narrowly spaced to work with the narrower chain.
If you want to upgrade to 10 speed, you need a new cassette, derailleur, shifters and chain (and crankset if you were running a 2x setup). This is very often not cost effective vs simply buying a new bike with an upgraded drivetrain.


I doubt the iron-rich water will cause problems unless you put the bike away wet.

So, wash and then let it dry in the sunlight for a while, then turn the bike around and let it dry on the other side.   Or you could use an automotive chamois or a powered air blaster to help dry the bike off.


Are these Xero Lite XSR-3 Wheels suitable for cross riding / racing?

They should be fine. There are a lot of people that ride "road" wheels for cyclocross. Unless you have some dedicated tubular wheels with wider and shallower glue beds to accommodate cross tires, you're probably riding "road" wheels with cross tires on them anyway.

I'm currently using some Mavic ksyriums on my cross bike as training wheels and they work out just dandy. Make sure you check the spoke tension often as all the jostling and off road riding will tend to loosen the spokes and throw your wheel a bit out of true quicker than road riding.


Relationship between given width of a tire and actual height

In bicycle tires the height and width are directly related. This is because unlike unlike car and motorcycle tires, the cords that hold the tire together are aligned diagonal and the resulting fabric stretches to round shape when inflated. The tube does not have anything to do with it, because it expands to fill all available space. If you have a piece of non stretchy fabric like a flannel shirt at hand, you can try stretching different directions to see how it works.

Tires that have thick tread are taller than fully round tube shape would be, because tread is outside of the fabric.


10mm through axle hub use in traditional frame?

If understand right, you've got a thru-bolt style hub and it's not fitting correctly in the dropouts. You're proposing to take a standard 10mm axle instead, use that in place of the thru-bolt, and put a QR through the whole thing to secure it.

(Thru-bolt is the more commonly used term for the type of hub that fits in a standard QR-compatible dropout but uses a continuous-diameter axle for extra stiffness.)

I think it would probably be fine to do what you propose. Hypothetically one issue could be what if there were other aspects to the hub's design that were relying on the stiffness of the thru-bolt to maintain bearing alignment, etc. But that's very hypothetical.

However, if a 10mm threaded axle fits and your 10mm thru-bolt doesn't, you're probably talking about taking off a very minuscule amount of material from the frame to make it work. In most cases I wouldn't feel any compunction about just doing that, especially if this is your bike and this is the hub you want to use with it indefinitely. Back in the days when more bike boom era bikes showed up in shops for repair, I filed a number of 5/16" frames and forks to take replacement wheels with 3/8" or 10mm axles. That's about 30 times the material you're talking about taking off and maintaining symmetry was never a huge problem. Just be careful, do the same number of file strokes on each side with your best attempt at the same amount of force, and go slow. Make some sweeping motions with a round file to do the enlarging of the rounded part, if you even need to in this case.


Barcelona
Barcelona has had a bike sharing program for about 3 years now, Bicing. Overall it's been a success with a huge amount of people signing up and using them every day.
Things that didn't work:

Bike stations weren't properly designed, it was easy to steal bikes. They have fixed this recently.
The lever to secure the seat was too small and people had trouble loosening it, they've now put huge levers on all bikes
The first bikes weren't at all reliable, for about 6 months I had trouble finding bikes that didn't have one or more of: tyres/brakes/seat/handlebar/chain/gears broken. I haven't used the service much in the last year because I got my own bike, but the times I have they have seemed more reliable.
Bike availability and parking spot availability. Stations that are on the top of hilly areas are always empty and stations near busy areas are always full. Solving this would require a lot more micromanagement of the bikes.
Instead of making an accessible web service for checking bike availability they decided to make an iPhone only app. This boggles my mind.

Other than that it's a great service when there aren't problems (I got charged 20 EUR when either the bike I had used got stolen or their system had a stroke and their records showed me having a bike for 8 hours, when I'd returned it after 26 minutes).
People have criticised using vans to micromanage the bikes, arguing that it offsets any ecological gains.
It initially cost 20 EUR/year, and is now 30 EUR/year. The pricing is:

First 30 min free.
Every 30 min after, and up to 2 hours total, 0.50 EUR.
After 2 hours, 3 EUR per hour until you return the bike. After this happens 3 times you get kicked off the service.
Steal a bike: 150 EUR.


Will mountain bike front derailleur work with Shimano Tourney index shifter?

In case anyone is interested, I got the following suggestion on www.bikeforums.net. The limit screws are not an issue, but I bet flex is. I'm going to check it out.

"Since the front shifter works on the tensioned part of the chain, it does take more force for front shifting. If you have the range on the stand, but isn't getting all gears on the road, then either something is flexing, or the limit screws needs to be backed out some to allow a little more overshoot."

Here is a link to that thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/1118824-shimano-tourney-shifter-work-mountain-bike-derailleur.html#post19798217

Here is an update:

I ended up swapping out the front derailleur, which made it possible for me to shift to all three front rings. However, it was laggy and unpredictable. That got me to look closer at the bottom bracket. I have a bit of slop there, which is likely the final thing -- I hope -- needed to fix this. Alas, I am now thousands of miles from my bike and won't be reunited with it until mid-October, so trying that will have to wait.

Another up date: my front derailleur now shifts great. I repacked the bottom bracket and eliminated that bit of slop. However, I think the biggest factor was that remounting the front chain ring and crank arm actually moved the front gears closer to my frame. I can tell it ended up closer because my limit screw setting was off. Not by much, mind you, but I didn’t need much. This is an old bike; the pedals are a press fit onto the bottom bracket shaft, essentially a square wedge going into a square, tapered hole,

Anyway, now I’m having trouble with my rear derailleur, but that’s a problem already on the way to being solved.


Short vs Long brake pads (with v-brakes) on road bike rims at high speed

You should not have a problem.

In fact it should be easier to set the toe as well as the alignment. Assuming the block widths are about the same, you should see better stopping power as well as cooling.

I go long, esp. cause I'm +90kg and enjoy speed.

Shudder and "grabbiness" are typical toe issues. If you follow the pad instructions or any of the hundreds of guides available online, you'll get real good at setting the toe and get the most out of them.

It is the most common issue I fix for friends who's "bikes don't work".


Should an amateur attempt truing a wheel

If your question is, "Can an amateur successfully true a wheel on their first try?", the answer is "Yes".

A quick search on the internet reveals plenty of videos explaining the process.

Some things to consider:

Make sure you fully understand the process before you start
Don't use excessive force and take your time
Use a spoke wrench
Make small adjustments (1/8th of a turn)
You probably shouldn't attempt DIY repairs unless you can afford to replace anything you break, it's always possible you mess it up on your first try


Bottom bracket Stronglight JP400 equivalents

From what you say, you need a bottom bracket with:

length = 122mm (as you state)
width = 68mm (you say 69mm, but 68mm is a standard size, could you be 1mm out?)
JIS standard taper (this will make sense to you when you start looking at BBs, the other standard is ISO. In JIS, "J" equals Japan, I suspect in JP400, "JP" also equals Japan)

There's one last variable, unfortunately. This is how the bottom bracket attaches to the frame. It screws in, but there are two different types of thread in common use, English and Italian. The type of threading used depends on the manufacturer of your bike. As a generalisation, Italian threads are (surprisingly) used mostly by Italian makers, the rest of the world pretty much uses English.

So, most likely you'll want an English thread, but you should check this (do you know the manufacturer of the frame?) before buying as the two threads are most definitely not compatible.

NB as always there's a page on Sheldon Brown's website with good information on BBs.


Dealing with very juddery cantilever brakes

A simple solution from Specialized itself to your problem could be the installation of a Tricross Fork Brake Hanger.

Here is a lengthy discussion at reddit/r/bicycling about this exact same problem with the same bike: Carbon forks flex under braking. How much is 'normal'? How easily do they fracture?


My chain appears to be squeaking when I ride it forward but not backwards

Since you have 3000 miles on the current chain, it is quite possible that you are nearing the end of the life span of the chain.  An easy way to check this is to grab a ruler and measure 12 links. Remember that a full link has both an inner and outer section so a full link will look something like this : (0)=(0)=()
So count every other pivot.  Each link should be ~1 inch.  12 links should = 12 inches.  If 12 links on your chain is more than 12 1/4 inches you should replace the chain.  This would be a good time to check the rest of your drive train for wear too.


Is my bike fit a problem, I'm experiencing achilles tendon pain?

The achilles pain and some tightness in the back of the calves comes from ankling too much, by pedaling high on the balls of your feet. I find that I do this when the seat is a bit too high.  Lowering the seat slightly and making sure my cleats are positioned more toward the center of my foot as opposed to toward the toes helped me to alleviate this.

Try to notice whether you are pushing with your ankles while pedaling, this is the motion that causes the stress on the tendon. I lowered my seat such that it didn't feel like I was overextending my leg during a pedal stroke or trying to tip/toe at the greatest point of extension.

See sheldon for more info on pain in the tendon.

Related question on cleat postion:
Why not place the cleats further back on the foot?


I would classify tools into two groups.  The ones you ride with, and the ones you keep at home.  There may be a bunch of overlap, but it is harder to work with a multi-purpose tool, so if you end up using one tool all the time, a purpose-specific tool may be worth the purchase.

Tools to carry with you:

Tire levers.
Patch Kit.
Multi Tool.

There are a plethora of these.  I'd suggest visiting your LBS to find one you like.
Should have all of the hex wrenches you need for on the route fixes.

Leatherman (optional).

When you need it, you need it.  Until then, it's just dead weight.

Tools for at home:

Hex wrenches (optional if your Multi Tool has them already).

Bikes tend to use hex bolts all over the place, so a nice set of these can make your life easier.

Regular wrenches (optional based on the bike).

Axel nuts, pedals, and a few other odd bits might use these.
I believe everything on my bike is a 15mm wrench.  So maybe just need one?
Also may be included in your Multi Tool.

Chain lube.

I prefer T9 lube, but I know a lot of people who run straight 30w engine oil.
Yes, you need lube.  Otherwise your bike will end up sounding like a hamster wheel.

Chain Cleaner.

If you ride enough that you are posing this question, you will probably need one eventually.  Road grime sticks to chain lube and can grind away at the soft internal workings of your drive train.
They're also pretty cheap and really easy to use.

Other Tools:

Chain breaker.

This is useful if you need to replace or shorten your chain.  Until then, it isn't really needed.
May be included in your Multi Tool.

Bike stand.

Almost never necessary.  Nice, but not necessary.
Most of my bike work is done with the bike upside down on the carpet at home.

Cone wrenches.

Really nice if you know how to adjust your bearings.  I don't, so I take it to someone who does when they are out of adjustment.

Bottom bracket tool.

Most of the time your bottom bracket will not need maintenance, so it is easy to take it to your LBS.

That is everything I can think of right now.


How to use a vapor barrier with cycling shoes for cold weather riding?

I rode a couple winters as a bike messenger in the northeastern US, and this is a classic messenger trick for the worst cold wet days. While your feet may still become somewhat wet, at least they will be warm and wet. I liked wearing a thin sock on the inside, the plastic bag, another pair of socks, then shoes.

This is not really a dry-day technique. Then, as @hillsons said, you will just have wet feet for no reason. When it's dry and really cold, put flat pedals on your bike and wear normal civilian winter footwear. Hiking boots, for example. But when it's 35 degrees and raining and you are silly enough to be on your bike, the plastic bags trick is the way to go.

One place to search advice on vapor barriers is in the camping/backpacking world, there's been plenty of experimentation with them since at least the 60s in that community.


How to make a 10 year old electric bike battery work better?

As said, the batteries need replacing. They have a limited lifetime, regardless of use. You don't say if they are lead acid or lithium - if lead acid, they will certainly stuffed.
If Lithium they could last many more than 10 years, but only if stored correctly.  If replacement batteries cannot be purchased the best option is probably a rebuild. Virtually all battery packs are made up a collection of standard size cells, a rebuild involves stripping the battery and rebuilding with new cells.  Cell quality and price varies a lot, so shopping around for the cheapest is not always the way to go, but paying more does not mean you are paying for better quality cells.  When selecting a rebuilder, ensure they specify the cells they will be using - ideally a branded named once such as Panasonic or Sony, sourced from a reputable supplier. There are  a lot of counterfeit and low quality cells being sold these days.
Changing the connectors to use a different model battery pack is also an option, but you would need to know what you are doing. By the time you source a new battery and installed matching connectors you are likely close the cost of a rebuild.


Frame lock that can lock without key inserted

You should note that non-key-retaining locks that don't involve a separate lock-actuating lever are susceptible to shimming.

Before buying a lock, you should always google or YouTube search to see if your lock can be easily shimmed or bypassed.

Ps I would not worry too much about picking unless it's a tubular lock, as most thieves will prefer to use physical force (cutters, grinder) as they are much faster (5-30 seconds) than picking (1-5 minutes in ideal circumstances; 3-20 in non-ideal).


This is done by changing the primary gear ratio with your chainring and, if possible, the cog on the hub.

If you make a large change or if the your existing chain is sufficiently worn, you'll likely need to get a new chain as well.

As mentioned in the comments, you need to be careful about making the gearing too small (easy to pedal), as you might end up exceeding the max torque for your hub. It sounds like, however, that you'd like the gear to be larger, not smaller.


Run tubeless tire on standard rim as long as I use a tube?

Yes, no problem. It's conceivable there could be some kind of exception someday, but so far not that I've seen or heard of.


I have a bicycle that is yet to have been identified by anyone

The graphics looks similar to a '61 Dynamax TDF edition, made by Motobecane for the Canadian market. Could be a different model year maybe?

61 dynamax decals.. Look like a similar cartoon style.

Either way its pretty awesome!


Bike weight limits, fatter tyre for more weight?

The flattening is normal, since there is so much weight. Don't really try the MTB wheels. They will probably not fit and you will have to be rolling with different sizes of tyres that may not fit to the frame. Increase the air pressure (or go tubeless) and make sure you change tyres in short periods of time. Don't let them wear totally off.


What do I need to know when replacing my inner tube/tires?

Basically you just need a tube that's the right size (diameter and width) for the tire.  And of course you need the right stem -- the thin Presta stem, or the thick auto-style Schraeder stem -- depending on what your rim is drilled for.

There are various grades of tubes, but you most certainly want just the standard grade.  Thin ones designed for racing leak down rapidly, while thick ones designed to resist punctures are really bulky and hard to deal with.

Be wary of a shop that doesn't have the right size tube (the range of sizes should be printed on the box the tube comes in) and tries to sell you what they have in stock.  While a "slightly wrong" size will often work, it will be hard to install and will be apt to not run smoothly.

[Also note that for a small cut in a tire you can often get away with using a "boot" behind the hole.  This can be a specially made piece of thin, flexible plastic, a piece cut from the sidewall of a lightweight tire, or even a piece of folded currency, if yours (as in the US) is fairly rugged.]


Could you please help me identify my father's bike?

Rico was a bicycle manufacturer from Switzerland (Wallisellen, a town near Zurich). Rico PF means "Rico - Paul Fries".
You can check some badges on the swiss auction sites, to try to pinpoint the production year. For example:
https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/rico-velo-rad-marken-schild-wallisellen-1070171586/ (in the description it says it is from the 60s).
Good luck with your search and please keep us updated!
Addition 1: Duralca is a brand that at the time was owned (and founded) by Jacob Caironi, a Swiss cyclist (more info in german here ). The company Duralca (the name coming from from Duraluminium - Caironi) dissolved in 1972 so your bike is unlikely to be olderyounger than 1972.


What is the full name of this bicycle? Thank you!

That looks like a Cervélo RS (from some time around 2008) with an aftermarket Easton EC90 fork and DT Swiss wheelset fitted.

You can find a review of the bike from when it was released here.


My front dérailleur doesn't shift into the big ring neither in the small one. If I pull the shifter nothing happens

Try to set up the derailleur from scratch.

Unscrew the cable clamping bolt to disconnect the cable. If you cannot move the derailleur when the cable is disconnected, the problem is there. If the disconnected cable does not move when you move your shifter, the problem is in the shifter. Check that you can move the derailleur all the way in and out.

If the checks are OK: Connect the cable back with such a tension that the chain on the small chainring is in the middle of the derailleur cage. Then set the limit screws according to common tutorials. There are many tutorials on Youtube and elsewhere. Just search for setting up front derailleur.


Options for adding lower gearing for bike with Shimano 105 drivetrain

There are a couple of parameters you need to pay attention to:

The rear derailleur's wrap capacity (how much chain it can wrap up)
The biggest gear the rear derailleur can fit under.

With your current setup, your derailleur needs to wrap 41 teeth of chain. It looks like you've got this derailleur, which can wrap 37 teeth and fit under a 32-tooth gear. So you're already beyond capacity in terms of wrap, but if you don't cross-chain, it's probably not a big deal. You could probably get away with a 34-tooth bottom gear by adjusting the B screw on the derailleur (the one pointing straight back, under the hanger) to push the derailleur down.

The current generation of 105 medium-cage derailleurs is designed to fit under a 34-tooth bottom gear and handle 39 teeth of wrap.


Should I update my Bontrager Litespeed mountain bike?

I'm not sure why you think you need disc brakes on a hybrid, but if you want a hybrid with disc brakes it might be cheaper to buy a newer hybrid with that comes with them (for same quality brakes). You won't be messing around with questionable adapters. In fact you might not even be able to source an adapter that will work with your fork depending on the fork (disc might not fit in there, adapter might not be able to attach to the particular fork).

If you decide to replace the fork you will probably have a hard time finding a straight steerer fork with disc mounts that doesn't have a significantly bigger A to C measurement. A larger A to C will affect the geometry: slacken seat and head angle, raise bottom bracket etc. The slacker head tube angle might be fine (90s bikes were steep) but the slacker seat tube might be too slack resulting in a poor pedaling position and a hard time keeping the front down on climbs because your hips end up behind the rear axle shifting your center of weight too far back.

Your bike seems like a good candidate for a restoration . Stick with the v-brakes (new pads). Do a full tear-down and lube. Clean everything up. If it has an old elastomer fork that is shot you might be better off replacing it with a rigid fork, like a Kona Project 2 from that era. Grab some street friendly tires (the old tires will be shot from age regardless of remaining tread). Check the drivetrain and replace parts as needed (possibly cassette, chainrings and chain). 7 speed Shimano parts should be easy to source and inexpensive (safe bet it's running a 3x7 drivetrain). Might have to settle for it saying Alivio instead of XT or XTR if you want to buy new, but you can find compatible parts new.


Can I switch a single speed mag rim into a six speed?

Going from single speed to multi speed is akin to re-building the whole wheel, since you'll usually need to swap the hub and consequently need to put in new spokes and stuff.

However, a cursory google search shows several mag wheels for bicycles which take cassettes. I can't vouch for their quality or safety, but they exist.

A 6 speed "cassette" is almost surely a freewheel (i.e. the mechanism that allows you to coast without pedaling is in the thing that holds the sprockets, not in the hub of the wheel) and not a cassette, and this is a fairly outdated design. You'll likely end up upgrading to a 7/8 speed cassette if you make this switch (which may also involve spreading your frame to get the new wheel in, if possible (i.e. it is a steel frame)).


Does pedaling while standing damage my knees even if I don't feel pain?

Standing to pedal won't damage your knees. Supporting and propelling you when you are standing is exactly what knees are designed to do.

If anything standing is better for your knees than sitting. When you are sitting down their motion is limited because the top and bottoms of your legs are 'fixed' in position. When you stand your knees and hips can move freely which is a more natural movement. Watch a child riding a bike and you'll notice they naturally spend a lot of time standing up.

Standing pedalling does require more core and upper body strength than seated pedalling and maybe that's why your shoulders are aching check out BikeJames.com if you are interested in exercises help with that.

As an aside standing pedalling is less efficient than seated pedalling but it lets you put out more power. If you compare top level riders in pretty much any form of competitive cycling you'll see that they spend a lot more time standing up than a comparable recreational rider.


How to prevent my hub body from freezing?

Winterize your freehub body.  This kind of failure is common in colder temperatures and a hub acting like this should not be ridden.  In addition to the safety issue, you can destroy your freehub with partial engagement.  The freehub needs to be disassembled, the factory grease cleaned out of it and regreased with a winter weight grease.


How do I clean the inside of my frame? Is it even necessary?

The most important thing is that there is no standing water inside the tubes. Usually there are drainage holes around the rear dropouts and bottom bracket. Make sure the holes exist and are not obstructed.

You can look inside the frame through the bottom bracket, seat tube and head tube. Some people use oil or wax-based surface treatments against rust, e.g. J.P. Weigle's Frame Saver.


What's the pedal spindle size for the NordicTrack GX 4.7 R exercise bike?

The Nordic Track GX 4.7 comes with a three piece crank so it has 9/16 pedals.


what is the most secure bicycle combination lock?

I think ABUS is one of the most respectable, perhaps THE most respectable bike-lock manufacturer around. They have even some numbered levels of protection, the higher the level the higher the protection, even agains powertools (because of special steel alloys, and such).

They have some combination padlocks, which seem very interesting. Take a look at these 4-digit (ten thousand possible combinations):

Reinforced padlock
Chain-lock with combination and key
Cable-style lock
Linkage style (this one is awesome)

There are other options in their site, but I think these are the most robust combination ones.

EDIT: just to complement, I think combination locks are a good option for errands, but not for whole-day or part-day parking out of sight. I suppose the OP intends to do so, since he mentions "in the street" and "keyless".

For example, I use to go to the supermarket by bike, and I think a combination would probably demand time enough to open so that someone wouldn't risk an opportunistic theft.

Now for parking at, for example, a train station full of annonimous bikes (none of these parkings in my city, yet), I'd go with the keyed ones, no doubt. A combination one would be an invitation for the thief to earn a bike AND a keyless lock "combo".

As a final thought: does anyone go out without his own home keys? Would a lock key be too much to put together in the home keyring? Well, just a thought!

Hope this helps!


The most important thing for a college campus (and commuting in general in places where there are a lot of potentially not nice people) is to have a cheap bike and locking it properly - in particular, one that doesn't attract attention. Old and scuffed up bikes are best for this. I think an old mountain bike or flat bar hybrid (like a 80s/early 90s specialized hardrock/rockhopper or an old giant boulder is ideal) with a rack attached are pretty good options, along with some slick tires and lights and a helmet. The total for this should be around 210 dollars (lets say 150 for the bike + any work it needs done like derailleur adjustments, possibly new tires, etc., a helmet for 30 and lights for 30). Add 30 if you want a cheap rack, and another 40 or so for a decent lock (say, a Kryptonite evo mini, or if you're paranoid spend a bit more and get a Kryptonitefahgettiboutit). A U-lock is recommended - chain locks give you a bit more diversity for locking things, but they're too heavy to carry around for good ones (and most campuses which are bike friendly have plenty of places where you can ulock to). Fenders/mudguards may also be a decent investment for rain (though college students are a mess anyway, so I don't think it makes much difference). I don't think a road bike is necessarily a great idea given the short distances involved and the not necessarily useful geometry for commuting on most of them. However, if you do find one which you like, take it out for a spin and see how it does.

Ask around the community and see whats there for used bike shops and try to find a decent bike there - you'll also probably get some help on fit there as well. Jumping down stairs depends highly on the type of stairs, but it is too reckless behavior for most college campuses. If you are hitting a lot of bumps while commuting, a rigid bike with fat smooth tires or one with front suspension may be helpful (though, I think for 99.99% of commuters, rigid is the way to go). Stay away from full suspension (which you will only find on the Walmart level of bikes). Also, it is good to have non-quick release wheels + seat post.


Park Tool TS-2 Truing Stand Upright Adjustment Knob

RoboKaren was probably right about frozen grease. I decided to install a rebuild kit that is made for this stand. Started taking it apart and got to the step that says to turn shaft to remove it. It still wouldn't turn so I put a long wrench on it and it turned. So perhaps I was being too gentle with it before. At any rate, I'm going to finish the upgrade even though the original parts are probably fine, as this stand was hardly used. Park claims the upgrade will be better anyway. Thank you RoboKaren.


Help my identify this bike. (3Rensho? Specialized Allez?)

Not a complete answer, but you can measure the frame size yourself with a measuring tape.

Its not exact, but you'll see to within a centimetre or so.  Road frames normally came in steps of 2cm or half an inch, and sometimes came in 1cm increments for top-end bikes.

Other measurements like top tube length can be measured by starting in the middle of the butting tube.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different chainset designs?

144mm: supported chainsets such as 52/42 with relatively narrow range freewheels
130mm: allowed a range such as 52/39, as freewheel (then cassette) range expanded
74mm: necessary to add a smaller ring, e.g., 30t on a road triple
110mm: this supports anything down to 33t, hence this was introduced for Shimano FC-R700 around 2005 as their first compact chainset, i.e. 50/34

Oddity:

92mm BCD was introduced for Dura-Ace triple 7703 https://www.sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html - the Dura-Ace was different, and 30t ring attached to the middle ring. This propagated to 7803, but thereafter Dura-Ace triple was deleted because compacts were standard

MTB:

94mm + 58mm BCD - were introduced in the early 1990s for MTB chainsets, to reflect a MTB triple , e.g. 44/32/22
104 + 64mm BCD - replaced the above with e.g., 42/32/24
96 + 64mm BCD introduced with M782 Deore XT 40/30/22. Improved the chainline for the 30t chainring compared with 104mm which works better with a 32, but not so well with 30t https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-is-that-pointless-shimano-96bcd-standard-for/
4-bolt chainrings were introduced with XTR M950 in 1996. For a while there were a choice of 5-bolt & 4-bolt MTBs chainset, but eventually this went to all 4-bolt
Direct mount is now a thing, and this reduces weight and makes things different again

Here the chainring fits directly onto the arm, so there is no BCD per se (although there are double direct mount chainsets, in which case a second chainring bolts onto the first)

One point not yet addressed is marketing. Bicycle companies are on an increasingly aggressive release schedule - and this is not true only of marketing. Whereas a consumer product sold in the 1950s might still be sold a decade or more later, this is bad for sales, in that if you have a high-quality, durable bicycle or other consumer product for which spare parts are readily available, there is no reason to buy a new one.
Therefore by releasing products that look radically different from the old ones, you mark the old ones out as old-fashioned. By accompanying your new releases with lots of marketing speak about weight and performance, you imply that the old is terrible and the new is great. This would have seen the 5-bolt MTB chainsets replaced by 4-bolt, because who wants old if you can have new?
Dura-Ace releases:

7400 - 1984 (7500/7600 are track versions)
7700 - 1996
7800 - 2003
7900 - 2008
9000 - 2012
R9100 - 2016

Shimano brought many technical improvements to chainrings in the 80s and 90s:

Uniglide
Superglide (later called 'SG-X

Specially matched chainrings, such that the big chainring 'helps' a smaller ring (1996, Dura Ace 7600)

By the time these features had reached all their groupsets, there was not much left to improve, except that more expensive groupsets would be better machined, lighter, etc.
So a (08/09 MY) Dura-Ace 7950 chainset looks like this:

and weighs 655g. At this point the chainrings were fairly lightweight being hollow ('hollowglide', introduced with 7800 & also found on Ultegra) aluminium
The (12/13 MY) Dura-Ace 9000 chainset with 50/34 rings looks like this:

and weighs 610g, thanks to the use of carbon fibre composite. The use of four-arms achieves many goals:

it makes older chainsets look outdated

This then-current Sora chainset looks dated because of the chainrings:

it saves weight as 4-arms rather than 5

it creates incompatibility - no sales of third party chainrings because they won't fit, and the numerous versions mean that customers will often buy a new chainset instead of chainring.

it drives new sales with new buzzwords, new styling, and chainrings that won't work with your existing equipment. And there's a great justification - it is lighter.

With the release of Dura-Ace R9100, Shimano did not really have much to offer, but nonetheless they tweaked the chainrings a bit so they would not work with the old chainset (which weighs the same) https://handsonbike.blogspot.com/2018/06/shimano-dura-ace-9000-vs-r9100-crankset.html
Now the Claris (R2000) chainset resembles the Dura-Ace

In fact it has little in common apart from the overall shape, as it has solid arms and steel chainrings weighing in at 1.08kg. But it will help make older (in fact higher quality) equipment look outdated and drive sales of new product.
In particular, note that whatever technical advantages 4-bolt designs might have they are not really made available to most purchasers, because all except pricey chainsets will use relative heavy chainrings so any small weight savings from 4-arms are lost to the use of cheap heavy materials.


Damage hole in seat tube after sandblasting, is it possible?

The picture lacks the resolution needed. Rust can creep under paint from a small chip, and in that spot(behind the seat tube you say?) it would get a large amount of water and slop. As for the shop, a bad operator with the wrong blasting abrasive can easily erode a hole like this, with a reasonable operator it is not likely, even a brass plug should be safe unless it was soldered improperly and basically fell out.

Do not leave it open or it will collect splashes, condensation, and then rust inside. A spot of siloxane/silicone caulk or gasket maker will suffice, get clear or try to match the color a bit. Another option is a smooth/round headed sheet metal screw of the right diameter, "thread cutting" type.(fine thread not the coarse "self tapping" sort)
 Be sure to dope the threads with some low strength loc-tight, grease, or gasket maker(only one, not all three) so it doesn't rust in place or rattle out.


When is a child ready to switch from scooting to pedaling?

I did the same thing for my son when he was 2. After a year and a half, he just "looked" ready. I knew he could ride so I had him try pedaling. I have a short hill in the front yard and put him near the bottom. He was determined to NOT ride properly, so after about 25 feet he "fell" off and said "SEE!! I can't do it!" I laughed and said, "You did it almost all the way across the yard!" Just then his mom came out and asked him to show her, and he jumped up and rode for a few minuets all by himself.

I made sure that the seat was set so that he could easily touch the ground with both feet at the same time so that if he got nervous he could just stand up, but it never got to that point. He was 3.5 years and my girl was 3.75 years when they both learned to ride (I was a few weeks short of being 8 when I learned)

I don't think there is any magic rule to guide yourself with, just look at her confidence and let that be your guide. Make sure she can touch both feet on the ground at the same time, and it really shouldn't be much different than what she is doing now.

(PS: If you do put the cranks on and she just can not do it, you can always just take the pedals off rather than the whole crank set, that will save a lot of time!)

You can see the video of him a few months after he learned to ride at youtube here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fnb7uhC1J2Q

A few months BEFORE he learned to ride: http://youtube.com/watch?v=jfrz0Q6I_rw

at age 8 when he learned a "Nothing": http://youtube.com/watch?v=CdOfmWYt9FQ

My girl when she learned: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vP6qio6LS78


Joe Breeze HiteRite altenative... ideas before I get hacking!

Many people do seat posts that  achieve this - have a search on google for "Dropper seat post", All of the current models are almost certainly more reliable and easier to use than a simple spring, and can be activated while riding. The fact you cannot find any like the HiteRite is probably the effect of what we now refer to as Darwinism - not bad in it's time, but things have moved on since 1984.


Freewheel vs cassette geared hub motors serviceability

Whether the freehub rachet mechanism is servicable depends on the design of the hub. Nominally the pawls and teeth are separate steel parts in an aluminum hub body and therefore replaceable; but only if the hub manufacturer makes spare parts available.

Something else to consider is that the freehub version will be substantially stronger. The drive side bearing is further inboard on the freewheel version making the axle prone to bend or break.


What type of brakes are best for mountain bike racing?

Look at any high end bike and you will find hydraulic disc brakes.

There will be people who argue the pros/cons of hydraulic vs mechanical disc brakes but it's hard to deny what the entire industry is putting on their most expensive rigs.

For ease of stoppage, minimal brake fade and ease of modulation - the hydraulic disc brake wins hands down.  You can hammer downhills w/ disc brakes all day long and your hands don't get tired... try that with old school cantis or v-brakes.

Plus - disc brakes will maintain stopping power in wet vs a rim brake which will definitely be compromised in wet.


Rear disc calliper won't fit, disc mount bent?

There is a tool call a disc brake tab facing tool.

This tool is designed to correct the alignment of IS disc brake tabs with the dropouts of the frame, so that the rotor will be correctly aligned with the caliper.

See instructions below from Park Tool Repair Help Blog:

Disc Brake Mount Facing (IS type) with DT-1

This article will discuss the use the Park Tool DT-1 Disc Brake Mount Facing Tool. The DT-1 is a precision tool system designed to machine disc brake mounts flat, parallel, and in the same plane.   Use of the DT-1 helps ensure proper disc brake setup and performance.

The DT-1 includes everything needed to face the disc brake mounts on frames using 10mm axles and forks using 9mm axles.   It also includes special adapter bushings to allow facing of disc brake mounts on frames using 12mm through axles and forks using 20mm through axles.

Being a precision cutting tool, the DT-1 should be used and stored with extreme care.   Always liberally apply cutting fluid (we recommend Park Tool CF-2 Cutting Fluid) to the brake mount and cutting teeth of the facer during each use. Components should be kept clean and the facing cutter should be periodically wiped with an oily cloth or rust inhibitor before storage, especially in a damp or humid environment.   Store the DT-1 in its original packaging or other safe location.   Like all cutting tools, the facing cutter included with the DT-1 should be periodically replaced or sharpened by a qualified technician.

Installation of tool:

135mm Rear Frames: Insert the longer axle into the body of the DT-1. The axle pinch bolt should face to the back. The side of the axle with the C-clip goes to the dropout side. Install the axle fully into frame and secure axle. NOTE: Bikes with 130mm spacing will easily flex open to accept the 135mm axle for purposes of facing.

135mm frame with 10mm axle.

100mm Forks with 9mm Axles: Insert the shorter axle into the body of the DT-1. The axle pinch bolt should face to the back. The side of the axle with the C-clip goes to the dropout side. Install the axle fully into frame and secure axle.

100mm wide fork, with 9mm axle.

12mm Axle Rear frame: Insert axle through left side dropout, through 12mm ID spacer, and through DT-1 body. Smaller end of spacer fits into body of DT-1. Secure frame axle. Push body of DT-1 to the left until spacer contacts dropout. Secure axle pinch bolt.

12mm rear through axle with DT-1.

20mm Through Axle Forks: Insert axle through side dropout, through body of DT-1 and through 20mm ID spacer. Smaller end of spacer faces left side of fork (disc mount side). Push body of DT-1 to left until spacer contacts dropout. Secure axle pinch bolt.

20mm through axle with spacer.

Facing Procedure:

Assemble DT-1 into bike as described above.
Loosen knob setscrew. Slide knob to end of facing cutter shaft, next to 10mm hex.   Tighten knob setscrew.
Loosen pinch bolt and pivot bolt just enough to allow lower body and upper body to pivot and slide on axle.
Slide body against retaining ring or bushing.
Insert cutter through lower hole of body.   Insert piloted tip of cutter fully into hole of brake mount.
Tighten pinch bolt and pivot bolt to lock position.
Turn knob clockwise while applying hand pressure to face surface of brake mount.   Remove only enough material to create a clean, flat cut around the face of the mount.   NOTE:   For speed and leverage, a ratcheting wrench with a 10mm socket can be used to turn the 10mm hex head on the cutter .

With teeth of cutter contacting face of brake mount, loosen knob setscrew and slide knob on shaft of cutter until contact is made with body.   Tighten setscrew.

Pull knob and cutter from lower hole and insert through upper hole. Loosen pinch bolt and/or pivot bolt to fit piloted tip of cutter fully into hole of brake mount, then retighten.

Note position of cutter teeth. If cutter teeth contact brake mount and there is gap between knob and body, complete facing and stop. If knob contacts body before cutter teeth contact brake mount, OR, if knob contacts body at the same time cutter teeth contact brake mount, reset the tool as in step 3, and face the upper mount. Use this setting to then face the lower mount.

Turn knob clockwise while applying hand pressure to face surface of disc mount.   Continue facing mount until knob stops against body.    The facing process is complete.   The upper and lower mounts should have a clean, flat cut and the faces should be parallel and in the same plane.   Remove DT-1 from frame.

NOTES ON DT-1 USE:

Like all machining, use a cutting fluid such as Park Tool CF-2. If there is some "chatter" on the surface, the cut will still be square to the axle and the brake will mount properly to the disc. Change the amount of pressure and speed of the cutter to reduce chatter.

Use a cutting fluid such as CF-2.

When cutting the surface of the disc mount, it is important to achieve a flat surface for the brake mount. In the image below, both mounts are adequately faced. Notice the left and right mount do not look identical. However, if the two mounts were faced to the same reference on the cutter, the job is done.

Adequately machined caliper mounts.

It is important to note the "foot print" left by the cutter and compare this to the "foot print" or contact area of the caliper body or caliper body bracket adapter. Some mounts require significant machining, and the size of the machined surface may be smaller than the bracket.

The adapter bracket above will have a larger contact area then the machined surface. Use spacers in this case.

Close up of a machined cut likely to need spacing.

Spacers in place for the adapter bracket.

If the caliper mount is equal to or smaller than the machined area, no spacer is required.

This disc mount-to-caliper interface will not require a spacer.


At $40US for a Profile internal Euro BB I'm struggling to see what you're hoping to gain here. One major thing you'll lose is the narrow Q of your current cranks, which most would consider negative.

But,

Normal BMX 1/8" chains like a 410 or 410H will work on a narrow-wide ring. I haven't put a halflink chain on one but I don't imagine there being a problem. Note that the NW profile might as well not be there in a singlespeed drivetrain and is basically money wasted, but they do work.
142x12 is essentially the thru-axle adaptation of a 135 QR rear end. The bigger number is due to how the ends of a 142 hub recess into the frame. So for the most part, 142 and 135 bikes have the same chainline considerations and use the same front end configurations. Presuming you have some kind of SS freehub, you should be able to use spacers to get your chainline good, but it will be different from where you've had it. Most 135 SS freehubs can go to about a 55mm chainline at the outside. Since Superboost cnailine is 56 that probably means you have impunity between getting a 142, Boost, or Superboost crank were you to do this.


There are three major component manufacturers: Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo. Each has their own electronic shifting system.

SRAM's is simplest to recharge: the batteries are attached directly to the front and rear derailleurs; to recharge, detach one and put it in its dedicated charging base.
Shimano has a "Di2 junction box" either underneath the stem or in one of the handlebar endcaps, which can be recharged with a USB cable.
Campagnolo has a system called EPS that is similar to Shimano's.


Advice for buying a new crankset for my bike

You're doing the right things. Since that crank was made, Shimano basically has completely dropped 30/42/52 all across the board in favor of the more practical 30/39/50, which is good in many ways (most people using a triple have no need for the 52). The A073 will work but the gearing will be different. It's also a non-replaceable chainring crank, and personally I think it's always a little sad to put such cranks on bikes that actually get ridden, although it's not a huge deal because the steel rings will last a long time.

If you wanted a crank that was a) Shimano, b) a 100% drop-in replacement including ring size, c) has replaceable rings and d) still real cheap, that would be FC-2303, still available on ebay. (Also this isn't a likely-to-become-outdated recommendation, because that model will probably remain the last one Shimano ever made that fits all those criteria).


Problem with replacing inner tube of old bicycle with tire code: 47-559 (26 x 1.75)

A 26 * 1.75-2.125, 47/57-559 tube should be fine for a 26 x 1.75, 47-559 tire.
Tubes can appear to be a little floppy and oversized on a rim before inflation. Remember the tube expands radially inwards and well as outwards as its cross-section diameter increases as it is inflated. Try inflating the tube a little before inserting it between tire and rim - this helps prevents folds and twists.


You need a standard 3/16" wide 5 speed chain.  They're relatively uncommon now-days, so you may end up with a 6-7-8 speed chain which should be adequate.

Downside is fitting a new chain to a worn cassette/freewheel will probably run even worse.  Do consider fitting a new freehub too.

Lastly, check the front chainrings for wear.  If the teeth are worn-looking then consider a hat-trick and replace all three.

At this point you might be looking at more cost than the bike is worth, at least as far as new parts go.  You'll have to make a call if its financially worth doing.


Are 23mm tires on a 25mm rim (21 mm internal width) safe?

Actually, tires narrower than rims have an aerodynamic advantage, there's a "105%" rule of thumb that states your rim should have width equal to 105% of measured tire width. That's why aero rims are getting wider year by year, all in order to accommodate a wider tire, which also brings comfort and lower rolling resistance. Here's an explanatory article (archive) by Joshua Poertner, who used to be a technical director at Zipp (source).

In your situation, the only factor that limits tire width is frame/fork clearance, you will be fine even with a 23mm real width tire, not mentioning a Conti tyre that runs wider than claimed.

On a side note, 25mm outer / 21mm inner rims aren't even that wide by today's standards, there are 28mm (I own a set) and even 30mm road rims available.

Update: recently, I had the same question about 26mm tire on 25 ID rim and some people pointed out this might cause riding on sidewalls during sharp turns. Something to keep in mind for sure.


It's called the spring or return spring for a side pull or side pull caliper brake. A replacement is usually found by searching for the maker and model of the specific brake.
Finding a replacement will be tough. The complete brake mechanism is very inexpensive making the individual parts so inexpensive they aren't worth keeping in inventory.
Criggie is right, using two pliers or a vice and one plier twist it back into the correct shape and use it.
Springs are supposed to be made of spring steel known for it's ability to be bent and return to it's original shape. In spite of it's ability to bounce back it can be bent in such a way as to hold a new shape.
In your case you need a very small adjustment that should not impact the spring characteristics of the metal.


Anyone know who made this bike? See head badge pic

The badge was used by Raleigh on their Rampar (Ralpar in the UK) range from 1972 until at least the early 1980s.

Velobase shows this exact badge about two-thirds of the way down the page and says "1970s".
The Headbadge shows the design in use as a seat tube decal from 1972–82.

I found this with a Google image searches for something like "vintage bicycle R head tube badge". I struck lucky just as I was about to give up and post a comment suggesting you do the search.


Adaptor for 20mm Shimano saint 810 hub to 15mm?

20mm hubs have an axle width of 110mm whereas a 15mm thru axle is 100mm. This means that there is no backwards compatibility on the hub unless it was already designed that way (such as Hope 2 hubs). The M810 is simply too wide.

You would need to replace the front hub at least to run a 15mm TA fork.


What parameters should I consider when choosing a crankset?

In general, the basic considerations are:

Number of chainrings and chainring bolt center diameter (BCD) which dictates the chainring sizes that can be fitted.
Bottom bracket type: cranks are generally advertised as being compatible with a particular type, of which there are many.
Crank arm length: measured from center of crank spindle to center of pedal spindle, typically 170, 172.5 or 175mm.
Chainline: how far away from the center line of the bike the chainrings are, this needs to be compatible with the width of the rear hub and position of the cassette.
Rear cassette speeds: 9, 10 and 11 speed drivetrains use progressively narrower chains which means the chainrings can be closer together.

In reality it's not quite as complicated because a crankset intended for a particular style of bike will have the appropriate combination of BCD, choice of bottom bracket types and chainline.

Older bikes used a threaded bottom bracket shell with either a loose or cassette type bearing and spindle. There are a couple of different types of interfaces between the spindle and crank arms. The bottom bracket bearings on an older bike may be worn out so replacing the bearings should be considered - this also gives you some more crank choices as the there are a few types that work with threaded shells.

If you add photos of the existing crank and bottom bracket from both sides we can give you more specific guidance.


Sit bone (i.e., ischial tuberosity) width is an important consideration, but it is only a starting point, rather than the complete answer.  Your riding position also affects saddle width choice, with more upright postures being better supported by wider saddles.

Too wide only becomes a problem if you get chaffing or have problems getting behind the saddle for technical riding (e.g., cross-country mountain bike riding, without a dropper post - i.e., old school).

If the B68 is working for you then I wouldn't over think it.  Conversely, I can tell you from personal experience the discomfort of a Brooks saddle that is too narrow.  As the leather breaks in and you "sink" in a bit, you can start hitting the outer metal support frame with your sit bones.  Adding some more leather tension can help, but it doesn't completely solve the issue (I had to sell the saddle).

Why B17 has become the defacto standard is probably partly because it is a good saddle that breaks in quickly, and partly it has to do with the underground lore that evolved around it.  Sometimes its best not to meet our heros.


Clarification on the steerer tube torque of the stem bolts

The specified torque in your case most likely applies to all four stem plate bolts, and most probably to its two steering tube bolts, that is, only to all bolts sitting in the stem itself. 8 Nm is an adequate value for an aluminum stem.

Many other bolts on the bicycle typically require less torque values (other things sitting on the handlebars typically need around 5 Nm, and usually even less), and only a couple of places do specify values larger than 10 Nm (a cassette lockring and some crank bolts come to mind).

  I went with 15 Nm and think I'm OK with that.

Because those two bolts likely clamp a steering tube made of steel, you are unlikely to have damaged anything (yet) by overtightening. I would strongly suggest you to obey the specification, undo both bolts and lower their torque to 8 Nm. If you have a carbon steering tube, there is a risk that you have already damaged it.

There are no benefits in exceeding recommended torque values. It does not make bolts less susceptible to loosening under vibration; use retaining compound or grease to prevent that. It does not help with preventing rotation of components (e.g. stem around the steering tube) if the tolerances of involved components are correct.

Overtightening can, however, decrease life span of components (fatigue cracks slowly developing under the stem) or damage them straight away, and/or damage threads on either stem or bolts, causing them to loosen.

P.S. The word "all" has always been vague in meaning, as nobody can tell what is not included into the "all".


How do i determine Bianchi Infinito year of manufacture from these labels WBK446115F and TPJ611528F?

Phone the bianchi distributor and ask them. The UK one is very helpful.
web search Bianchi Distributor (country x)
I'll add that it's normally quite easy to tell the model year by the livery. With Bianchi you can also tell the original specification by the livery. Compare yours to the back catalogue.


What are velcro alternatives for frame mounted bag?

I do not know of any commercially available products alternative to velcro, but I'm a DIY-er, And have successfully mounted some accessories to the frame and handlebars using hose clamps.
Their advantage over velcro straps is that they can hold more weight and can better stabilize the load. A strap of old inner tube is enough to protect the paint. Since the clamp does not slide, it does not rub against the paint. The clamps are ugly, but allow for semi-temporary solutions.
Another option can be specially made plastic clamps (Similar to the ones used to mount reflectors and accessories). Maybe 3D printed. They would also be "visible" but could be designed to be more eye pleasing and to clamp on areas that do not obscure the logos.
Another option is to fabricate a bag that can be mounted to the water bottle cage eyelets. Some frames have two sets: on the upper side of the down tube and on the front of the seat tube. The bag would need an inner frame to be bolted to these eyelets. A simple aluminum flat bar should be enough. If only one pair of eyelets is available, only a smaller bag should be used as to not overload the bolting points.
For those who order a custom frame, this could be a serious option (ordering specially placed eyelets).
For those willing to modify a frame, eyelets can be installed appropriately. (Depending on frame design and material).
Edit / afterthought: Another way could be to build an inner structure for the bag that can be "press fit" into the bike frame or may have some bolts that make it "expand" so it tightens inside the front triangle.
The frame would need to have the inner shape of the front triangle and half-pipe (-ish) profile to avoid sliding out, at least on contact points. On the outside, the contact points should have rubber or similar material to avoid sliding.


Shimano SLX Rear Derailleur with Microshift bar end Shifters

Yes, this will work. Just get any Shimano mountain rear derailleur... SLX, deore, LX, xt, xtr, etc...

EDIT:

This only applies for 9 speed and lower. Here's a quote from Sheldon Brown.

  Within a given brand/style of rear derailer, all "speed numbers" are generally interchangeable. This applies to all indexable models, basically everything manufactured since the late 1980s. There are a few exceptions:

http://sheldonbrown.com/speeds.html

The exception for Shimano

  Shimano "Dyna-Sys" 10-speed shifters and derailers use a longer cable pull than other Shimano models, and must be used together.


Those people you mentioned seeing in 'office clothing' most likely don't have a very long commute. Depending on where you live it may be like here in Switzerland; it has become some kind of trend. People show off their dutch style bicycles and feel awfully cool, which might explain why you perceive them as looking like fashion models. You will also notice how many young and trendy guys ride a women's bike because they idealize the authentic dutch hippie bike. I just pass by and smile at their confusion regarding bicycles.

For my part I ride ~ 10km to work on my old Batavus Champion, in every season. A little perspiration is normal, but I don't really need to change clothes when I arrive.

I think the key to successful commuting over longer distance is having an exceptionally good deodorant.


Will this crankset fit my bottom bracket?

It will fit.

If you need references: If you look at the Shimano Tech Doc, it suggests the Shimano BB-UN26 (which you can find that you can fit it in that version).


How do I match motor and battery leads on a generic e-bike conversion kit?

Based on the info you've presented, its "cross your fingers and hope"

Can you tell us anything further about the motor, motor kit?  Even a manufacturer could help.

My ebike kit used 7 pin DIN connectors with a screw-on barrel lock ring.  The battery connectors were generic automotive spade connectors.

If you're choosing a connector, then voltage and current (ie wattage) is relevant, as is whether you want to hot-connect them.  Plus you need something that is water resistant and vibration tolerant.  (note spade connectors are neither of these... guess how I know that!)

Final thought - you're talking about a kit.  In my mind a kit comes with everything you need to do the job, possibly excluding batteries themselves.  However any parts not included will be common and well-described.

And what's wrong with a splice?  A properly-done connection will outlive the wire.