Apollo XC26 mountain bike, convert it to a coaster brake fixie?

You can give it coaster brakes (but note that it won't be a fixie; it will be a single speed which can coast without peddling  with coaster brakes). Just buy or build a wheel with a coaster brake in it (you will need a coaster brake hub of the appropriate width) of the appropriate wheel size, put it in the dropout appropriately and then make sure to clamp on the reaction arm to the chainstay.

That being said, coaster brakes for mountain biking are generally not a good idea. They don't dissipate heat very well, and you have less freedom to position your pedals. On top of that, coaster brakes often lock up which isn't great. On top of that, removing a coaster brake wheel is more work than just a quick release (for flats, for example).


Does the rear tyre carry more weight than the front tyre?

Generally, the weight distribution of a rider on a bicycle is something like 40 - 60 rather than 50-50 (front to back). This contributes to increased rear tire wear (along with rear wheel drive) causing front tires to sometimes last three times as long as rear tires. Skid stops (such as on a fixie) can also increase rear tire wear relative to normal stops.

An aside: You don't need to run your tires at equal pressure - in fact, in most cases, the rear tire is about 10% higher than the front tire. This will make it deflect a bit less.


Touring on meal replacements (Soylent or alternatives). Anyone tried? Thoughts, impressions?

Just living off that stuff requires your digestive system to adjust, so if you try it you should build it into your diet well in advance, and as a major component. Don't forget to take into account how much extra you need compared to a typical lifestyle.

It can't really save you any weight compared to other dehydrated foods, as a gram of carbs is a gram of carbs (same for protein or fat) , but it might save you some bulk compared to something like ramen (with whey powder drinks on the side). For all dehydrated (i.e. lightweight) options access to water is critical.

A further thought is that if we accept that these are perfect/balanced/complete nutrition as they claim, then complete for what? Your energy needs when touring will go up (assuming you're ordinarily fairly sedentary), but not all your micronutrient needs will (to some extent your body can adjust these), and fibre could go either way.  Sodium needs will depend on how much you sweat, which in turn depends on you and the climate as well as the effort level.

On the other hand I was reading recently about a solo tour on remote roads fuelled by ramen. Even though he didn't really have enough, I got the impression he was sick of the stuff after a week.

There are advantages to these products: they don't need cooking, saving time and fuel.  In the extreme case that could mean not carrying a stove or cooking pans (prepare it in your water bottle).  However in most climates I reckon most people would want the ability to have a hot meal or hot drink, and if you're relying on finding water, boiling it is a good idea (though I'm told that  unflavoured Huel is disgusting, maybe water treatment tablets would improve the flavour!).

Overall I can see a role for them as part of a diet plan, so long as you've got good access to water and get on with them.


When I stop pedaling my bike the rear gears keep turning, is this an easy fix? Bike is a vintage Raleigh Grand Prix

When you stop pedaling the freewheel on the back wheel is supposed to spin so that the wheels can keep turning but the chain, and the pedals are stationary.

Something is preventing the freewheel from doing it's job.
First guess is that it needs lubrication.

Repair Options:

Pull the rear wheel off and try working a little oil into the freewheel. This involves turning the freewheel backwards while applying oil in the gap between the moving part of the freewheel and the stationary part.
Disassemble the freewheel and lubricate
Replace the freewheel. This will require a special tool, your local bike shop should be able to help you. If it's off the bike some will remove the freewheel for free - others will charge.

Part number 42 in this diagram from Sheldon Brown's website

Here is an list of the previous answers to this question (not a complete list). These articles contain information on what lubrication to use and detailed instructions for lubricating a freewheel.
"How should I lubricate my Shimano freewheel?
"What should I use to lubricate a freehub?"
Bike pedals turning when coasting (not a fixed gear)

By the way, Sheldon has an article on the Raleigh Grand Prix 1968 to 1977 and a Raleigh catalogue archive


One cause is that you've mistaken the saddle for a seat.  The main difference is that a saddle does not hold all your weight - some amount of your weight sits on the pedals and a small amount on the hands.

By comparison, a seat holds 100% of your weight, and you could ride with no weight on the feet or hands.  This wouldn't work.

Other items that have saddles include horses and motorbikes (which have stirrups and footpegs respectively)  whereas seats are at the dining-room table, in cars, and recumbents.

Suggestion  try transferring some of your weight through the pedals rather than putting all your weight on the saddle.  The downside of this is that its more pressure through your knees, which can cause aches.

Separately, the material of your saddle is a completely personal choice.  Some people are perfectly happy with hard plastic or carbon saddle. Some people find a squishy padded saddle works best for them.

A Gel or heavily padded saddle will squish out from under your sit-bones (ischial tuberosity  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischial_tuberosity ) and will put pressure on the softer tissues.  In more-extreme cases the padding will put pressure on your soft tissues, flesh  that shouldn't be bearing any weight.  This is one of the causes of penile numbness in males and similar in female cyclists.

Just to be clear, your butt doesn't support your weight.  Your sit-bones, part of your skeleton hold basically all your weight.

Another thought is perhaps your existing saddle is the wrong width for your sit-bones.  On a too-narrow saddle your sit bones will hang off the side, causing weight to be held on the soft flesh.  If your saddle is too wide, its not quite as bad.  There are a couple of existing questions with answers on this topic already:

Is it possible to measure your sit bones at home?
What type of saddle doesn't hurt the pelvic bone?


Rear gears first, as that's a straightforward fix.
The length of the cable between the shifter and the derailleur is too long. The cable probably pulled through the pinch bolt on the derailleur. First check the cable housing is properly inserted in the shifter, frame stops and the derailleur. Set the rear shifter to the highest gear; wind the barrel adjusters on the shifter and derailleurs in; loosen the cable pinch bolt; pull the cable though to take out all the slack; re-tighten the pinch bolt to secure the cable.
The front derailleur is a little tricky.
Something is obviously jamming the derailleur so that it will not move inwards under its spring tension when the shifter pays out cable - but - you say you can move the derailleur by hand, so the derailleur itself is not jammed. I think what is likely is that the cable is getting hung up somewhere near the derailleur. Possibly there is contamination in a section of housing, the cable has been kinked or has corroded. Some bikes also route the cable under the bottom bracket area in a slotted guide or through a hole in the frame, these can get clogged with dirt.
Inspect the cable run between the derailleur and where you see the cable going slack. Clean out any dirt, make sure the cable is running properly in any guides, check the cable for damage. You can remove the cable and clean and lubricate it, or replace it if it is kinked or damaged. If the cable runs through a section of housing before the derailleur you can replace that also.
You'll need to re-adjust both front and rear derailleurs after making the fixes. Park Tool Repair Help has good guides to help with that.
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustment
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


Is cycling with crystal sunglasses dangerous?

I have had my glasses damaged when falling off/getting hit on my bicycle, even with a helmet. Since my lenses are polycarbonate, they tend to just bounce on the road if they do come out of the frame. I'd think in some of those hits that my glasses would have broken if they were made from glass (especially when my glasses have hit the curb or rocks).

Based on this experience, I wouldn't risk using glass based sunglasses on a bicycle if I had the option. You can find safety glasses which act like sunglasses for a relatively low price, which don't look bad (e.g. the Uvex SafetyPro line) [but note these are likely not tested for sports, but are designed for some level of safety].

The best person to ask would likely be an optometrist or eyeglass retailer (the former likely being less biased than the latter) on what they would suggest for sports. This article (Cobb, Clark, and Chad Hulsopple. "Eye injuries in athletes." eMedRef (MU) (2010).) suggests use of polycarbonate for sports.


Internally geared hub on a 20 inch wheel

Replacing a hub means building up a new wheel, which means you need to match the hub width to the frame, number of spokes to the rim and what not. See this page on wheel building for more details. Rebuilding a wheel or building a new wheel is pricey and time consuming. If you want to reuse the rim, you will need to look up the spec sheet for the hub and give it to the person you're having build up the wheel to make sure the new hub you select matches.

On top of this, you need some transmission stuff - namely a way to shift (which would require running shift cables on a frame that was likely not designed for them) as the Automatix hub takes care of shifting automatically. Since this is a folder, its more complicated than on a normal bike since you need to run cables for the folding (and the irregularly shaped tubes make attaching the cables a bit harder, e.g. no clamp on cable stops). Also, you'd need a hub with a coaster brake as well unless you want to run brake cables as well (it doesn't seem like the bike has mounts or cable stops for a rear brake either based on the picture).

To my knowledge, nobody other than SRAM (which only has the Automatix) and NuVinci make IGH's which are automatic (and I don't know if the NuVinci ones, e.g. Harmony are offered with a coaster brake or operate without the shift cables). In this case, it seems like the rear wheel is just a plain 20" wheel with a coaster brake Automatix hub and 130 mm hub spacing (double check this with say your LBS), so you could conceivably put another 130 mm IGH wheel with a coaster brake in the back and jury rig the shift cables in if you choose a wheel with an IGH that isn't automatic [if you choose an IGH without a coaster brake, you may have to jury rig a brake mount as well]. I'd personally feel less comfortable about bodging on brakes - if shifting goes wrong, you can usually get home in one gear.

It sounds like you want both a lower low gear and a higher high gear which means you need a larger range of gearing overall - its not as simple as just putting in a bigger or smaller chainring or a bigger or smaller rear cog (the rear cog would be a better option, with the former option giving you better climbing but lower top speed and the latter the reverse). So you're going to have to change the gearing in the rear to fix this.

I'd recommend replacing the bike for one with a larger range of gearing instead of futzing around for a new rear wheel and bodging shifters on, as the rear wheel will likely need to be a pricey custom job. The other option is to simply become more fit/deal with it.


Estimating trainer 'effort above the flat' by heart rate + cadence

Might I enquire your age?   This answer will be a bit vague without that, but you can work it out backwards.

The rule of thumb says that your max heart rate is 220-(your age in years)    I'm 40, so 180 would be my "100%" heart rate.

This table shows cycling

This chart shows the "zones"

So your 130 BPM is likely to be the "weight loss zone" for under 50 or the Aerobic zone for over 50.

Back to cycling, my "tempo" zone would be 70-80% of 180, so 126-144 BPM.

Here's a short ride from last week - heart rate was above 160 for at least half, and a peak of 173.  That translates to higher threshhold and into VO2, which is pretty good, giving speeds of mid 30km/h to a peak of 42 km/h.  https://www.strava.com/activities/757787829/analysis

So to summarise - 130 BPM is a good "endurance" workout.   You'd need to be doing that speed for a couple hours, and frankly that's boring on a trainer.

If you're dead against training on the road, try riding at a velodrome or some other kind of off-road track.  An athletic track may work, or around the local park?

If you can work a decent climb into your trip then that will be excellent exercise.  Use a tool like strava to measure your gains, cos it never feels faster.


How do I adjust this adjustable quill stem? Any ideas? [SOLVED]

Your stem has two adjustments.

The first is vertical, this done by loosening the vertical bolt several turns them tapping it down. Twist the bars while pushing down. Center the bars and retighten the bolt.

To adjust the stem angle, loosen the horizontal bolt. Note this may require 2 wrenches one on each side being twisted in opposite direction. The bolt must be turned quite a few turns to be loose enough for it to pivot. You may have to tap the left side bolt to disengage the serrated teeth. Next loosen the bolt under the stem to release the locking plate. Make the required adjustments and retighten the bolts.

You may also have to loosen the handle bar clamp and reorient the bars.


Why are aero bars usually disallowed in gran fondos?

I now realise "gran fondo" is American terminology for "cyclosportive". That sort of event falls loosely between audax and racing. The randonneuring community prize responsible riding, and tend to frown upon behaviour or equipment that could be deemed "antisocial". For example, most audax events require riders to fit mudguards, for the benefit of others.

In "gran fondos", although riders may only be competing against their own personal goals, they may find themselves sharing the same stretch of road with others, and some participants may wish to treat the event as a private race.

Steering control is severely compromised when using aero bars. They're not considered safe when riders may be racing in close proximity - a slight wobble could cause a major takedown. They're not great for cornering either. Hence the reason they're illegal in most events, except triathlon and time trials, where riders are mostly spread apart and riding fairly straight courses.


Using a Sram 22 group with 10 speed crank

If they use the same bottom bracket, it's at least worth trying. While 9,10,11 speed chains are different widths on the outside, they are the same width on the inside so
there is a reasonable chance that a 10 speed front crank will work with an 11 speed chain.

I have successfully used 10 spd cranks and rings with a 9 speed chain. I see two potential problems with the swap you want to make.

Your front derailler is not designed to work with 50/34 rings and it may not shift well.
The slightly wider gap of a 10 spd crankset may get the 11 speed chain caught in between the chainrings.

Two is the killer problem, take the crank and 11 speed chain and see if it getting
caught between the rings is a real problem. If not, it's worth a shot. You won't break anything by trying it and you'll have to decide if you can live with the changes in shifting performance.


Where does the name "B-Tension" come from?

The B-screw is for "Body screw", since it affects the body angle of the derailleur.

B-Tension is Shimano's term for B-screw -- as Sheldon points out, on Campagnolo, the screw behaves the opposite of Shimano.

See Sheldon Brown and Park Tool for more details. Also, see the answer here for more details on what it does.


I think what you have is more ideal for steep climbs you would find in the mountains than most up-market groupsets. As @Criggie has pointed out, 22:36 is ideal for climbs. Going to a more expensive groupset will most likely give you worse gearing unless you choose something that is specific to climbing.
A standard Sora groupset will come with a 50-34 chainset and an 11-32 cassette, which won't be great for touring especially if you are carrying a load. Some mono (1x) groupsets can get a 50t cog in the back, but to get the same ratio as your 22:36 you would need a 31 tooth chainring which is pretty small and would end up giving you a much easier hard gear. Assuming the smallest cog of 11 teeth, you would only be going at 33 km/h at 90 RPM in your hardest gear.
If you want an upgrade to get better quality components you are better off going with something from the Deore line like a mountain double with something like 36/22t chainrings or a mountain triple with 40/30/22t chainrings


What is the benefit of Shimano Click'R technology?

The Click'R system allows for a more recessed cleat in the shoe. It is a very similar design to Shimano SPD but is marketed for commuters and trekkers who want dual purpose shoes for when they are on and off the bike.

They also allow for multi-release meaning they offer a wider range of movement to release the cleat from the pedal making them easier to use.


Search for chain tugs rather than a chain tensioner.

You want something to hold the wheel in place rather than to push the chain up or pull it down ().

On a fixed gear, the latter will just break with the first back pressure on the pedals.


Where to find specific vintage rim/wheel?

A web search for “bike rim nos ukai” has some hits, but they’re very expensive and steel, which is undesirable in a rim. If you’ve got a historically significant bike you were restoring, it might be worth it. Otherwise, I’d recommend against trying to match the original.


Any bike chain you get will have enough links. The only thing to keep an eye on is the number of speeds it is for, which is the chain width. Just make sure you get a 9 speed chain.

There will be a range of lengths of chain that will technically work. A chain is too short if it can not reach around the big cogs on the front and back at the same time. You don't actually want to ever ride like that, but you don't want to break anything by just shifting into the wrong gear combo. A chain is too long if the deraileur can not take up all the slack when you are in both small cogs, or if the chain rubs up against itself because the rear pulley is too far back. Again, you don't want to go around riding in both small cogs, but if the chain becomes slack it can easily slap about and fall off.

The size of the range that will work depends on the difference in cost sizes your gears have, and the length of the derailleur cage. Mountain bikes generally have long-caged derailleurs to accommodate a wider range of cog sizes.

Often, the standard 114 link or so chain is an appropriate size for a mountain bike. If you put it on and it is not too long, you are good to go. But if you are really persnickity you might want to consider whether you want to be closer to too long or closer to too short.

If you are closer to being too short, the chain will actually be under more tension because the deraileur will be slightly more tight at any point than if the chain were longer. Tension in a spring increases as the spring is compressed. If the chain is more tight, it is less likely to bounce off the chainring. So if the terrain is very rough, you might benefit from a tighter chain.

On the other hand, if the chain is closer to being too long, you will be able to easily take a link out of necessary. Often if you break a chain the easiest way to fix it is to just remove a link and reconnect it. If you have sized your chain on the long side, this will be no problem.

As a side note, this is also why it is generally unreliable to just measure a new chain against the old one unless you know for sure that it was sized correctly and never had links removed.


I can only speak based on what I have read, but my understanding is that A) yes it has a softer ride quality due to the lack of a seat tube, and B) it was banned for the lack of a seat tube. UCI is pretty strict on what they consider legal and what they don't.

In regard to your final question as it applies to road bikes, I would venture to say that the lack of a seat tube as it was designed for the frame in question does not provide any substantial advantages. Otherwise we would have seen more frames of this shape from other manufacturers and more of a push from the industry to legalize the design for UCI racing. There have been similar designs through the years such as the Softride. They also failed, because that frame shape just isn't an awesome design.


Is it possible to add a TT shifter to Di2 junction box?

Yes, of course, that's possible. You just plug the cables into the brifters. Peel the grip-covers forward and you'll see unused ports underneath. Those may be used for sprinter buttons or for climber buttons as well.

But I'd suggest you replace a triple box by a quintuple box (Shimano SM-EW90-B 5 Port Di2 Junction A) to make the connection easier without undoing and replacing the bartape. Another advantage of the quintuple box is the fact that you can remove the aero extensions without fuss.


Is it Ok to lock or unlock my suspension fork while riding?

Yes, you should generally stop and set the suspension to an uncompressed/unloaded position before you switch, especially if it's a cheaper lockout.

Similarly, you would not try to change the position of a deadbolt on a door while the door is partially open.

See Do I need to take my weight off the bike to lock out the suspension?


It is unlikely that a four year old will slow you down much on a single speed. Just make sure you've got a well maintained front and rear brake.

On the other hand, if you're thinking about making a purchase, consider the advantages of a bike that has a few gears, maybe seven or ten, etc, if you anticipate tackling a hill every now and then.


How should I gear a 12" wheel on an adult bike?

Using an 8 or 9 tooth BMX cassette hub will get you into the normal useful range for singlespeed gearing pretty easily with a normal large road ring. 53-9 on a 12" gets you about 70 gear-inches for example, which is a common choice for fixed/singlespeed road bikes. Most present-day freestyle BMX rear hubs would work fine. (Most are 9t, some are 8 - 8s wear out fast and are considered going too far by many.)

Using a 56t tri ring and a normal 12t cassette cog gets you into around 56 gear inches, which would probably be fine for a chopper. 56t rings, while not exactly common, are easy to get. Origin8 makes a 56x130. If this gearing worked for you it would probably be a cheaper route.

Since you mention going on longer rides with it, the good answer may just be to run it with the Shimano Capreo group and a 56t ring, giving you the benefits of a derailer drivetrain. I'm pretty sure the Capreo derailer should still clear the ground on a 12", but you might want to corroborate that somehow before doing it. It may not on an 8".


How to tell if a hub uses sealed bearings or loose ones?

I presume you mean loose vs cartridge bearings.
They are both sealed. High grade shimano hubs are actually pretty well sealed.
I can see cone nuts in that picture, so its loose bearings.


You'll probably have lots of room. Mountain bike frames generally have lots of room in the fork and stays for various sized tires. But it would be best to measure it.

The supposed size difference in your tires is 5 mm, so hypothetically you would need more than 2.5 mm of clearance on either side between the tires and the forks on the front and back of the bike. However, you will absolutely want more than this amount of clearance for several reasons.

advertised tire widths are not necessarily accurate. It could easily be off by a milimeter or two. Especially if one tire is lugged and the other is not.
Tires will move around a little when you are riding. If it's only clearing the fork / stays by 1mm in the stand, it will definitely make contact occasionally while riding.
If you have fenders, be very wary. Fenders are often designed to only fit a certain tire size. Be extra careful measuring clearances here.

So I would only recommend investing in the sidegrade if you have 1cm clearance right now, or more.

As a more general answer for this question to others seeking similar information, you should also check that the brake arms will clear a wider tire. It shouldn't usually be a problem with cantilever brakes, but with calipers a wider tire is often not going to fit. It's not an issue for Hugo because he is running disc brakes.


Bicycle Theft, Guide No. 52 (2008) gives details around bicycle theft in different variants, stages and from different perspectives, contains reference for theft data.
From the report:

Offenders
Not all bicycles are stolen for financial gain. Some offenders may take a bicycle simply to get from one place to another, and then abandon it. Research suggests that bicycle thieves can be categorized in the following way in terms of their motivation:
Joyriders-those who steal any type of bicycle for transportation and/or enjoyment. These offenders generally abandon the stolen bicycle after use. Younger offenders (16 and under) typically fit this group.
Acquisitive-those who exploit easy opportunities to steal any type of bicycle and trade it for cash or goods (such as drugs).
Volume-those who steal specific types of bicycles and/or numerous bicycles to order.

50 Denv. L.J. 177 (1973-1974) Marketing Theory and the Fencing of Stolen Goods; Roselius, Ted; Benton, Douglas (paywall!) -- goes down on marketing of stolen goods, and bikes are considered one of main prizes in this market (see previous link why)


Outboard bearing bottoms bracket (hollowtech II) - assessment of wear and lateral play, lifespans & when to replace?

That there's some amount of play you can feel through the black plastic shield in one of the bearings with the cranks out isn't necessarily a big deal. What you're looking for is the quality of the adjustment you can get out of it with the cranks on. If you're forced to either have it grindy/frictiony or have play or both at the same time, that's a BB that needs replaced.

Broadly speaking, yes you seem to be wearing them out on the fast side. Your description of the issues you're having somewhat suggests not enough care given to keeping the bearing adjusted. You shouldn't have to mess with it all the time, but every once in a while on a Shimano outboard BB to be sure. You're trying to always keep it slightly preloaded. Another way of saying it is as loose as possible but with no play. Too little or too much preload will trash the bearings.

Chronically running through these BBs, especially despite ones best efforts with adjustment, can also suggest a shell that needs facing and chasing to get better bearing alignment.

Outboard BBs, the cheaper ones in particular, really aren't all that durable compared to high quality square taper cartridge BBs. I have a BB-UN72, Shimano's nice but modestly priced upper end square taper unit, with thousands of miles on it in all weather conditions and over 10 years old that's still utterly perfect. No outboard BBs do that that I'm aware of.

If you're doing high mileage touring then just getting a King or Phil along with making sure the shell is well-prepped would probably make some sense. What kind of mileage you get still depends on you and the conditions you ride in, but they are more robust. I'm also a big fan of the Enduro replacement bearing kits for Shimano outboard BBs, because they replace the bearing with a larger and more durable cartridge by getting rid of the black top hat seal and putting a different kind of seal in its place, but the catch with them is you more or less need a special tool to install them into the cups. I've observed them be a good solution for folks having trouble with tearing through BBs though.


Probably getting close. As you experience more flats than normal or really begin to notice the ledge of that tire corner when you lean into a curve its probably time. Some people wait till the fabric is showing, but i dont like the amount of flats that i start getting.

2000 miles is a great life span for any tire, I say time for a new one.


The steerer-tube plug or bung has two functions:

Provide a backstop for tightening the stack;
Resist the crushing force on the steerer tube from the stem pinching it.

So the plug needs to be tightened just enough to serve the first function (for which some friction paste may help); this will naturally put it in a position to serve the second function.
It's also difficult to torque down hard on the plug, as there's nothing except friction against the steerer tube to hold the body in place as you tighten the bolt.


Are all 9 speed chains compatible with all 9 speed systems?

AFAIK any 9speed chain made for dérailleur should fit (single speed and hub gear chains are different)

9 speed chains are more expensive, they are thinner and not as common - so fewer cheap brands bother to make them, or stores to stock them

BUT - the chain is an important part of the bike, a poor quality chain will stick, jump and wear the rear cassette teeth more quickly. You might not want to buy the very cheapest brand you can find.


Proper S7 571 tubes for this have existed, but you're fine using 559, ie anything that says "26 x 1.75" or covers it in a range.


Tektro Draco hydraulic disc brake not gripping rotor well enough to stop

As the comment by @Chris H, pointed out, you may have some air in your system. This is easely solvable by bleeding the brakes. Dependening on the design, you may need a big syringe, small hose(ideally translucent) and a small discardable bottle, or a propietary bleeding kit. Hydraulic system needs to be bleeded at least once a years, IMO.

WARNING: Never mix mineral oil with DOT, those are incompatible. You must choose properly your fluid Dot or Mineral Oil. Mixing DOT5 with DOT6, is fine, not recommended but fine.

Check the fittings on the handle and the caliper, tight them if needed. Some air may be getting into the system due to loose fittings. Also check the bleeding valves too.

Lastly, check the hydraulic lines while you pump the lever. If they seem to stretch, wide, or inflate a small ballon, etc. You will need to replace them.


Is it possible to convert a suspension fork to rigid by drilling it?

DO NOT DRILL HOLES IN YOUR FORKS

That would weaken them substantially and run the risk of them breaking under stress (e.g., when you hit a pothole). A broken fork will probably put you in the emergency room, and potentially the morgue if you're unlucky with vehicles nearby.

Hopefully, other answers will address how to fix your forks; worst case is replacement, which isn't crazy-expensive for rigid forks.


Upgrade Peugeot 5-speed to indexed flat bar shifters

If the goal is to make it easy and work well, for sure get a modern freewheel, like a Shimano 6-speed hyperglide one. Hyperglide style ramping is the glue that holds indexed shifting together. Even if you jumped through all the hoops needed to try to make it index with the freewheel you've got, it wouldn't work.

A lot of gripshifts threaten to take up too much room on the sort of bar it probably has, so good idea to measure that ahead of time (adding in the length of the grip you'll use).

If it can fit them, then a good cheap approach would be getting 6-speed MRX comps with the semi-index aka non-index left (lots of small clicks) plus almost any cheap MTB/hybridy rear derailleur and the aforementioned freewheel, plus a new chain. You could even get the rear gearing lower this way, which is good because that sort of bike didn't come with very thoughtful gears. You could do the same thing with similar thumbshifter sets, where the left is friction and the right is 6.

Making the front index is a whole other ballgame and usually would require replacing the crank before it works smoothly, which isn't necessarily bad depending on how hard you want to commit to the bike.


Why cant I unscrew the bolt from my top cap?

Presuming a metal steerer (as opposed to something going wrong with a carbon compression plug), the main dynamic I've seen is the bolt seized to the central threaded piece of the star nut due to no lubrication , which then causes it to break free from the outer toothed part and spin freely when reefed on to try and turn it.

If you're lucky you may be able to get it by twisting the wrench sideways to try and get some friction between the toothed bit of the star nut and threaded bit. This is unlikely to work if the threads are really seized though. You may try hitting it with penetrating oil first, either blasted through the stem crack or the underside of the fork, but it probably won't help enough to overcome how it's also going to add lubricant where you want friction.

I fixed one once by pounding the star nut with a punch from the underside of the crown until it didn't hold anymore and came out. Putting reverse load on star nuts can scar up steerers, especially  aluminum ones, so if you want a gentler approach, then dissecting the top cap with a dremel cut off wheel and then working or cutting the star nut out once you have access to it also works.


the pedal wobbles in the arm

That sounds like a stripped pedal thread.  If the cranks are inexpensive or dubious, replacing them could be cheapest.

But in some cases a good bike mechanic can repair a stripped pedal thread by installing a helicoil or similar coiled insert - basically they tap out the hole for a yet larger size, and the wire insert fills up the space between that and the threaded pedal axle.  You and your mechanic would have to make your own decision if this is appropriate in the circumstances of your particular case.

Normally modern pedal threads are specific to each side of the bike (the left pedal gets a reverse or left-hand thread) such that they will self tighten from precession when riding, especially on something with a freewheel where you cannot exert real reverse torque anyway.  A pedal with the wrong thread for the riding torque of the side on which it is used will indeed unscrew, but being able to create that situation with modern components would be fairly unique to an exceptional case such as riding a fixed gear artistic cycling bike more backwards than forwards, or mistakenly installing a unicycle's wheel backwards in the frame.  Otherwise, for the pedal to unscrew you'd have to have a pedal bearing so damaged that the bearing drag dominates over the precession.

An alternate possibility is that the pedal's internal bearings could be loose, such that the pedal's axle is fixed to the crank but the pedal itself is wobbling on the axle.  That may be correctable by tightening if the bearing balls are not yet lost or can be replaced, or you may need a new pedal.


How to check if the gear shifter or the gear itself is broken?

This does not answer your question, but it's too long for comments.

Summary: take it to another bike shop.

Details

This is an internally geared hub (IGH). I cannot tell what make it is; the ones I know of are Sturmey Archer, Shimano Nexus and Alfine, and SRAM.

The whole bike has been left to molder - the chain has rust, and the tires are flat. The chain should be fine with some oil.

The question is - why was it left to molder, and why was it sold? My guess is because of the gear problem.

Advice

See if you can identify the brand or make. Someone might be able to help more if you can tell them that. Once you know that, you can also look for a bike shop that knows about those particular hubs.

IGH's can stop working for fairly trivial reasons, and often the new parts are not very expensive. The main cost is the mechanic's time.

While you could DIY, the fact that you asked the question suggests that that's not a realistic option for you. There is no guarantee that after taking your first IGH apart you'll be able to put it together again. There are lots of springs and pawls and bearings and gears in there ...


What kind of tires should I buy for an e-bike, commuting on maintained off-road?

In general, the softer the ground, the bigger the tire should be. A fat tire will let you "float" over the surface instead of sinking in, like a snowshoe. If you're sinking, it takes tremendous effort to keep riding, and you can't really steer.

Gravels vary widely. Coarse-edged crushed rock locks together to create a firm, traffic-bearing surface. Round-edged "pea gravel" shifts under load, dispersing energy - this is good under playground equipment. There are different sizes, and some are mixed while others are consistently-sized. Which one you're on will have an effect on what kind of tire you need.

I like to choose the fattest tire that works well in my frame / under my fenders. I avoid knobbies because I think they have way higher rolling resistance and wear out faster. Since you're already hauling a battery, you can definitely afford the weight of the rubber.

Also, if you ever find yourself in ground that's too loose and you can't steer, shift your weight back. Unweighting the front wheel will let it steer without sinking.


Flat tire keeps occurring while bike is stationary. MYSTERY

I had a similar problem on my bike. The manufacturer had made the rims too deep and it was causing the tube to conform to the odd extra "U" shape when pumped up. It took a while to figure out why I was going through so many tubes.

Check with your manufacturer / retailer. I got mine replaced free of charge.

Perhaps your rims have an abnormality near the valve hole.


I use a pair of the basic Apple ear buds that came with my iPod Shuffle for riding.  I've found that they put out "ok" quality sound (not as good as my Sennheisers), but the open-air design of them lets a lot of road noise through, as well.  I can hear almost any car coming up behind me (including hybrids), and can hear about 90% of the bicycles coming up to pass as well.  As for dropping them down around your neck, I usually take my ear buds out and slip them in the neck of my shirt.  They might look like funny little lumps on your chest at first glance, but it is obvious what they are after you notice the wires.

I would certainly steer clear of anything with "noise canceling" however.  In the case of ear buds with rubber tips, the rubber is intended to seal out outside noise, like cars.  Bad idea.

I would also suggest perusing this question about safety concerns.


What non-metric fastener heads are left on a standard bicycle?

Very rare, but I believe some pedals still require a 9/16" spanner to remove them. Not to be confused with the 9/16" axle like you have mentioned. Park Tool still make a pedal spanner with both a 15mm and 9/16" opening. Considering 9/16" of an inch is 14.3mm and the chances you'll actually have to remove one are fairly slim, I'd be happy with just a standard 15mm pedal spanner.

Beyond this I can't think of anything else. Perhaps wheel nuts on very cheap kids character bikes? Some of those seem to come with whatever the factory had going spare at the time of assembly!


I was answering the Physics.se version of this question but it got closed (probably rightly so), so I'm posting it here.

The lighter pedals will have very little effect on the performance of your bike, other than through the overall weight, and particularly if you're pedalling at a steady cadence instead of accelerating and decelerating repeatedly.

Making any part of the bike lighter means that accelerating will be easier as you have less inertia, and that you will spend less power at any given constant speed, through a decrease in rolling resistance (i.e. you spend less work flexing your tires). However, you could achieve a similar effect by simply using a lighter frame or handlebars or haircut. To optimize this, if you really are in a trim-all-the-weight-possible mood, you should be comparing this to all comparable weight savings across your bike.

The only real property of the pedals that is affected is their moment of inertia. This means that heavier pedals have more energy stored in their rotational motion than lighter ones. The thing, though, is that at a steady cadence this energy stays constant and you do not need to worry about it. It only comes into play when you are accelerating, and frankly I would be more worried about your translational energy than the rotational energy in the tires and pedals.

In a similar spirit to the above, if you want to minimize this effect, you should compare this with the moment of inertia savings on your pedals, wheels and tires. Since the rims have a larger rotation radius, and rotate at a much faster angular velocity, they hold far more rotational energy than the pedals, and any savings in this area are likely to be easier by using lighter rims.

You asked for math, but I'm afraid it's a bit pointless to do it. The reason is that one can in principle calculate how much energy you save in a given situation, but that will give you a number that doesn't mean much. The only way to give it meaning is to compare it with similar weight losses in your frame and in your rims, at the very least, where 'similar' must be understood, in fairness, to mean a similar increase in price. But then you're in a completely different ball game, far broader than what is in your question.


Is it possible to ride 18km everyday for a beginner?

18km a day is not far, as long as you have an OK fitness level to start with and no health issues, it is certainly achievable, but...

You will not get any rest days. I was once told, you do not get fit exercising, you get fit recovering. If you ride 5 days a week, there's no recovery time. This could lead to problems since each day's effort is stressing your body. For the beginning I would strongly recommend not more than 3 days (with a day between) until you are sure you can comfortably do five days every week.

What I would suggest you to do is first thing in the morning measure your resting pulse rate. Do this for 3 or 4 mornings to establish a baseline. Start riding, taking it easy to begin with (for the first couple of weeks). Note how you feel and your resting pulse rate - if you feel bad and your pulse is higher than it should be, have a rest day or two. (Note - normally your resting pulse rate will fall as you get fitter, so your baseline will change.)

The trick is to have an alternative to riding available so you don't need to ride if you need a rest, but not so available that you use it all the time.


Are there any Male to Female DI2 wires / exetensions?

No, there are not any male-to-female "extension" wires available for the Shimano Di2 E-Tube system.  You can use a junction as you said, or you can use the two-port ANT module.  You could also modify an E-Tube wire to lengthen it yourself, if you are handy with a soldering iron.


How is the finishing stage of truing a laced wheel improved by adjusting spokes in groups of 4?

Note: This pertains to laced, not radially spoked, wheels
because a radial spoke applies no torque to its hub.

When truing a laced wheel, adjusting spokes in groups of 4
eliminates distortional side effects that would otherwise be relayed by
hub torque to all other spokes.

Hub torque is a turning force between hub and rim,
generally recognized in two main forms
where the rim has a tire that contacts the road.

Pedaling produces a driving torque on the rear hub.
A disc or drum brake produces a braking torque on either hub.

This is explained in
The Bicycle Wheel, Third Edition, by Jobst Brandt,
beginning with the section Torsional Loads on page 22.
Three pages later,
Figure 11 exaggeratedly displays a typical complex of rim distortions
produced by hub torque
as half of the spokes experience increased tension
while the other half experience relaxation.

  Torsional Loads
   · · ·
  Spokes [. . .]
  transmit torque from the hub to the rim by becoming tighter and looser.
   · · ·

The converse is also true:
spokes’ tensions transmit torque from rim to hub.
Although a wheel being trued has no road to fight against,
its hub is nonetheless torqued relative to the rim,
by each and every spoke.

Spokes are commonly adjusted in rim-adjacent pairs
so that lateral or radial corrections
do not become, respectively, radial or lateral distortions.
This works well near such a pair spokes but the adjustment
often changes their combined hub torque enough to distort the rim elsewhere.
One example is a lateral rim adjustment made
by tightening one spoke while loosening its neighbor.

The preferred adjustment with four spokes includes
two additional rim-adjacent neighbors.

As spokes that are two holes apart on the rim
connect to symmetrically placed holes on the same flange,
equal adjustment of those spokes produces no combined change in rim torque.
Adjusting each spoke in this 4-wise group
half as much as its corresponding spoke in the pairwise adjustment
produces the originally intended rim correction,
as would be hoped, but without creating new errors elsewhere.


Your observations are confounded with time and lots of things can change in the intervening time, this include your flexibility (e.g., hips and/or hamstrings) and your components (e.g., your saddle).

Flexibility, is often the first thing to change, if you were relatively inflexible in your hips you may have adopted posterior rotation of your hips (i.e., the top of your hips backwards) when riding, which could effectively shorten your leg length on the saddle.  This is often part and parcel with short hamstrings.  As flexibility improves you may have been able to rotate your pelvis to a more neutral position, which would have effectively lengthened your leg reach.  As an aside, flexibility  is also one of the first places people should look when they think they have a leg length discrepancy, structural leg length discrepancies are much rarer than asymmetrical flexibility.

Equipment can also change over time.  If you are running one of the classic leather hammock style saddles (e.g., Brooks) these can stretch and sag over time, which would lower the effective saddle height. Even some modern synthetic saddles can "break-in" (i.e., the supporting plastic frame becomes more compliant), which would cause the top of the saddle to sag a bit more than new when you put your full weight on it. This might be harder to pick up as the saddle should return to the original height when you get off, due to the memory property of plastics.

Sorry, you are not growing

It is highly improbable that you are growing at 37, as ~19-21 is the maximum age by which most people stop growing.  It is possible to develop a tumor that stimulates your pituitary to produce excess growth hormone, this actually happened to a friend, but since you have stopped growing in height this will result in your bones getting thicker and heavier not longer. Gigantism can also cause excessive height, but would have shown up earlier in life during your growth phase.


I think what is confusing you is that the square hole cannot be seen in the crank with the retaining bolt removed. It seems this model of crank has a circular flange at the outboard end of the square hole for the bolt head to bear on.

Regardless of what the axle-crank interface is, the cranks are removed with a  crank puller tool that threads into the retaining bolt hole in the axle and the larger threads in the crank, and pulls the two apart.

DO NOT attempt to get the cranks off any other way, you will damage the square taper interface in the alloy crank arm. (Someone asked a question here once who had levered his cranks off with a crowbar, and totally trashed them.)

You also need a special tool to remove the cartridge bottom bracket. There a ton of help available on the web. Personally I think Park Tool's pages and youtube videos are the most detailed and comprehensive.

Removing 3-piece cranks

Removing cartridge BB


To start, Keen makes a commuter bike sandal that is clipless, so you may look into that if you like the fit of Keens.  I know that Specialized makes wide sizes in their shoes as does Lake.  There may be others out there, but that is what I am immediately familiar with.

As far what to avoid, most of the European companies (especially the Italian companies like Sidi) tend toward a fit that is aimed at a narrower foot.  Sidi, makes a Mega option that is supposed to be wide (I believe), but I haven't ever seen a pair to try and the regular Sidis fit me horribly (I also have a wide foot).


Is there a special 3/32" chain ring for single speed/fixed gear bikes?

There are 3/32 chainrings made specifically for single speed use, but chainrings intended for double cranks will work just fine if they fit your crank properly and are on the correct chainline of course.


How important is centring dual-pivot brakes?

The danger of this is your rim may begin to rub the brake pad – especially when you put in hard out-of-the-saddle efforts.

In theory, if your caliper has become off-centre then one pad will have come closer to the rim and the other will have come further away. You should simply be able to push and rotate the caliper by hand back into a central position without loosening (or tightening) the retaining nut. Pull the brake lever a couple of times and if the caliper does not return to a central position, your brake requires balancing i.e. one pad is moving more than the other towards the rim and causing them not to touch the rim at the same time. The other effect of this is it may cause the caliper to rest off-centre.

There is a small balancing (tensioning) screw on top of the caliper. Turn this left or right until both pads move the same amount to the rim.


How to tell when to change steel front fork?

Forks are not a 'wear component' that need to be replaced periodically. Bicycle frame makes are clever enough to make their products sufficiently durable and it's not something riders generally need to worry about. That said there obviously are instances of frames and forks cracking and failing, but this is not the norm.

However, in your particular case, with an old steel frame, it's a good idea to periodically inspect it for any cracks that might be developing in any of the welded or brazed joints. On the fork you should look for cracks near the fork crown as that is where forces are highest.

As as aside, I haven't tried to put the document through Google translate yet, but there may be a slight misunderstanding. I think perhaps you are interpreting it as: bicycle forks commonly fail, leading to injury, when perhaps that should be if a bicycle's fork fails, injury is common.

Personally, I've never seen or heard of a modern bicycle fork catastrophically failing in regular use (crashes and extreme mountain bike riding are another matter).


Tandem drivetrain--right side front drive

I suspect #4 doesn't exist because it makes the stoker's position hard to get power out of.

If you have one very long chain on the RHS, with the chain passing over and under the stoker's chainring, then there is minimal tooth engagement on top, and  perhaps none at all underneath.  Certainly not the "toothcount/2" teeth engaged on the front wheel.  This would make it very hard for the stoker to get power down.

A solution might be to use some jackwheels, like jockey wheels but to press the chain down around the stoker's chainring to give more tooth engagement.  But this would add complexity and potentially jam up.

Since you only want one chainring, cheat.  Have two at the rear, and one at the front.  Power the rear mech directly off the larger chainring, and use two smaller equal-sized inner chainrings for the timing chain.  You could even use 1/8" chain for the timing chain, and use 3/32" from the stoker's chainring to the cassette/derailleur.

In hindsight I think my suggested solution is similar to your #2.


The logo is from a Carrera (Halfords) bike, so the wheel will have been on a Carrera originally.
You can google the Carrera logo and see that the C is styled in the same way on their full logo.
The 29 is simply referring to the wheel size, a mtb '29er' which has the same ETRTO rim diameter as a typical road/gravel bike, though widths can vary.


Looks like The FD-R453 is a non-series (i.e. it does not get the 'Tiagra', '105' etc label) component. I believe it's roughly equivalent to Tiagra in quality though.

Any Shimano 3x9 front derailleur is going to work, Tiagra 4500 series - which is not current but is probably available, Sora 3400 or 3500 series also. The Sora FD-3030-B looks right.


What is this spring between the fork and the frame?

The purpose of such a steering damper is to stop the front wheel from turning when using a (two-leg) kickstand or while pushing the bike. Not much use otherwise.


How should I tie a bike to a hitch mounted bike rack to keep it from swaying into the bumper of my vehicle?

Several possibilities,

Pool noodles - cut one vertically and mash it over the upright post of the hitch.  Retain in place with zip ties.

Bungee cords with hooks on the ends can be used to pull the bike frame toward the upright.  Also can wrap around top tube and horizontal of frame

Old inner tubes can be used in either role - they take a knot quite well.

There's nothing stopping you doing more than one thing to secure your bike.


Is there a significant difference between the new all-mountain/trail and classic cross country helmets?

I would look for evidential based information regarding brain stem injuries these helmets could/would have prevented, preferably published in medical journals, that a standard helmet would not. I think you find it fairly thin on the ground.
(If anyone has such evidence, I am happy to retract this answer)

The reason I say this is if you look at a typical/older style helmet, the rear extends a long way back. To suffer a brain stem injury that these new fandangled shapes would prevent, you would need to a hard hit from a protruding rock (or similar), that wedged under the typical helmet. I cannot easily visualize the mechanics of a bike fall that these helmets would protect you against that a normal helmet does not.

A falls that do happen and none of these helmet designs protect against -  face plant - need a full face. Stick through the ear - full face again.

One I have seen a photo of is a stick through the eyeball - Helmet didn't help....

Give the limited protection either style of helmet offers for side and facial injury, my guess is they a not much more than a marketing gimmick. Would I buy one - yes, if the premium was not high and it fitted me at least as well as another style, but I would not upgrade an otherwise good helmet for one.

However, I am also not inclined to bow to peer pressure and buy things because they are cool......

Edit:
I might have to retract this answer, after reading this report on a coroners inquest into a cycling death......

  The man who found her said her helmet had been pushed to the back of her head and damaged. The chin strap was across her mouth.
  Holmes said he had bought the "top of the line" cycle helmet overseas for more than $200.
  Forensic pathologist Martin Sage said conventional cycling helmets provided little protection from impact to the rear of the head.


A longer frame pump is advantageous - a lot of them can be mounted along the length of your top tube and work a lot faster/easier than mini pumps. Mini pumps (and frame pumps in general) always take forever (at least, it feels like forever, though some are better than others due to chamber size and if they can inflate on the push and pull stroke of the pumping action among other design factors) and are tough at higher pressures. You just need to get enough air until you can get to a track pump - In theory and by design, you could probably get to full pressure with a good frame/mini pump but in practice, you may not due to tired-ness and other factors that come with a ride. The amount of time and effort it takes obviously depends on the volume of the tires and pressures you're running as well as how quickly you can pump. If you look at some reviews, you can probably find the highly variable measurement of how long someone took to pump their tire in "pumps".

When you use a hand pump like a conventional frame/mini pump, you lose the advantage of weight and upper body muscles you use with a floor (track) pump (aside from the typically smaller volumes) [but you can get this on the go to some extent with a frame-mounted floor pump]. The Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HP-HPG looks interesting as a small frame-mounted floor pump (similar to the Topeak Morph line, but oddly much cheaper and possibly more ergonomic) and according to a review does quite well on the pressure and inflation efficiency front.

I don't think a gauge is necessary, but a hose is useful - you avoid transferring your momentum of pumping directly to the valve, which can cause some damage if you do it too much (i.e. not careful). Sheldon has some tips for doing this (my current frame pump does not have a hose, but I do wish it did).

If you do get a mini pump though, try to get one with a CO2 inflator built in as well and carry some CO2 cartridges (or at least a mini inflator). Some day you may be too tired or in need of a quick inflate (e.g. in the rain), and this could really help you (though they can't do minor adjustments of a tire pressure like a pump can).  Also, try to avoid flats in the first place - kevlar belted tires, proper tire inflation, etc. will save you the agony of having to use your pump. And always have a way to get home otherwise (e.g. bus, calling someone, etc.).


Atomic Zombie has a bunch of DIY recumbent bike plans, many of which are based on cutting up existing bikes. This one seems like a reasonable starting point. I think that sitting in a regular chair might not give you full leg travel--recumbent seat bottoms are pretty short by comparison.


Identify year of manufacturing of Merida frame by Serial number

Per comments from the OP, looks like a 2007 model.


Does riding on the sidewalk make it more likely to get a flat tire?

There's almost certainly more debris on the sidewalk.

Sidewalks are swept less often, and vehicle movement pushes debris off the travelled areas. You can more easily see the latter on wet days - there will be wheeltracks from motor vehicles with much wetter areas between. The worst areas are the edges of major roads, where debris gets pushed into the bike lane by passing motor vehicles.

On my ride to work the most puncture-prone area is where the bike path crosses a major road - there's a shield wall between the road and nearby houses and at the break in that wall is a small space for people to wait before crossing. That acts as a dust trap for all the stuff thrown up from the road and is rarely or never swept. It's common to see broken glass, sharp metal fragments and even nails in this spot.

I often carry a pair of secateurs and a small hand broom in my pannier so I can clear plants and debris from the bike path. It's a small amount of extra work but it helps a lot, especially on Monday mornings when the bike path often has broken alcohol bottles on it from the weekend.

Sidewalk cycling is also much more dangerous so should be minimised.


How to decelerate effectively with a rear brake?

Yes, there's a technique, however I strongly recommend you to fix the front brake. Rear only is dangerous.
The rear wheel tends to block much sooner than the front one because of reasons you mentioned in the question so the obvious way is to avoid blocking as much as possible. First, you can emulate ABS on the car by quickly pressing and releasing brakes in series, this way the wheel will likely block, but with less tendency to slide sideways.
Another is moving your mass center towards back while braking - not cool, but it helps, actually.
And again - fix the brakes, repairing them is not a hard job.


Anything is fixable given time and effort and money.

You need to decide first whether the bike fits you, and will do the job.

Then decide if its safe - do the brakes work right?  Does it stop and go okay?    Are there and thick patches of rust?   Poking at any suspicious rust with a pen will show how deep it is.

Consumables need checking too - depending on its history and recent storage, you may be up for 4 new brake pads/blocks, 2 new tubes and 2 new tyres immediately.  Look for cracking in the tyres, whether it holds air at full pressure overnight, and how hardened the brake pads are.

Fenders/frames
If you want to fix the rust, you could simply paint over it, but that fix will last months at best.

Remove the rust physically by sanding or foil and then painting, and it will come back after a year or more.

The best fix is to chemically treat the rust with a rust killer like Phosphoric Acid, which converts the brown/red rust into a stable white or black iron oxide.  Then you sand it and paint over.  This should last the longest.

Rims
Much harder to deal with - because anything put on the braking surface will wear off quickly under braking.  Best technique here is to scratch the rust off using a brass brush, and then apply the phosphoric acid to treat the bits you missed.  Ideally do this with the tube and tyre off.  And mind your skin - this stuff is nasty.

Finally, based purely on the picture above, it looks like cosmetic surface rust.  So if this is the case, you're probably able to simply ride it as-is.  Bonus, makes the bike less attractive to a thief.


What 11-32 10 speed cassettes will work with Shimano 105 5700 freehub?

There are Tiagra 10 speed 11/32 and 11/34 cassettes available according to the Shimano page.  Coming from the road group, they will work.


For regular opening like changing a tube or tyre do I open the little bolt or do I use the lever?

You take the axel out by unscrewing with the lever (left loose). The bolt allows you to change the orientation of the lever relative to the axel, if you care about such things.

  What does the little screw with much smaller torque rating?

The lever usually has teeth to keep it in place so you do not need a lot of torque to keep the lever from slipping.

  Do I need to have a torque wrench in the field with me for that one?

Only if you feel that you need to change the orientation of the lever relative to the axel while out in the field. I cannot think of a valid use case.


Proper tubeless (UST) tyres do indeed hold air well, but are also heavy and don't roll as well (due to extra material that needs to deform around objects).  Due to the nature of MTB'ing you are also likely to need sealant for puncture protection, as whilst UST tyres are more robust, they can't shrug off all potential punctures.

This is why you see very few UST tyres available for sale now, with most riders (and manufacturers) preferring tubeless ready.

In my experience, a well set up tubeless ready tyre with sealant holds air at least as well as an old tyre/tube combo.  I typically lose ~2psi/wk on my tubeless ready setups so usually top them up once a week, but could go 2 weeks if necessary.


Best Alternative Tubeless Tape to Gorilla Tape?

Your plan is correct. 21mm tubeless tape on a 19mm internal width rim is simply a mistake on their part. That won't create the contact needed between the bead and the tape. Hopefully they'll refund it.
On the bright side, you got some practice stretching the tape on, which might help you one-shot it next time.
What usually works is internal width plus 5-6mm. Going by outside width, i.e. holding up the roll of tape to the rim, you're looking for outside width plus 0-1mm on aluminum and minus maybe 1-2mm on carbon, since carbon sidewalls are usually thicker (that varies and I would always just use the internal width on a carbon rim, but I rarely do on al). It's a little bit of an experiment if you don't have a manufacturer telling you an exact number, but doing it this way will typically get you a width where the tape is just starting to kiss or ride up the inside of the sidewall, which is what you want. Plus 5-7mm works sometimes but not others; you can get in trouble with the tape wanting to curl over at the sidewall or get squished out of place by the tire if it's too wide.
If it's not clear, what's happening here is you want the tape to basically go from sidewall to sidewall, erring slightly on the wide side because you need the tire contact. The X factor is how much tape width gets eaten up by the rim well. Tubeless rim designs are mostly similar enough in this regard for the above rules of thumb to work. With practice one could probably learn to make corrections ahead of time based on seeing a flat versus upwards-angled rim shelf and other factors. But for the most part, +5-6mm gets you there. I'm somewhat copying this from WTB, who just say +5mm for all their rims and make rim tape to match these numbers. That works great for their rims but beyond that, one needs to know which direction to fudge things if an exact match isn't available.
One dynamic to this is that what shops really should be doing at this point is have something like the whole size run of bulk tapes from a couple different companies. For example, the shop I work at has almost every size of Stan's and WTB, except overlaps. Once you've got all the pluses and fats in there, it's like 12 or 15 rolls of tape. That buys high odds of being able to do any rim needed as a repair shop. But few if any shops would be able to have all those widths in retail size packs, and tubeless tape can't be resold from bulk without fouling it. So, walking in and knowing they'll have whatever size you need isn't a given. That said, the 24-25mm roll you need is common, so maybe it was out or someone was having a bad day.
In no case is there a need to get sealant involved until the tire is seated and holding air a while dry. Doing it all at once is fine when one has high confidence things are going to go smoothly, but that's almost entirely about saving time, not increasing efficacy. When things require experimentation, you should hold off until you've found a setup that works, then put your sealant in through the valve.
A final note is there are some rims out there with finishes that just don't play nice with Stan's-type tape. Some DT rims are the major example. DT makes a tape that works for these. We've successfully put it on at least one non-DT rim that wouldn't take Stans or WTB yellow tapes. The DT tape has a somewhat gummier, more flowy adhesive and that makes me suspect that Gorilla would also adhere, but I haven't tried it.


change derailleur and shifter in an old road bike reconverted to hybrid

It's best to have chain, shifters that match your cassette, both in terms of number of speeds and make (and to a lesser extent model).

In a non-matching configuration, your chain will try to sit slightly between gears in certain settings, which is actually rather annoying.

Having said that, what you propose will work for locomotion, and depending on how much annoyance you're cool with bearing in a given day it may work well enough for your desires.

I tell you these things as someone who has piecemeal upgraged from 7 to 9 speeds; it isn't an ideal solution.


No trim and can't shift into small chainring

Sounds like you have a bit too much cable tension in your new configuration.

Usually cable tension is tuned with the barrel adjuster you mentioned, but if you cannot get the tension low enough with it, you'll need to loosen the bolt that attaches the cable to the derailleur, give the cable just a bit more slack and try again.


Why can't I adjust my Shimano Nexus 8 gear?

Having shortened the chain because of stretch is an eyebrow-raising concept because by the time a full link's worth of slack has developed, that would be an off-the-charts amount of wear. But drivetrain wear probably isn't your problem either way. Also there are other reasons to find the need to remove links, like tuning the position of the axle in the dropouts. It's conceivable to need to remove a link to tension the chain if it started out almost all the way back in the dropouts, but that would still indicate a ton of wear in almost any case.

That the error isn't constant in and of itself isn't necessarily an issue because the cable pull of Nexus 8 shifters isn't constant between clicks either.

If in those 3 years this bike has seen some solid use, it's possible it could be due for a basic internal service with a Nexus/Alfine oil "dunk." There are many questions here about this and whether to DIY it or bring it in. Friction and under-lubrication of the internal parts can cause some issues like you describe. Even if it doesn't solve the problem, it's still maintenance the hub needs. If the mileage is fairly low, like under 1000mi/1600km, this is likely not the problem.

Cable housing friction can also cause what you describe. A quick test is whether the adjustment indicator shows the same alignment after shifting into a given gear from either direction. If it doesn't, friction in the housing is likely causing binding in the cable release direction. This is also a problem that wouldn't be surprising on a bike that's seem some use. Lubrication may help, or you may need a new cable and housing. Another basic test for this is undoing the cable release at the cassette joint so you can manually slide the cable through the housing with your hands. It should be pretty smooth.

If it's not either of those two things, damage to the hub internals becomes the next likely possibility.


What is the longest off-road portion of the East Coast Greenway as of 2018?

On the "Historic Coastal Route" alternate there is a 51 mile (82 km) separated paved cycle path, the Virginia Capital Trail. I had the privilege of riding this last year on my ECG tour.

One end of the path is near downtown Richmond on the riverfront.

It remains off road for the next 51 miles or so, though it does cross the highway several times.

The other end is at the Jamestown Settlement, a few hundred meters from the Jamestown Ferry (also part of the ECG route).

When complete, the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail will be longer than this, at 106 miles (171 km). But currently its longest off road segment is 34 miles (55 km).

The M-Path Trail and South Dade Trail, in Miami-Dade County, Florida, connect to each other to form a continuous 30.3 miles (48.8 km) leading out of Miami towards Homestead.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to cycle this region last year due to Hurricane Irma. I look forward to going sometime soon.

If you're considering an ECG tour, keep in mind that even at this early stage, many of the on-road route sections have good hard shoulders or cycle lanes or both.

Most of the places where there aren't hard shoulders or cycle lanes are on very quiet rural roads.

But it is still helpful to have some experience with road riding. There are a few places where you may need to take a full lane with cars going 60mph (100 km/h), such as this 2 mile (3 km) bit just across the border in North Carolina.


You can get it from Niagra Cycle Works via Amazon.com. Not quite the great TO area but not too far either.

http://www.amazon.com/T-9-Rust-Protectant-Ounce-Spray/dp/B001447PEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298302015&sr=8-1


Old thumb shifter slips - can it be mended?

These shifters are not really supposed to be repaired. Sometimes contamination interferes with the mechanism and can be cleaned out, but if the ratchets have worn out you just need to replace them.

Shimano makes 8 speed shifters that are compatible with older derailleurs. The current Acera/Altus range includes 3x8 and 2x8 shifters for 2 and 3 front chainrings.

Here's the Shimano range line-up page for Acera/Altus: https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/lc/acera_altus/3x8


Problem with changing to high gear on the front derailleur on my new Bianchi Spillo Rubino Altus Rigid

You need to adjust your front dérailleur/cables/shifter, there are multiple tutorials for this on the internet if you are mechanically inclined and have basic tools.

Or you can pay for your LBS (local bike store) to fix it for you.

I have used this youtube video for good effect a few times:

Mind you, with top of the line brand new components it is much easier than potentially old and rusty equipment.


If it specifically calls out that it's compatible with 7, 8, 9 and 10-speed chains, I have to assume it would also be compatible with those systems.  That link resolves to a "404 item not found" on my end, don't know if it's a regional thing or what, so I couldn't look at it myself in this case.


First things to check would be cable friction, making sure your b-tension screw is dialed to get the guide pulley as close to the 36 as you can get it without rubbing, and lube pivots. Your cable tension itself could also be on the high side. A directional chain going the wrong direction may also help cause it.

Hanger alignment could contribute too. Just because you put a new hanger on doesn't automatically mean it's perfectly aligned, sad but true.


Threading for BB (British) for Hollowtech 2 or square taper crankset?

The normal threaded, road, Hollowtech II B.B. is designed to fit in a regular 68mm British threaded B.B. shell just like a square taper cartridge B.B.  so there is no difference in the threading (1.37x24TPI)

So if you have a 68mm wide threaded shell, the B.B. should go straight in and you can install a Hollowtech II crankset. It’s something I’ve done on one of my bikes.

The difference with PressFit is that the frame does not have any threads in the B.B. shell. Bearings are then pressed into the frame instead and the tight fit holds them in place - so not compatible with a threaded frame. There are lots of slightly different sizes of PressFit bearings, which you could read about, but luckily you probably don’t need to


Which downtube friction shifters work with 2021 Campagnolo 11-speed cassettes, and how well?

Friction shifters are infinitely adjustable - by definition they don't have stops or detents for each gear position.  If they did, they'd be called "indexed"
So there are only three attributes your friction shifters need to run effectively

Total range - the lever must be able to pull enough cable to actuate the mechanism across the whole cassette.
Accuracy of your fingers/ears - The rider has to be able to place the chain in-gear without rub, while riding.  On a 5 speed block there's a lot more space between cogs, and the clatter is obvious.  For a 12 speed block, the cogs are closer together so the sweet-spot is smaller.  Can you find it by feel while riding?
Resistance - the friction lever needs to be able to hold its position and not drift, which would give you a spontaneous up-shift.

An addendum - the frame/bars needs some way to hold your friction shifters.  Historically that was a set of brazed-on mounts, but a modern frame won't have them so you'll need to use a band-on set of mounts that can fit around your down tube.
Stem shifters are another option, and bar-end shifters are also available in indexed or friction mode.


What are the pros and cons of front and rear suspension?

Specific answers to your questions:

  Does suspension reduce acceleration?

Yes, for two reasons.  Suspension causes bob, where some of your pedal power goes into flexing the suspension with each pedal stroke.  That power does not spring back out and help you, it is lost.  This can be helped if your suspension has a lockout function, which is like an off-switch.

The other loss is that suspension adds weight to the bike, so you're moving a couple kilos of metal and oil all the time.  Less important on the flat, but still there.

  Does it reduce max speed?

Yes–if you can't lock out the suspension, you'll be losing some power.  If you lock out the suspension, you're still carrying it with you on the bike.

But no, smaller amounts of added weight generally don't have a lot of effect on the top speed, all other things consistent.

  Does it reduce braking power?

Yes.  The added mass means you have more bike to stop, and physics says you'll take longer to stop an increased mass.

Also front suspension loads up when braking, helping to move the bike's weight forward and making the back wheel brake even less useful.

Additionally, suspension loaded under braking can have some unexpected side effects if you're not expecting them.  Loaded brakes will unload as soon as the bike's momentum is stopped, and it will push your bars upwards.  If you're not steering straight, then things get all additive-vectory and you get pushed to the outside of your turn.  This is fine if you're expecting it, but potentially dangerous if you forget or didn't anticipate.

For a paper route or similar, you'll be going slow and stopping at most mailboxes. You want a bike with

Flat pedals
Relatively low seat (lower than optimal for road) because you'll be putting a foot down more often
Flat bars - no need for aero drops here.
Rigid front fork - makes installing a front parcel rack easier
Rigid frame - Same for a rear rack - those cantilevered seatpost ones don't hold a lot of mass.
Reasonably wide tyres - 2" will be ample for most of your needs.
Puncture-resistant tyres (or get them on your first tyre replacement) because punctures on a loaded delivery bike would mean a complete un-load which is no fun!
Cheap - don't get an expensive bike for a paper run.  If you're going longer and further with your deliveries then reconsider this.

ANSWER You want either a BMX or a 90's style rigid MTB, with strong front and rear racks, and mudguards to keep it cleaner.  (but not the knobbly tyres in the photo)


The only thing you need to know besides diameter (27.5 duh), freehub body type (standard shimano style or SRAM XD) and rotor mount (6 bolt or center-loc) is rather or not the hubs are "Boost" spec (110 front & 148 rear) or standard thru-axle (100 front & 142 rear).
Of course don't do something silly like buy super wide (30mm internal width or wider) rims and your all set to shred that gnar...


The only actual issue if the tyres will fit; and they will from the two 26" sizes you've quoted. Number of gears (speeds) is irrelevant.

Marketing people like to throw in spurious detail often to give the impression they know what they're talking about.


Why have MTB tyres with strong front / back design disappeared?

They haven't
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/mtb-reader/eddy-current-rear
"FRONT:
• Reliable cornering grip paired with high braking traction.
• Excellent transmission of steering corrections throughlong grip edges even when less weight is on the front wheel in ascents. The result: Understeer is more controllable.
REAR:
• Maximum propulsion and braking traction throughmassive blocks that transmit sufficient power to the ground, even on the steepest climbs.
• Hard wearing thanks to large-volume center studs."
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/mtb-reader/racing-ray
"RACING RAY
THE FRONT WHEEL SPECIALIST. The completely new, extra aggressive XC profile paired with the versatile Addix Speedgrip compound makes Racing Ray a XC weapon and an ingenious addition to Racing Ralph."
Also
https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/off-road_tires/fat_albert_front_477
Also given that rolling resistance is more important at the back due to weight distribution, it's common for riders to mix tyres, so you don't really need a 'front' and 'rear' tyre designated as such, you can just choose two different tyres - a harder compound and/or less grippy pattern at the back, and a softer compound with more knobs at the front. Also different tyre widths is common.
See e.g. here
https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/product_news/best-mountain-bike-tyres-323130


The first rule is make sure the rear derailleur is adjusted correctly before adjusting the front derailleur.

There are three adjustments that you can do on the front derailleur:

Clamp Position
Low limit stop
High limit stop

Clamp Position

Here you can adjust the height of the derailleur, normally this is recommended as a 2mm clearance between the bottom of the outer cage and the teeth of the large chainring.

Picture from bicycletutor.com site

You can also adjust the rotational angle of the derailleur.

Picture from Parktool site

Limit stops

The Limit stops are for adjusting the inward and outward travel of the front derailleur. Limit stops are marked "L" for Low and "H" for High. The L-stop will stop the movement of the derailleur toward the smallest chainring. The H-stop will stop the movement of the derailleur toward the largest chainring.

There is a good guide on the Parktool site that gives a lot of detail on adjusting the front derailleur.


The chain is constantly catching the derailleur, every few links or so. It's not a stiff link in the chain - unless the chain is made of stiff links. The chain does not look like it riding onto the next largest sprocket either.
The derailleur is the new factor and it looks like the chain is catching in the cage. I'd check the jockey wheels are rotating freely. I'm guessing one jockey wheel is catching at some point in its rotation.


Orders of the washers on threaded-stud brake shoes

I think it doesn't really matter.  As long as you have the two curved surfaces of the orange/grey washer pairs together, then they function as one adjustable washer.

Here's what I did in testing - while the picture is rough and the angle is exaggerated, both ways of stacking the washers works fine.  Theres a third way where both the grey concave washers press against the arm, and a fourth where the orange washers are both on the right side (ie a mirror of the left image here)

For the sake of consistency, I'd do the same thing on both sides of the wheel, but even if they were opposite I doubt you could notice a difference.

Edit: Here's the official instructions from Kool Stop about MTB brake blocks.

So they specify the convex washers should be by the brake arm, and the concave ones should face them, which is the right-most image in the earlier pictures.

Curiously, the order of the other washers is based on their thickness and the rim/frame/fork's requirements.


That sounds like the bottom bracket bearings to me.

It could be the chain, but you can eliminate that by loosening the rear wheel and slipping the chain off the chainring.

It's not chainring bolts as these only creak under load. It's not the bottom bracket cups for the same reason.

You appear to have a loose ball bearing bottom bracket with an axle with square tapers that the cranks fit onto. I linked a video below that shows how to service this type of bearings. When you say 'Both bolts on each side are stripped' I think you mean the end-caps. You should be able to get those off by jamming something that will engage with the rounded off hex hole. I'd try a large screwdriver with a tapered head.


Trying to identify some very old Magura rim brakes

Magura hydraulic rim brakes are a quality product. They still make these and many of the older models are sought-after in the retro mountain bike scene. They are durable and perform very well. From your pictures it seems you have direct mounts on your frame specifically for these brakes, this is now most common on trials bikes.

The brake pad fitting is the same throughout the range, many 3rd party manufacturers produce replacement pads for these brakes and they're no more expensive than other brake pads. Kool Stop, Kashimax and many others are widely available. Google for "Magura Rim Brake Pads"

To remove the pads, remove the wheel and pull them out of the holder. To replace, just push them into the holder. It's that simple.

They may also benefit from being bled and having the fluid replaced. Bleeding and re-filling sounds daunting but it is possible to do at home and the kit is usually inexpensive. Youtube has many videos detailing the process.

Overall, these are good brakes and barring mechanical failure, they should provide you with many more miles of trouble-free usage and good performance.


What is the easiest way to fix a loose chain?

It depends on what you mean by 'loose'... Chains stretch naturally over many hundreds of miles, and the stretching of the links is actually a good indicator of wear.

If, instead, it seems like there is a lot of slack or 'extra' chain, this is an indicator of one of two issues:

The chain is simply too long. All new chains (not already on bicycles) come longer than they need to be. If you recently replaced your chain, and didn't remove the extra links, this would cause the chain to be loose.
The dérailleur is not creating chain tension. If you find that the chain seems to sag at both the top and the bottom, this may mean that your dérailleur has lost some of it's 'springiness' and is not effectively creating chain tension. It's hard to determine without further details, but if this is the case, the dérailleur may need to be replaced.


Most racks are adjustable so that the rack can be fitted to a range of seat-stay lengths (more accurately, the distance between the eyelets the rack attaches to).

I think this rack designed for a 28-29" wheel may be made to fit as the forward support arms can tilt down but the rack may be positions a little high.

BTW, that rack is specifically for the Cube Bosch drive. The double-decker design is for holding a Bosch battery pack.


Any knowledge on LaFree Electric Bicycle?

This is a Giant Lafree e-trans e-bike.  They were made in three versions from 1999 on and yours is the Sport model.

It has two SLA  batteries totalling 24 volts in the case.  The roadster version I knew had the charger integrated in the bike so your's probably has too.


Properly treated timber will last decades in the ground. Wood treatments are generally rated for there preservation ability. Different treatments are used for protection from insect and moisture damage, and the timber is treated to suit the local conditions. Most countries have a set of standards - e.g. American Wood Protection Association for USA.
Some timber will last several years in ground with no preservative, and a lower level preservative treatment might last long enough for your purpose
As far as longevity - the problem really comes down to safety - who will know when the timber has degraded, who will check, and what damage will result form a collapse?.   Also you need to consider the construction methods - building something to last a few days is very different to building something to last a few years - do you have the wood working skills to be sure you will built the structure strong enough to last years of jumps.
While you could build a structure in timber, cost factors into it. You not only need timber, you need the fasteners and time and tools to build the structure. Dirt is cheap, and for jumps versatile and easy to change profile - most likely it will be much cheaper to get a truck to drop off the dirt you need to build the jumps,  but do cost out having the dirt taken way when you no longer want the jumps.  It your that way inclined, its also a decent an excuse to hire an excavator and have some fun...


Alternative to 1" threaded low profile headset?

Can you take replacements for the stripped parts from a standard headset? If you have a local bike co-op or a good relationship with your LBS you should be able to try some second hand ones to see if they work, and if so either buy them or buy a new headset and use the parts you need from it (in that case leaving the extra parts with the shop is a nice gesture, and they're more likely to be useful to another customer than to you)


Rear axle keeps developing play, is it fixable or time for a new wheel?

IMHO, Time for a new hub.  Whether you get a full new bike...well that would depend on what you have currently, and the kind of riding you do combined with how much you want to spend.    The loose bearings and freewheel just don't do well once they are worn.
It is worth noting however that getting the cone tension just right takes practice, you have to do it several times to get a feel for it.  If you have the time to mess with it, you might be able to pull it off.
Over the summer, my son and I volunteered with new bike assembly at our local non-profit bike shop.  The hubs that were brand new, often came overtightened, and were quite a pain in the butt to get just right.  My 13yo son actually has a better knack for it than I do.  You have to overtighten the cone just the right amount so that when you snug it up with the lock nut, it loosens to the right amount of tension.
Re "cones are properly adjusted".  So you set the bearing tension, and there is no play until you ride on it a bit?...or is it that you can't seem to get the right tension.  Too loose is sloppy, and too tight is crunchy?
The practical amount of money to spend on a new hub is of course dependent on the bike, and what you want to do with it, and building a new wheel may not be practical for you.  If the bike is worth $100, spending $100 on a wheel does not make a whole lot of sense.  Tell us about more about your bike, and what kind of riding you intend to do.
Good luck,
Ben


Need help to put gear shifter back together!

Looking at Shimano Technical Docs there are these pages:

https://si.shimano.com/#/en/search/Keyword?name=sl%20tx30

https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-SL-TX30-2493.pdf

whether there's enough detail in that exploded image I don't know!

Is it the left or right hand shifter?
If its the right hand one , I have one you could have cheap (I'm in the UK)

Cheers


Is a seat post with an integrated pump a good idea?

A seat post pump would offer a type of convenience that may not be applicable to a wide range of riders.

High-end seat posts are made out of carbon fiber. Even many mid-range aluminum bikes have carbon-fiber seat posts. Using an aluminum seat post pump would negate the benefits of carbon seat posts.
CO2 canister pumps offer more convenience than a seat post pump. People who are looking to spend the most money on gadgets seem to gravitate more towards CO2 canisters than hand pumps.

In the end, a seat post pump probably has the most appeal for commuters, but they might be more interested in buying a cheaper pump than one that saves a bit of weight by being combined with a seat post. There's probably not a fatal flaw with this type of design, but there are reasons that it isn't as common as the basic frame pump.


A BMX caliper such as an Odyssey 1999, Dia-Compe Bulldog, ACS Boa, or any number of others would work. Published reach for the 1999 is 74-95mm and and 86mm for the Bulldog. Some of these brakes are pretty respectable in terms of power/performance, and a lot are garbage. Watch out for weird oversize pivot bolts on some of them.

Other solutions where the reach should be good but that probably won't work very well with a narrow road rim: Odyssey Pitbull and Pitbull 2 roller-cam brakes, or a 990/u-brake adapter and a standard modern BMX u-brake.

Edit: Some of the longest and fanciest of the fancy rando long-reach centerpulls may also work, barely. Compass lists their brake as 65-80mm. However, if it did reach, it would probably be the best brake you could get on there.


Hydraulic disc brakes on cross bike (post mount)

It sounds like your post-mount frame (and fork) is setup by default for 140mm rotors.   This would be expected for the frame and is not surprising for the fork either.

What you need is a post-to-post 140 to 160mm adapter.  This might be more commonly a 160-to-180 adapter, but it's the same thing.  It's moving the caliper ~10mm further away (or more like 12.5mm on top and 7.5mm at the bottom).

Shimano makes the SM-MA-F180 P/P2.

SRAM makes the "20S/20P" adapter also for this purpose.  (This is the one I have used.)  From SRAM's instructions publication, there is a handy table that illustrates that going from 140 to 160 uses same adapter as 160 to 180.

You might want to first check with a local shop to see if they just have the spacers you need in a bin.  Otherwise you can definitely find it online (e.g. at jensonusa, but obviously it can be found elsewhere too).


Tire popping out of rim when inflating tube

Three things to check:

1, Is the bead seated correctly. It's pretty common to get tyres blowing off the rim if they're not seated correctly. That said, this usually leads to an exploding tube rather than the tyre just coming off
2, As Daniel R Hicks said, are the rims so worn they're expanding?
3, Check the rim for dings and warping as Malarky sort of says, but not just the area for the bead. You may have a bent rim

Chances are, though, that the tyres are done. The pictures would make me think they're on their last legs. I had a pair of 20+ year old ones recently that ended up in the bin as they just weren't reliable enough for me. Some things aren't worth saving a few euros/pounds/dollars over, and the contact points on a bike are some of those things for me. If the rims seem fine new tyres are where I'd go.


You have a loose bottom bracket (BB). It needs to be replaced.

You need to buy a new bottom bracket along with two special tools: A crank puller and a bottom-bracket tool.

If your current bottom-bracket is cup-and-cone style (it probably is), it can be removed with basic tools and elbow grease. If it's cartridge style, it can be removed with the BB tool.

Here are links to all three at Amazon:

BB

BB tool

crank puller

Or, you could take the bike to your LBS and have them handle it. This is a common operation and probably wouldn't cost much.

BTW, the bolts that you see underneath the caps hold the cranks onto the bottom bracket spindle.


What is the best place to buy a folding bike for $350-$400 in Canada?

I'd suggest starting with your local bike shop. They're the ones that will do some of the servicing (I'm guessing) and having a good relationship with them is always important. If they can't even come close to pricing or won't get a folding bike for you then your local Craigslist might yield some results.


Sheldon brown offers a full breakdown of the biopace rings here

This answer here may be what you need


26x1-3/8 is ISO diameter 590.  Common Mountain bike tires are ISO 559.  I'm not aware of any 1-3/8 tires that are knobbies, and the only way you're putting Mountain tires on that would be to change the rim or wheel.  The problem you'll run into with that is the brakes won't be lined up and there may not be a brake that will reach the rim.  Long answer short: No.


Do I need to refill sealant after puncture?

Pull the valve core and poke a 2mm Allen wrench down to test the fluid level with the valve at the 6 o'clock position with the tire off the ground. You want "some" free liquid. How much depends on the tire size but I usually look for at least 3mm.

Some amount of sealant from a new installation goes to coating the tire and in many cases filling in the porosity of the casing. So if you find there's no free sealant and you're surprised you lost that much, that might be why.

How much free sealant you want is largely based on preference in terms of flat resistance versus weight. It's not a super exact science.

With the valve core removed you can inject more sealant using a commercial injector or various improvised tools.


I have found that Shimano offers non-series road flatbar shifters such as the 11-spd SL-RS700.

So this one can be used with GRX-derailleurs, as GRX is compatible to all roadbike components Shimano offers.

The original source (in German) is here : https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/shimano-grx-schaltwerk-flatbar-schalthebel.908787/


Check the tire carefully for a split in the carcass. There may have been a small split starting to appear, and leaving the bike in a position where the sun could come through a window and hit the bike, may have caused the tire pressure to increase enough to extend a split in the carcass enough so that the tube was forced through the tire and it blew the tube. I had a bike in the basement do this same thing. I had changed the tube and didn't realize the tire had a small split in teh carcass. I aired the tire up to the maximum and set it aside. Apparently the sun coming in through a window had enough of an effect on the tire that it suddenly blew the tire right off of the rim!


Internal friction in new Alfine 11 S7001-11

Summary: You should not expect this hub to spin like a well adjusted gearless hub. Make sure that the hub is lubricated and adjusted correctly (assuming it's not broken) and whatever drag is left is normal.

In addition to the drag from the gears and roller clutches, there may be drag from the bearing seals. Drag from the large bearing seal on the right side is highest when coasting, or in the lowest and highest gears, which are farther away from unity ratio.

Sheldon Brown on the Alfine 11
The question then becomes - How much resistance is too much?
The key to this is to adjust the hub correctly.

Place finger and thumb over the lock nut so that they are touching the hub, move the wheel rim up and down and feel for a slight bit of play through your thumb. If none is detected back of the cone until it is. Then by small increments turn back the cone and nip the lock nut until the play is almost undetectable then tighten the lock nut. Note: an over-tight cone can cause creaking when cycling, excessive play will strain the mechanism.

Cycling IK Forum - "Shimano Alfine 11 - Longer term reliability"
According to the Shimano manual - page 78 (there are pictures)

Screw the left hand cone to
adjust so that the hub shell can
be turned smoothly without any
play. After adjusting, secure the
stop nut with the locknut.

The manual also details how to add oil or change the oil in this hub.


front luggage carrier for a single speed bike

Removable makes it unsafe, as it will jump up and down while riding, unless you can get any type of carrier that has a proper lock thingy.
Use a lid or straps to keep your stuff in the carrier, for that same reason, they jump like mad!


I am posting this as an answer but it is more of a long comment. The information I have is from the place I trust to do carbon repairs. According to Hot Tubes aluminum and the carbon resin react. The aluminum must be sealed to get a good bond. The materials are not your hardware grade epoxy. If we were talking about a fishing rod or something that would not cause serious injury in the event of failure I would say go for and try to fix it yourself. My thought is there is enough information and the resulting horror stories of catastrophic frame/component failure to warrant at least getting a professional opinion.