It's all about having the right tool for the job. Road and touring bikes are designed for long rides on roads. In contrast, mountain bikes are designed to go off road, and hybrids are designed mostly for casual riding. If you're doing 200 km per week, you're serious enough about cycling to notice a serious difference when you switch to a road bike.

I recently made a similar switch. I was riding a mountain bike, which I used for commuting, off-road trails, and road rides. I eventually found that I was only spending about 10% of my riding off-road. I considered switching to thin slick tires, but it was obvious to me that I also needed more hand placement options, a more aggressive riding position, a higher maximum gear, and lighter weight. In other words, I needed a road bike. When I sold my mountain bike and got a road bike, I instantly noticed a 2 to 5 kph speed improvement for the same effort.

Since you're considering switching from a cyclocross bike to a road bike, you should expect a less dramatic change, but if you feel like you're losing out from using the wrong tool for the job, you might as well try a road bike. You could at least rent one for a day and see how it feels. Alternatively, you could consider switching just the handlebars and tires on your current bike, since it sounds like you already have a light-weight frame.


You know, from that picture, and from their description, it is very difficult to tell what kind of rear derailleur that takes.  It says Tourney, but there are so many different derailleurs that have been made under the Tourney label, there is no telling from that.  It will become very apparent as you try to replace it whether you got the right one...

A Direct Mount rear derailleur will have a 5- or 6-millimeter recessed allen bolt threading into a hole in a bracket that is bolted to or part of the frame.

A Hanger Mount rear derailleur will have that bracket built into the rear derailleur and will instead tension into the back of a long dropout where you also mount the axle of the rear wheel, usually attaches with a Phillips screwdriver or a 9mm socket, tightening a nut that has a half moon shape.

That derailleur you bought has a direct mount on an extended hanger, and mounts as a direct mount.  Once you determine from the above descriptions which type you have, match the replacement to the same type.


Basically, it's 2 things; training and nutrition. My guess is that you either didn't get in enough quality training and/or you were not properly nourished on the ride.

For Training

One of the best ways to build up to longer rides and ride them enjoyably is through interval training.

The best book I've found on the subject is: The Time-Crunched Cyclist: Fit, Fast, and Powerful in 6 Hours a Week by Chris Carmichael. The book includes a lot of info on lactate threshold, energy metabolism, nutrition, race and century training plans, etc. I first tried out his methods after reading one of his articles in Bicycling magazine on century training. Another great source for long distance training plans and ride nutrition is Joe Friel's blog for endurance athletes.

Basically, Carmichael's methods are a form of interval training where you are doing things like hill-repeats, power intervals, fast pace intervals, etc. There's a lot of info out there on interval training. One of the more common is called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). When I train for a Century+ ride, I'm basically doing training rides 4 - 5 days a week with most of them being maybe 2 hour interval training sessions with longer (4 - 6 hour) rides on the weekends. Coming out of the off-season it typically takes 8 - 10 weeks to train for a century type ride, provided that you are already fit; easily longer if you've not done this before.

All that being said about training, if you were really intensively training before the event; it's conceivable that you over trained and your body was just too spent to make the full effort. It's important to remember that rest days are vital in training for challenging rides.

For Nutrition

Once you've trained well for a long endurance ride, the next key for success is nutrition on the ride. Essentially, you want to consume carbohydrates during the entire ride. Carbohydrates are fuel and without fuel, you WILL bonk.

So, on a supported ride, I make the stops and eat carbs with small amounts of some proteins and fats, plus carry along energy bars. For un-supported rides, I've had very good results using Perpetuem which is a product made by Hammer Nutrition and there are other similar products on the market. This product is primarily maltodextrin plus protein powder plus a bit of fat and some vitamins. (Without getting too in depth, maltodextrin is a polysaccharide consisting of long chains of glucose which is readily used by the body). The beauty of this product is that it's a powder and a large number of calories can be carried in a cycling jersey for mixing into water bottles. Also, on un-supported rides, one can always bring food along and stop at stores along the way.

Another vital component of endurance riding nutrition is to be sure to stay hydrated and make sure that you consume electrolytes.

A typical long ride (Century (100mi/161km) to Century+) nutrition plan that I use along with my  riding buddies looks something like this:

Supported leisurely century - We just stop at the rest stops and eat whatever we feel like.
Supported challenging century - Again, we enjoy the rest stop foods, plus carry along some extra energy bars/other and normally some maltodextrin formula for extra efforts (climbing, headwinds, etc)
Unsupported leisurely century - We bring along various energy foods/bars/endurance sport formulation and typically have lunch at some cafe or whatever along the way.
Unsupported challenging (remote, mountainous, often altitude) century - We rely heavily on endurance sport nutritional formulations, plus bring along a few bars/etc to break up the monotony.

The main point being to consume easily assimilable food (carb/starchy) all along the way. Generally avoiding high fat and high protein foods, as digesting fat/protein 90 miles into a 120 mile ride is usually detrimental to performance and getting over that last mountain pass.

My answer is based on lots of long distance cycling in the Coast Ranges and Cascade mountains of the Pacific NW and California and learning by trial and bonking...although it's been quite a while since I last bonked... Also, I have been know to extol the virtues of The Time Crunched Cyclist and that's because the training methods in that book completely transformed my long distance cycling abilities.

BTW - This year I have been working on some DIY formulas for ride energy nutrition. It looks like a roughly 4:1 ratio of maltodextrin:protein powder should work. The raw ingredients are much less expensive than pre-packaged versions.


Why does my front derailleur not work when it is cold?

I had bike with RX100 components where the grease in the brifters dried up and they would not catch as you have described. Its possible the grease in yous is soft enough at warmer temperatures for them to work, but once it cools down, it thickens.  There is an earlier post here on how to address it.


What is the effect of changing length of crank arms?

If you keep the rest of the bike the same a shorter crank gives more ground clearance at the bottom of the stroke, and that's going to be the main thing most people notice. You're unlikely to notice a change in power output unless you're shorter than, say, 1.7m, which would put you firmly on the down-slope of the power curve (ie, the part where longer = less power). You may notice a change in comfort or pain levels due to the increased joint articulation from the longer cranks. IMO most people would be better off switching from 170mm cranks to 160mm or 165mm cranks.

At the high performance end the power output varies in interesting ways. Since power = torque x speed, and torque = force x radius, a longer crank means more torque but also more leg movement to produce it. And vice versa for shorter cranks. In practice most athletes have a fairly flat relationship between average power and crank length in the range 150-170mm, but it's also something that is little studied.

A study by Martin (2001) suggests that it doesn't really matter:

  Power produced with the 145- and 170-mm cranks was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that produced with the 120- and 220-mm cranks. The optimal pedaling rate decreased significantly with increasing crank length, from 136 rpm for the 120-mm cranks to 110 rpm for the 220-mm cranks. ... The optimal crank length was 20% of leg length or 41% of tibia length. ... Even though maximum cycling power was significantly affected by crank length, use of the standard 170-mm length cranks should not substantially compromise maximum power in most adults.

I found some thought experiments and this interesting summary/bibliography. (edit to add) Ian Sims at GreenSpeed has long had an interest but I can't access their site right now, so here's an A2B magazine post. It's worth noting that Ian has changed his position completely, based on evidence that he mentions in that article. Previously he was a fan of long cranks, now he's suggesting that short ones work better.

Edit by mattnz replacing Mσᶎ's link: PowerCranks have an interesting sales push with useful links and discussion.  They also provide test results showing advantages of short cranks. Apart from being benificial to people with poor flexibilty and knee problems, short cranks provide major racing benefit from improved aerodynamic position. They also discuss why its a myth you need long cranks for climbing.

(moz again) My experience is that shorter than conventional cranks work better than I expected and reduced my knee pain somewhat when riding hard (long tours or fast commuting for 40+ km/day). I'm 1.8m tall and ride 155mm cranks because those are the shortest I could get without paying a price premium. My partner is 1.5m tall and prefers 145mm cranks. Going up to the 165mm cranks on my load bike feels like a significant jump, but I haven't tested them because I don't have access to a power meter.


Dura Ace 7700 (with American Classic RD205 rear hub) Broke Shifter. Upgrade Options

If you want to keep with 9-speed and Dura Ace level, options are following:

New Old Stock. You can probably find and exact replacement on eBay or some shop that specializes on old parts.
Campagnolo shifters, either 10-speed with Hubbub cable routing or Shiftmate 2 or 11-speed are compatible with Shimano derailleur and 9-speed cassette.


What advantages are there in mounting a butterfly bar with a drop instead of a rise?

One thing you can be absolutely sure is: despite handlebars are designed to work some pre-defined way, there is nothing wrong about using them in a very different or even opposite way if that's what suits you best. The only two pre-conditions to do it is that you actually know what you want, and you actually know the practical, subjective pros and cons of each position.

If I were in your situation, I would choose the best position given my current stem. If that didn't work, I would perhaps swap the stem for another one that puts the handlebar in a better position.

Notice, also, that each image you posted places the brake levers in different zones, and that is a "design parameter" which you should consider. Most probably you'll benefit from having the levers in the position you stay most the time, so that they are within reach in case of an emergency stop being needed.

Hope this helps!


What's the shortest / easiest "granny gear" available?

Gearing is commonly described in Gear Inches and to clarify, having your chain in the smallest front ring and the biggest rear cog results in the smallest gear.

Chainrings

The smallest chainring I've seen on a 5-arm crankset is a 20T, although 24T is a lot more common.

8-Speed cassettes

Shimano had a line called "Megarange" that was 11-34T.  I believe it's no longer manufactured but you can find them online sometimes.

SRAM has a cassette in the PG-850 line that is 11-32T that I believe is still available.

9-Speed cassettes

Shimano has a number of models that are 11-34T and one model that is 12-36T.

10-Speed Cassettes

I believe the biggest you can get is 12-27T.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all front or especially rear derailleurs will be compatible with these large range rings and cassettes. Check with the manufacturer - most have spec and compatibility docs online.

Out of curiosity I used a gear calculator to figure out what the gear inches would be if you actually configured a bike and could ride 20x36 on 700c wheels...an incredibly small 14.7 inches. That means every pedal revolution you travel about 46 inches, just over half the circumference of the wheel.


perhaps this video might help. I'm not sure if you have the same brake levers.  The part where he installs the brake levers is about 6 minutes in, which the link should go right to.

There's a small hex key bolt on the outside of the brake levers. You should be able to see it in the following picture, I have circled what I'm pretty sure are the screws you are looking for.

The installation instructions linked to from the page you linked to shows the "fixing bolt" labeled as "3" in the following diagram


Is there a recycling program that accepts unrepairable inner tubes?

http://alchemygoods.com/

They recycle inner tubes into usable products, and will give you credit towards their products for recycling.


Is a Hollowtech II BB compatible with an Octalink Crank? (Shimano Claris)

No, you cannot, they are fundamentally different. Octalink uses a 3-piece crankset and Hollowtech 2 uses a 2-pice crankset.
The 3-piece means that the spindle is integrated in the Octalink BB. The 2-piece means that the spindle is integrated with the right crank and inserted through the hollow BB.
The BB is usually much cheaper than the crank so it is normal to buy the BB you need for your crankset if the crankset is OK. One only buys a different BB if their new crankset requires it.


What's the beefiest front shock (26"), avail in quick release, with travel of 100-125mm (no more)?

You could look into dirt jump forks, such as the Marzocchi Dirt Jump or the RockShox Argyle.  There aren't too many options left for burly forks with 9mm quick release drop-outs.

Honestly though, Fox makes some nice forks.  Email their support and describe your use case (avoiding terms like 'hucking' or '6 foot drop to flat' unless applicable).

I would be more worried about an XC frame and wheelset failing than a modern suspension fork from a reputable brand.


Quite a few different bikes there, but seeing as it is based in london, i assume you will be using the bike in mostly urban and city landscapes. My personal opinion would be to go with one of the many "Hybrid" bikes listed. Like one of the flat bar road bikes. If you go full road bike, you will be in "attack" position the entire tire and i imagine you would be more comfortable in an upright position where you can take in the scenery as well.

One thing to look into is what sort of insurance or theft policies are there? Parts of London could be a sketchy place to leave a bike so i would be sure you know the rules and liabilities involved with renting someone's bike. Also would be smart to inquire about repair services or rules if you were to get a flat or other issues.

Next, as others have mentioned, match whatever bike you choose with the type and length of riding you intend to do. A cruiser may be super comfortable for short jaunts around the block, but if you plan to put a lot of miles in, the comfort will loose it's bonus to expending extra effort.

Also, i would avoid an older model being new to bikes. You will likely want a full range of gears and easy to use simple components like trigger shifters.


What are some good tips for riding in a large group?

Group rides of this size and speed often consist entirely of racers. If a steady double paceline hasn't formed, then to be more specific, this is one of those rides that is, in effect, a race itself.

So with that in mind, so some general thoughts about these types of group rides:

If they are all wearing the same jersey and you are not, ask permission to join in first.
Keep the same line as the rider in front of you in turns.
Practice bumping shoulders and hips with some friends on a soft, grassy field so the first time you take an inadvertent bodycheck isn't at 35mph.
Protect your front wheel. Your invisible wheel fairies live within a foot or so of your front wheel. Do not let anyone else's wheels steal them.
That said, do not stare at the wheels in front of you, look up the road, hips of the rider in front of you is often a good place to look for distance.
You probably want to, if at all possible, be at the front, but not on the front. In a group of 30-40 riders, this means probably in the top 10 or so. Note that everyone else wants to be here.
Do not take it personally if you get yelled at. Contemplate what you did that caused yelling and endeavor not to do it again.
Get more speed. Racing is more about dealing with high speed surges where you have to ride at 30+mph while Exciting Things Happen than it is about keeping a good average speed. Try to stay on and sprint as hard as you can when things get fast until you get dropped. You will get faster.
If you are not yet comfortable, there is nothing wrong with hanging out at the back, suffering and watching how the ride unfolds. It takes a while to get comfortable riding close to other guys at these speeds. Take it easy, it's safer for everyone.


Fracture in folding frame - safe to ride?

Someone has to say live dangerously.  I would ride it.  Don't ride it hard but you should not ride a Dahon hard in the first place.  I looked at how the bike folds and unfolds and that is not a high strength connection in the first place.

Bikes don't typically explode when they fail.  You get a bend and sometimes you don't even crash.

If it does die if you don't need a folder you can find decent used bikes for $400.


Your crank arm is toast.
In my experience, if a square taper ever gets loose while riding, even once, it's done. Retightening the bolts buys you a few miles at best but it'll loosen up again before long.
I think the connection to lubrication is coincidental. You said the problem started after you applied lube, but that's not true. You did that because it was squeaking badly, meaning the problem was already underway. When it began to squeak, its demise was already imminent. Spraying lube did nothing to speed up or slow down the process. Additionally, the taper should be lubricated lightly when installing.
The problem was an insufficiently tight crank bolt, possibly from the day it was bought. When you replace the crank, make sure that bolt is tight. While others disagree, I find it cannot be overtighted as long as you use a normal sized driver, and that you don't have gorilla strength. Give it some muscle so it stays put.
Additionally, stop riding with that crank immediately, or you also risk wrecking your bottom bracket spindle too. BB spindles are made from hard steel, so they're not one-and-done like the crank arms are, but they can be worn down too if careless. If that happens, no cranks will fit snugly, and you'll wreck another crank arm, or more.


How do carbon fibre road bikes handle rough conditions?

Carbon fiber road bikes are generally perfectly capable of being ridden on less than perfect surfaces without sustaining damage.

Obviously you want to avoid large obstacles such as potholes, rocks, kerbs etc.

28mm tires are definitely a good idea. Depending on how much poor quality surface you plan to ride on, you might want to consider looking for a 'mild' gravel bike that can take 35mm tires.


Brompton Rear Brake Caliper Assembly Schematic

I cannot comment to the previous answer so I will write a new one. The order specified in the previous post is different compared to what the data sheet says.

The order of components for the brake caliper assembly are documented in the datasheet ds-brcal issue S1062. Unfortunately it is not seem to be publicly available on https://trade.brompton.com. However, an online search can reveal the documents on other sites [1] [2].

Rear brake caliper
M6 washer
Carrier platform bracker (rear rack)
Mudguard bracket
Concave washer
Hole in rear frame
Concave washer
M6 washer
Spring washer
Lower stop disc assembly (including nut)


Can you change a 7 speed freewheel to 6 speed

In general, yes. They use the same thread/attachment to the hub and they are almost the same width. If you have friction shifting it will work fine, but if you have indexed shifting that will obviously not work - the spacing between cogs is different.

There's more information here


Rear derailleur needs a couple pedalstrokes to change gear

Only 500 km from new?  Sounds like cable stretch where the inner cable increases in length from new as it beds in.

Did you use up your free service?  Most new bikes from shops come with a 2-8 week "tweakup" to fix minor things like this.  If you bought the bike off the web, then its up you to fix it.

Firstly check out your brake line - there should be some form of barrel adjuster, often at the deraileur end.  Try undoing it a turn to tighten the cable (ie lengthen the outer), and see if it makes a difference to shifting.

Sometimes they're on the downtube (this is more of a road bike thing)

You shouldn't need to adjust anything else on your deraileur, so no screwdrivers or hex drivers needed.

This is easiest if your bike is hanging up off the ground so you can rotate the transmission.  Don't put your bike upside down, things don't work exactly the same the other way up.

Also its probably time to lube your chain.


How fast can a cyclist accelerate from a standing start?

The power-drag equation is well-understood if not widely-known, and is discussed in this bicycles.SE answer. In particular, the drag equation shows the component for changes in kinetic energy, viz., acceleration. You're asking about a standing start, so initial speed is low and we can ignore the aerodynamic drag component. In addition, let's assume the rider and bicycle is on a flat surface, so we can also ignore the potential energy component. Finally, although there is a rolling and mechanical resistance component to drag, it is typically small so let's ignore it here.
What's left is the kinetic energy component. F = m a is the correct equation to use, but you have to convert F at the pedal to F available at the rear wheel. Then a = F / m. There are a series of lever arms between the pedal and the point at which the rear wheel touches the ground involving the length of the crank arm, the gear ratio, and the radius of the rear wheel. Let's say the total lever arm "gain ratio" is c. Then F Newtons of force at the pedal translate to F / c Newtons at the rear wheel. If the total mass of bike and rider is m, then the acceleration of the bike and rider is F / (m * c). Martin et al. (2006) uses this technique to model sprint performance, with very good results.
Maximum pedal force can actually be greater than body weight, if you can hold onto the handlebars. In fact, maximum pedal force approaches 1RM ("1 rep max") force from a leg press. A world-class track sprinter has a 1RM of roughly 4x body mass; more commonly, most of us can produce pedal forces equivalent to at least twice body mass. So, depending on the gain ratio calculated above, maximum acceleration is likely to be somewhere in the ballpark of 0.2g to 0.4g, or between roughly 2 and 4 m/s^2.


What is this aluminum plate that started rattling inside my Ksyrium rims?

This is a more detailed answer. I cautiously don't agree with Chris that the OP needs to stop riding the wheel, but it does depend on how the rim is constructed. Basically, the aluminum piece is a sleeve of some sort. The sleeves are structural elements in some but not all rims. I believe it is not a structural element in this rim, which the OP described as a 2008 Mavic Ksyrium Equipe. I shall explain why, but this requires a review of how rims are constructed and joined.

A review on alloy rim construction methods

There are 3 ways to join rims. Astral Cycles is a rim and wheel manufacturer in the US, and they explain:

  A: To understand why the joint matters, it is important to know the
  process. We roll our extrusion into a helix that will eventually
  become two rims. After a rim is rolled, it is cut and then requires
  the two faces from the cut to be joined together. There are three main
  ways to join a rim: pinned, welding and sleeve.

  Pinned: Only the cheapest of rims are pinned. Pinned uses two steel
  dowel pins jammed into formed or extruded holes in the rim to hold the
  rim together. Pinning only holds the mating rim faces at the two pins
  so the brake track and spoke bed of the rim have a lot of flexibility
  to move relative to each other. This is why some cheaper rims tick in
  the brakes at the seam.

  Welding: This came to the forefront to replace pinning on nicer rims
  about 30 years ago and was a big improvement. Welding can create a
  nice, finished looking joint but it has some tradeoffs. The material
  in a rim is heat treated to increase the strength of the material.
  Without this heat treatment step, aluminum is not strong enough to be
  a bike rim. The flash welding process generates an enormous level of
  heat at the joint area creating a “heat affected zone”. This heat
  affected zone degrades the heat treatment of the material surrounding
  the joint making the material at the joint weaker than the material
  everywhere else in the rim. This is not to say it doesn’t work, just
  that in our experience this unnecessarily makes the joint the weakest
  part of the rim. We have full welding capability in our Oregon
  facility, but with all of our experience, we have decided to sleeve
  join our rims.

  Sleeve: Sleeve joining uses a form fitted sleeve in the exact shape of
  the inner cavity of the rim to span the joint. It is about 2.5” long
  and weighs typically 4-5g. In our process, this sleeve is a press fit
  - meaning it is incredibly tightly fitted and requires a specialized press to insert. We use epoxy as an insulator to minimize the
  potential for any noise but the epoxy is not a structural part of the
  joint. What we like about this process is that the sleeve effectively
  doubles the wall thickness in the immediate area of the joint making
  it the strongest part of the rim and it does not affect the heat
  treatment of the material. We then machine the brake tracks after
  joining so the brake track is completely smooth.

One further point: at least some welded rims are held together by a small sleeve during the welding process. After welding, the sleeve plays no structural role, i.e. it does nothing to hold the rim together. The sleeve also acts as a heat sink during welding. This may reduce the probability that the rim warps, and it may mean that the welding process doesn't affect the rim's heat treatment as much.

So, what went wrong here?

This non-structural sleeve can sometimes come loose. This link from Wheelworks, a New Zealand company, documents this assertion. It names Pacenti and Stans rims. I have personally had this happen on a Pacenti SL23 rim, as have a few other cyclists (the link provides one example).

I believe Mavic Ksyriums are welded rims. If the wheel has a sticker saying "SUP" anywhere, this means it will be welded; the Fitwerks link documents that SUP is a standard Mavic acronym referring to welded rims. Additionally, I have found several links identifying rattles from the sleeves in Mavic wheels, including the Ksyrium Equipe of the late 2000s / early 2010s. The links seem to corroborate that many Mavic rims were welded with a non-structural joining sleeve.

I believe the original poster could epoxy the non-structural sleeve back into place. The Wheelworks site linked previously described one way to do this: drill two small holes into the rim bed straddling the sleeve, inject epoxy through the holes, then put the rim sleeve-side down and let the epoxy cure. This does seem like it could weaken the rim, and I am a bit uncertain about this advice.

In any case, the sleeve in the question above is more accessible. It does seem like the OP could put some epoxy between it and the rim bed, then slide the sleeve back and wait for the epoxy to cure. In some cases, simply adding lubricant has solved the issue; this did the trick on my Pacenti SL23 rims, and it worked for several other consumers. However, the sleeve was in my rim not quite as loose as on the OP's Mavic rim. I could not physically locate it, and I believe it was just rattling in place.

If I am wrong and that rim actually has sleeved construction, then stop riding it immediately. This means a structural sleeve, i.e. the rim isn't welded together, and it's held together by the sleeve plus spoke tension. I'd urge you to verify the rim construction method. If anyone knows that the 2008 Ksyrium Equipe actually is joined by sleeved construction, please comment.

Regarding Astral's assertions about sleeved vs. welded rims, my impression is that most current performance aluminum rims are welded. Thus, the relative advantages between welded and sleeved rims are probably up for debate. I don't think consumers should categorically avoid either welded or sleeved rims. Having the non-structural sleeve come loose should not be a common event, either.


Depending on the age, personal attachment, and value of the fork, you could have it rebuilt at you local bike shop. However with it being close to 20 years old you might be just as well suited to purchase an inexpensive replacement fork.

You should be able to get something like a Suntour for a relatively inexpensive amount. You might check your local classifieds for a used fork as well to save some money. Weigh how often you use (or plan to use) the bike against how much money it would cost to replace/rebuild and decide if it fits your budget. No need to pay $100 to hang it back on the ceiling for another 20 years :)


How To Prevent Holes Around The Inner-tube Valve?

I had a spate of these; all the tubes had an elliptical, smooth rubber section immediately around the valve, and then a weld joining this to the body of the tube. The failure was always at this weld, and it looked as if the tube had herniated (bulged out in a single spot before bursting there).

After ruling out tape problems, burrs, sharps, valve hole diameter etc. - I finally figured out the problem.

The elliptical section is less flexible than the main body of the tube, so after pushing it above the bead as Zippy suggests, it wasn't fully descending to sit flush against the rim. This left a void between the rim and the less-flexible part of the tube around the valve; the more flexible section of the rim then tried to expand around the weld to fill this gap, and that's where it burst.

The solution is (touch wood) to pull the valve back down after the tyre is seated and the tube partially inflated, and tighten the nut more than usual (and then slacken off).  When the tyre is fully inflated, double-check that there is no bump near the valve, that the bead is seated properly there, and that the valve doesn't move if you tug it towards the hub (not too hard!).


Can I pedal my bicycle backwards to move it backwards?

To sum up all the comment answers, which provide you with a wealth of options:

The backwards bike
Retro-direct gearing
The Tri Via gearing system

Some parts of these look rather easy to fabricate such as the idler arms or connecting two forks together. The rear hub is going to be the most difficult part since you have to build two sets of engagement together and fit it in the space of a regular hub.


misaligned wheel - could this cause problems?

The bike shop that replaced your rim replaced it either incorrectly or with the incorrect part, I suspect.  At least some of the 2007-2008 Trek 520 shipped with Bontrager Maverick rims, featuring an offset spoke bed.  If they did in fact use the same spokes, and if they replaced it with a normal rim of appropriate ERD, the wheel will end up dished incorrectly the amount of the offset.  Similarly, if they laced the rim backwards, the wheel will end up dished incorrectly double the amount of offset.  The former is more likely, especially if you didn't get your wheel rebuilt by a mechanic who routinely works on Trek/Bontrager bicycles.

An off-center wheel will cause some odd handling characteristics, almost certainly not noticeable in normal riding conditions but you'll be able to tell that your wheels are not tracking in a straight line in low-traction scenarios, such as ice or wet grated roadways.  The more extreme the offset, the more noticeable this will be.

Otherwise, moz is absolutely correct about the rationale behind dishing and the ramifications of running spokes in too high of tension.  I'd probably ride the wheel locally until failure but I would recommend getting a properly dished and tensioned wheel built (possibly just rebuilding this wheel with the correct spokes) before going on another tour of significant distance.


Can I lace a 36 hole hub to 48 hole rim?

You do not want radial spoke pattern on a rear wheel - that's not good for power transmission or for braking.

You have two options.

Lace the wheel three-cross like normal, but leave every 4th hole empty.  Downside is this will give a terrible lacing pattern, and you may need to buy a mix of longer and shorter spokes to do it half-decent.  Simply threadding the nipples on further or less, may work for some spokes, but there will be insufficient thread engagement on some spokes.

Surprisingly, a set of spokes costs more than a rim, so there's no cost saving.

And this will build a wheel that is not as strong as a properly spaced 36 spoke rim.
Buy the right rim and do it properly.  A 36 hole rim would be much better, and will only use two lengths of spoke (longer on left, slightly shorter on the right.)

Your suggestion of radial might have been related to a "half radial" lacing pattern like this one:

However notice that there are still the same number of spokes to holes.  The 18 spokes on the left side will be shorter so you have to buy 18 shorter spokes.  It looks like this fully done:

Notice the spokes are laid out evenly spaced still?

Further info here  http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html#half-radial

Finally you might have been thinking about properly engineered racing wheels like this one:

These have been properly engineered to work with 2 spokes from the drive side and one on the non-drive side (left side)  You can't get the same effect by simply missing out spoke holes.


Noise from crankshaft spindle and then the pedal falls off

Like I said, by now the crank arm is toast.  Originally the problem was just that the crank bolt was loose (they need to be REALLY tight -- ideally set with a torque wrench).

But running with a loose crank has deformed the socket on the end of the crank to where it no longer fits, and it rocks and works the bolt loose as you pedal.  And by now the crank shaft (which is steel vs the aluminum crank arm) may also be deformed.

There is a vague possibility that a clever person could make the existing crank arm work fairly well with a shim cut from a beer can, but it takes some mechanical aptitude.


Is the 9-speed Sora crankset compatible with 105 11-speed chain?

You should just be able to replace the chainrings for 11 spd ones.

You can also get 9-spd 105 shifters if you just want tidier cable routing (I assume you mean internal as in under the bar tape) which would let you keep the rest of your groupset as is.


Can I swap my front 2x chainring on my MTB to a ~46T chainring?

It is possible to do a 2x to 1x conversion but as stated in other answers you generally need to do something to keep the chain on the chainring. Generally a narrow-wide chainring is used on 1x setups to retain the chain. Leaving the derailleur in can also accomplish this.
Re-using a double crank with a single biases the chainring to one side, ending up with unavoidable cross chaining. I’ve heard special rings that offset the teeth are available.
If you want a chainring larger than your current one you may run into chainring-chainstay clearance issues, especially on a bike designed for small rings such as yours. A significantly larger ring (46 instead of 36 in your case) is very likely to have clearance issues.


Does height of bicycle affect the energy we put to ride?

Short answer: Height does matter (in fact, there are multiple "heights" which you can find out about in the long answer's links), but there are a ton of other factors (e.g. top tube length which is probably more important). The bike's geometry is what determines how well it works for you.

Long answer: What you need is a bike fit (which can be done at most bike shops). Proper bike fitting makes your power delivery good and avoids potential injuries / pain. The handlebars, brake hoods, stem length, saddle height, saddle width, possibly cranks (though unlikely unless you're on the extreme side of heights),etc.  will be adjusted based on your proportions (primarily your inseam as well as your reach) provided the bike can be fit to you. This is highly dependent as well on your riding style (racers don't ride the same way people going on cross country tours do, typically) and feel. Height and inseam are not sufficient (hence why they publish a ton of measurements per bike). I personally prefer a larger size than most people with my height (though I have longer arms + inseam than most people of my height)... See the links below for more details. The most common mistake people make is putting the seat too low (which correspondingly screws up everything else), but you really should start with a bike fit (or if this isn't possible due to financial constraints or something, surveying videos on youtube or something (but I will not link any, since this should be done with a LBS, and test rides)). As the KOPS link below shows, these systems aren't used as an exact science, so the experience of the fitter helps a lot in getting a good fit (the numbers plugged into formulas aren't everything), and it may take a few tries to get something that really works for you.

A good look on the problems with fit and why its left to the pros at your LBS is http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-sizing.html

As for what you read, it may have been KOPS: http://sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

There are multiple theories as to how you should setup your bike for "best" cycling. Once you get a fit, you'll end up tweaking it to better suit yourself and changing riding styles.

Getting tired also depends on how fit you are, and how efficient you are in using your gears - if you start in top gear on a racing bike, chances are you're going to get tired really quickly if you're not pretty fit. It sounds like you have a single speed, which means you have to compromise on one gear for the whole range of riding you do (unless you fit something like a Surly Dingle), so you may need to pick a different gearing combo, though typically these are set with a decent gearing which isn't too hard to start and easy to cruise in (like a 42t/17t on the Surly Crosscheck SS). If you have a fixie, your legs are always moving, so in this case, you may want a flip flop hub which allows you to flip the wheel and let you freewheel a bit when you're tired. Having multiple speeds may help with tired-ness depending on the terrain (hills make you want multiple speeds).

Getting a bike fit reduces the bike setup part of riding and makes your physical fitness the next problem (and possibly gearing). You may find that the particular bike you have cannot be tweaked to work with your riding needs! (For example, a lot of racing bikes don't work as tourers/commuters).


What's the best way to secure helmet straps?

Following the advice of those who commented: I came upon this solution.

Cut the access length (about 1 cm), leaving enough for adjustment
Melt the ends of the straps with a torch
Use electrical tape to wrap the ends tightly so they resemble 'method 1' but without the excess length.


Should a new rear shock be building oil in the shaft?

That is definitely not right. Send it back for repair.

Similar to front shocks, a good shock will have a very light film of oil you can just feel on the surface. A wipe with a clean cloth will show no visible sign of oil on the cloth (maybe smudge of dirt).  In this case, its clear an oil seal has gone.

Side note: It looks like you could do with lower air pressure for the riding you are doing. You have no used anywhere near the full travel of the rear suspension.


Does the chain direction make a difference?

This Bicycle Repair Guide says:

  One- and three-speed bikes use
  1/8-inch wide chain, which use master
  links. There is one master link per
  bike chain. These snap on and off
  easily. There are two types of master
  links. Two-piece master links are
  opened by loosening the chain, then
  gently bending the link toward the
  outside, so the outer plate of the
  link is free to be lifted off.
  Three-piece master links have a clip
  that slides to one side and then lifts
  off. When reinstalling three-piece
  links, install the clip with the open
  end facing away from the direction of
  rotation, so that friction between the
  bike chain and clothing, chainguard,
  etc, will not accidentally remove it.

It's also covered on Bike Forums, here's one of the answers:

  Chain direction matters if the chain
  is worn. If you remove and soak your
  chain regularly (which, by the way, is
  not recommended, regardless of how
  easy it is to remove the chain), then
  you won't have a problem regardless of
  orientation of chain. If you remove a
  well worn chain and install it in the
  reverse direction, you'll end up with
  a mysterious skip in your drivetrain.
  Reverse your chain to see if that's
  the cause.

  There are two exceptions - if the
  chain has an "inside", i.e. points to
  the cogs, and "outside", i.e. never
  contacts cogs, except the pulley of
  the rear derailleur. If you have such
  a chain, you'll need to make sure that
  the inside is inside. You can still
  reverse its direction though, unless
  it is also directional, i.e there is a
  left and a right (the second
  exception).


Sounds like dirty pads to me, but disks can be a pain to de-squeak.

The things I'd check are...

Clean the rotors with alcohol, brake cleaner or a bottle of ethanol from the chemist.
Remove and reinsert wheels. Make sure the QRs are nice and tight, and the wheels are straight/centred properly.
Check all the bolts holding your callipers to the frame/fork are tight enough.
Rotor bolts too.
Try and bed the pads in again, 10-20 hard stops should do it.

That should do it really, if it doesn't try new pads on clean rotors. Bed them well.

You could also try lightly greasing the back of the pad where it touches the piston and sanding the pads down, cleaning the rotors, and bedding in again.


The basic arrangement for cross-laced spokes is thus:

Spoke Length = sqrt[ (RRSP - (HSR * cos(SAA)))^2 + HFO^2 - (HSR * cos(SAA))^2 ]

For radial (straight) spokes, the formula is simpler:

Spoke Length = sqrt[ (RRSP - HSR)^2 + HFO^2 ]

RRSP (Rim Radius plus Spoke Penetration) is half of the Effective Rim Diameter given by the manufacturer plus 2mm for the spoke's penetration into the nipple
HSR (Hub Spoke Radius) is the radius from the hub center to the outermost edge of the spoke holes on the hub
SAA (Spoke Anchor Angle) is the angle of from the hub spoke hole to rim hole that the spoke goes to.  It depends upon the lacing pattern and which individual spoke you are calculating for.
HFO (Hub Flange Offset) is the distance from the hub's flange to the lateral center of the wheel, based upon the dish of the wheel.  For a front wheel, this will be the same on each side, but for a rear wheel, which has a dish to accommodate the rear gears, this is different for each side since the hub's own lateral center is different from the wheel's lateral center.

I'll credit this page for the formula; it also has more detail.

There are also a bunch of calculators online, the easiest of which is probably Damon Rinard's spocalc spreadsheet.  Other calculators:

Danny Epstein's
Roger Musson's (he literally wrote the book on wheel building)
United Bicycle Institute

As usual, Sheldon Brown has a great page on wheel building and you can learn more about the math from the above mentioned book.


Reflective tape instead of rear reflector, in Australia

OK, so:

I called Queensland Transport, who put me through to main roads
I then called main roads back (since the first call got disconnected). They told me to call my local main roads office, as their central number doesn't answer questions about compliance.
I called the local main roads office. The inspector there told me this was an issue of legislation under the traffic act, and hence I had to call the Police instead.
I called the police central number; they told me I needed to call the local Police Traffic Branch.

Finally, I spoke to a very nice lad at the traffic branch, and asked him about this question.

He said that the only time you need the reflector is at night, and as such, if you instead have a front and rear taillight, and they're both turned on, then you're compliant. You will not be "pulled over" for not having a reflector on during the daytime when you are perfectly visible.

His thoughts on the tape were that it sounded good - anything that makes you more visible is a bonus - but it wouldn't be any "more compliant" than the light itself.


I found a report from the Institute of Advanced Motoring on Cycling Motorists. The vast majority of motorists believe that cyclists do make safer drivers.

Even those motorists who don't cycle believe that cyclists are safer drivers.


Replacing/Upgrading brakes on ‘80s Peugeot road bike

You can mount recessed style brakes on your 80's frame by drilling out the hole through which the brake bolt goes on the backside of your forks such that the recessed style bolt fits through the hole.

You may have to get long reach style brake calipers in order for the pads to be able to reach the rim. These would be an option: https://www.amazon.com/Tektro-R559-Calipers-Silver-55-73mm/dp/B006Z0OVWC
You can find cheaper models but in general the newer style (dual pivot) long reach brake calipers are more expensive than the standard reach models. You could potentially look for a second hand pair.

Another option (If you want significantly more braking power) is to replace the fork with a newer model which will work with normal range dual pivot calipers. These calipers have better leverage and therefore better braking power.


The rim manufacturer should have this information.  It depends a lot on the number of spokes, if the holes have eyelets (metal grommets) and the material of the rim.  Lower spoke count wheels need more tension.  Generally eyeleted wheels can handle more tension.

As for symmetrical tension, that also depends.  If the wheel is asymmetrical then your tension must be asymmetrical as well.   Most multispeed rear wheels are asymmetrical.  Many front disc (mtb, cyclocross, and even road wheels) are asymmetrical, although some are not.  "Quick Spoke" for the iPhone is a spoke length calculator that also provides relative tension information.

TL;DR Check with the manufacturer.


Mechanic says not to use top three/bottom two gears or the chain will throw

You have a double front, right? The usual advice is to not shift into the highest 3 gears in the rear cassette when in front the chain is on the large chainring, and to not shift into the smallest 3 cogs, when the chain in front is on the small chainring.

This prevents cross-chaining, which wears the chain quickly, produces noise and difficult shifting. Furthermore, some derailleurs may not even support those extreme combinations, when the chain is crossed.

On a side note, the chain should not be dropping in any gear combination, probably the limit screws should be touched a bit, as linac describes.


Doing a 230km / 142 mile cycle this weekend over 2 days, what vital equipment am I missing?

Perhaps a little late (sorry, I was on a week-long bike trip), but:

You're missing sun lotion.  You definitely need it and should apply it first thing in the morning, since you will likely be reluctant to stop to apply it later.

Despite what the others have said, I've never had a problem wearing the same cycling shorts 2-3 days in a row.  I do use chamois cream, though.

I typically ride with cotton T-shirts and find them comfortable.  Change shirts daily, and have a spare to put on if you get soaked/chilled in a rainstorm.  I have a synthetic (forget the material) soft knit jersey for cooler days, and sometimes wear sweat pants (with double leg straps) in the morning if it's too cool (since my muscles no longer tolerate cold well).

I never travel (any distance) without rain gear -- jacket and rain pants.

You need to carry some ready snacks -- heat-tolerant (assuming it will be hot) candy of some sort, or "energy bars", or "trail mix" or such.  (Whatever it is should contain a decent amount of salt, and potassium is a bonus.)  If you begin to get fatigued, stop (in the shade, if possible), rest for 10-15 minutes, and have a snack plus extra water.  (And, of course, chocolate milk is good for temporal fractures.)

I don't recommend riding with ear buds, but I can understand how others might.  For me the voices in my head keep me plenty entertained.  At the very least, though, keep the volume low and don't use them in traffic or where other cyclists are likely to be overtaking you.

The only "protection" I've ever needed is against dogs, and that is fairly rare.  I used to have a bike with a pump peg, so I could quickly grab the pump and wave it at a threatening dog.  Yeah, the pump weighs all of 8 oz and couldn't hurt the dog, but to him it looks like a big black stick.  With my current bike I must use a pump strap, but have not needed to fend off a dog in several years.

A pocket knife is useful for the odd job on the road, though (if nothing else, cleaning your fingernails).  Beyond that a few basic tools, some small zip ties, and a bit of duct tape or hockey tape.

A flashing taillight is very lightweight, cheap, and can greatly improve your visibility in poor conditions.  A headlight is nice to have but not as necessary.

I personally don't like having stuff on my back.  A handlebar bag is OK, and easily accessible, but distributes the weight poorly and bounces around.  A saddlebag (strapped to your seat rails) is a slightly better choice, though usually of limited capacity.  I've never used them, but there are also bags that strap inside the frame, between the top bar and the down bar, and they should be stable and capable of carrying most of what you need.  (They tend to block the use of water bottle cages, though.)  But if you plan to do much of this a rack and panniers is the way to go.

If the terrain is reasonably flat and the weather cooperates then 142 miles in two days should be easily obtained (ie, I could manage it, and I'm a 63-year-old polio survivor).  Hills, rain, or a headwind could make it unpleasant, but it should still be doable for a healthy younger person.


Does anyone know who made the part that attaches the shifter to the bar?

Those look like a pair of Paul's Thumbies.

You can also just buy bar end shifters and attach them to the bars as well. This will likely be a lot cheaper provided the bar ends fit in the bullhorn you're using.


Usually what causes this (literally no braking, firm lever feel, lever nowhere close to bottoming) is an error in brake setup or adjustment wherein the brake caliper's armature is being pulled to the end of its range of motion before full braking power is reached, or in some cases before any braking power is generated.

This can happen either as a result of incorrect setup or by compensating for pad wear exclusively by way of the cable barrel adjuster without adjusting the stationary pad.

To determine armature bottoming is the problem, see if you can use your fingers to directly push the armature as far as it can go. If possible, try turning the wheel with your hand while doing so to ascertain no braking is happening. Or just undo the brake cable anchor; if the arm was obviously near the end of its range of movement, that's probably been the problem.

Most mechanical brakes perform their best when adjusted so that the armature starts out near the beginning of its range of motion. The mechanical advantage characteristics of the brake change throughout its travel. So when setting up a brake, always try to get the arm as close to that point as you can while still having all the slack pulled out of the cable.

Usually adjusting a generic mechanical disc brake with this issue is going to involve undoing the cable anchor, possibly installing new cables if the old one either won't be long enough with the arm starting down in the right spot or has more of a crimp than is safe to have in the system (usually mechanical discs are pretty good about the latter point), loosening the caliper mounting bolts, dialing in the fixed pad adjuster, re-positioning the whole caliper more inbound towards the wheel such that the moving pad starts out closer to the rotor, then re-fastening the cable anchor and doing final adjustments.

For a brake with pad adjusters for each pad, resetting the barrel adjuster and extending the moving pad in may fix the acute problem, although it probably won't be enough to get the arm back to its intended starting position.


Metallic vibration sound while cornering - hybrid/CX tires

Check your headset first. Try to turn the spacers under your stem, if you can turn them by hand, your headset is too loose. Loosen stem, tighten headset, re-tighten stem.

Another possibility is a loose spoke, but this you'd likely hear even when not cornering. You can quickly hand check the tension of the spokes by "twanging" them like a guitar string. You will notice if one is off. The stock wheels (at least the pic I'm looking at) has a cross pattern on the front wheel so you can also squeeze opposing spokes. You will feel if one (or more) is off. If it is, tension the spoke(s) and re-true the wheel.

Happy Riding.


Can one use a 26" tube in a 27.5" tire or a 27.5" tube in a 29" tire?

yes I'm pretty sure it should work. have not tried it myself but when you pump up a tube outside of the tire the diameter increases quite a lot (so the change in diameter from 26-27.5 or from 27.5-29") should not be an issue imo.


My front disc brakes are rubbing despite my efforts

It sounds like your pistons are failing to retract when the brake lever is released.

The mechanism used in bicycle hydraulic brakes to advance the pistons as the pads wear and to retract the pistons slightly when the brake lever is released is flexible rubber seals that surround the pistons. The seals deform as the pistons are pushed forward then pull the pistons back as fluid pressure is released.

It may be that your seals or pistons need cleaning. Check out this Park Tool video that shows how the seals work and how to clean them.


25.4 ( or one inch ) is almost always an MTB handlebar diameter or a very old cheap bike. From 2003 and of good quality, it is almost certainly a 26mm handlebar.

There are parts of the bike you can bodge without much concern and parts you can't. Anything in the fork/headset/handlebar area is not something you should try and "make work". If it goes wrong, you'll crash hard.

You should still be able to find 26mm stems if you look hard enough. Here is a good source.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/stems/threadless-stems.html

They also sell the appropriate shims to use your bar with a 31.8 stem, but if it were my bike, I'd just pony up for a new 31.8 handlebar.


TRP Hy Rd brake : why won’t actuator arm return properly?

I suggest to clean the whole brake and replace the oil. After some time, it accumulates particles caused by abrasion. The oil of my brakes came out completely black.

First of all, you'll need a bleeding kit for this.

Remove the brake from your bike and remove the pads. Open the top lid by removing both Torx T10 screws. Pour out the used oil and rinse the brake with alcohol, e.g. methylated spirits. Clean the reservoir with a rag.

Now, check if the piston returns the whole stroke by itself.

If it does:
Close the lid and tighten the screws. Fill the brake with new mineral oil by help of a bleeding kit.

If it doesn't:
Open the body of the brake by removing the two Torx T20 screws on the spoke side of the brake and see what's wrong.


Can wheels with XDR and hyperglide drivers be swapped on a bike without readjustment?

Yes you can get two wheels to be identical, or close enough, to be able to swap wheels without adjusting anything. In theory the hub/cassette spacing should be identical so you shouldn't need to adjust the derailleur.

For shifting the critical spacing will be from the inside face of the frame dropout to the smallest cog.  This spacing can be adjusted by adding thin shims to the freehub body to move the cassette slightly to the right. Both of your wheels will support this.

The procedure to adjust the shifting:
Adjust the derailleur for the first wheel and then replace with the second wheel. If shifting on the 2nd wheel is slow to the smaller cog, then the fix would be to move the cassette farther left but this is impossible. So your 1st wheel needs a cassette shim. This will move the cassette slightly to the right.

If OTOH the 2nd wheel's shifting to the larger cogs is slow, then the 2nd wheel should get a shim to push the cassette slightly right.

Alternatively you may find the two wheels are almost identical and you only need to make a very slight adjustment to the derailleur cable tension when moving from one wheel to another. I have this issue with two sets of 11 speed wheels and an Ultegra setup.  The difference is roughly 1 full turn of my cable adjuster - very minor.

Similarly there are shims available for disk rotors. The spacing between rotor and pad is very small so there is little margin for manufacturing tolerances.


I had the same issue and ended up taking a piece of very hardened plastic and melting a thin channel out of it the same width as the thin side of the spokes.  In this manner, I could hold the blade in place while I was truing the wheel.  I never had problems with them twisting when I wasn't cranking on the nipples, however.

To be clear, I heated and melted the channel in the plastic with an unused spoke (extra from building the wheel) and then threw that spoke away.  I would never recommend heating a spoke currently in, or intended to eventually be used in a wheel.


No Tourney or Altus parts on Shimano website?

They still exist - they just aren't high enough in quality/product line to appear on the front page for Shimano (i.e. they aren't useful marketing points for Shimano, but you can still order parts in those groups from most cycling retailers - almost everyone who buys Tourney/Altus is an OEM or a bike shop who needs something very cheap for repairing BSO's; In fact, Tourney does appear on the better BSO's now, and Altus on the bottom rung of non-BSO's which is usually upgraded to Acera/Alivio when needed anyway).

Here is the link for Tourney and Altus. If those links don't work, go to this link and select them under the mountain bike drop down.

Also, for what its worth, heres something regarding personal experience: My commuter was a 7 speed bike with Acera trigger shifters. They happened to be damaged, and the only new part on the market for 7 speed was Tourney. The only way I could describe Tourney was "starts with s, ends with t, and the word isn't soot" - wouldn't stay in adjustment, horrible brake feel, etc.

Ended up throwing out the Tourney stuff shortly after, and upgrading to 8 speed and Alivio shifters and brake levers. Its not hard to find the 8 speed Alivio shifters anymore (despite them not being current), and I needed a new freewheel soon anyway (yes, my commuter runs a freewheel, not a cassette), so I took the plunge.


Quick release and tires moving in the frame?

The clamping force should be what keeps the axle in place, not the drop out. As you found out hub brakes, such as disc brakes, put more stress on quick release skewers than  rim brakes. While drop out design can help (e.g., forward facing), this ultimately is a failure of the skewer clamping force.

Unfortunately, not all skewers are created equal and many bike builds use cheap skewers.  In fact, most quick release skewers I have used are deficient in this regard allowing the front wheel axel to deflect under heavy braking. This is one of the reasons thru-axles have  become so popular for disc brake applications.

That said, quick release can still work if you get the right skewer:

High quality
Internal cam design

Shimano skewers (Deore and above) tend to be some of the best in terms of clamping force. See if you can track one down for the front, a better skewer for the rear isn’t required as the braking forces are different.

Note that the bike was spec’d from the factory with a quick release.


I know I am late to the party, and maybe this is too late for the OP. However, the facts have changed since the last two answers: SRM just announced a set of mountain bike pedals that are compatible with Shimano SPD cleats. The price is 1,000 Euros. The link above goes to an industry observer, and he thinks US pricing could be similar. Availability in December, 2019.

The pedals are expensive compared to existing road bike power pedals that we know are good (i.e. Favero Assioma and Powertap P2). I suspect that making MTB power pedals is difficult, because MTB pedals can take hits from ground strikes, and they're more exposed to dirt. Any MTB power pedal would need its electronics protected against all that. Also note that SRM has always been a premium power meter option, i.e. their prices are very high, and their Look-based road pedals are very costly (US$1,700 for dual sided, $900 for single-sided).

It does seem likely that other companies will target MTB power pedals in time. In fact, IQ2 (I believe it's pronounced "IQ squared") announced an MTB power pedal (also SPD compatible) earlier than SRM released theirs. The issue is that IQ2 had initially got crowdfunding for a completely different design - they were designing pods that you inserted into your cranks, and then you inserted pedals (any type) into the pods. They found this to be infeasible, and they switched production plans to road (Look compatible) or MTB pedals. They plan to charge 329 EUR for the MTB pedals, 299 for the road pedals.

However, if you read between the lines at the link, the writer seems to think it's quite possible they won't deliver at all. If you read the comments, a lot of people come right out and say that they're expecting failure. The writer (DC Rainmaker) is a long-time industry observer and commenter, and I would place a lot of weight on his opinion. Also note that his post stated that the patent on Shimano's SPD pedals appears to have expired, and this could allow existing companies to create SPD pedals without licensing fees. That could lead to more MTB power pedals soon.

To expand on @Criggie's answer, the PowerPod estimates power from wind resistance and accelerometers. I believe this is more technically complicated than measuring strain at the crank/chainring/pedal spindle and translating that to power. DC Rainmaker has some reviews of their technology, but my sense is that this type of power meter is much less developed than direct force power meters.

This was alluded to in comments in Criggie's answer, but I believe the PowerPod has to assume the coefficient of rolling resistance. That is obviously going to vary between road and off-road, but off-road is a pretty diverse set of terrain. Furthermore, detecting the transition between road and off-road may be challenging, not to mention detecting transitions between types of off-road terrain (e.g. fire road, fine gravel, rough gravel).


I ride Colorado winters, and use a Bern Brentwood with the winter insert. In order to feel warm above the neck, I recommend the following.

I would go with the Brentwood and avoid the Watts. The brim on the Watts can interfere with your goggles. I tried goggles with the summer visor on the Brentwood and they never felt good.

The winter insert is a must. It keeps your ears warm, as well as the back of your neck.

Get some ski goggles. I carry clear OTG (over the glasses) Smiths, but I find that any sunglasses I wear underneath fog up, even if they goggles don't. I mostly need the goggles in the day when it's snowing, in which case it's not very bright out. At night they add extra warmth. Keep the goggles clipped on your helmet so they're around whenever you get caught in bad weather or extra cold.

Bundle up your neck with a SmartWool neck gaiter. I cover my nose, cheeks, and chin with the gaiter and strap it down with the helmet. With sunglasses your breath will shoot right up and fog them, but with ski goggles it will seal off your exhalations and stay nice and clear.

And while I'm on the subject, I recommend a couple other things for winter riding. I love my Swrve Milwaukee ES hoodie. I have an older model; it's only improved since then. I've worn this down to 5º F with only a t-shirt underneath and been comfortable (a very dry 5º). If it gets colder than that, just add a layer or two. The pit zips let you wear this in less freezing temps, but it gets to be too hot above 40º. You won't think it's enough, but on the bike, it's plenty. Rain, sleet, snow, it's fine.

Waterproof dress shoes are handy. I wear Ecco Berlin with Gore-Tex.

I love having ice-climbing gaiters for the wet and snowy days. They keep your pants clean, out of your chain, and give a little extra warmth on the shins.

For hands, I hate lobsters because I can't work the brakes, so I go for the warmest ski gloves I can find. I like these because they let me use touch screens: Outdoor Research Ambit Gloves. You will want to use a glove liner on the really cold days, but they're too warm for anything above freezing.


Denied warranty claim on carbon bike due to impact?

I'd not take this "statement from authority" as an absolute truth.  Ask them to prove its impact damage.

Depending on your location, there may be ombudsman services or small claims courts where you can pursue them for "failure to honour warranty contract"

If the frame is replaced, they will keep the old one and you look after your new one.
If the claim is rejected, you should contact a carbon fibre specialist and have it checked out.  If a repair seems worth doing and affordable, go ahead.
Otherwise don't be a sucker to buy the "discount" frame.  Consider another brand who does honour their warranty.  It'll happen again.


TL;DR - Just about any square taper bottom bracket that has a 68mm shell and roughly 116mm spindle should work fine. You should be able to find one for very little money at either your LBS or online.

As far as I can tell, the derailleur mounting to the bottom bracket doesn't make a lick of difference in selecting your bottom bracket. I've never actually used one, but from what Sheldon Brown says and the images I've found, it seems like it's just a ring that is held in place between the bottom bracket and its shell.

There are four things to worry about when replacing your bottom bracket:

The threading
The shell width
The spindle type
The spindle length.

Your bottom bracket appears to have standard English threading. This is by far the most common type of threading on the market. Just make sure that they one you buy has English threading (or, at least, doesn't list some other type of threading) and you'll be good on that front.

The shell width is the "68" in that 68x116 measurement that you mentioned. 68 and 73mm are the most common shell sizes. Many bottom brackets are sold to fit either one, some are specific to one or the other. The universal ones have a spacer that you just leave out for a 68mm shell.

Your bottom bracket appears to be a square taper bottom bracket. This means that the spindle is square and tapered. Sheldon Brown has an excellent image comparing different bottom bracket spindle types. You're lucky in that square taper bottom brackets are both common and inexpensive. There are also varying lengths of taper. Yours appears to be a JIS square taper, which is again, incredibly common and inexpensive.

Finally, you need the spindle length to match (more or less). The spindle length is the "116" in your measurement. I say it needs to more or less match because often have some wiggle room on a geared bike. Whether or not you have wiggle room, and how much you have, will depend on a lot of other factors. If you can, it's easiest to get an exact match.

For the sake of completeness, I should mention that there are also external bottom brackets. But those are a whole different ball of wax designed to work with a completely different crankset and probably not worth worrying about in your present situation.


Uneven inner tube when inflated inside the tyre

When installing an inner tube, one must take extra care with regard to the area near the valve stem.  It is fairly easy to get a portion of the thickened area around the stem "trapped" behind the tire bead, leading to a situation where the bead does not seat completely and resulting in a lump.

There are several strategies to deal with this.  First, make sure the tube is partly inflated (almost fully "puffed out") when you insert it into the tire and mount the tire.  Then, after the tire is (mostly) seated on the rim, let any excess pressure out of the tube and then press the stem in with your finger, about as far as you can get it to go.  This helps pull the rubber around the valve out from behind the tire bead.

Then, when you think you have it all together, carefully inspect the bead all the way around to make sure it's evenly seated to the rim everywhere.  Correct as needed.

I will note that if a tube is too large or too small you may get lumps, but your tube appears to be properly sized.


Shimano BR-T4000 not compatible with frame pivot stud

Nothing is wrong here, just put the brake arms on and torque down the bolts. Your old brake arms are the type that pivot directly on the stud, and the new ones are the type that overhang the stud and have an integral pivot of their own. Use more torque than you would on the other type, because with integral pivots there's no risk of mushrooming the stud.


While this may in fact be a serious problem which needs attention, it can also be normal. The first thing you need to do is define what you mean by leak.

If it is a thin and light coat of oil on on fork stanchion, this is very likely normal.

If it is a puddle, pool, or drip of oil on the fork leg, this is more than likely a problem. It can be a failed fork seal, or a a damaged damping or lockout cartridge.

Both of these can be caused by over compression of the fork. It could also a be a defect in the fork, which should be replaced. Do you have an LBS you trust? If so, take the bike to them and ask.

Be aware that there are other things that can cause this that may not be damage. How do you store the bike? Do you hang it up on the wall by the wheel or set it upside down on the bars and saddle?

Leaving the fork in a position to have oil draining against the seal can allow it to seep through, but that is normal. I know this is a bit ambiguous, but there is no way to give an answer with certainty without seeing the fork. Post a picture of the leak, and we can be more helpful.


I think your pedal is a lost cause.  Even if you did get it off in the current condition, reinstalling and later removal will make later-you hate current-you.
I would disassemble the pedal from the outside - remove the axle cap, locknut, cone, and bearings, then slide the pedal cage outboard.  You may have a second set of bearings inboard, or a bushing.  The bearings are probably separate, but might be caged.  These are all "spare parts" now.
Now you should have a bare metal shaft poking out the side of your bike crankarm.  It will be hardened metal, and probably chromed and oily.   I would use a grinder or a file to create two flat(ish) spots on either side of the widest part of your axle.  Don't need to be perfect, need to provide a place for grip.
Then I would use either a pair of stilsons (aka a pipe wrench or monkey wrench) or I'd put the bike horizontally with that axle pointing down into a secured bench vise.  At that point you should be able to use excessive leverage to back out the axle.
Think three times about which way you need to turn the axle.  It should be left-hand thread but that flips if you're working from the back-side.  Its easy to be tightening when you want to be loosening.

Once its out, examine both the internal and external threads.  Identify why it was so wedged, and whether there is damage inside the crank.  If you have a 9/16" 20tpi left hand tap then chasing the thread gently would be a good idea.  If the thread is munched, then consider options.
Finally, go shopping for new pedals.  Whether you want to stay with flats or go to clipless/cleats etc.
When you do install replacement pedals, use something as an assembly lubricant.  Grease at a minimum and is better than nothing.


What causes the rear hanger to snap off?

The derailleur is not a particularly strong part, and in fact when it/its hanger breaks it can often save your frame.

Some common reasons for it breaking are:

Hitting an obstacle (e.g. tree branch)
Going into the spokes (badly set low limit screw or the derailleur was wobbling enough for some reason to get caught in the spokes)
Chain too short.

What you need to do is buy a new compatible derailleur [e.g. whatever was spec'd on it before] (and possibly a derailleur hanger as well). Then you need to get the hanger alignment checked out (using something like the Park Tool DAG-2). Then, get the spokes checked to see if they have taken any damage and have adequate tension (you will likely want to ask a bike shop about this).

It looks like the protector disc (plastic) is still in tact without any damage.


Which Tern is suitable for a beginner commuter?

If you can afford gears, buy them. Having an uphill section at the end you will want to shift up in order to make it easier. Going the oposite direction you will also like the ability to go to a smaller gear to get a little more speed downhill. Looking at the pictures linked, it seemed the that the single speed have a rather small rear cog compared to the geared bike.

If you can't handle shifting rapidly you can always leave it your geared bike in one speed, but at least you'll have the option of chaing it for those morning where you feel weaker or have less energy.


Do mid-low end bike manufacturers only design their bikes to last 1000 miles?

have a look at this : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_life

and this : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_time_between_failures

It is all a matter of statistic and probability of failures in the lifetime of the component.

This means that the component should have a normal life of about 1000 miles before a certain percentage of failure (can) start appearing on a number of components.

Another example, my washing machine has a design life of about 14 years [1]; before that the number of failure should be minimal according to the manufacturer, after 14 years, the number of failures should start to statistically increase.

It does not mean the component will fail after the design life, but that the probability of failure increase.

[1] http://homeguides.sfgate.com/expected-lifespans-washing-machines-67293.html


Thinking of upgrading my brakes to these, is there an issue with "mushy" braking?

It's counterintuitive but brakes with a mushy feel are actually going to have more power. This is due to the difference in cable pull ratio. It also means you'll have to run the pad a little closer to the rim, which can be an issue if your wheels are out of true.
Overall, I think this would be a great setup. The new 105s are great brakes, and you'll have plenty of stopping power.


Fitting front derailleur to one-by hardtail

Everything is possible, the question is "is it worth one's while".

When fitting a front derailleur to a bicycle the following aspects need to be considered:

affixing the derailleur to the front tube - is there a hanger already or one needs to be put, or a clamp-on derailleur will fit
is routing the cables possible - are there the suitable eyelets
can the shifter be easily added or perhaps a brifter needs to be installed

For the first one - putting any clamp on a steel frame with round tubes is easy as pie. Even brazing a hanger (if you plan on painting the frame afterwards). For oddly-shaped tubes you are facing a challenge, and remember not to overtorque the clamps on carbon tubing.

The second one on steel and aluminium frames can be solved by attaching some routing guides with pop rivets (or brazing those on for a better visual effect if you plan on painting the frame afterwards). Carbon is not that easy to customise. You can install an electrically activated derailleur (e.g. Di2 from Shimano, EPS from Campagnolo or eTap from SRAM) and simply attach the wires with tie-wraps or electrical tape.

The third issue is the easiest to solve but depends on your current setup. And remember not to overtorque the clamp if having a carbon steering bar.

Thus, it is possible. But if you are looking for more speed range I suggest you watch this RJ The Bike Guy video where he converts a 2x7 to 1x10 and explains how the current speed range is kept in the new setup (see the chart from 13'54").


AFAIK WD40 would clean, but won't lubricate. And generally isn't really meant for bikes. Also one should be very careful with WD40 around wheel rims and breaks for obvious reasons.

As to the lubrication I've been told in a shop to use a lubricant after every ride (I live in Ireland, YMMV). Wipe the dirt, drop a drop of the lubricant on every link, wipe it again.


Wear on an IGH by pre-selecting gear under power

Shimano IGH use springs to move cogs away from the cable pull, and what's happening is that lateral friction between the engaged cogs inside the hub is too great for the spring to overcome.

This is actually a good thing, because if one of those cogs slid sideways under power the load on the engaged remaining width of the cogs would steadily increase (same load, less engaged width) and very likely something would fail - you would chip the corner off one of the teeth on one of the cogs. Doing that isn't a problem, once. But over time you end up with a collection of hard chips of metal from the cogs floating round inside your hub. Some will inevitably end up on the wear surfaces of the cogs, or if they're especially large even wedging them so they don't rotate.

The reason you should try to avoid this is that you're not 100% reliable at keeping the cogs engaged until you back right off on the power. Every time it shifts just before there's no pressure on the pedals you run the risk of damaging something.


I did find these

http://www.yellowjersey.org/tocleat.html

And Yellow Jersey is exactly the kind of shop you'd expect to find that stuff.
The one in the image is for Road shoes, but I think could easily be adapted to
SPD shoes with some work with a dremel tool.

They say they will make a custom cleat for just about any shoe. You do realize that because SPD shoes have the cleats embedded in the outsole, you'll need to at least grind a slot in the tread of the shoe.

It occurs to me that just grinding the slot in the tread of the shoe and then
grinding off the tabs on a standard SPD cleat would get you pretty close to
what is required.


It all depends on the riders that you encounter, actually. I've been in group rides of 40+ where everyone was an experienced cyclist, and it was smooth sailing. People were able to move in and out of various parts of the group at will, road safety and laws were observed, etc.

I've also been in rides with 6 people where the handling was sketchy, they spread out across the road, ignored traffic laws and it was generally not a pleasant experience.

The "commuter culture" is pretty much going to be just like the car commuters. You'll have quite a few that obey the laws and operate in a safe manner, then you're going to have the few that ignore the laws, people around them, and generally make it unsafe for everyone else. My favorite lately was a college "hipster fixie" rider that was riding no handed, cigarette in the right hand, cell phone glued to the ear with the left.

Operate your bike in a safe manner, watch out for the cars and the unsafe riders, and you should generally have a pleasant commute (And yes, there is nothing better than zipping past a long line of stopped cars! :D )


Take a look at the models by Electra with a 24" wheel, find a stockist and get your lady friend to try one. Not the lightest but well specified and easy on the novice due to their geometry.

Really anything with the 24" wheel makes sense for the 5'4" rider.

Going smaller wheeled with a 20" wheel Dahon folder makes sense too, however, 20" wheel is a bit squirrelly in the park and the stretch to the bars can be borderline for the 5'2" female rider. Try one of those too.


Yet another stuck BB. Help me save my frame!

I thought about this a little more, and here is what I'd probably attempt:

The cup has a "shoulder" on the inside that retains the bearing cartridge.  Attack the shoulder somehow (break it, use your Dremel, et al) until it's possible to drive out the cartridge from the other end.  Then, with the cartridge out, is should be possible to pry the remainder of the cup out with minimal damage to the threads.


pairing a Duotrap sensor the the ibike Newton

As long as the receiving end has ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart, also known as, Bluetooth low energy (BTLE) capability, the DuoTrap works fine. I have been using it with my Android phone for the last 2 years.

If your head unit is BTLE capable, that is enough. You do not need to pair as any other bluetooth device (e.g. BT headset) that would require pairing. The Bluetooth Smart devices sometimes actually do not pair as a regular bluetooth device.

You might need to try multiple times in order for DuoTrap to show up. Try rotating the tires for 10-15 rotations which should invoke the DuoTrap. Once it is active, it would appear on your phone or the head unit. Sometimes it requires 5 - 6 trials.


Converting Sram Force 1 to Sram Force 22

Obviously you will be looking at a new crank, front derailleur and left hand shifter; and possibly a cassette.

I think you'll be OK running the Force 1 rear derailleur with double chainrings, unless you are getting a long cage version, in which case the minimum cassette size is 11-36 (source). If you want a narrower cassette - which your question implies - you'd want a mid or short cage that support 11-25 and 11-28.

You are looking at considerable cost - half a groupset. Cranks are easy to swap, left shifter not too hard - but you'll need a brake bleed for the front brake which is a pain. Front derailleur is not too bad (make sure the bike comes with front derailleur mounting options!) It does all add up to a significant effort though.

I see questions on this site about buying a bike then swapping out some big chunk of it from time to time. My advice is buy the bike that you want in the first place!. I'd at least try to get a test ride on a SRAM 1x bike before committing.


How much should a long distance touring bike weigh?

People tour on everything -- bso's , specialized touring bikes, mountain bikes, etc.

Find something that works for you and is within your budget. Unless you have a decent amount of experience with touring, I wouldn't worry about something that does 3000 km tours without breaking a sweat. You need a lot of planning to do something like that, which will affect what you carry (e.g. are you camping, staying in hotels, etc.), and you need that information and experience to choose the right bike for you.

For reference, a standard touring bike (like the Trek 520) is 13 kg in disc form for a 57 cm. Note that the weight isn't that big of a deal; how it handles long rides carrying loads and how tough it is (e.g. are the wheels going to break in a little pot hole) is far more important.


silicon spray to treat porous inner tube?

Honestly?  Sounds like crap.

Here's what proper tyre sealants look like in action:

The latex mix is pushed through a hole and as it passes to the lower atmospheric pressure, the liquid comes out and leaves the salt/latex material in a clump to seal the hole from the inside, which looks like this.

Instead, Your friend has managed to merge the concept of tyre sealant products like Stans or Slime, with canned silicon.

Your friend's advice also says nothing about valves.  So if you tried to spray through a schrader valve, you'll get exactly nothing in the tube and all the silicon will be on the valve stem.   Spraying around a presta valve might get some small amount in if the cap was opened.  Instead the advice should have said to remove the valve completely using a valve tool for schrader, or a small spanner for presta.

Next, the bulk of the silicon will pile up on the inside of the tube, straight opposite the valve.  It won't "flow" around the inside of the tube  much at all.

So my suggestions instead would be

1) Buy a new tube.  They're cheap.  Just buy one if yours is loosing air.  Stick your old one in the saddle bag as a "get-home spare"

2) If your tyres are balding or have gashes, or you can see the threads, buy new tyres.  Buy two if you can.  This won't really help leak down but will reduce punctures.

3) Optionally remove the valve stem and squirt in some tyre sealant for piece of mind.

Note - some bikes don't even have tubes.  Instead they run a setup called "tubeless" where the tyre does all the job of holding the air pressure.  These tyres do need sealant added as best-practice.


My personal experience: I (re)started biking on commute last October, 26 km both ways.

Though I believed I was not rusty (I was able to cycle 80 km in one day without complaints), the first few weeks it was really demanding. I was able to cover the one way trip in somehow 45-50 minutes, and when it was Friday I could feel really empty and craving for rest.

Now I do the same distance in 30-35 minutes and it has become my substitute for morning coffee.

Long story short: your body needs time to get used to the routine and also to the different post-effort routine. Try to keep a constant pace until you get used to it, and then try to push your effort a bit further. In this way you won't get worn out.


What are the possible upgrades to a 95' Cannondale M900?

I had a similar era KHS Alite3000 - Most moving parts had been replaced from wear over its life, but pretty much original. AT 10.5kg, RockShox Judy's, XT components etc, it is a light, fast and agile bike. Like you, I gave up serious riding for kids, got back into it last year. The KHS, despite my fondness for the bike, has been given away in favor of a new bike. Like cars, bikes have moved a long way in 20 years, and the "practical" option is to replace it - especially if you ride off road.

The main reasons for me to replace rather than upgrade were cost exceeding the total cost of a new bike, no disk mounts and the old frame geometry not suitable for modern forks- back then 50mm was considered long travel, now 120 typical for XC.

If you really want to upgrade it, cheapest bet would probably be a "donor" bike. Getting decent forks with V brake bosses is next to impossible, so disks on the front would be easiest. Unless you got some second hand quality forks with V brake bosses.

What I would do is tune it up, replace any obviously worn out bits, and buy my son a new or 2-3 year old secondhand bike.


The quick release on my shimano sora brakes pops open during braking

On Sora brakes, if adjusted correctly, it should not be possible to force open the wheel release lever by applying the brakes.

Likely, your brakes are adjusted too tight to allow the lever to close completely. Try releasing a few millimeters of cable, and see if the problem continues.

If it does, you may have a damaged or defective brake. Take it to your LBS, and have it checked out.


Without knowing the exact model of headset you're installing it's difficult to give a confident yes, however it looks correct. From left to right you have a fork crown race (this gets pressed onto the fork), two head tube cup and bearing assemblies (see below), upper race/dust cap (installed directly onto the upper head tube cup assembly), and finally a lock nut (this should be installed above any spacers you may use). The orientation of the parts in the first photo appears correct as well. If you've never installed a headset Park Tool have an article on servicing threaded headsets and Sheldon Brown has an article going over headset types and service procedures.

The only unknown is if the two head tube cup assemblies are identical (ie, can be swapped freely) or if there is a specific upper and lower assembly. There should be markings on outer housing or something in the installation instructions to help identify which is which if they came as an upper/lower pair. You may also find that only one fits snugly into the dust cap and the other is loose which would indicate which one to use as the upper.


Your sliding out at 5mph wasn't because the tires were slicks, it was for some other reason. They were either lousy tires, improperly installed, rider error, or some other factor.

If you are riding on the road, there is no need for any kind of tread. Slicks are perfectly fine, despite your thoughts from your previous experience. In fact, they are ideal, and will be easier to handle on the road than tires with tread. A definitely don't get any of those combination tread tires, those are the worst.

Forget the treaded tires with kevlar inserts. Get the Armadillos, Continental Gatorskins, or some other sort of flat resistant tire. Make sure they are always pumped up before you ride, and they'll serve you well.


How to convert 17" bike to 18" without changing the frame

Without being able to get a larger frame, your brothers suggestions are about the best you'll be able to do.

Do you feel too compact on the bike (arms/hands feel close to your knees when pedaling)?

pushing the seat back and longer stem will allow you to stretch out.
You can purchase a longer seat post if needed, they even make offset seat posts that would allow you to move the seat a little further back.

Do you feel like your are leaning over too much on the bike (handle bars seem too low and you need to crouch over to reach them)?

There are all sorts of stems in a wide variety of lengths available, even riser stems that raise the height of the handle bars so you are not leaning over as much.
You can also purchase riser handlebars that would provide some additional height to the front end of the bike.

I switched out from flat handlebars to riser handlebars on my mountain bike and felt much more comfortable. These new handlebars were also wider which have made me feel much more stable on the trails.


New to bicycle riding. Questions about adjustments and upgrades

Leave your current bike alone, save your money for the replacement bike.

To make a significant difference to the current bike you'll probably have to spend a significant fraction of the original purchase price and face major headaches figuring out compatibility of components. Leave it original and sell it when you get the new bike.

If you do want to spend some money on making cycling more pleasant, look at some clothing items or accessories.

A few updates:

One change that you might consider is replacing tires with ones more suited to the surfaces you are riding on. I.e., if you are riding on pavement or flat good quality gravel you can fit semi-slick tires. You don't have to get expensive tires, moderately priced ones will be fine.

Keep the drive train clean, lubricated and adjusted properly to extend the life of the sprockets and chain and keep it as efficient as possible.


Looking for a bicycle community in the Southwest US similar to Philadelphia/Seattle style

According to the League of American Bicyclists, the following communities in the Southwest USA have gold level like Seattle does (no community in the Southwest has Platinum, and none in the USA have Diamond):

Carbondale, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
Park City, Utah*
Santa Cruz, California
Scottsdale, Arizona
Steamboat Springs, Colorado*
Tempe, Arizona
Tuscon, Arizona

*not sure if this is Southwest

There are several communities in Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico on the Silver list (as Philadelphia is), although I'm not sure if that standard is high enough to be considered a bicycling community.  Out of the four US communities I have visited, three are listed Platinum and one is listed Silver, and I must say that the standards to reach Platinum appear not to be particularly high and the one Silver community I've listed has hardly any bike trails, so I would not necessarily consider that towns on the Silver and Bronze lists are bicycling communities.

My background/reference: I'm from The Netherlands living in Germany, so my scale may be calibrated differently.  I have previously lived in Sweden, England, Canada (Toronto), and have in the USA professionally visited Fort Collins, Boulder, Madison (multiple times), and many times visited Iowa City (I was cycling on each of those visits).


Hybrid electric bikes, how do they work?

The class of bike you're looking at is called an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle, a brief summary of the law regulating these is available here. In the UK (and Europe):

maximum power is 250w
maximum assisted speed is 25 km/h (15.6 mph)

You don't need insurance, a driving license, Vehicle Excise Duty or a helmet to ride an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle.

It's possible to get electric bikes with more power and / or a higher speed limit. These would be classified as a moped and would need insurance, driving license, etc. You also couldn't ride them in cycle lanes and cycle paths.

Some Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles come with an "off-road" mode which removes the speed limit. The linked article describes the legality of these as "at best, questionable".


You can get spacers to move the pedal further from the crank. Combine these with some larger pedals and you should be OK. Probable worth seeing a bike fit specialist in your situation though.


Can I change my 7-speed rear derailleur to an 8-speed?

Rear derailleur's speed markings are generally for marketing purposes - if you're under 10 speed in Shimano, you can swap between road and mountain rear derailleurs without problems provided they have enough capacity for the rear cog combination you're using - the cable pull is the same, so road and mountain shifters can't tell the difference (often in fact, you'll see touring bikes or road bikes with big rear cogs with Shimano Deore derailleurs since the mountain derailleurs can have bigger cogs in the back at the cost of a few grams of extra weight and looking less cool). The speed number you can effectively ignore, since the amount the derailleur moves is determined by the amount the shifters pull the cable (in theory, the cage might be thinner or something, but in practice this doesn't really matter).

You also won't notice a difference in performance or anything if you just stuck a Claris rear derailleur on. It would just be a waste of money.

If you want 8 speeds, you need to buy an 8 speed cassette (Shimano compatible) and an 8 speed Shimano shifter for the rear. You can keep the existing derailleur - you just need to adjust it a bit. You'll need some special tools (cassette remover, cable cable cutter, big crescent wrench) in addition to hex keys in order to do this as well. Swap the shifter and put the cassette on, adjust the derailleur and you've got an 8 speed setup.

Personally, I think you should just stick with 7 speeds as it is sufficient for commuting (the extra speed doesn't really help - its just a bit easier to find 8 speed parts these days, so thats pretty much the only reason to go from 7 to 8). Spend your money on beer or something instead. The Cannondale Quick 6 is a relatively cheap hybrid (~500 dollars new), so if you want something faster, you're probably better off getting a different bike with probably more aggressive gearing and geometry (say a flat bar road bike like the Giant Escape or something if you want to stick with flat bars).


Hydraulic brakes, cold causes 0% braking capacity

I would say that you've either got air in the lines or perhaps moisture in the brake fluid. Assuming that mechanically the brakes are good.  I would completely drain the brake fluid and replace it with the manufacturers spec fluid and bleed it properly.


Lockout Lego on after going down a flight of stairs

It is highly unlikely that you have damaged your suspension.  At worst you may have shortened its life by some small and immeasurable amount.

As long as it functions okay now, all you need to do is remember to service it at the appropriate interval.

You can't possibly damage locked-out suspension by riding on flat smooth road because that's exactly what its designed for.    Hopping and stairs would be the cause of any damage.