The highway code has some advice on First Aid on the Road. It says:

1. Deal with danger - the cyclist was on the pavement and the van was parked, so you did this.

2. Get help - an ambulance was called, so you did this.

3. Help those involved - you didn't move the cyclist and you kept him comfortable, so you did this.

4. Provide emergency care - you don't mention what injuries the cyclist had, but it sounds like you didn't need to do this.

I don't think you missed anything crucial, assuming the cyclist didn't have serious injuries (e.g. heavy bleeding).


Bike keeps suddenly changes gears w/o me shifting

If your chain is dropping on the front ring, it can be:
1. your BB is lose and shaking.
2. your derailleur not properly adjusted.
3. your crank is lose and shaking.
4. your derailleur or crank is bent.


My bike's adjustable stem keeps falling down

What you have is an adjustable stem. The headset is the pair of bearings in the head tube that the fork steerer tube runs in, that allows the handlebars and fork to turn.

You are tightening the correct bolt, however, check that the nut on the other side is captive and not turning when you tighten the bolt. If it is not captive you need to hold the nut with another wrench as you tighten the bolt.

These types of adjustable stems usually have a a series of radial splines on the inner and outer parts that lock into each other when the bolt is done up. The splines - being made of relatively soft aluminum alloy - get worn down and deformed, and can no longer hold the forward part of the stem in place. If yours is repeatedly slipping the splines are probably very worn.

The solution is to buy a new stem. You can either find a replacement adjustable one, or knowing where you like the bars to be get a fixed one that replicates that position.

Replacing the stem is relatively easy and videos on how to do it are easily found. The tricky bit is preloading the headset bearings. You have to get this right or the bearings will be damaged when you ride, or in the worst case the bike will be dangerous to ride.

You also need to replace the steerer tube top cap. This is necessary to set the bearing preload. Even if you don't replace the stem the lack of top cap is allow water to enter the top of the steerer tube and accelerate corrosion.


How to get enough leverage to remove pedals when their cranks are not attached to a bike?

The best option would be to place the crank in a table vise - or in a pipe that has been gripped in a table vise.

If you don't have access to a vise, another option is to try and attach the pedal wrench so that the handle is only a few degrees away from inline with (right on top of) the crank, so that you squeeze the wrench and the crank together.


Maybe there is a problem with the bottom bracket, maybe you re-assembled something incorrectly, maybe there is something else loose that is rattling.

Check the bike for rattles and loose components by holding it by 10-15cm above the ground and dropping in onto its tires.

Check the bottom bracket is re-assembled correctly.

Turn the cranks by hand. They should feel smooth with no 'notchiness' or roughness. Try to move the crank axle in the bottom bracket shell, there should not be any movement or play.


Chain looks too long to me.  Shorten the chain.

Not gong to guarantee that will fix the problem but it looks like part of the problem to me.

Park Chain Sizing

Park chain cutting


Installing a Bottle Cage without Mounting Screws/Threads

The approach I've seen is to use hose clamps to hold a bottle cage to the frame.  Hose clamps are what (used to?) attach a car's radiator hose to the radiator, if you've seen that.  If you have an old inner tube, you can slice that into strips to pad between the clamps and the frame so the paint doesn't get scratched.


Suitable Shimano integrated shifter/brake replacement for old STX

The ST EF-51's have a little switch in the back of them to switch between V-brake and cantilever. I found them too low quality to use reliably though.

You have several options:

Go to 8 speed or more and pick up some Alivio shifters. This is what I did on a 7 speed bike, and this is what I'd recommend.
Microshift makes some 7 speed shifters that are shimano compatible. Buy your brake levers separately. If you're not going to go 8+ speed and want indexed shifting, I'd probably try this (even though I haven't seen these used, the ST EF-51's lasted so short for me that I'd be willing to try this instead).
Friction shifters always work. Add your favorite cantilever brake levers.
SRAM Attack! 7 speed (twist) shifters work with Shimano and aren't too hard to find. Add your own brake levers.
Find a better grade Shimano 7 speed shifter (somebody might have old stock in a decent bike shop). Some may have V-brake only (see 6) or cantilever or bring your own brake lever.
V-brake levers can work with cantilever brakes with the aide of a travel agent (a pulley to change the cable pull). Alternatively, you can replace the corresponding cantilever brake with a V-brake. I'd buy a V-brake rather than the travel agent (it's cheaper and easier, e.g. Avid Single Digit 5 or 7).


Do mudguards/fenders help? If so, what are the best for a fixie commuter?

I have a pair of SKS Race Blades (e.g. from Wiggle). They clip on and off really easily, for washing, security or just for the long days of summer when rain is decidedly unlikely. They are reasonably small and should fit all but the tightest of clearances.

For all the reasons you mention, I use them - cleanliness of my legs, back, bag and chain - but also because I like to at least play at being a good citizen. On my commute there are lots of other cyclists. Would you prefer to ride in the wet behind someone with or without guards? So the fact I'm being nice to my fellow cyclists is a really cool side benefit.

And if you think mudguards are sacrilege then, to be honest, you're probably not going to be reading this; style-over-substance hipsters are only dimly aware of the real reasons for cycling, only doing it because they think it's cool. And while it is cool, only not for the reasons they think ...


You cannot draw any conclusions from one ride. Especially when your have ridden triple the distance of your previous longest ride. Anyone would expect some discomfort in that situation.

Regarding recovery, it should have started during the ride. By this I mean you should have made sure you ate periodically and drank frequently. Some things that can help recovery

a massage by a sport masseur
catching up on fluids
a good meal
a good sleep
a recovery ride
stretches before your muscles cool completely
and (I previously omitted) a cool-down period before you stop exercising.
also, sports compression garments (especially shorts in this case) will help your muscles recover.


What factors affect the price of a chain?

Material: The material of which the chain is made of affects the price greatly. Titanium chains, while not common, are ridiculous in terms of price. Often, in terms of material, it is the 'finish' of the chain that can affect its (claimed) performance and thus its price. For example a DA 7700 chain is nickel plated, DA 7800 has a zinc alloy etc etc. These are claimed to increase life span and reduce corrosion

Weight: As posted above, the less you get, the more you pay.

Technology: Hollow pins, unidirectional chains that improve chain pickup etc. can increase the price of a chain as well.

Lastly. Name. Campagnolo is still silly expensive for being a chain that is no better than that (arguable, I know) of comparable brands.


It sounds like they compare very directly with other manufacturers who list the alloy and butting, except that Trek doesn't release that.  My guess is that some of those descriptions actually overlap and are just marketing hype that changes every couple of years.  Your best bet would probably be to contact Trek directly and and see if they will "translate" their marketing terminology for you.  Based on that forum, it looks like some people have already had limited success with that.


In my experience (week long camping / bike touring trips), I have never thought "Man, I wish I had a chair." I have often thought, "I have packed way too much stuff."

There are a few things to consider. You have looked into weight and cost, but there is also space and time considerations.

Volume: Do you have space on your rack to put this? How small does it fold up? Does it fit in a bag, or will you have to strap it on top? The surface area can also be a factor: a smaller profile is going to be nice to have on those windy days.
Time: How long is it going to take to unpack this item / everything else? If it takes 5 minutes to unpack this and another 5 to pack it up, then you probably are not going to bother with it for a short break or even a lunch stop.
Utility: How many uses does it have? Do you have other items that would work just as well in a pinch? For example, if you already have a towel, you can sit on that or use it to lay down.

So... as it always is with these questions: it depends. Personally, I just sit on the ground.


Raleigh Nitro MTB - 5-7 speed freewheel conversion - 135mm spacing

You may not have to get a whole rear wheel, you may be able to just replace the freewheel with a 7 speed unit, depending in how much room there is for the wider freewheel. Maybe you will need to add spacers to the drive side and re-dish the wheel to make room.

Five speed freewheel systems were originally used with 120mm drop-out spacing. To get more speeds drop-out spacing increased to 130mm with 8 sprockets but this made the axles prone to break or bend.

If you are going to replace the whole wheel, get one with a modern freehub and 7 speed cassette, instead of the older and much weaker freewheel system.


Is there any problem with running tubeless on non-tubeless rims?

One of the considerations (assuming you are able to get a good seal) is that air loss under a tire burping may be worse than a tubeless specific rim.  In CX this is definitely a consideration, especially if you are pushing the lower limits of tire pressure (e.g., < 30 psi on 700x33c is amazing on slick off camber turns, but it is easy to fold the tire in a hard high traction turn).  A large burp could drop the pressure dangerous low, resulting a loss of control and injury.

For running on the road, it is unlikely you will want the pressure at such low levels, so burping events are much less likely. [DISREGARD - see Update]

Update - Nov 28, 2016

Found this quote from Lennard Zinn:

  When using road tubeless tires, I recommend using tubeless-specific
  rims. For the lower pressure of mountain bike tires, I think, other
  than a bigger burping issue on corners due to the lack of the
  bead-locking “hump” on the medial edge of each bead shelf, that
  tubeless conversion with most rims is fine.

  Read more

For road bike applications, Lennard recommends only using tubeless-specific rims, but for mountain bikes (read larger volume tires) this is not always necessary depending how low of a pressure you are running and how aggressively you are riding. Similar to my initial answer, Lennard also points out you stand to lose more air in a burping event.

Thinking about Lennards answer some more, I suspect his recommendation for road tubeless has to do with a lower margin-for-error with a road tubeless tires. You are dealing with smaller air volumes, and are much more susceptible to negative consequences associated with air loss events.

For example, you could have a poor rim/tire seal.  It seems to hold air at initial inspection but it is in fact slowly leaking air. Air loss during a ride  could result in the bike becoming uncontrollable.  With a larger volume tire, slow air loss is less of an issue because your margin of error is larger.  Small volume tires could reach critical pressure levels much quicker than a larger volume tires under the same poor seal scenario.

Because road tubeless tire a smaller pressure buffer, mistakes in your setup become critical to safety as critically low pressures can result in a bike becoming uncontrollable.

Conclusion

I would follow Lennard Zinn's advice and only uses road tubeless tire with a tubeless-specific rim.


Which kind of crank arm for my bottom bracket

It is correct that you've got an 'English' or 'ISO' threaded cartridge bottom bracket; this refers to the interface between the BB and the frame. But you also need to consider the interface between the BB and the cranks. This has what is called a "square taper" spindle, and because the bike world is filled with competing standards, there is more than one standard for square tapers (which determine the angle of the taper and how wide it is at the seat). It looks like Tange BBs use a JIS square taper, which is widely used. So you would look for cranks that have a square broach in the middle, and that specify a JIS square taper.
But here's where we run into trouble. This kind of bottom bracket, where the spindle is separate from the cranks, is an arrangement called a "three-piece crank" and was used on all midrange and high-end bikes up until about 20 years ago. Today, most high-end cranks are based on a "two-piece crank" design, where the spindle is permanently bonded to the drive-side crank (this is lighter, and because these use larger spindles, they're also stiffer, although that may not provide any real-world benefit to most of us). As far as I can tell, all power-meter cranks are based on two-piece cranks, so you can't use this bottom bracket with one.
So if you are set on your plan of using a crank-based power meter, you'll need to replace the bottom bracket with an English BB designed for two-piece cranks, which is just the bearing cups and bearings. Something like this:

Note that you'll need to make sure that the BB fits the cranks. There are  different spindle diameters used in two-piece cranks.
The easy alternative would be to use a pedal-based power meter.


Due to hip and knee problems I need to fit my saddle a couple of inches further back is there a bracket available?

There are offset seatpost but I don't know of any that are more than 25mm = 1 inch


I believe this style is meant to be tightened by hand.

To tighten, start by tightening the knurled/textured upper race a little harder than you intend it to be once you're done.

Next, add the washer and screw on the locknut as hard as you can without tightening the race any more than it already is. Too tight and you may damage the races and need a new headset.

Then whilst holding the locknut still with a spanner, unscrew the race by hand as hard as you can. The idea is to be it clamped against the locknut so neither can move.

You may need to experiment with how tight you start to get the right tightness at the end.

PS. Mole grips are almost always the wrong tool.


Attaching a Kryptoflex cable (Kryptonite) to the frame

So, if understand correctly, the lock is mounted on the down tube as sketched below?

If so, you could try placing the "U" part of the D-lock in the frame mount, hold one loop of the cable on one end of the "U", wrap the cable around the seat post & up over the top tube, then back down to the D-lock & then place the locking mechanism on (also as shown in the sketch below).

Is this in the ballpark? It may keep the cable in tight enough to keep from rubbing on your legs.


When to use coaster brake, and when to use rear rim brake?

The coaster brake is the primary brake. It should be used as your first means of stopping. Rim brakes on coaster brake bikes are typically a safety design. If the chain were to break or come off the sprocket you would have no coaster brakes. In the U.S. the hand brake is normally installed on the front wheel. The front wheel provides more braking power as you weight shifts forward.


Can I 'toe in' these cantilever brake pads?

You could try replacing your current pads with a set that come with double conical washers. It sounds, and looks, like this set of pads doesn't have them, but there appears to be enough space for you to install them.

The washers come in pairs, one concave and one convex, with enough "slop" to allow them to sit at an angle as the pad mounting screw passes through. Each pad would have two pair of the washers, one pair on either side of the brake arm.


Why do I have to keep changing positions?

Fit is a dynamic thing, but it's not so dynamic that it needs to be changed as often as you're changing it. I'm no psychologist, but I think it's safe to say it's a mental thing. Making adjustments feels better and faster because it feels new for a few rides and then you get used to it. Split the difference of all the measurements you listed and leave it that way for awhile. Be honest with yourself when you feel the need to make an adjustment and realize that once you're within the range of fit that works for your body, no small change is going to make a night and day difference.
If you've been making that many changes for years, you've basically conditioned your mind to react the way that it does and you'll never be happy because of it unless you just leave the fit of your bike alone, unless of course it truly needs to be adjusted. The challenge for you will be determining the difference.
This is not all that uncommon of a condition. I've seen people who do it with bike fit, bikes/components, diet, etc, always expecting the next change to be the one that makes the difference. Just remember that most of it comes down to the rider, especially his/her fitness and skill level, and those things only come with time.


adding bottomless tokens for rockshox Rock Shox 30 Gold Solo Air 100mm

Sadly, RockShox doesn't list your fork as compatible with any of the Bottomless tokens.

However, they're just lumps of plastic that thread onto the bottom of the air-spring cap, you might well be able to find something from a 3rd party.


In my experience, kids don't realise that they have to push hard at the start.

It seems obvious (even "intuitive") to us, but not to them.

On the balance bike, one can just push along gently, but this new bike is bigger and heavier, and the gearing makes it harder.

So my advice is to encourage him with an enthusiastic "push hard" call. Or go further and tell him to stand on the pedal.

I solved this problem in a different way: I built my son's bike with a gear cluster at the back (no derailleur) with the chain on the easiest gear. As he got stronger, I gradually moved the chain across one cog at a time.

The main thing is to have fun with them.


Suitability of open sided bearings for frame pivots

I can only speak somewhat objectively to the bearing size. I believe that 689 is the complete specification for the bearing size. This appears to be a 9mm inner race, 17mm outer race, 5mm deep size. (NB: Swifty measured his current bearings at 4mm deep with calipers, not 5mm). Adding a Z suffix appear to pull up a lot of bearings with non-contact shields (i.e. they're not full seals; "ZZ" is sometimes used as a suffix to denote non-contact shields) like the bearing shown above.

Searching for "689 bearing" appears to pull up a multitude of bearing types, some of which have 2 rubber seals (you may see a "2RS" suffix here), but all of which appear to be 5mm deep (i.e. wrong dimensions for Swifty). This listing from Boca Bearings is one example. Another example is this listing from RC bearings.

Searching for "9x17x4 bearing" brings up a more relevant set of results. This leads me to think that 4mm deep may be a non-standard specification for this bearing size. One example is from Boca Bearings. The full bearing code is

MR689N-2RU

This one has 2 rubber seals, and chrome steel balls and races. The site doesn't explicitly state if they're full contact or partial contact. (In performance settings, we might prefer partial contact seals to reduce rolling resistance in hub or bottom bracket bearings. That factor is presumably irrelevant for Swifty's application.)

Another example of a different specification with the same dimensions is this one,

SMR689C-YZZ/W4

These are ceramic balls, stainless steel races (I think), and two non-contact shields. (This is just as an example. Ceramic balls are sometimes specified for lower rolling resistance. Again, this is presumably irrelevant for the application.)

So, the answer appears to be that 9x17x4mm bearings with contact seals exist. I would recommend searching for the bearing's measurements, rather than for the bearing number. I'd parse the results for bearings that have full-contact seals. I don't know if there's a consistent suffix to denote the non-standard size. If there were, you could just search for 689 + the suffix (fictitious e.g. 689X). I think that -2RS is often used to designate some type of rubber seal, but it may be full- or partial- contact. I am not sure how often listings will clarify this characteristic.

The next part of the question is, will a bearing with non-contact shields suffice for frame pivots on a mountain bike? I can't really answer this one objectively. I don't currently own an MTB, and the only one I've ever owned was a hardtail. Nonetheless, this may relate somewhat to an earlier question I asked about rear derailer jockey wheels. Some of these use bushings, rather than sealed bearings.

I don't know how much contamination gets to the frame pivots. Based on the distribution of grit on my gravel bike, I'd guess that MTB riders should frequently accumulate dirt around the pivot areas. I would suppose, then, that a non-sealed bearing would eventually see dirt ingress.

At this point, you'd need to either service the bearing frequently, or let it degrade and then replace it. Some bearings are designed to be serviceable (e.g. Chris King specifically says you can pry the seals off and reinstall them, Kogel asks you to service periodically and install new seals when you do so). Other sealed bearings are not, as you may damage the seals when you pry them off. I'm not sure if bearings with non-contact shields can be serviced, but I would guess that you can remove and replace the shields (as they don't contact the inner race). Based on that, I would guess that you can use this type of bearing in frame pivots, but you would need more frequent servicing. Given the amount of items to service on a mountain bike, I don't suppose this is appealing.

Igus, which is a manufacturer of bushings, contends that bushings are probably a better choice for frame pivots, because bushings are resistant to contamination. My interpretation of their argument is that they think bushings will maintain reasonable friction and durability despite contamination ingress. In contrast, if you let a bearing get contaminated, the dirt will eventually grind down the balls and races, and your bearing will be destroyed. Note the manufacturer bias here, as Igus appears to specialize in bushings. Also, this is mainly an academic exercise, as I'm pretty sure there's no way to replace the bearings in the pivots for bushings (unless you wanted to replace all the suspension components, at which point you're better off buying a new bike).

Why would bearings with these non-contact metal shields even exist? They appear to cost less. Also, I think that they are preferable in some industrial applications. Rubber seals may be unable to tolerate some rotational speeds. However, I'm talking speeds of at least several thousand rpm. No human-powered bike, or even an e-bike, is going to see that sort of rotational speed on any component. A similar issue exists with operating temperature; the link states that rubber risks melting over 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 C). However, I am almost certain that hubs won't get to that temperature even in extreme riding conditions.


The world of brake pad inserts is sort of a crazy world. Since there is lots of info, I'll be broader than what is required for the Shimano CX70s you have... Generally, the Shimano-style system (side grooves and one set screw dimple) is the most popular. Avid also has its own system for cantilever and linear pull brakes (a ridge with two clips). Campy has their own design as do a few other manufacturers, but this will be the starting point in your journey towards madness.

To complicate matters, there are hundreds of colored compounds specific to alloy rims and to carbon rims. There are grooves, channels, wedges, and fins. There are paired rims and pads that will stop your heart if you're not careful. Lots of marketing shtick that will get you nowhere for some extra cash.

Cartridge pads for linear pull brakes vary in length from 73 mm to 70 mm, and so on. Shimano is super common and it is easy enough to compare images of the pad to determine what will be compatible. Below are some Avid-type pads.
Caliper-style pads are generally ~55 mm long. There are lots of different designs and materials which can make it difficult to find the right ones.
Cantilever brakes are a toss up. Some manufacturers use longer pads and holders, others use shorter ones. Your Shimano CX70 brakes take pads that are 55mm long - standard road-Shimano-type pads.

As a rule you should measure your old pads and measure the new pads and write that info down so you don't have to go searching again in the future. Compare the actual pads (or pictures) to be sure of the mounting system. When you do buy pads, buy two sets so that you aren't stuck on unsafe pads when your current set wears out. You can always upgrade the pad holders as well, but if you're unsure about replacing those holders head to a qualified mechanic. Brakes are one component you need to be totally sure about.

If you're riding a vintage bike, take a look at Kool Stop's website, they manufacture a lot of hard-to-find replacements.


How can I make road-bike rims survive tree roots on trails?

Simply unweighting the saddle is enough to roll over most tree roots even on skinny tyres. On my 28mm tyres I don't even need to bother doing that very often. You may want to lift the front wheel in severe cases, or on the very lightest (low spoke count) front wheels.


What do I do if I get chain lube on my brake pads?

I've seen recipes for decontaminating brake pads floated around but the easiest and safest thing to do is simply replace them.


Cane creek has a headset finder  table on their website. You can search by dimension or bike brand and model.


Locking pump dual nozzle on presta valve doesn't work

This really depends on the specific model and design of your dual head (i.e. two valve holes, one for presta and one for schrader).

I've seen at least three variations of dual pump head mechanisms:

The locking lever controls which valve is active by the direction it's turned to.
When you insert the presta or schrader valve in the right hole, the valve body itself hits a small lever on the side that closes or opens the appropriate pump head valve. Sometimes this is actuated by the closing of the locking lever.
Inserting the head of the tire valve trips a lever deep inside at the bottom of the valve hole.
Some valves in dual head designs react to pressure, i.e. when plugging one of the valves into a tire with air the pressure closes the other valve. When filling empty tires and the air keeps coming out from the wrong valve, pressing the outer tube against the inner tube valve while simultaneously pumping air creates pressure that opens the correct pump head valve.

So for troubleshooting, I'd first see if your lever can flip the other way. Then, I'd ensure the tire valve is fully seated (pushed in all the way and maybe give it a wriggle as you push it in). Then I'd try putting the other type of valve (presta or schrader) in to see if the switching mechanism can't reset. Finally, I'd gently prove with the blunt end of a disposable chopsticks inside the sides and end of the valve body to see if you can't locate and unstick the switching mechanism.

This all assumes you can't find the manual which would tell you specifically what to do. I find the cheaper dual head designs to be failure prone, I prefer pumps with single "universal" heads such as this Lezyne.

p.s. I'm noting that the black cheapo dual-pump head whose image above I shamelessly stole off e-bay only goes for 1-3 eurodollars, shipped from China. You could just get another one at that price.  I'd personally recommend: 1) continuing to use the one you have using a schrader-presta adapter; 2) get a dedicated single-head; or,  3) get a well-machined universal head.


When replacing brake pads, brake loses its grip

This may not be an answer but it was too long to comment.

When you compressed the pads did you open the system? Meaning uncapping the reservoir, or did you simply push them back without doing anything else? Sounds like air has gotten in the system and it will need to be bled.

One of the steps of bleeding is creating a vacuum to pull air out of the fluid that isn't normally visible in bubble form. If the caliper pistons are pushed back without opening the system you may have done the opposite in a way and pressurized the system, then upon pulling the brake level you may have recreated a vacuum that pulled air from the fluid and caused an air bubble internally. That's the best way i can think to explain it anyway.

'Tis but a guess on my part but it sounds like a bleed is needed either way.

Pulling the brake while there is no pad or bleed block in there is also a no no and will lead to having to bleed the system.

Bottom line, bleed it or pay to have it properly done and i bet you're back in action. Also don't get fluid on the rotors or your new pads. and follow a proper bed in/burn in process.


The advantage to centre lock is that it's easier to change rotors. You undo one nut and slide the rotor off. ISO requires 6 bolts to be undone/redone. It's also possible to build a lighter rotor more easily, and you can make smaller centre lock rotors than ISO ones (should you want a 50mm rotor)
The adaptor does both, that's a question about how you choose to look at it.

Both these questions seem to assume you'll be changing rotors around a lot, when most people very rarely do this. Right now you have a problem so you're focused on the issue, but once you have something that works you'll likely not deal with that area of the bike again. So I'd be worried less about how much work it is to do a part of the current task, and more about whether you can stop the rotor rubbing.

In my experience the intermittent rubbing is never related to the mounting setup, once it's installed correctly and assuming there are no mechanical failures. Basically, if you can make it work even for a short time that's not the problem.

The most common cause of "sometimes it rubs, sometimes it doesn't" is bent rotors, so the slight variation in caliper return-to-centre means sometimes there's a rub. But that's an easy fix - put a straight rotor on and see what happens.

The other, more annoying issue, is that not all wheels sit tightly in the dropouts. That means that the wheel can shift slightly, usually under heavy braking. When that happens you'll often get rubbing that won't go away until you release the axle and re-seat the axle in the dropouts. At which point the rubbing goes away until next time you brake heavily. That's a design issue, and unfortunately the standard we have makes it inherent to the way bikes are built. It's more of an issue on front brakes (where the braking force pulls the wheel out of the dropouts) than the rear (force is up or back depending on caliper location).

Fixing the latter problem is tricky, and the solution I've used is a washer on the outside of the dropout sized so it engages with the "lawyer lips" all the way round. It also needs to snugly fit the axle, obviously. Which usually means filing, and is a tremendous pain in the proverbial.

A more permanent but still ugly solution is to use a welder to fill in the dropout a little then file it to exactly match the axle you have. Then repaint the fork (or frame) and re-file the new paint off the contact area (so you can get the wheel in). The real solution is to use through axles that bolt solidly in place, or mount the caliper on the right hand side fork blade instead of the left one. Hardly anyone does either of those.


Updated after a week of use:

I recently purchased the R1 from a local bike shop. Summary:

It's the most comfortable shoe I've worn (which isn't many).
The R1 especially needs a bit of wearing in to reshape the leather and custom Sidas insert to the shape of your specific foot.
The included insert is rather extreme and may be initially painful but quickly reshapes to the shape of your foot after a few hours of use. I tried my own Superfeet inserts but went back to the one that ships with the shoe.
The shoe has several minor adjustments that can be made (tongue padding, straps, insert).
There are several form-fitting features that really grip the foot in a comfortable way (especially the heel).
Subjectively, they perform really well. There's the sensation that all foot movement goes right to the pedals and into pure speed.

Detail:

The local bike shop had the R3 in stock. I tried their largest size (44.5) and they felt about right, so I ordered the R1 in the hope that they would fit the same. I wish they had the 45 to compare, but I went with the 44.5 anyway.

I received the R1 a few days later and they seemed a bit tighter than the R3, especially in length. However, I'm told this is intentional since the R1 is all kangaroo leather and will stretch a bit.

They immediately felt really comfortable for my foot. Bike shoes are hard to review since foot shapes and sizes are different for everyone. The built-in arch support is very tall at first, but quickly changes to fit your specific foot. I didn't use any heat treatment other than just wearing the shoe on a few rides.

I did a 50km ride and felt great, then (possibly unwisely) a 250km ultramarathon (with 3km of vertical over three mountain passes). Other than a preexisting issue with a bone in my right pinky toe, the shoes were extremely comfortable and performed very well. I was very happy to be in this shoe.

Sizing is tricky. The R3 is a bit longer than the R1 since it's not made to stretch at all. The R1 is supposed to stretch a bit in both length and toebox width over the first few weeks of use.

Apparently they run big, maybe even a full size big compared to Sidi. I wear a 45 in Sidi and the 44.5 in Fizik was comfortable for me.

The grip that this shoe has on the heel is incredibly firm without being uncomfortable. I find that I can leave the straps fairly loose and still get good power on the pedals throughout the full stroke.

They were very squeaky at first with my Speedplay pedals, but a bit of Carbon paste between the cleat and shoe eliminated all squeaks.

Overall, I'm very happy with this shoe. I plan to use them for 5-10 years, so the price was well worth it for me. It's probably almost impossible to try the R1 in a store (they won't stock it), but you may be able to find an R3 to try on.


How to ship a full suspension bike frame without the shock?

Besides all the other protection measures of wrapping and padding the bike's tubes, you can make a "fake shock" of wood. That is, measure the distance between the shock's eyelets, cut/saw a wooden "stick" from a board so that it fits inside the frame, drill two holes on its ends, and mount that stick instead of the shock. The same trick is used to place wooden blocks in frame's/fork's dropouts when the frame is transported without wheels so side side loads do not bend them.

The wood is an excellent material for the task, as it is firm and is easy to work on with almost any type of saw even by a person with little experience. Size tolerances can also be very wide — it won't make a difference if your fake shock is 5mm shorter/longer and ugly as hell.


Brake cable shaking at the end of the brake caliper

It looks like the initial cable adjustment is too loose. You need to adjust (remove the slack)from the cable at the cable pinch bolt on the brake caliper or arm.  Before you make these adjustments verify that the brake pads are not worn to the point of needing replacement as you will need to do this again when the pads are replaced.


Hole inside fork's upper tube, air-spring side?

I don't think that's a manufacturing defect.

Common manufacturing defects of suspension forks (though defects in general are not common) are defective oil seals and/or air pistons, improperly peened/stamped steerer tubes/stanchions, inadequate fluid (oil), and general machining problems such as caliper bolt threads.

Very very very rarely would one mistakenly drill a hole through the bottom part of a stanchion.

Now, your fork is a Rockshox one, right? If I recall correctly, some systems of RS forks (DebonAir, I think) automatically equalize pressures between the positive and the negative air springs after pumping up by cycling the fork through its travel.
That hole is most likely an air port utilized for such systems. (RS forks used to have a feature to separately pump each air spring to your preference.)

If you're really that worried, you can contact Rockshox themselves and have them sort that out for you.


Looks to be the standard Shimano RM30/RM33 variant.  The freehubs are different for 7speed vs the 8/9/10speed versions, so double check the speeds before replacement.


How different it is to ride with same gear ratio with 26" and 28"

Yes. You can do the math on this: (chainring ÷ sprocket) × wheel size. With a wheel that has an outer diameter at the tire of 26", you'd get 78 gear inches. With a 28" wheel, it would be 84 gear inches, or about 7% higher.

On a multi-gear setup, I've found that a 7% step is just about the smallest step that's really noticeable.


If the spacing is the same, it should work, although I wouldn't be surprised if the shifting required adjustment every time you swapped, even if the spacing is nominally the same.

The other problem is that a 9-speed freewheel/hub is an inherently bad design, since more of the axle is unsupported, and more likely to bend or break.

It's also possible that the set you found really does have a cassette and freehub, and was simply mislabelled. None of the majors ever made a 9-speed freewheel, or a thread-on hub for a 9-speed freewheel.


Spray new bike with teflon to repel dirt and moisture?

Back when I had a shiny new bike, I used to use car wax on the frame to keep the paint shiny, and at the time I thought it made cleanup easier because I could simply rinse the frame with a little light rubbing to get the dirt off. But I've never waxed my 3 year old commute bike and it's the same - rinse and a light rub gets the dirt off (unless it's greasy).

I haven't tried Teflon spray, but I'd be worried about it getting on the brake pads and rims, no matter how careful you are.


How many teeth should be on my chainring?

There's no universal correct number of teeth for the largest chainring. For MTB triples 42 teeth is common, while road triples usually have 50 to 53 teeth.

If you think that the chainring needs replacing because teeth are worn off, then counting isn't the way to check. Teeth are evenly spaced, so if one has broken off, then it should be easy to spot. You also need to look at the profile of the teeth. They shouldn't be too sharp or more worn on one side than the other. Google has plenty of pictures of new chainrings and worn ones if you're unsure.


Gap between lower headset cup and fork. Is this likely to be a problem?

There is a part missing, commonly the gap is filled with a simple plastic ring which works ok as a seal. Either this wasn’t supplied with the headset, or was lost by someone before it could be installed. If I had a headset without this seal, I wouldn’t be surprised if it wore prematurely as extra dirt got in.
Seen in the bottom left of a photo of the current model is the missing ring which would seal the gap.


Is front-suspension a false-economy for cheaper bikes?

Benefits of suspension forks (city/gravel road use):

Remove chatter from bumpy roads
Take the jar out of major bumps
Better traction

Drawbacks of suspension forks:

Entire bike is heavier, leading to a less agile bike.  A bike with suspension (all else being equal) will hit more holes and hit them harder.  It will also climb like a pig and accelerate poorly.
You will learn much better technique when riding without suspension.  Things like hoping curbs and avoiding potholes become more important but also easier.  The bike will give you clearer feedback.
Make the entire bike feel spongy and sap your energy.
Suspension dives under braking, making the bike perform as if it had a steeper head tube.  This causes more twitchy handling at a poor time.
On cheaper models, behaves more like a pogo stick that bounces.  This may actually make bumps more extreme.
May not be adjusted to your weight.  If you are lighter, it will act very much like a rigid fork.  If you are heavier, it will be permanently compressed and not doing you any favours.
Service - City bikes can get many hours on them between service.  Some forks require servicing every 100 hours of riding.  The cheap forks that will come on a cheaper bike may not require this level of service (many are not serviceable) but still something to consider.
Simplicity.

If you have a suspension fork you risk:

Paying more for your entire bike
Trading better components for cheaper ones to offset the suspension cost
Having a substantially heavier bike

Other options:

Putting wider tires on a bike, or buying a bike that can accommodate wider tires is in my opinion always a better option (for a city bike).  This allows you to adapt your bike to different conditions and change it cheaply when you want to.  It is possible to remove a suspension fork but that is difficult/expensive.  See this question I asked about swapping out a suspension fork.


Rear hub loose after several days in the car

I suspect that somehow you've loosened the locknuts while disassembling, and possibly days of vibration have allowed a the nuts to migrate along the thread.  Totally a guess.

The fix is simply to readjust the bearings correctly, and then make sure the locknut is cinched down onto the cone to prevent movement.

If your wheelset has sealed or cartridge bearings then this supposition goes out the window, and something else is wrong.


I am putting drop bars on one of my MTB Shimano 10 speed 1x Deore. I am looking for a road hydro shift lever

The only road shifter compatible with a Shimano 10 mountain RD is the Microshift BS-M10.
If you went BS-M10 you could use TRP Hylex brakes to stay hydro.
A number of bikes have been released with those exact components with Shimano 1x10 or 2x10 mountain drivetrains. It works fine if you're amenable to bar ends.
Other than the above, to get 1x10 with brifters and hydro and re-use your RD, all the options are seriously contrived, like buying the 1x11 hydro GRX STIs only to also buy a Jtek for them. Apex 1ing the bike will be cheaper.


Most likely the source of the wheel going loose was loose nut. Department store bikes are not likely to have quick release which is safer because it does not become loose with time.

Put the wheel back and screw it on tightly. Don't forget to check the front wheel too, because if that goes loose the consequences will be very unfortunate.
The wheel on the picture looks off centre which is likely because it is not properly in.

The question is whether you need need to invest into more serious bike. If cycling is interesting to you, the answer is definitely yes. Just don't buy those bicycle-like objects in department stores anymore.


Which way does the seat clamp go on the post?

If you align the gap of the clamp to sit over the gap of the seat post, you'll need much less clamping force to keep the seat from sliding down into the seat tube. There are likely some riders who place the clamp in a position they like strictly for the aesthetics, while others go for functionality. From what I remember, the position is determined by how much force you intend to apply to keep the seat from moving left, right, or down.


Use a hacksaw or a dremel tool to zip out a notch in the tab like this:

This will allow you to slide the fender onto the brake bolt and tighten everything down without losing vertical fender adjustability. If you wanted to add a bit of security, bend the very ends (maybe 2mm) of the tab in a vise so that it can't slide out (though, if your front brake has come loose, you might have worse problems than a rattling fender.) Make sure if you bend the tabs that you bend them away from the fork crown - sometimes you have to do this anyway to get the tab to clear the lower headset cup, but you get the idea.


There are also seat-post mounted bottle cages.
See Profile Design Aqua Rack ii Dual Water Bottle Cage (Black) (Seatpost Mount) for an example:

That one even has places for screw-in CO2 cartridges.


Storing bicycle helmets...will temperature affect the performance of the helmet?

The cold won't hurt it -- foam is used to line refrigerators.  And certainly if the temp is going "all the way down" to 40F (shudder!) that's not even close to a problem -- around here it isn't even "cold" unless the temp is below zero F.  (In general, solid objects are not damaged by cold, though they do often become more brittle while cold and hence more apt to be damaged while in that state.)

High temps could be a problem, but again foam (very similar to the stuff used in helmets) is used to insulate homes, where attic temps may reach 150F or so, and it's used to insulate water heaters that run at 180F.  The problem is that extended high temps over, say, 150F,  won't degrade the rigid foam itself, but they will degrade the glues and the foam rubber liner.


A couple of thoughts:

Manufacturers would have the best information about this.  If they are using another company's product, such as when Trek installs Shimano brakes, they generally follow the original producer's guidance; in my example, Trek will generally follow Shimano's advice.  When they vary from it, it's because they have considerable engineering expertise of their own, as well as direct contact with their supplier, and can make very well-informed diversions from that advice to suit their particular situation.  The upshot?  Do what the manufacturer says.
What if the manufacturer doesn't say?  That's more complicated, I suppose.  Cables in general are susceptible to temperature- and friction-related degradation in performance.  A lubricant that avoids those pitfalls is advisable.  One option is powdered molybdenum disulfide (possibly blended with PTFE powder), applied minimally.  It is a powder, and so does not become more viscous with lower temperature.  It also does a great job of reducing friction.

In the end, though, if your ability to steer depends on cables, and you are noticing reduced performance from the cables, they should be replaced.  I recognize that this does not meet your request for data, but I hope it has some value nonetheless.


Method to detach a kickstand bracket stuck to bike frame?

Why bother being nice to it?  Noone likes those kickstands, they are soon removed from most bikes.  And many cyclists have one or more in their spares boxes!

Please have a good look for a second bolt too - I've never seen one with two bolts, but yours could possibly have a second.

You can also try

blast the whole joint with penetrating oil like CRC or rustblaster or RP7 or similar.
re-threadding the bolt part-way in and then tap on that
shove a scraper or a chisel between stand and frame and lever it
just belt the side of the kickstand with a hammer, use a rubber mallett or a block of wood if you want to avoid damaging the paint.
use the leg as leverage - grab then end and wiggle it both in the closed and open position.

Do let us know how you get on.


Well the wheels, chainring, cranks, chain, singlespeed thing, and single front brake are all non-original.   I'd even suspect the headset has been replaced - it looks far too new.

I'm going to guess its a Raleigh or otherwise English frame from the 80s.  Here's my old 1981 Raleigh Arena, and while the lug cuts are different, the seat stay caps look very similar.

Also, one of the main similarities is the rear brake bridge, which is a plate of metal welded to the seat stays where a nicer bike would have a more-elegant brake bridge.

So no its not exactly this bike, but its this era and down at the lower end of the price range.

I'd be surprised if its chromolly steel - that always feels surprisingly light for a steel bike.


Would hydraulic disc brakes be easier on my hands than mechanical disc brakes?

I have or have had bikes with mechanical rim brakes, mechanical disks (shimano deore), hydraulic discs (also shimano deore) and recently hydraulic rim brakes (Magura hs33).

The experience I had says that:

The force you have to apply depends on brake-system preload / elastic constant (lever spring + actuator spring), cable friction, and actual, braking, pad friction.
Pad friction means how much decelerating power you'll get for a certain force applied by the pad against the braking surface. Good quality pads brake more with less force. Bad quality, or dirty, or whatever-else-not-ideal pads require more force to get the proper braking power.
Cable friction means, the more cable friction, the more force will be irreversibly lost between the lever and the actuator. At extreme cases, with very dirty/rusty cables, you get enough friction that you get an absolute maximum beyond which no additional force on the lever creates aditional force at the braking surface. THIS IS THE MAIN PLACE WHERE HYDRAULICS MAKE A DIFFERENCE: they always have a very low (inexistent?) cable friction, and that doesn't change even after miles and months in the muddy rain, for example.
At last, system preloads mean the force you have to apply to the system BEFORE it even starts to break. For example, my Magura HS-33 has too much preloat at the lever, and if you ride lightly, only correcting speed now and then with the brakes, even so the hand gets tired, because even for a slight touch you have to overcome half the lever course of a relatively stiff spring preload, whereas on modern, race-oriented disc systems the lever action is so light that it seems like there is no actual brake connected to the lever (at least until the pads hit the disc, of course).

So, I'd say the hydraulic systems are well worth the upgrade, but unless some facts are taken into consideration, sometimes the magic might not happen, specially if the braking pads are not doing their job. Also, a v-brake with new and well tuned cables/cable-routers, killer pads and decent levers can beat most fancy disc brakes around.

Hope this helps!


Prescription eye glasses and shoulder checks

My answer is based on 25+ years of wearing prescription glasses and contacts.

For road cycling, fitness cycling and sometimes commuting, I wear contacts plus non-prescription cycling glasses with interchangeable lenses. The lenses on the cycling glasses are clear, plus 3 different tints and densities for varying light conditions. The lens coatings are key. I personally insist on scratch resistance, anti-glare coating and you can also find lenses with anti-fog coatings and UV protection. The higher end cycling glasses usually have these types of coatings on the lenses.
For commuting and casual riding, I usually just wear my normal prescription glasses. Your optometrist will determine your prescription, but you can specify various coatings and even the option of variable tints. Anti-scratch coatings and anti-reflection coatings are a MUST in my book. Anti-fog and UV coatings are nice but it's up to you. For the frames, most optometrists have many options and I'm sure they can help you make a decision based on your needs. You'll want to look for a sturdy frame if you'll be clipping a mirror onto the frame.

Depending on how old you are, you may need to consider progressive bi-focals. Anyway, I've never had any issues with peripheral vison, but if it's an issue for  you just talk with your optometrist about it.

Here's a link to a description of the various coatings. Personally, I can't live without anti-reflection and scratch resistant coatings.

You might check out this link as well: What are the features that I should seek in cycling glasses?

A note on cycling specific glasses... Most higher end cycling glasses (Rudy Project, Bolle, Oakley, etc) have the option of getting lenses with your prescription. However this is a very expensive option, especially since you'll need to replace the lenses when your prescription changes. This is why I use contacts with my non-prescription cycling glasses, because contacts are cheap.

@ChrisW - After seeing your comment... I think I'd recommend cycling glasses with Rx polychromatic lenses. Cycling glasses + interchangeable lenses + contacts is probably overkill for you. The quality brands of cycling glasses usually have that kind of option. I have Rudy Project glasses and before that I had Bolle, both of which are available with Rx lenses.


Will using this kind of parking rack damage the wheel?

These stands don't hold the bike very well because if the friction grip fails, the bike can roll/move backwards and then fall over as the steering turns.

So, consider backing your bike into one instead of going in frontwards.  Downside as ChrisH says is that your lock needs to go from the rack all the way to the front wheel, or use two locks.

Also check the stand is bolted to the ground and that there are no cuts through the metal.


Are thru axles enough protection for transporting a bike?

No - does your through-axle have shoulders to stop the bike being compressed from the side?    If it did, then the axle wouldn't go into its hole.

You're better off using a well-sized block of wood between the dropouts, and perhaps tying or taping it into place - mind out for tape adhesives on the paint/frame.  Or put a stout box over the rear mech and dropouts.


More information would be helpful such as type of shifter, derailleur etc, but first of all look at the derailleur and either shift or have someone shift to a different gear (can be done while parked). If there is no movement on the derailleur you likely have a cable that has either A) come loose from its connection B) Broken or C)stretched over time and become so loose that it is not shifting.

It sounds like the shifter is doing nothing at all which makes me think the cable is either not connected (at the shifter or derailleur) or too loose, it could also be that the internal mechanism of the shifter is broken if you find that the cable is still tight, but that is the first thing i would check.

I have also had a cable pull out of the cable clamp at the derailleur which had apparently loosened up over time and when shifted the cable would just slide back and forth through that connection. Easily fixed by pulling the cable back tight and retightening the clamp.

If the bike is up there in age, you may look into replacing all the cables and making sure everything is properly lubricated as well. This is relatively easy to do yourself with some YouTube videos and google.

Sidenote, hopefully it is not truly duck tape that is holding the bike together.. sounds dangerous :)


What maintenance should be done on a bike pump to keep it in good condition?

As @DanielRHicks indicated in a comment, as far as preventing rust, you can disassemble a mini pump to let the internals dry out. This video shows how to disassemble a Lezyne mini pump. I am not 100% certain, but I think the Lezyne pumps may not have any steel parts, which should reduce the likelihood of rust.
Answering the question more broadly, rubber o-rings are commonly used inside pumps to form airtight seals, e.g. between the piston and the walls of the pump. Rubber compounds will degrade with time due to oxidization. You can't stop this process any more than you can stop entropy itself (although I have a Lezyne mini that's over 10 years old, and it's still airtight, so it might take a while). However, if Lezyne still offers spare parts when this happens to you, you can buy a replacement o-ring kit, e.g. here, and then replace the o-rings. Dirt may also get inside the pump internals, and as the video shows, you can simply wipe off and regrease the internals. I'm not extremely familiar with grease types, but silicone grease as Daniel recommended is used for metal to non-metallic components (whereas lithium grease is for metal-metal interfaces), so this would be the type to use.
Lezyne does offer spare gauges, chucks or heads (the part you plug onto the valve), and hoses for both their mini and floor pumps. To my personal knowledge, Silca also makes a big point of offering spare parts for its pumps (which are premium items, so one would hope that they did). I would assume that most major manufacturers, like Zefal, should offer similar spare parts.


There are a number of simple things you can do to try improve performance before replacing the brake pads.

Check the pads to see how worn they are. Here is an example of a new and worn pad requiring replacing.

If the pads don't appear to need replacing you can:

Lightly sand the pad with fine sand paper
Clean the rotor with isopropyl alcohol (or any non-residue solvent)

If that eliminates the squeaking but doesn't improve performance the next step is to bleed brakes. If you have Avid similar brakes the process (similar for Juicy and Elixirs) is more involved than the Shimano process and make require professional assistance.


Upon initial inspection, the issue described may seem alarming. However, the newer Shimano derailleurs are slightly bent and twisted to aid in shifting performance and meeting the ever increasing demands of larger cassettes.
For instance, the XTR M9100 derailleur is slightly bent and twisted and angled in such a way that the lower pulley wheel is facing towards the chainring. This helps when shifting down the Cassette and prevents damage to the pulley arm when the RD is at the 51T cog of the cassette.
In a nutshell, the slightly bent and twisted cage aids in shifting up/down larger cassettes and mitigates the damages of cross-chaining (which is inevitable on 1x drivetrains).


Fork swap possible or not worth it? Fat bike tapered

All you have to do to use a straight fork like a Surly is put a reducer crown race on it. The one for this would be FSA part number 160-5540.

Steel forks with tapered steerers aren't popular because things get so heavy. I don't know of any, although that doesn't mean there aren't any. There are some carbon ones like the Salsa Firestarter.


Two common possibilities:

Your brake pad is contacting the sidewall of the tire. Classic cause for a blowout.
You've used something like heavy-duty engine degreaser to clean your drive train. This will chemically change the rubber and it will remain "tacky" forever. The best degreaser, that won't damage rubber is kerosene+lemon juice (or if you want to spend money, prepackaged citrus degreaser).


It sounds like after the bike has been in the shop the gears work correctly for a short time, but then the indexing goes out again.

In my experience, the most likely cause of this is poor quality cables.  Usually after cables are fitted they stretch and need the tension adjusting, but after this tend to be problem free.

However I have had experiences on a cheaper bike where the cable would just keep stretching - in the worst example it took 3 months of being adjusted twice a week before they finally started to behave.

I highly recommend learning how to index gears yourself as it's fairly easy to do and saves you a lot of time/money going to the bike shop.

GCN do a whole range of bike maintenance videos, here's one for adjusting the rear derailleur:


I'm trying to find what model my Bianchi is

At first glance I thought it was horrid cheap late 90s BSO that someone had slapped a Bianchi sticker onto.

But no - here's a similar unit:

This was found at https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/254206275588_/Bianchi-mountain-bike-for-competition.jpg but the site has somehow disconnected the image from the associated text.

I'd be hard-pressed to say which is the newer/older between this orange one and your one.  Both have old-style boots on the front suspension, which suggests late 90s.

The other find was a police auction website at https://www.propertyroom.com/l/bianchi-mountain-bike/12983885

Sadly this one has no useful details either.  This one has disk brakes, no stanchion boots, and is probably a much later model than the one above or yours.

Both the pictured bikes have both chainstays and something like seatstays, , whereas your one only shows beefy L-shaped stays holding the rear wheel.  This makes me suspect that your bike is the oldest, and the rear... fork (?) wasn't that good which is why later versions reverted to a separate triangle.

Personally I'd do basic maintenance, change the brake pads, clean it, and ride it.  The rear shock will be pretty useless after all this time (those shocks weren't very good to begin with.)   So just ride it.

There's almost nothing to be gained by knowing what model a bike is other than a general interest.  There will be no parts that are unique to this bike, other than the frame itself.  If you need a replacement part, take the old one to a LBS and ask for "one of these please"


Air in oil damper of suspension fork after pulling hard while disassembling

I do not have experience with the Reba, but Boxxers and Lyriks. Separating the casting from the stanchions should not be that hard. It is important that the shaft where the bottom screws are screwed in can move easily and the air can pass before you try to separate the parts. You have loosen the screws a couple of turns like it's suggested in the manual. Then you have struck the screws. That does not have to be that gentle. If one or both screws cannot be easily moved up and down slightly repeat this task by loosing the screws a couple of more turns and striking on the screws again.

In the manual it looks like it's an open bath damping, so air is in the oil chamber by design. You cannot have put more air in it by pulling the fork apart.

If the sealing between the damper chamber and the lower leg is worn out there could be that oil is lost. But this should not occur with a newer fork. And then there should have been more oil in the lower leg. To make sure you could measure the oil level. Either per oil height (but I'm not sure how accurate this is) or by removing all the oil and adding oil back - preferable by cleaning everything and using new oil. Don't remove the old oil if you do not have the right spare oil.


Jobst Brandt's The Bicycle Wheel tells about repairing this failure mode in the following way:

In a soft failure the rim has a smooth and continuous bend, and some of the
spokes have become loose. If the wheel is deformed laterally more than ten
millimeters, all nipples, even on spokes that have no tension, should be
unscrewed two turns before attempting to straighten the wheel. Straightening
the rim by bending it without first unscrewing the nipples would, in effect,
straighten and tension the wheel at the same time. Straightening makes the rim
yield and take a new shape. When yielding, it will deform not only in response
to the straightening forces, but also to the spoke tensioning forces. If the nipples
are not unscrewed, the combined forces would cause kinks in the rim at each
spoke.
To repair such a bent or collapsed wheel, first loosen all nipples about two turns
(one turn if the wheel was loosely spoked). Lay the wheel on its side with the
largest wave toward the floor and press down on the rim on either side of the
bend. If necessary, repeat this process turning the wheel over until the rim is
reasonably straight. Now place the wheel in the truing stand for tensioning and
truing. If the misalignment is still more than ten millimeters, repeat the
procedure on the floor while gradually tensioning the spokes. Now the wheel
can be trued as previously described. Because straightened rims usually have
nonuniform spoke tension, the wheel may not stay true.

I suppose you didn't follow that procedure but rather trued the wheel in a truing stand only? Loosen the nipples as directed, straighten the rim and retension and re-true.


Metal sheet inside bottom bracket on frame: can I remove it?

Based on your description, its some kind of "cover" that would stop water dripping down the seat tube from sitting on the BB axle.

Seat tubes are notorious for leaking, mostly because the slot at the back of the seat post is an entry point for water, which then weeps downward by gravity and eventually drops through the weld breathing hole between the BB tube and the bottom of the seat tube.

In theory water should continue through and drip out the drain hole at the bottom of the BB, but some bikes don't have that so water collects.

On the other hand some frames have ridiculously oversized cutouts like this which allow a lot of water to spray up off the front wheel:

So your metal shield could be doing the same job for water from the road.  Above picture shows a white waxy plastic liner.

So in theory your modern BB cartridge will have a shield purely because it IS a cartridge already and is much more resistant to moisture.


As this pops up #1 on "mtb brake temperature" search, let us continue the answer of @Emyr. On descents the potential energy will be converted into the heat of the braking system, and then dissipated into the air. There are two main physical processes going on:

accumulation of (thermal) energy in the brakes, governed by P * t = C * M * DT, where P=power, t=time, C=heat capacity (of steel/aluminium, or whatever), M=mass of the disc, DT = change of the disc temperature from the ambient temperature, and

dissipation of heat into the air, governed by P = k * S * DT, where S is the area of contact, k is the convective heat transfer coefficient; so for given DT, there is a given power that will be radiated away,

Now the heat transfer coefficient is actually a "capability" depending on many things (like geometry), but also - and mainly, mostly linearly - on the airspeed. There are different values you can find, but I include some typical ones below,

so let's say it is 35 W/(K * m^2) for 16kmh and 70 W/(K * m^2) for 32kmh (and let's ignore the dependence of these coefficients on the temperature).
Now these processes play as follows. On a long descent the heat capacity will quickly be saturated, and all the potential energy lost will have to be radiated away, i.e. the temperature of the disc will go up until the point where the disc radiates away as much as is generated from the descent. Assuming 800W generated (typical biker on ~16kmh descent on somewhat steep slope, and both brakes working), and a disc brake of (2-side) surface (both sides together) 5 dm^2 = 0.05 m^2 disc area, we get to
DT = 400 / (35 * 0.05) =  228 °C
Of course, should the slope be less steep, and allow for same potential energy generated at twice the speed, we would get 114°C. That's why it is the steep slopes that "kill" the brakes.
Now before the steady state is achieved, the disc will store the energy as heat. Assuming the disc is 2mm in diameter, so 0.05dm^3 in volume, so 400g of steel [it is usually much less due to perforations], with heat capacity of 500 J / (kg * °K) we get roughly
DT = 2°C * t [s],
so without the convective losses the disc would warm up by 2°C per second. (Incidently, if your disc is worn out, say to 1mm, it will warm up twice as fast.)
One can now play with different "braking strategies" etc. but almost for sure the following will hold:

increasing the radiating area will help; S → 2S  leads to DT → DT/2 (use both brakes, and/or brakes that have somewhat greater area from which heat is dissipated),
you may increase the radiated power if you allow for a greater temperature (even for limited period of time), but only if the airspeed is the same; it is almost certainly a bad idea to get to "pulsate" by getting to greater speeds and brake to much lower ones (as at the point after the heat is generated, the airspeed will become low, and hence the transfer will be lower).
also notice that for a given slope, the generated power (potential energy lost), and the radiative heat transfer are both proportional to the velocity; hence the steady state temperature of the brakes will be independent of the (steady) velocity.

Let us finish with a view of braking/working disc, and the source of these simulations,

taken from "Thermal/Mechanical Measurement and Modeling of
Bicycle Disc Brakes", ISEA 2018, Ioan Feier and Robin Redfield.


Since cycling is primarily based on leg strength, which is derived from all parts of the leg (including the glutes or butt muscles), then yes.

Here's a great graphic that shows some of the muscles used during a typical pedal stroke:

And basic anatomy tells us that the muscular system works together so it's virtually impossible to train one muscle exclusively without using others at least minimally.

Now, if you want to specifically target your butt, I'd recommend some supplementary exercises like pelvic tilts/bridges or walking lunges.


lock box to hold phone/wallet that attaches to my bicycle

High Security + Bicycle + Marketable Product is a formula no one has solved.  People keep trying.
A lot of them never manage to launch.

Some seem to have an initial production run then quietly vanish.

Those are just two examples I had literally from memory without delving into google.
Basic problems:

anything you can carry on a bicycle and manufacture for reasonable costs can be defeated in 20 seconds with tin snips or a battery angle grinder.  Moderately 'secure' hardside motorcycle saddle bags cost more than the sort of bicycle you'd generally leave unattended at the beach!
as anyone who has ever had their own lock vandalized or fail and needed to "steal" their own bike can tell you, passersby are totally unfazed by brazen broad daylight bicycle theft and readily accept "it's mine, see some kid jammed the lock to prank me."  So anything "more secure" than the not-that-hard-to-cut U-Lock shackle is no harder to steal than just the entire bike and now you made it look valuable.
the market for this type of thing is a demographic that has extremely exact specifications in mind for the particular thing that is their preferred solution, and is a bunch of avid DiYers....

The best you can do is a 'keep honest people honest' approach of a small hardsided toolbox or similar that the U-Lock shackle can pass through or the type of combo lockbox realtors use to store keys that shackles to a doorknob that you could pass through the U-Lock.  If you need to leave a phone make it a cheapo android, don't leave both a house key and an ID with the address of that house at the same time, etc etc.


Yes

Of course it's possible, you just need to find a telescopic seat post on the market that is longer than the one you have.

Your measurement of your post might be a bit off though, I'm guessing that from your 28.x measurement, and the fact that I don't think 34.2mm is a seatpost size... not one that I'm familiar with anyways. In which case chances are your post is a 34.9mm, not a 34.2mm, and that something like this will do the trick:

34.9mm EXTRA LONG EXTENDABLE SEAT POST 530mm-730mm(21"-28") TELESCOPIC ALLOY


Can a hybrid bike's stem be slammed to make it nearly as fast and powerful as a road or cyclocross bike?

There is no absolute 'correct' way to get a lower more aggressive position.

You probably can get a lower, more aggressive position on a hybrid bike by adjusting the stem angle and length, but how much lower depends on the inherent stack and reach geometry of the frame. You are also limited by flat bars which obviously do not have the drop sections that allow a very low position. Flat bars tend to be a bit wider than drop bar hoods which also compromises how aero you can get.

There is not a magic vertical distance between the seat and handlebar, so forget the 5-10cm measurement. Just experiment with what you can do on your bike, and what works for you.

If you can get a significantly lower bar position, you may need to pull the saddle forward a little. Bikes with more upright riding positions typically have a slacker seat tube angle that puts the saddle further behind the bottom bracket.

Update added a few days later:

Be aware you are very unlikely to make your hybrid 'nearly as fast and powerful as a road or cyclocross bike'. The riding position is not the only factor. Hybrids have other design features that sacrifice speed for comfort and lower price: wider tires, lower gearing, heavier components, less stiff frames and wheels etc.


What are the differences between Tiagra and 105/Ultegra chainrings

For most people, they're just a bit pricier. The weight difference is insignificant for almost everyone (excluding possibly serious racers).

As for durability, I'd expect its more of a function of maintenance rather than trim level. But I'd actually guess the "lower end" Tiagra part is probably a bit more durable since its probably got a bit more material on it.


First thing I'd check is the headset assembly, even on a new bike. Eliminate it by dismantling, then greasing all the surfaces and reinstalling with careful adjustment. Even applies to brand new bicycles occasionally.
It could be something else, perhaps spokes moving or qr axle, the stem or some part of the brake as ideas. Whenever you're creak-hunting, check and grease or substitute only one thing at a time before testing it out so you can isolate the problem.


Although 29ers have been around since the early 80's they have only been in production from a major producer for the last decade. Trek was the first big brand to offer a 29er in early 2000's.

Reasons why you may not of seen many are:

Until the last couple of model years model years 29er's have predominatly been in the XC category (HT and FS)  while recently more all mountain and trail bikes have been developed. Depending on what riders were doing in your area there may not have been a market.
There has been an increase in world cup/ champs and olympic riders using 29ers in the past few years. At the 2012 Olympics there were very few 26" bikes in the mens (more in the womans due to size.

People don't change their bike that often. If you live in an area where there is not a lot of riders the market for a new wheel size retailers will stick to what they know.
Entry level bikes have predominantly been 26". Big box store retailers (of which makes up a large portion of the market) will follow the trend for what they see selling the most of. Now there is a critical mass of 29ers they will follow.
Most people don't read media about bikes they are driven by what a salesman says, which will generally be in the direction of the most sales and biggest margin.

I do find it interesting that you are commenting that you see a lot of 29ers retailling where you live, in New Zealand apart from XC bikes a huge proportion of the 2014 model years bikes that I am seeing at the moment are 650Bs. I think our market replicates that of the US where companies are moving to this as the new "standard". A good example is Giant who have committed to phasing out both 29 and 26" models on a 3 year glide path. Other manufacturers are offering strong 650B models in intemediate and advanced AM categories this year such as GT, Trek, Merida and Santa Cruz just to name a few.


How do I know if my cone/cap/bearings need to be adjusted?

Pick the bike up so the problem wheel is off the ground.  Grasp the tire and push it back and forth (left/right relative to the frame).  If you can get any perceptible motion then the bearings are loose and need adjustment.

While the wheel is off the ground, spin it and watch the space between the rim and the brake block (assuming you don't have disk brakes).  The space should be nearly constant, varying no more than about 1/2 mm as the wheel rotates.  (Check this on both sides, since a dinged rim is also a possibility.) If it varies more than 1/2 mm or so the wheel is out of true and needs to be trued.

Both tasks -- adjusting bearings and truing the wheel -- are things that a competent basement mechanic can accomplish, but not particularly suited for a newbie, so in either case it needs to go to a bike shop.


How do I lower the saddle on a Scirocco bicycle?

The saddle is supported by the seat post which is inserted into the seat tube of the frame. At the top of the seat tube there is a clamp which holds the seat post. On some bicycles this is built into the seat tube, on others it is a separate collar. Undo the seat post clamp bolt, and the seat post should slide in the seat tube.

I'm guessing that the above is obvious and you have loosened the clamp, but the seat post is not moving. Seat posts are notorious for getting stuck as water can seep between the post and frame tube and cause corrosion. If the post is not too badly stuck twisting the seat can unstick it. Using a penetrating oil such as WD-40 can help also.

If the seat post is really stuck there are many videos on YouTube documenting unsticking techniques.

If/when you do get the post loose, be careful to not overtighten the clamp after adjusting the saddle height. It's possible to damage the threads of the bolt or the clamp.


How to objectively evaluate torque wrenches?

Following on from Wayne's answer, there's a few things to consider:

beam and needle, beam and dial gauge or set torque type? Needle ones are cheap and robust but not very accurate or easy to use, dial gauge is the fragile, expensive and accurate version of needle, and set torque ones are more fragile but not necessarily more accurate.
how easy it is to set the desired torque, assuming you buy a set torque one.
accuracy. Both how much accuracy you need, and how well the device keeps its accuracy.
how robust it needs to be. If it's going to kept in it's protective case in a cupboard, and only used by you then any of the above will work. But if you'll be using in shared workshops other people will borrow it, so the beam-and-gauge type will not be ideal.

I only use the set torque ones because I often find that I can't easily see the dial/gauge when I'm using the wrench. My preference for evaluating accuracy is to pay of access to a decent torque wrench and do a straight comparison by hooking them together.

Edit: Wikipedia article. Pics with labels from hhh's comment:

Beam and needle type torque wrench

Beam and dial gauge torque wrench (used to get these with a mechanical dial, modern ones are all electronic - for the price you expect as much)

Click set type torque wrench - there's a scale and twist to set handle on the end of the shaft.


Replacing Apex 1 crank arm with Shimano 105

Your question is a little ambiguous but I think you are proposing to replace the Apex non-drive side crank arm with a Shimano 105 arm with a 4iii power meter built in. That will not work, the SRAM and Shimano cranks use a completely different attachment method.

4iii do not seem to offer power meters pre-installed in a new SRAM crank arm, but they do seem to offer to install a power meter unit in a arm you send to them, and list some SRAM options. You could contact them and see what SRAM cranks they can install a meter in, perhaps a Force 11 arm (which I think would be compatible) if they can't do an Apex.

Another option would be to look for whole power meter crank that is compatible with your bottom bracket.


Bike Loops (sensors for traffic lights)

One thing we have in the SF bay area are markings on the road where a bike can stand to trigger a green light.  In intersections where the lights are governed by sensors, bikes can't usually trigger those, and end up having to either run the light, push the pedestrian crossing button, or wait for a car to show up.  With these markings, cyclists can know where a more sensitive sensor is places that is more likely to trigger the light.


Tools will be dependent on the standards of the bike. A overview would be:

General

bike stand
grease
carbon paste
torque wrench

Headset

tools to chase and face head tube
bearing press
crown race setting tool
steerer cutter

Drive Train

tool to chase and face bb
bb bearing press or bb spanner
chain breaker
cassette tool
cable cutters
cable stretchers
hex wrenches
torx wrenches
crankset preload tool
screwdrivers


Is it possible to estimate road grade while riding?

Get an inclinometer.  They're not particularly accurate, but readout is instant and the price is right.


Front derailleur is hard to shift into the big ring. Where to start?

First off, of course, lubricate the cables and assure that the derailers are properly adjusted.

After that, make sure you're not cross-chaining too much when shifting up -- you should have your rear near the outer cog before up-shifting the front, so that the angle of the chain isn't fighting you.  Also, understand that you must let up a hair on the cranks when up-shifting the front -- don't do it under full load.

But if not that then likely the rings are worn out.  Even if the chain and rings gauge out OK (did you check them??) the ramps on the side of the big ring may be worn to the point that they're no longer effective.


Any alternative use for old mountain bike tyres and inner tube?

Tubes are extremely flammable.
I carry a tiny pouch of cut in stripes rubber when backpacking, if things get ugly and I need to light a fire in damp/wet conditions.
Seriously - they burn like gunpowder.
Edit: Reality Check.
Yesterday morning I wanted to start a fire after a light rain. I picked up dry tree branches (from trees, not the ground). Then put about 5cm of tube cut into thin stripes underneath. Touched them with a lighter and was cooking breakfast right away.


These are the Wisconsin State Bicycling Laws:

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle/bicycle/docs/bikelaws.pdf

340.01(5) defines a bicycle thusly: "Bicycle" means every vehicle propelled by the feet acting upon pedals and having wheels any 2 of which are not less than 14 inches in diameter.

As it makes no mention of where or how the machine was manufactured, it sounds like your tricycle (and its rider) will be held to the same legal standard as any other bicycle. The wheel size requirement means that if two wheels are larger than 14 inches, it's a bicycle. My guess is that this is intended to rule out kids' "Big Wheels" and the types of tricycles that a 5 year old might ride.

That said, it's worth reading the entire document. I didn't bother because I don't live in Wisconsin.

It's also worth noting that local municipalities can pass further laws defining or restricting bicycles as long as they don't conflict with the state laws. So you'll want to check those as well. Those are sometimes hard to locate on the internet. If you have can't find them online, check out your public library. They usually try to archive local information like that.

Finally, as others have mentioned, the sidewalks are often illegal and even more often dangerous places to ride. If you do so, do so with great caution.


50/34 vs 52/36 crankset for 11-32 cassette (shimano 105 5800FC)

50/34 with and 11/32 on the rear is going to be very spinny.
For me - the range is too wide and the gaps between the gears too big. But - this depends on the kind of riding you will be doing. If you are riding the very steepest of mountains - than the 34/32 combination might be what you are looking for.
Purely for fast road work - that's too wide a combination (for my personal taste).
The other thing you will have to consider is the rear mech. For such a wide range you will need to go with a mid or long cage rear mech. I don't think it will work with a standard short cage.
However, I have used 50/34 with 11/28 on a short cage - and that has been OK.

Try the Sheldon Brown gear calculator to work out the combination which will work for you.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html


What pressure should I run? Front versus the back wheel?

It depends on the terrain you ride on, what you find comfortable and so on, so you need to play with tire pressures to figure out what fits you. Several companies (e.g. Schwalbe) give recommendations, but they're only good to start -- you need to play with tire pressures to find whats good for you.

The number written on the sidewall of the tire is generally useless. For most riders, a correct pressure is significantly lower than whats written on the tire sidewall, and the tire sidewall rating does not take into account the strength of the rim (wheel) you're running, so blindly obeying it can be hazardous since the rim may take damage if you hit a bump at max pressure. A correctly inflated tire absorbs road hazards appropriately and avoids pinch flats while not having too much rolling resistance.

That being said, a rule of thumb is that the rear tire is about 10% higher pressure than the front tire. But you're completely free to ignore this and find something that's comfortable for you.


Best type of bike lock (materials, style, etc.)

Get the kryptonite fahgettaboutit - as small as possible.  Kryptonite 997986 18mm New York Fahgettaboudit U-Lock,Black Mini

Best lock out there. Because the shackle is 18mm thick, I don't think you could cut it with bolt cutters, so you would need a hydraulic jack -- but the opening is too small for a jack to get through -- that's the main reason to go for a smaller lock, so there is no room for the jack; or, a disc grinder to get thru it.


Winter is here, what type of trainer should I get?

Do you have a wheel sensor on the bike that connects to your gps?
like this: here

I use this one for my garmin 405. With either of these set ups you can use whatever you like best for training. Go to your LBS (local bike shop) and ask to try their trainers (mag or fluid) and their rollers. I personally use rollers since it is less wear and tear on just the rear wheel. Though it does take a bit to get used to it before you can ride it without fear of crashing down! If your in the states then the rollers I would get are Nashbars reduced radius rollers. I have used mine for a few seasons and they are very nice!


What is the cause of earlier rear wheel lock-ups in the wet?

When pavement is wet (or icy, or loose, etc) it has a lower coefficient of friction.  Which means that less force is necessary to break from static state (tire gripping the pavement) to a sliding state (tire locked up and sliding).  Braking forces rely on static friction, or the grip the tire has on the pavement.  It may seem contrary, but while you are riding your tire surface enjoys a static relationship with the ground.  The surface of your tire rolls, but each individual patch of tire touches the ground and remains in contact with it (your contact patch) as the tire rotates around.  When you brake with a lower coefficient of static friction and generate enough force, you overcome that static frictional force and move to a sliding frictional force (your tire slips).


Can I replace a 1/2 inch bolt with a 14mm one to secure my axle?

If you can find nuts with the correct thread (both diameter and thread pitch) but a smaller wrench size, you can replace the ones that are there.  But note that the existing nuts probably have a built-in washer, and any replacement should have the built-in washer not too much smaller than what you have.  In a pinch you can use regular washerless nuts and a separate loose washer, but that's not as reliable.

It would be easier to find a new wrench.  Almost certainly the rear is not an inch sized nut but a larger metric size, and a combo wrench can be found to fit both.

(At least in the US, "bolt" refers to a threaded rod with a head on one end.  "Nut" is the small piece with a threaded hole in it.)


The sounds you heard were the spokes unwinding as the pressure in the tire relieved some of the tension in the rim. As you tighten the spoke nipples the spokes tend to "wind up" due to the friction between the threads in the nipple and the threads of the spoke. If the friction is high enough (old corroded spokes/nipples or a lack of lubrication on the spoke threads) you're just winding up the spoke.

As you true a wheel, pay attention to the spokes – are they moving with the nipple, or are you actually able to tighten the nipple on the spoke. One place where you can easily see this is by watching the "back" of the nipple on the inside of the rim. Add some light oil if necessary to help lubricate the threads. Expect some wind up, it is pretty much unavoidable. To release the wound up spokes you can put the wheel down on a hard surface and press down gently on the rim. Work your way around the wheel pressing down on the rim – you should hear the spokes unwinding and perhaps feel them moving as well. Do it on both sides of the wheel.

That should go a long way towards resolving the problem. For what it is worth I never true new wheels with the tire on.


Converting an octalink bottom bracket and crankset to a fsa bottom bracket and compact crankset 9 speed

My current favorite reference on the mess that is bottom bracket compatibility is this BikeRadar article.

To summarize the BikeRadar article:
"Conventional Threaded: Standard 24mm external type (Shimano Hollowtech II [, Shimano Octalink], SRAM/Truvativ GXP, Campagnolo Ultra-Torque, FSA MegaExo, Race Face X-Type,  etc), square taper, ISIS, BB386 EVO" can all be put into the same frame.

To do the crankset swap, you'll need to put in the MegaExo bottom bracket and then install the FSA crankset (you can't just stick a MegaExo crankset into an octalink bb) [This will require things like adjusting the FD as well, but you'll likely be using your LBS to do this swap anyway, and they should take care of it]. Note that you may also want to get a bigger rear cassette to help with hills (this alone may be sufficient and significantly cheaper), or even switch to a bike with a triple (and less race-y).

Note that if you don't want to swap to a MegaExo BB, Shimano's Claris 2450 Crankset is an octalink crankset. And you may be able to take your current crankset and do some chainring swapping as well to get the desired effect.


Benefits of newer racer bikes over older ones?

TL; DR: There is going to be a lot of difference. A 1500 Euro bike today would probably be comparable to a 6-7000 Euro bike from 10 years ago.

Elaboration:

There are going to be quite a few improvements in the bike due to technology advances and research and development. Some of the base models will not be radically different from your frame, although even there, there are some differences.

First is frame composition, in that quite a few (even entry level) racing bikes are now all carbon. This is enabled as when a bike is first created, there are a lot of research and development costs that have to be offset. After a few years, that is offset, and the "top" model often becomes the "middle" model as a new frame is developed for the high end of the scale.

Here are a couple of rides that are fairly similar in shape, and are entry level road bikes. Note the Giant has the cutout (1500 Euro), and the Specialized Allez does not (1250 Euro). The Allez is aluminum, the Giant is carbon.

Second is the frame shape and tube shapes. For the entry level, you may not see a lot of difference (Especially in the known name brands), but almost all still have top tubes that slope downward towards the seat tube, and a few have smaller cutouts for the rear wheel. When you move up the price ladder, tubes start changing shape, and aerodynamic considerations become much more dramatic.

As you can see in the Specialized Venge below, the top tube slopes away from the headset, and the seat tube is notched much more than the entry level rides to accommodate a tire being closer and more protected, which increases aerodynamics. The tubes are also more oval/wing shaped, rather than round.

If you want to step up in price, you can look at the Cervelo S5 (Cervelo is arguably the best bike company around for understanding aerodynamics), which has a much more protected rear wheel, the forks more integrated with the frame, and much cleaner lines throughout.

The final area is the trickle down technology in the groupsets, which consists of your derailleurs, brifters (brake/shifter combination), brakesets. The Shimano 105 and SRAM Force groupsets, which you typically find on the more entry level bikes are comparable to the Dura Ace and Red groups of 4-5 years ago, and as the top levels advance, the technology of the former top groups starts falling down to the next tiers below.

In bikes, you can have light, cheap and reliable. You get to pick any two from that list.


Is cantilever rear cable hanger supposed to move?

Ideally all parts of the brake system that hold the cable housing should be fixed and immovable. There are two problems that can occur if this is not the case:

Flexing or movement when the brake is applied and there is tension between the cable and housing: This reduces the force that can be applied at the brake caliper and is obviously a bad thing.
Movement of the housing as the brakes are applied and slack in the cable is taken up. The brake lever has to be moved too far before the brake pads touch the wheel rim.

Sounds like you have the second problem. When the brakes are released the springy housing is moving the brake hanger causing you to have too much slack in the system.

The fix is is to get the cable housing under control so that it cannot flex and move around. The housing may be a little too long or not anchored the the frame properly. You can try fixing the brake housing to the frame or seat post with a zip tie to hold it in place. A zip tie around the seat tube end if the hanger to make the housing enter into it straight might work also.

Ideally, there should be a little tension in the brake cable when the lever is released so that the housing is held in line. This tension is supplied by the return springs of the calipers. Check the calipers to see if the return spring force is too weak. There are typically adjustment screws on the calipers or a array of holes on the brake bosses that the end of the spring fits into for adjusting spring tension.

Update after reply from OP in comment: 'I have shifter-type compressionless housing ...'

Shifter cable housing should NOT be used for brakes. The forces generated by brakes are much higher than those generated by shifters and derailleurs and the housing may fail.

See this answer.


The simplest on-the-road solution is to get a detailed paper (walker's?) map with contour lines. In the UK, Ordnance Survey provide these, for the USA you could try Omnimap.

Alternatively, there are plenty of online tools, like freemaptools.com which use Google Maps. You click on a point and it gives you the elevation.


As per Daniels' suggestion try sanding the rough spots.Before repainting try to figure out what went wrong the first time,was it to humid outside,did the nozzle glog during application,did you apply it too thick?Painting round surfaces can be difficult.Try applying several light coats while allowing it to dry between applications,follow the instructions on the can for drying times.Practice your spray technique on some scrap pipe or backyard fence to get your arm movement consistant.Pay particular attention to complex areas like the bottom bracket area where many pieces and angles are involved,it may take several passes at odd angles to get complete coverage without runs and sags.


Redline BMX or is it Redline decals on something else?

GO187 is the date code from Giant (Taiwan manufacturer), which is Jan '87.

Frame looks to be an '87 Diamondback.


Zeros do take a bit more finesse to engage. It's more about alignment than raw force, so even at 130, once you build a bit of muscle memory in the exact foot position, you should be fine. Practice a lot.

Bottom line, it's not (mostly) a matter of force, but the Zeros have much tighter tolerances so your foot has to be just right.

FWIW: I used Zeros for track, but Light Action elsewhere...I suspect the "don't use for racing" is primarily a legal thing, but I have pulled out of the Light Actions most recently causing me to hit the ground unkindly whilst in traffic.


Is it better to have less flywheel weight on exercise bikes?

Workout quality is determined by the power output you can sustain through the course of your effort(s), and if the power is lower than it might be because of a lack of crank inertial load, then the training stimulus will be less.

Keep in mind that the most important adaptations are metabolic, not neural. Changes to pedalling action has not been shown to convert to improved power output, except for the specific situation being trained.

It's common for people to find riding on low inertia trainers (e.g. cheap magnetic resistance units) unable to generate the same power as when riding a high(er) inertia trainer. The crank inertial load doesn't need to be as high as that experienced in typical outdoor riding, just sufficient to avoid that awful draggy sensation.

There are quite a number of published studies about varying crank length and chainring shape. The balance of evidence on these is that on average, such interventions neither harm nor enhance your sustainable or maximal power output.

As a general rule of thumb, if you find using a trainer results in a power output 10+% less than you would ordinarily be capable of, then I'd suggest looking at making changes to your trainer set up. That may or may not include increasing the crank inertial load but often means paying attention to other factors such as having adequate cooling (very important) and use of motivational aids.