Preventing ergonomic handlebar internal rubber cylinders to stick

Grease would make the rubber slip, defeating the purpose of the mechanism. And it might cause the rubber to deteriorate.

Best solution is to just throw these grips in the garbage, and get some better-designed ones. I've seen several types that use an external clamp (or two clamps) to hold the grip in place - I'm sure that would work better.

But if you're really set on keeping these grips, and don't mind getting "creative", you might be able to make an alternate locking mechanism. The expansion plugs that they use with carbon steering tubes would be ideal - except they're too big. So you want something that works on the same principle, but fits inside the handlebar. Go to the fastener section at a hardware store, and see if you can find expansion bolts that are the right size.


It looks like a 1978 ladies Mirage with a different seat.
Catalog page:

Parts list:

In 1978 Motobecane went to an SR AX crank. In 1977 and 1976 it was a Tourney crank but those bikes had drop bars.


Dropper seatpost oscillating - relation to rear shock

So you are basically saying the upper part of the dropper post is loose in the lower.

There is definitely something broken, possibly a bushing between the upper and lower has broken or worn out. Without knowing the specific model it's not possible to give more advice, you may be able to find a manual for your specific model that provides a drawing or list of parts

The suspension will not be affected at all.


Cable tension

Limit Screws

Derailleur position/angle

These are the only things that actually affect your shifting mechanically.  If those are all proper, something is broken/misaligned/shredded.


Some time ago I built something like this myself, in more or less the same way you describe.

  The wiring seems like it would simply require adding an LED in
  parallel to the headlight/taillight with a currently limiting
  resistor.

Exactly. I bought an LED rated for 6V DC by the manufacturer (I think they have a built-in resistor), so I could skip the external resistor. Adding an external resistor should work too, but means more work and more connections that may fail.

  I'm not sure sure about how to effectively place the LED.

Yes, that's the tricky part. I obtained a thin plastic tube (about 1mm diameter), and bent it to form a sort of archway above the computer.

I threaded a flexible wire (naked wire used for fastening, not electrical wire) through the tube. This wire provided stability to the arch, and its ends were wrapped around the handlebar left and right of the computer, to fix the "archway" in place. I cut a small hole in the side of the plastic tube, and threaded the two electrical cables into the tube, one from each sides, so they came out at the hole. Then I soldered the LED to the two cables. Finally I gently pushed the legs of the LED into the hole (one to go left, one right, following their respective cable), so the LED sat in the hole. I finally fixed the arch to the handle bar using the wire ends.

The result looked like this:

   ______________
  / ____     ____ \
 / /     |_|     \ \
 ||      / \     | |
 ||              | |
 ||              | |
 ||  |Computer|  | |
######################
      handle bar
######################

I omitted the the wire and cables due to ASCII art limitations :-).

This worked reasonably well. Electrically, it was fine, but mechanically the setup is rather wobbly, and the wire can break if you bend it too often. Also, getting the angle of the LED right is tricky, because LEDs have a fairly narrow beam.

Still, if you want to give it a shot, it's worth a try. It was not very hard to do, and did not require expensive material (the LED cost less than 1 Euro).


Ball size to ball bearing lookup possible

Pedals usually have 1/8". Depending on how you measured the diameter, maybe that's what you found. I think you'd notice fairly significant play in the pedal for a ball to have fallen out though.


Why is wearing a skin suit in the Tour de France risky?

I saw this question a couple of weeks ago and was interested in it, I have just got back from spending 2 nights at the Tour de France where I happened to stay in the same hotel as one of the teams. So I asked one of them.

I'm afraid it has absolutely nothing to do with protection, or with ventilation. In fact you hit upon the disadvantage of a skinsuit in your question - they do not have pockets. Not having gels/food becomes important in a 4-5 hour race.

In fact, even despite this disadvantage, you will on occasion see riders (normally specialist sprinters) wearing skinsuits in a stage, especially one where there the finish is expected to be a bunch sprint. Under such circumstances it becomes the responsibility of a poor old domestique to carry food and gels on behalf of the sprinter. (Heck, I even saw a spectator wearing one!)

So I would guess that the risk mentioned by the commentator is just that the domestique isn't close enough to the sprinter when they need nutrition.


How to mount Ohlins TTX22M to a 2018 Yeti SB 5.5

Here's the debacle of how I mounted an Ohlins shock to a Yeti SB 5.5. There is practically no information on the internet explaining how to do this; therefore, I wrote my experience to give back to the MTB community.
For Starters
Ohlins documentation is atrocious. It was not clear at all how I was supposed to mount my shock. You'd think they'd have some guide, but there was hardly anything useful.
There wasn't even a label on what I now know are called the "DU Bushings" and "Spherical Bearings". It's hard to Google when you don't even have a starting point.
What if a have a different bike?
This guide should still be useful. Your frame might be different, but it's likely the mounting hardware is similar between different bikes. Reference the manual for specifics.
Fair Warning
If you're not an experienced bike mechanic just take it to an Ohlins dealer. This was surprisingly difficult; both Yeti and Ohlins are very proprietary. It also takes forever for Ohlins to ship things to you.
Overview
To mount an aftermarket shock you need to first understand how shock mounts work.

A female metal rod going through the shock (Figure 5.11)
A bolt that threads into the female metal rod from the other side (Figure 5.13)
Washers between the rod and the bolt (Figure 5.12 / 5.14)
A spacer that goes into the eyelet of your shock. The female metal rod goes through the middle of this spacer. It's purpose is to fill the open gap in your frame and provide support.
Last, there's a DU bushing in the eyelet of the shock. This prevents damage to the eyelet and is replaceable if it get's damaged.

#1,#2,#3 is Yeti parts
#4,#5 is Ohlins / Fox parts
You cannot use Fox mounting hardware for Ohlins. It will not work... I tried.
The DU bushing comes in the Ohlins shock box. You'll also see "Spherical Bearings" which is an alternative to the DU bushing.
But what about the spacer?
Yes indeed, the spacer is not included with the Ohlins shock. This is because they couldn't possibly know what bike you're trying to mount to. Every frame has different measurements. Therefore, they leave it up to you to figure out what spacer you need. Consequently, this is where it gets confusing.
Step 1 - Shock Spacer Measurements
Let me start off with a note on being accurate with your measurements. The less accurate your measurements, the worse fit your shock will have. You should buy one of these. When measuring for shock mounts, you need to be accurate +- 0.1mm. Don't just go out there with a measuring tape and eyeball it.
Measure the inner width between the mounting points of the shock. In other words, don't include any of the bike frame in the measurement, you only want the open distance between the two mounting points. Ohlins needs this measurement so they can craft a custom spacer for that area.
A cheater way to measure this is to use your old shock as a reference. Just make sure you didn't lose any parts or spacers when you removed it or your measurement will be incorrect.
Also measure the diameter of the  metal rod that goes through the middle of the shock(Figure 5.11) - do this for the front and rear mount. Ohlins needs this to determine how wide the hole in the spacer is. The metal rod will have to slide into the middle of the spacer.
Step 2 - Eyelets
You have two options. DU bushing or the Ohlins "Spherical Bearing". I wanted to use the "Spherical Bearing", but never figured out how. If someone knows please let me know.
So, DU bushing is what I chose.
Step 3 - Installing DU bushing into eyelets
The proper way to do this is to buy a DU bushing installer tool, which is like $100.
Or you can be really careful and use a vice to squeeze the bushing in there.
The basic method of how I did this
Note 1: It's pretty hard to center the DU bushing
Note 2: It's really easy to scratch the paint on the Ohlins shock while doing this; be careful. Accept it if you damage it. It's not up to Ohlins to warranty damage from you installing it incorrectly.
I did leave a little mark, but barely noticeable.
Step 4 - Call Ohlins w/ measurements in hand
Take a quick measurement of the eyelet hole size with the DU bushing installed. Ohlins will need this to determine the diameter of the spacer. It has to fit in the eyelet hole perfectly.
Call Ohlins customer support with the measurements on hand. Tell them you installed the DU bushing that came with your shock. They should now be able to custom order spacers for your shock.
Step 5 - How to install it
Once you have the spacers you should have everything needed to install the shock.
Before installing them on your bike, you need to first test that the spacers are crafted correctly. You can test by pushing the metal rod through the spacer. It should be snug. If it's excessively hard to push in, or excessively loose, you need to return it. If you're handy with a drill, you could try that.
My Experience
I was unable to push the metal rod through the rear mount spacer. So I tried to force it through with a vice; this proved to be a very dumb idea. I destroyed both the metal rod and the spacer; I was unable to ride my bike because of it... a $160 mistake.
Don't do what I did. I broke the golden rule: "Don't force anything". I was too stoked to get my shock installed. If it doesn't fit, send it back or drill it to be wider. Do not force it like I did.
If I had to do this all again
I probably would have crafted my own spacer using a bench grinder and a drill. It would have been more accurate and a lot cheaper. I'm sure any strong plastic from the hardware store would suffice. Just make sure it doesn't damage your frame. You'll notice that it leaves marks on the inside of the frame if the spacer isn't perfect.
Still Unknowns
I still to this day don't know how to use those spherical bearings they provided. I have not been able to find a tutorial for how they're installed. If anyone has information about how to use these, I'm all ears.
Overall Impressions of the Shock
I was quite unhappy at how little documentation there was for installing the shock. The whole process took me about 3 months from when I received my actual shock to installing it on my bike.
However, once the shock is installed properly, it's a great upgrade from the Fox DPX. The coil is rad.
Lastly, here's video of me enjoying my new shock


How to pour tubeless sealant without removable core valves

Pulling the tire from the rim is the easiest way.

If you want to avoid spilling any sealant, have a friend or stand hold the wheel off the ground so the tire can keep its shape.

I've seen people use a needle & syringe on the internet somewhere, but that doesn't strike me as the best idea. I like my tires sans holes to start with.


Are there dynamo powered front flashing lights?


Bosch 400Wh battery first led only is flashing and refuses to charge

When you discharge a lithium-ion battery all the way you can run into serious problems. If the battery is relatively new it may be under warranty and an exchange would be your best bet.

The battery contains electronic circuitry designed to prevent a total discharge. If that circuitry fails the battery is ruined. If the internal voltage of the battery falls below a critical level this circuitry will NOT allow the battery to charge. Your charger's refusal to charge the battery indicates a problem with this circuitry.

If your other options don't work, and you can't exchange the battery for a new one, you can try putting the battery in your fridge (not the freezer) for an hour or so and see if that will help jump start it. Cool for an hour and try charging.

In my experience, once this happens to a battery it's well on it's way to being dead forever, even if you can recharge it once or twice.


How do I keep my seat from tilting back?

The problem is that there is only one bolt holding the seat at the angle you want.  Put enough torque on the back of the saddle and can overcome the friction that's holding the seat in place.

A few options:

Tighten up that bolt as much as you dare (but you've already tried that).
Increase the friction between the seat post and the bottom of the seat clamp -- either scuff it up or use some carbon assembly paste (ask your LBS, I've used it to keep my seat post from sliding down).
Switch to a seat post that uses a two-bolt design to hold the seat in place.  This is what my current and previous bikes used, one bolt pulls the nose down and the other tilt the seat back.  Get enough tension on the two and your seat stays right where you want it to.


Can you buy bulk shifting/brake cable for road bikes?

The problem that you'll likely run into is the stop in the lever/shifter ends. I'm not aware of any systems that will accept bare cable at this end:

If you wanted to pair your spool of wire with some sort of crimper (or go all out with some sort of mold/press), you could make your own - but investing $3,000 - $30,000 on some machine that melts metal on the end of the cables probably isn't worth your while.
I don't have much experience with bike shops (I buy most everything on eBay), but I would think they have boxes of these cables packaged in bulk like this:


Presta to Schrader valve adapters that don't screw on the valve core

Never seen one myself - there are pumps that have push-on "speed" adapters for presta, but they are part of the pump head and you wouldn't find one at the service station.
The best fix is to unscrew your valve core and add a small dab of hand-strength threadlocker.  The Locktite one is normally blue, but other brands have other colours.   Then reinstall the core and snug lightly.  You can reinflate immediately. Once this is done, there's much less chance of the core coming out with the thread-on schrader adapter which you still need.
Another possible solution is to simply carry your own pump and not depend on machines.  A quality presta capable minipump is cheap enough, and will be with you if the puncture is far from civilisation and fuel stations.  Minipumps are slow and tiring, so you might choose a "small floor pump" which are faster but larger, while remaining smaller than workshop-sized floor pumps.  I have one and its somewhere between the two for speed.  Or you could carry CO2 sized for your presta tube.
You should always carry the small threaded schrader adapter too, along wiht the usual on-bike tools and emergency spares like master link and tyre levers.


Should I cover my bicycle overnight while bikepacking?

As Daniel indicates - overnight moisture on a well maintained bike isn't a concern. A little rain won't hurt. Others may disagree but I wouldn't get a cover.
But, depending on how much rain there is and how long it lasts, when riding in the rain often the rain mixes with dirt/dust/sand and creates an abrasive liquid that can be hard on the drive train - and can even work it's way into bearings and cables.
Fenders help keep the water mixed with dirt that's on the road off of you and the bike.
I think of rain / water as a riding factor that increases how often I should do maintenance. 30+ days on the road should include at least drive train cleaning and lubrication.
Here is a link to an article on bike prep for rain. The article links to washing and lubrication articles.


My handlebar and My front tube are no longer one. Might I have died?

This is a "quill stem" and uses a "wedge" or an "expander" to press against the inside of the steerer tube (the top part of the fork.)

When fitted correctly, the quill stem sits in the fork and is held in place because the grey part at the bottom is pulled up by a long thread and it is pressing against the inside of the fork. Here the thread that pulls up the bottom piece must have been come loose or broken.

If this happens quickly it is dangerous because you no longer can steer the bike with the handle bar and quite likely will crash. If it happens slowly you will find that front wheel and handle bar are no longer properly aligned and this would trigger you to inspect it.

I can't answer how likely a fatal accident would have been but count yourself lucky to have noticed the problem.


Can you shift both the front and back gears simultanously?

There's nothing wrong with doing this. It works well to shift the rear 1 or 2 shorter when shifting the front 1 taller (and vice versa) to avoid big steps in gearing.


Bike size - will a 2cm make a difference

Many people fall between two sizes and can get a smaller size or larger size to work, possibly with a few adjustments/parts (e.g. new stem, etc.).

You really have to try the bike to find out. I happen to be 5'11" as well, and my neighbor (who is also 5'11") did own a Synapse 105 (a few years ago; doubt its the same bike still) 56 cm and found it fine but on the bigger side. I found it a bit small when I tried it.

Depends on the rider -- there is no way to find out otherwise without trying them.


how do you make a chain longer with a simple chain breaker?

First off, hope that you properly removed the links before so you can just snap the links back into place, that is easiest.

Any breaker that is designed properly will push the pin just to the point where you can snap the links out leaving the pin still attached.

Snap the removed links back onto the chain and place the chain back onto the breaker with the pin facing into the breaker like this:

Carefully push the pin back into the link making sure the breaker pin and the roller pin are aligned. Misalignment can cause damage to the chain and breaker. Only push the pin through until it is extended past the link as far as the pins in the rest of the chain:

Now the link will be too tight to bend easily, this is fixed by placing the chain in the middle jig and pushing the pin slightly, just enough to free the link up.

Test the link to be sure it bends easily. Now go back and remove the proper number of links, making sure the male/female links match up when the chain is looped with or without a master-link, your preference.


Top men's and women's winners Olympics mtn bikes

There's a great video of Nino Schurter's Scott Spark. I'm not sure if he used the exact same bike in the Olympics, but the video from July of this year, so it should be quite similar. It has 29 inch wheels.  According to the comments in the youtube video, this is different from what he used to ride. Somebody commented that it may be in preparation for the Olympics, which favours large rim sizes.  I don't think any size has really "won". The size of rim/tire used on race day is going to depend on course conditions.   I think this is the reason for the upcoming popularity of 650b/27.5 tires. Most of us can only afford a single bike or a single set of wheels, so you have to go for a compromise.  You should also check out the GMBN Pro Bike Playlist if you want to learn more about the equipment the pros are using.


You have said you're planning on taking: Spare inner tubes, Jet pump, Multi tool kit, Tyre levers, Gel bars, Fluids, Cash & Card

So you've covered flat tyres, energy, hydration and money.

Other suggested repair items:  chain tool, quick links, spoke tool, zip ties, strong tape.

Unforeseen circumstances:  mobile telephone/cellphone, emergency contact information, rain jacket, hat/gloves

First aid:  some disinfectant wipes, a tube of antibiotic ointment, 2 or 3 sticking plasters, a gauze pad and a tiny roll of tape.  Tweezers.

Daytime Running Lights - You haven't mentioned time of day or season, so consider DRLs for daytime riding and if there's a risk of being caught by sunset. (Personally I use DRLs all the time, and keep some other lights for night time.)

Lock - Is there a chance you'll leave your bike unattended? A small bike lock might help if you choose to duck into a shop or cafe.

Even if you cover up or apply before you leave, a small tube of sunscreen will allow you to reapply on your face, ears, backs of your hands or any other exposed skin.  A number of people I ride with also use a SPF chapstick.


What are some good flat pedal shoes for XC racing?

Five Ten Freerider VXi Elements - 398 gram
Five Ten Freerider - 399 gram
Giro Jacket - 416 gram
Shimano AM41 - 420 gram
Teva Links - 440 gram
661 Filter - 680 Gram

So basically, all the available (excluding high-top shoes) flat pedal shoes weigh the same. You could theoretically shave 1 gram by switching to the Freerider VXi Elements, but that would hardly be worth the money.

An alternative could be some light weight skate shoes, but then you would probably loose out on grip and the weight savings would probably still be negligible.

And for comparison Diadora X-Trail 2 Carbon SPD shoes are 335 gram.


Anyone tried piggy-backing one Wolf Roadlink on top of another?

As noted in the comments, you could do this to enable the 46 but the 11,12,13t sprockets would be a long way from the derailleur in those gears as the derailleur isn't designed for that difference. Try to imagine the shape of the pyramid of the 11-32 and the 11-46.
Derailleurs are designed around specific pyramid slopes.
This could work fine on a 18-46 cassette that doesn't exist.


Is 13 years too old for an otherwise new-condition tire?

A 13-year-old tire may be rideable for a few years, but it wouldn't be fair to sell it as new. It just won't last as long as a new one would, and the hardened rubber will perform worse and possibly wear faster.

So, not necessarily "unfit for use", but definitely "unfit for sale as a new one". But depending on storage conditions and the tire, even a few years can make a tire unusable, such as obvious hardening or visible cracks.

As for the particular review linked in the question, it seems the buyer has misread the date code.

The page identifies the tires as Schwalbe Marathon HS. The Schwalbe Warranty Page has this photo of their production code:

The format appears to match the one in the question, but it still leaves at least two reasonable interpretations:

Day/Month/Year: giving dates of 20th July 2018 (question) and 26th September 2018 (warranty page).
Week/Year: giving dates of week 20, 2007 and week 26, 2009.

But, it appears that Schwalbe has changed their production code format with an extra digit in 2010 or so. Older sources, such as this recall from 2009 show a code that has only 5 digits before a letter:

Based on this, I'd say the format is Day/Month/Year and the date on the tire is 20th July 2018. It still makes the tires somewhat old to be sold as new, but not terribly so.


Is it harmful to shift RD while climbing standing?

Will you damage components?

Probably, if this is a repeated pattern, yes.

When standing to climb you will be in a higher gear than when seated climbing. This means the cadence of your legs and pedals is slower. Add to the slower cadence the fact that you are powering down hard to accelerate uphill and there is significant power going through the chain and derailleur over a chain moving too slowly. If you are hearing loud clunks, that is unlikely to be good for your bike's components. It may not result in immediate failure, but is increasing wear and could result in failure later on. Rather than chain stretch, you may get a link failure and chain snapping, or you may damage parts of the derailleur if you do this regularly under high power.

An alternative approach to changing gear while standing

Once you have got the bike moving at a speed where you feel the cadence is too quick standing, try going back to a seated position. It will probably now feel too slow to change up. This will also allow you to use different muscles. If you can still accelerate up to a speed where the cadence is too fast and you want to change up, then do so with the pedals spinning quickly but with a moment where you apply slightly less power.

General advice on hill climbing

As you change up, move to standing to maintain momentum and to account for the lower cadence of the higher gear. If you can still accelerate in the higher gear - repeat.

You may also find this article on How to Climb a Hill on a Bicycle a useful reference. Although he concentrates on maintaining momentum and the theory of when to attack to optimise energy efficiency through the hills rather than how to change gears..


Would a carbon fiber fork make a significant difference?

No, it is not a good upgrade.

The fork change could save some weight, up to about 400 grams. This is less than difference between full and empty bottle. The ride quality may or may not change depending on your current fork and the replacement.

If you can't look up the specs of your bike, you can always measure yourself, the critical measurements are steerer tube diameter, steerer tube length (new forks come with extra and you are supposed to cut them, just don't get too short one) and distance from fork crown to axle.


No, it is a mount for a kick stand.

See this picture


I'm worried about my derailleur snapping. The chain isn't running around the bottom pulley, it's running next to it

I wouldn't recommend riding your bike at all until you have a professional look at it. Otherwise you're taking the risk of physically injuring yourself and the people around you, especially on a big ride.


How dangerous is a very out-of-true disc brake wheel?

Another danger of riding an out-of-true wheel is cornering.  When on the straight, the wheel may be "round" while wobbling from side to side.

But when leaning into a corner, the bike is no longer vertical, so that out-of-true in the rim is translating to an out-of-round as well.  So the wheel of the bike will be rising and falling ( "oscillating" ?) sideways at roughly twice the wheel's RPM.

Effectively that could make the wheel loose traction much easier on the faster corners, or even at moderate speeds if the corner has any treacherous features like dampness, dust, sand, gravel, or even painted lines.


What's the generic name for this threaded/decorative "stem cap" on a Delta threadless steer tube extender

According to the installation instructions the manufacturer calls this a "dust cover cap."  As you note, this is not a headset or stem cap since it doesn't mechanically engage with the stem to preload the bearings.
A Google image search for the image you included found a bunch of pages on Amazon describing this as a "Delta Cycle stem raiser," and I found the instructions on the Delta Cycle page.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be a generic part; I couldn't find a single instance of it being sold individually.  Perhaps you could bodge something with a normal headset cap.


Struggling with bottom bracket installation

Threadless cartridge BBs have their place, and that place is where the threads are destroyed. Thankfully you're not there yet. They are a compromise because they tend to have creak issues sooner or later no matter what.

You should take the frame to a shop with a proper piloted BB tap set. One side of your shell looks fine. The fix is to install the pilot into that side all the way and use it to start the other side. At that point one can use some force to confidently get through the cross-threaded section. (One shouldn't necessarily go all the way through with the second tap without partially removing the first, because referencing one side to the other isn't really how the tools are intended to work, but that's a tangent.)

You have enough good thread in there remaining that things should be fine at that point. The risk is continuing to mess with it and starting to lose threads completely, which could happen from the spot you're in now.

In the scheme of things, bike bottom brackets use a fairly long section of very fine threads. Its pretty common for low end cartridges such as Sunrace to not get things right and have problems with starting rough, going in rough, etc. It may work fine after chasing the threads, but if it doesn't, there's a lot to be said for just getting a Shimano UN-55. It will go in right and last a ton longer, and they've gotten really cheap.


How can I avoid tearing the valve loose from an inner tube with a wheel lock?

A bike I sometimes borrow has one of these locks, and I can't say it's ever been a problem. You've given the answer in your question: Do not close the wheel lock between a spoke and the valve. If you're prone to forgetting this, what you need is a way to make the valve more obvious. I've had automatically illuminated valve caps before. That would do the trick, even in darkness, but the cheap ones I've used haven't been very waterproof. Alternatively putting a spoke-mounted reflector in that range of spokes might help. If even those don't stop you, something like tape between the spokes either side of the valve should prevent you locking up on the bit of the wheel, but might get in the way of the valve and will almost certainly end up making a mess.


Running tires with significantly different pressures?

The markings on the tires for the pressures can be essentially ignored. They're a combination of marketing and legal departments coming up with essentially arbitrary numbers.

Find a set of pressures that works for you so the tires are properly inflated -- it should prevent pinch flats, but keep rolling resistance low and absorb road hazards and irregularities to some extent. The tire will deflect a bit when properly inflated. There are charts which you can use as rough guidelines, but you'll need to play with it.

If the tire is over or under inflated, it can damage the wheel and/or compromise handling and/or lead to flats. Sheldon Brown has a good explanation.

Often, you want to run different tire pressures (for example, the rear tire has more load, so you may want to go 10% higher in pressure or whatever, even if the tires are of the same size). If you're running different sized tires (which is not uncommon, either for lower weight, better handling or comfort; your front and rear clearances for tires are often different), you'll usually be running different pressures.

Chances are the new tires you ordered are essentially the same as the old ones, so you should start with the old pressure combinations you were using, and make adjustments from there.


First thing first: Barbie should NEVER suffer a penalty because of Ken's preferences or athletic level. It is up to Ken to solve by himself the problem of making Barbie enjoy the ride. Leaving her alone is not fine, unless she explicitly, truly says it is.

One possibility could be to add weight to Ken's bike, or maybe Ken could choose, among his many bikes, the one less efficient, be it because of weight, aerodynamic position, or rolling resistence. Of course, if he has a blazing racing bike, he could very well fit it so that Barbie can ride with less effort (and thus faster).

If Barbie and Ken are in a firm relationship and their mood is well tuned, riding a tandem is a garanteed success. Take a well-paved, fair traffic road and Barbie will love to go above 20mph while Ken beat the sh*t out of his legs.

Let's go further in the future: if they happen to have a CHILD some day, of course Ken is going to carry her around on his bike. Around four years old, the "average speed" of Barbie and Ken+Child should be quite similar, and beyond that age Ken is starting to fall behind... Above eight years old, or even sooner, the kid can eventually become the tandem stoker, while Ken is the captain and Barbie goes happily along with her own solo bike.

It is important to mention that every regularly performed physical activity develops endurance, then perhaps if Ken is patient, and surely if he gives up a bit the "every ride is a workout" paradigm, Barbie can improve, then Ken doesn't have to wait so often, neither she has to keep riding only 20km. But ONLY if he is patient.

(That pretty much describes my recently completed five years of marriage, with a stepson now 11 years old. I believe even a steady date can benefit somehow with this tips. Of course lots of times things go wrong, though...)


What is the difference between SV17 and SV19 bicycle tubes?

SV17 and SV19 are quick identifying codes for Schwalbe tubes. I have reproduced an extract below from Schwalbe's Website. I'm assuming they won't mind for the advertising benefit.

From the table we see that each model of tube they make is given an alphanumeric code starting with AV, DV and SV which you realise are for Auto Valve (Schrader), Dunlop Valve (Woods) and Sclaverand Valve (Presta) respectively, colour coded for easy identifying. Each size of tube is then given a number like 17, 19, so we can look up in the table what tyres it is suitable for. Or more likely, look up what tube best suits our bike and find it on the shelf quickly and easily. Or keep said shelf tidy and organised and re-order from suppliers.

SV17 and SV19 do overlap in some of their size ranges, e.g. they would both fit a 40-622 tyre, but SV19 also covers some 27.5, and 29er sizes and is quite a bit heavier.

The major 'gotcha' to be aware of is that someone (eg an English speaker) wanting a Schrader valve tube should be careful to order an AutoValve (AV) tube not a SclaverandValve (SV) tube, by remembering that Schwalbe is a German brand.


What you need to do is look up the total capacity specifications of both your front and rear derailleurs.

For a front derailleur the total capacity is just the largest difference between the largest and smallest chainring tooth counts the derailleur can handle.

The total capacity is for a rear derailleur is the largest (difference between the largest and smallest chainring tooth counts) + (difference between the largest and smallest rear sprocket tooth counts) the derailleur can handle.

If the crankset with larger rings exceeds the front or rear derailleur capacities, it will not work, however, Shimano's specs are quite conservative, so you may get away with a couple of teeth over the specified max numbers.

You can look up Shimano derailleur specifications here: https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/

Another concern is chainstay clearance. Larger rings may hit the chainstays, especially as you are thinking of rings that are on the large side for a mountain bike.


Can standard cartridge wheel bearings "shrink" over time?

The wheel in question uses sealed bearings. They are generally not serviceable. Service consists of replacement. You mentioned they appear to have plenty of grease on them. With a good bearing there should be grease in them and sealed in place by the seal. The only time grease will be visible is if the seal has failed. The seal usually fails because of bearing wear allowing movement.


The answer is trigonometry. Most bikes have a headset angle of about 74°, give or take a degree. Over the adjustment range you're looking at that degree doesn't make a difference.

Here, tan(74 degrees) = height change / reach change = ~3.5. So to get a centimetre of reach change to need to lift the stem 3.5cm, putting the stem up reducing the reach. Or you can invert that and say each centimetre you lift the stem changes the reach by about 3mm.

Roughly, the stem that's about 1cm longer but 3cm higher will have the same reach. But 3cm higher will feel quite different, and because of the way your body curves to reach the bars it will probably feel as though the reach is shorter.


Is it ok to use an inner tube that is slightly too large for the tire?

It won't cause a problem with your brakes – the tire casing will prevent the tube from "over expanding."

Your tire is a bit smaller than the small end of the range for the tube. You may find it a little harder to fit in the extra material and it would be good to take a bit of extra care to make sure you don't pinch the tube if you use tire levers.

Be careful to avoid any twists, but it should work. This question, Using a wider inner tube, explains in more detail what can go wrong if the tube is significantly too large, and also points out that inflating the tube slightly will ease installation – especially in a case like this.


Installing Alfine shifter with nexus 8 hub

Yep, same cable pull for the shifter.

Alfine shifters have the same bar real estate needs as most any other modern flatbar shifter, so you can use pretty much whatever you want that's compatible with your brake, which is its own question that you can find plenty of discussions on here.


If you can't get something recommended by the manufacturer, you may be able to find something suitable by taking measurements or reading the size off the existing seat post. Sheldon brown has a database of seatpost sizes, but sadly it doesn't seem to include Viking or Hopper.

I guess there are three things you should look for:

Tube diammeter: Must either match your existing post or you can sometimes use a plastic shim to make up the difference.
Layback/Setback: How much the bracket at the top of the post is offset behind the tube. Larger numbers put your saddle a bit further from the handlebars.
Strength: I'm guessing really long seat posts for folders have to be pretty strong compared to those on standard bikes, so make sure it is specific to a folder and up to the job.

You may be best to take the old one into your local bike shop and ask if they can find something for you.


Shimano 9 speed has a different pull ratio to 10 speed.
So this wouldn't be possible.
If your Tiagra is the newer 4700 series - the cabling is routed under the tape - which gives a cleaner line but I found on my Shimano 5700 105 (vs the older 5600 external routing) gave a stiffer shift.

I have found on servicing my cables with lubed and sealed Jagwire - the shifting has improved greatly though.


With the lever open, unscrew the nut on the other side a few turns.

Lefty loosey.


Good way to stop electrolyte tabs from turning into powder?

I've got a few individually wrapped tablets (and equivalent powders) that came as samples.  I never use them when starting from home instead saving them for carrying with me.  This works for long hot days, but on a multi-day trip would soon run out, and the packaging is wasteful.

The tubes protect the tablets from crushing, though they add bulk compared to decanting into a small resealable bag and packing that carefully into your luggage.

Assuming you want to carry on using the original tube, you need to fill the empty space.  You could use something as simple as paper or cotton wool, or even the wrappers from cereal bars, screwed up.  I wouldn't use gel wrappers as they'll make the tablets damp. If touring with the ability to make hot drinks you could even use tea bags as padding. Some of the tubes of tablets have a sort of plastic spring that takes up the space when only a few have gone.  This seems effective for as long as it lasts, so I suggest filling the space under the tablets.  For that you could even use a few sweets (making assumptions about what else you carry).  Under the tablets, enclosed in a bag, would be a good place to carry some emergency cash, making good use of the space.


What are the best ways to start gravel biking for a complete novice (in the Bay Area)?

Welcome to the Bay Area! First, you should become a member of Bike East Bay - they provide advocacy as well as produce bike trail maps for the east bay. Being a member gets you a discount at most east bay bike stores.

Second, the gravel trails around here are all fairly gentle in terms of terrain except for some steep hills. You could do them all with a hybrid if you're fit enough. So my advice would be to just find some trails - either along the coastline where it's flat - or in the hills where you get the view -- and just do it.

The best way to learn is to just ride! If things get sketchy just take it slow. There are group rides scheduled through Bike East Bay, REI, and other organizations. Check through them or places like Meetup.

PS: You can find some very difficult, double black diamond trails for mountain biking in the east bay but you'd really have to go out of your way to look for them. Marked trails on the bike trail maps (and on google maps) are all beginner level.


Can the rear axle accommodate a nine speed cassette? Depending on your current equipment, you may have to change the derailer, hanger, and shifters as well.


If you buy something from a shop and it doesn't work, take it back and explain what happened. They'll almost certainly offer you a refund or a replacement.


Keeping your feet dry (or do you not even care?)

I keep extra socks at work, and typically turn my commuting socks inside out and place them and my shoes on top of my computer tower under my desk to dry them out. When the weather goes chilly, I adopt these techniques:

polypro sock liners
wool socks
plastic bag keeps cold water out, blocks cold breeze
ankle hiker or other leather shoe
low gaiters, with the tops tucked under my rain pant cuffs

I keep two pairs of commuting shoes in rotation, to give one a whole day to dry out, to try and avoid fungus buildup.

To keep feet warm, I keep my shoes laced loosely, and I avoid tight fitting socks. I want to keep as much circulation in my feet as possible. Your feet will feel colder if you pile on a lot of socks and constrict your circulation.

My old (street shoes) are very old, hardly worth keeping now. I'm days away from getting some Keen sandals and sealskinz socks.

I've read warm recommendations for fleece socks and neoprene socks (neoprene apparently wicks and blocks wind).


what is the correct tire size for a trek 7300 multitrack?

Bike Blue book has the original tires on a 2012 model as 700c x 35:
 bluebook

You could just go with any 700c x 35 tire. I've found that many local bike shops can order for a similar price as mail order and they'd be able to match your tread to the terrain and weather conditions in your area. As far as width, you might be able to go slightly wider with a 37mm (as you currently have) or 38. It all depends on your tire clearance, especially if you have fenders.

As for your particular tire, I agree the Slickasaurus have ambiguous markings. The manufacturer's website doesn't give any information so I took this screen grab off Amazon for a Slickasaurus tire that shows  "700 x 35c (35/32)".  My reading of this is that it fits on 700c rims normally designed for a 35mm tire width (that is, the wire bead is close to that of a 35mm), but because it's a slick tire, the actual tread width is closer to what a 32mm tire would have.

For your old tire, it means that it nominally fits rims designed for tires that have a wire bead profile closer to a 37mm tire's wire bead but in actuality has a tread profile closer to a 32mm profile.


The word is SPRUE and can present as a short rubber "hair" 1-2 milimetres thick, or a long thin straggy line around the tyre, somewhat like a fish fin.

If your rim tyre is too narrow for your tyre then its possible for the edge of the rim to wear on the tyre.  This could produce threads that really are thread, instead of rubber.  I've never seen this on road tyres, but its a rare possibility on oversized MTB tyres on hybrid/cruiser rims.


What's the strongest way to bond a cable stop to an steel frame?

Don't use cable stops.  The biggest load those stops will ever see is when you grab your brakes hard for an emergency stop.  So you're likely to find out that whatever you did to bond the stops to the frame wasn't strong enough or fatigue-resistant enough at the absolute worst possible time.
And you'll never be able to know if your work is fatigue-resistant enough.  You can only find out that it wasn't - and you'll know that only after it fails.
Run the outer housing the entire length of the cable.  All you need then is a few tie wraps to hold the cable near the frame.


Shimano never made a derailleur or shifter called "515", as far as I can tell. Perhaps you mean "SIS"? SIS stands (I think) for Shimano Integrated Shifting, which is indexed shifting.

The fact that you've only got five cogs in back suggests that you've got an old, low-end bike. You might find that upgrading your shifters will exceed the total value of the bike. I also don't know whether Shimano's low-end derailleurs are compatible with their brifters for indexed shifting. I'd take it by a bike shop and ask for an opinion.


Stuck 6mm-only pedals can be a very tough situation, unfortunately.

Presuming an aluminum crank, heat, either from a heat gun or torch, is a method some mechanics go to quickly here. The idea is the different materials expanding and contracting at different rates thermally shocks the corrosion free. Personally I'm squeamish about this and never do it on other people's bikes, out of fear of metallurgical consequences (ruining the heat treatment etc) that might not be obvious. That said, it's a pretty common practice and probably unlikely to bite you in any meaningful way.

I tend to soak it in some kind of penetrating oil for at least a day. Lately I've been using Finish Line Chill Zone, which thermally shocks it using cold. I put a plastic bag around the pedal, rubber band it around the crank, and position it so the threaded part is being bathed in oil. This also contains the mess and smell, which is nice.

To do the actual breaking free, what I do if possible is clamp a 6 poking straight up in the vise, put the crank on top of that, and try to find some way of applying massive leverage to the crank, usually via a Park FFS. I've also clamped the cranks using smooth jaws and rags, but this is pretty likely to do some kind of marring to the cranks anyway given all the force involved.


Based on comments, you want to seal the holes in the sole which are used to mount cleats.

Put cleats on.
Put the cleat bolts in the holes, but be careful they're not too long when there's no cleat acting as a washer.
Put some RTV Silicon sealant up the hole - should be possible to dig this out with a sharp screwdriver or drill later.
Short term fix is to slap a square of duct tape over the holes.  Should last for a bit because the shoe sole doesn't touch the ground where the cleat is.

Another option is to wear shoes without cleat holes.


I would have though a heart rate monitor would be most useful for training, until you get to the point where you need power meter.


Multiple Bluetooth Smart sensors for bike?

Android can just about handle multiple BTLE sensors simultaneously but there are still some low level Android bugs that make it rather unreliable.  The coding for is also a good bit more complex to get working than the single sensor case.  I have support in my app IpBike via a beta version of IpSensorMan

At this point in time if you were getting new then an ANT+ based setup is the preferred route.  But if your looking to work with your current phone which is not ANT capable then you would need an ANT USB stick and things get messy.


Campy 11 speed and Shimano compatibility

Derailleurs: No. Shimano and Campagnolo derailleurs have different actuation ratios, and while there are adapters for many other combinations, Shimano to Campagnolo 11-speed isn't manufactured. The cassettes are so close that you can use cassette from one 11-speed system with the other, so there's less need to mix derailleur brands.

Mechanical brakes: Yes, but not optimal. Newer Shimano road brakes use slightly more cable movement for the same brake actuation, so Campagnolo levers will work with them but feel spongy and if you don't keep the brakes well adjusted the levers may hit handlebars before maximum braking power.

Hydraulic brakes: From what I could find, both brands use 22mm pistons, 5mm hoses and mineral oil based brake fluid, so they are not fundamentally incompatible. I wouldn't try it myself, since brakes are the one component you don't want to fail.

Edit: Regarding the other answer, the fluid transfer amount is determined only by piston cross section area. Shimano and Campagnolo road brakes apparently have similar sized pistons, but this doesn't apply MTB models, different brands and future models. The fittings are different, but since hose size is same, you should be able to install fitting from different brand on one end. I still wouldn't do this and shifting wouldn't still work.


How to get a replacement rear axle for a Giant ATX 2

You need to figure out whether its thread is M10x1 or 3/8"x26tpi. It will be one of the two. Could be either.
The main tools to do it properly are a vernier caliper and a thread pitch gauge.
Your rear derailleur pivot bolt threads are M10x1, so there are various tricky ways of using that to determine the thread. 3/8" axles are right around 9.5mm, so you could take one of the locknuts or cones from the axle and see if you can thread it on. It won't be possible if the axle thread is 3/8x26, but will go right on if it's 10x1.
In theory you can squint at it with a ruler to differentiate between 9.5mm and 10mm. The usual as-measured major thread diameters of the two are about 9.4mm and 9.9 respectively.
Then you need to measure the length, which will almost certainly be around 146mm.
Then order a Wheels Mfg chromoly axle of the specs you've found. For anyone who's already broken an axle, it makes sense to cut to the chase and get a fancy chromoly one to attempt to minimize future issues, which probably won't really work in the long run, despite the superiority of Wheels axles. You'll also need a cone wrench to put it all together and adjust it. Hypothetically you can do this with the freewheel on, but in practice it's silly and you should get a freewheel tool as well to take the freewheel off.
One good reason not to do any of this is that before your axle broke, it was probably bent. While it was bent, your cones and cups had all sorts of opportunity to get messed up from being ridden in that state. Getting a good adjustment will likely be impossible. The drive side cup and cone in particular are likely to be more or less destroyed, another reason to get the freewheel off being so you can visually check the cup. Compounded with the probability of bending or breaking it again, it's better in almost all cases to just switch to a cassette hub wheel, which unfortunately means buying a cassette. I personally would check the dropout alignment too, because it's possible for dropout alignment problems to contribute to broken axle situations.


Can I use a 11-23 11-speed Shimano cassette with the RD-R8000 11-speed Ultegra Shadow rear derailleur (short cage)?

Probably you'll be just fine, although it's technically outside the spec'd range.

Per the Shimano 2019-2020 Products compatibility Information document (warning: PDF link), the RD-R8000 rear derailleur is compatible with all of the following cassettes:

CS-R9100
CS-9000
CS-6800
CS-5800
CS-R8000
CS-HG800-11
CS-R7000
CS-HG700-11

As far as I know, that covers all of Shimano's 11-speed road cassettes, and I'm assuming Shimano doesn't produce an 11-23 MTB cassette.

BUT

The RD-R8000 is spec'd as

    RD-R8000-SS
(25T≤CS Low gear≤30T)

(the GS is similary spec'd with a 28T minimum)

so a 23-tooth sprocket would be slightly too small per Shimano's specs.

But it should work for you as Shimano's spec's are notoriously tight - and I already do have an 11-23 on a bike with an RD-8000-SS and it works fine with an 11-23. (I didn't even know it wasn't "in spec"...)

The page the info was extracted from:


How can I build my own open-source cyclometer?

The most detailed account/details I've come across for building your own bike computer is here on PIClist.

Those pages contain detailed instructions for building a bike computer using a PIC microcontroller linked to a Hall Effect Sensor (it detects the magnet attached to a spoke as the wheel spins). In addition to the build details it also features a detailed discussion of the design process which the creator undertook whilst creating the computer.


Determining make model and year of bmx frame

Google is your friend.  Based on a report from the South Yorkshire Police , they received a report of a stolen BMX with "mbi-2325" as the "serial number" in 2010.
Seems to be a mistake in that was a frame model and the serial number is one of the other values.

However this same police report lists it as

  MIRRACO   BLEND 2 BMX BIKE BROWN 09

which means little to me.  More Google returns http://www.vitalbmx.com/product/feature/Mirraco-Blend-Two-Complete-Bike,2275

  Another dope complete bike from Mirraco. Here are the specs:

Frame: 20.5” T/T full chromoly with D.B. down-tube, with integrated head tube, MID bottom bracket and 5mm thick dropouts
Fork: full chromoly with 3/8” dropouts
Headset: FPD 1-1/8” integrated sealed
Crankset: M3 3-piece chromoly 170mm, 19mm x 8-spline chromoly axle
BB Set: MID BB with R12 sealed bearings
Sprocket: M3 alloy 28t
Freewheel: 10t 1-piece driver RHD cassette
Chain: KMC Z410 nickel plated
Pedals: Wellgo Lite alloy 9/16” chromoly axles
Handlebar: M3 2-piece 7.5” chromoly 2.0T
Stem: M3 Downside alloy Aheadset 1-1/8”
Grips: Duo Scotty Cranmer
Saddle: M3 Blend Pivotal
Seat Post: Pivotal alloy 25.4mm x 200mm single bolt
Seat Clamp: M3 alloy 28.6mm
Front Hub: M3 alloy 36-hole 3/8” chromoly axle, 2 sealed bearings
Rear Hub: M3 alloy cassette 36-hole with 14mm chromoly hollow axle, RHD, 4 sealed bearing, 10t 1-piece driver
Rims: Ale x double wall DM-22 black anodized front, DM-24 chromed  rear, 36-hole with eyelets
Spokes: 14g stainless
Tires: Maxxis Grifter 20 x 2.1” front, 1.85” rear, 110/100 PSI
Pegs: steel pegs (1 pair)
Rotor: SST Oryg with SST top and lower cables
Brakes: Tektro FX-570 alloy rear U-brake with soft grey pads
Brake Lever: Snafu C-Lever, alloy with hinge

  Weight: 26.1 lb./11.8 kg
  Colours: Flat Brown, Mica Blue


What are the benefits of external bottom brackets?

External bottom brackets allow you to have both large bearings and a large, hollow bottom bracket spindle.  A large hollow spindle can be designed to be as stiff as a small solid spindle for less weight.  Smaller bearings reduce the longevity of a bottom bracket, so the typical bottom bracket design allows a narrow range of suitable spindle sizes and bearing sizes - to get the weight savings from a larger spindle you need to sacrifice durability.  Moving the bearings to the outside effectively removes this tradeoff.

There is an additional performance factor in situations where high stiffness is required in that the distance between the cranks and the bearings is reduced, lessening the torque on the axle.

For commuting, errands, recreational riding and other "normal" purposes a cartridge bottom bracket is almost always going to be more than sufficient.  If you are particularly concerned about durability, the SKF bottom brackets are engineered for 10 years / 100,000km of riding, but for the price a $25 Shimano cartridge will usually last what feels like forever.


Why is it easier to follow a cyclist up-hill

I have raced Cat 1/2 for a number of years (elite road cycling) and I can unequivocally say the many here have no clue what they are talking about.  On a climb "getting on the wheel" is rarely about slipstreaming (unless there is a severe headwind), instead its about   positioning, pacing and psychology.

Position and Pacing

Rides who attack or lead out the climb are strong and will likely be climbing near their aerobic threshold.  If you don't get on immediately, a gap will form.  If you want to catch up (close the gap) you will have to work hard likely putting in an anaerobic effort.  This is not good as it will reduce your capacity to respond to future attacks (you only want to go anaerobic or near anaerobic when you absolutely have to). Then best analogy is you are like book of matches, you get so many strikes so use them wisely.  If you immediate latch onto the wheel it is your best shot at keeping your pace aerobic, therefore conserving a match.

Conversely, lets suppose you say "%^#* it I'll let a gap form."  You continue climbing eventually matching the pace so that the gap doesn't get too big.  When you reach the top, you will have put in virtually the same effort, but they will have started on the downhill  before you reach the top.  The gap will now get even wider and all of a sudden you are screwed. You are at speed and now you have an even bigger gap to close plus you now have the added disadvantage that slipstreaming has suddenly become important again. Facing this you have two real choices, cross your fingers and hope the peloton slows (which it may - the peloton is a fickle beast), OR bust your ass and close that damn gap.  The rub is if you do close the gap you put in twice the effort you would have if you had simply got on the damn wheel when the climbing started.

Road racing is like chess.  You need to plan at least five moves ahead, but unlike chess there are virtually no restriction to the type of moves you can make and there are 150 simultaneous players.

Psychology

Some here seem to believe there is no psychology involved with getting on someone's wheels on a climb.  WRONG.

If someone is climbing hard (at a pace you find hard to match) the best thing you can do is sit on their wheel as close as possible (we are talking 2 inches gap).  You just stare at that frackin' wheel and you DO NOT let that gap widen.  You tell yourself that you don't care how much it hurts, you will not let the gap widen.  You then keep repeating this to yourself and before you know it the climb is over.

In all seriousness, when you are right on your aerobic threshold you have to nail pacing.  Riding really close lets you judge when you are slacking off.  It is much easier to work to pick up an inch or two that you lost when your concentration waned, than it is to be farther away from the rider and realize he/she has put 5-10 feet on you.  When everyone is at a similar fitness level you need to fight for every bloody inch you can get. Focusing on something like the wheel in front helps you not focus on the pain you are currently enduring.

Aside - road racing questions are fun, someone should ask about fun strategies such as guttering the peloton or rolling attacks.


What is the best treatment (not prevention) of saddle sores

Take a few days off. Keep the area clean and dry.
Try diaper rash ointment or maybe Aloe Vera and perhaps something like neosporin or OTC acne ointment.
Cover affected area(s) with bandaging… such as a hydrocolloid or semiocclusive hydrogel dressing. Personally, I'd use this along with an anti-bacterial ointment. This especially if you aren't taking days off.

The goal is to avoid infection and speed healing. You don't want boils forming.

For the DIY folks... diaper rash cream is primarily zinc oxide +- an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal ingredient carried in something like petrolatum. Some also include hydrocortisone Enjoy.


I've never found a 6 speed brifter, but that's no proof that they don't exist.

You might get away with using a 7 speed brifter like a Shimano RSX  on the right hand side, if your rear 6 speed cassette is a Suntour Ultra freewheel with a 5mm spacing.

"Regular" 6 speed is a spacing of 5.5mm and that adds up quickly over 6 gears to 3mm which is halfway to the next gear and won't work
Spacing crib notes from Sheldon Brown's site at https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html

You might choose to leave the front derailleur on a downtube shifter if you can't find the correct one for the left hand.

Downside about using a 7 speed brifter is that they are indexed, so you will have a dead or ghost click past the high gear, where the inner cable goes slack and your rear mech is held on the limit screw, which might not be quite the right position.  If that happens you just upshift once to get to the highest gear.

Your other option is to replace the rear hub, cassette, chain, perhaps the rear derailleur, and one or two brifters for something more recent.  This probably entails stretching your frame to fit a wider hub between the dropouts.

Finally  - after some searching it turns out Shimano's Flight Deck is a pair of brifters combined with a cycling computer/display, a wheel sensor, and a pedal/crank sensor.   The lowest gear count I could find was a 9 speed double and a 9 speed triple, so if you want this functionality you will need  a possibly expensive upgrade.


@ArgentiApparatus is correct - 9 clicks is 10 speeds.  Your lever starts at one end, in a gear position, and the first click puts it into the second position.  Thus there is one fewer click than gear positions.
You definitely have a 10 speed shifter, confirmed by  https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/grx-10-speed/ST-RX400-R.html
There remains the possibility that the shifter is somehow faulty, or that your indexing is not correct.


There's no such thing as a "normal" wheel. There are different rim widths for different purposes. These are probably older mountain-bike wheels.
Regarding tire compatibility: a given rim width will be compatible with a range of tire widths. Different manufacturers may have slightly different recommended ranges, but this and this are good starting points. Note that this is using the width across the inside of the rim, not outside. My guess is that you'll be OK with 2.5" tires, but I'd measure to be sure.


I don't think you can make a 3x1 setup work.

In order to have the chain change gears, there needs to be a mechanism to take up the slack in the chain. In a normal dual-derailer setup, the rear derailer does that.

You might be able to make it work with a chain tensioner, but I'm not sure if you can find one with enough range to do the job as well as a rear derailer.

Obviously you could do it with a rear derailer locked to the one gear, but that defeats the entire point.

A 1x8 or 1x9 would work fine, of course, since the only derailer is a rear derailer and it would handle the tension.

Another option would be to go with an internally geared hub (IGH). It's fairly common for "cruiser" and "town" bikes to have a 3-speed internally geared hub. That would give you most of the extra durability of a singlespeed drivetrain and allow for a very thorough chain guard (no pant rolling needed). Internally geared hubs often have a built in coaster brake, which would mean you'd only need a front brake. Even better would be a belt-driven internally-geared-hub bike (no chain lube!), but that requires a frame (at least dropout) built for it and would definitely be more expensive.


Should I dispose of my cheap bike or is it worthy to keep?

Depends on your definition of rubbish! If I were to guess it is probably all entry level components, unless they have been upgraded. That would be the first indicator. You can cross reference them by typing model numbers into Google.

However, before throwing it away I would recommend putting it up for sale, or even better if there is someone in need, why not dust it off, polish it up and donate it to the less fortunate!


It depends. If an inexperienced person such as your regular consumer does it, it could take a few hours especially if you don't have the proper tools or preparation.

If an experienced person at the shop does it with their tools, it could take half an hour if all the spokes are the right length, it's a standard lacing, or they've done the same wheel before. For example, in this youtube video, a skilled wheelbuilder only takes 7:30 seconds  to built a new 32-spoke wheel up from scratch using pre-measured spokes. Dishing and tensioning the wheel would take perhaps another five to ten minutes.

These days, many "hand built" wheels are really hand finished. The machine does the initial lacing and tensioning, the human does the final tension balancing. This could take less than five minutes of human time.

Note that if you give your shop a random hub and a random rim, it'll take some time to research what spoke length you'll need for the lacing you want. Spokes might also have to be special ordered and/or cut to length. This type of research and prep work would add onto the actual time spent building the wheel. Rear wheels take more time in general than front wheels because of the dish. Disc brakes will also take more time because of the dish or if you change the lacing on that side.

So I would say in terms of shop labor time, on the short side it'd be 0.5 hours of labor for a hub and rim that they're familiar with and have premeasured spokes for; to 2.0 hours for a hub and rim they've never seen and will have to do some research and maybe special ordering or fitting before they can start work on it.

In the USA in 2017, shop labor is between US$40-80 an hour depending on location. This includes shop overhead such as rent and tool use. The shop may cut you a break depending on how much you are a regular.

Tl;dr: Between 0.5 - 2.0 shop hours depending on how much research, special ordering, and preparation is needed as well as the complexity of the job.


If you are having to service hubs after a 50km ride in wet and muddy conditions something is wrong. All bearings on modern hubs are 'sealed'; not hermetically, but enough to prevent ingress of water and dirt and should not need servicing so often.

Just to address you other questions:

Re 'industrial bearings' I think you mean cartridge bearing types (which use industrial standards for sizes and quality). You don't need these per se. Cup and cone bearings work fine.

You cannot use through-axles on a frame designed for quick release axles. Some hubs are convertible from TA to QR though.

Center lock and 6-bolt rotors are not interchangeable.

With inexpensive wheels it's not cost effective to replace hubs because new hub, new spokes and the cost of rebuilding the wheel is comparable to the cost of a whole wheel.


Night cycling: Is it worth using electroluminescent wire?

There is some interesting research here (pp 56-60), in amongst some decent comparisons of methodologies, they suggest that reflective material on the major joints makes the real difference in having cyclists being identifiable and identified. The thinking, as I understand it, is that lights are just lights and could be on (more or less) anything but reflective material on ankles and knees introduces motion and makes you look like a cyclist to a viewer's subconscious.

This isn't to say that you shouldn't light yourself up like a Christmas tree, but unusual and unexpected things aren't necessarily going to help you be noticed.


Replacing Ultegra R8000 'long cage' derailleur (crash repair advice)

The Evans site is in error. Generally road derailleurs come in SS (short) and GS (medium) versions. The SGS long types are found in MTB groups.

Your derailleur may be scraped up but not bent and still servidable, the derailleur hanger typically gets bent in a crash which saves the derailleur.

My experience of crashes where I've gone down on my side is the frame is fine as impact is taken by the bar, shifter, pedal and derailleur. Going over the bike looking for issues is obviously a good idea. I'd check the shifter, bar and stem alignment in particular.


Is disk brake effectiveness mitigated by tyres losing traction under strong braking?

Ideally, the brakes should be able strong enough to break traction otherwise you will not be able to brake maximally (i.e., just before the threshold of losing traction). Rim brakes can do this, even in wet weather, if set up correctly.  The real advantage of disc brakes in wet weather is other aspects of how the brakes perform.

From personal experience, disc brakes have superior wet weather performance for the following reasons:

Modulation: as stated above maximal braking is when you are on the threshold of losing traction.  Good hydraulic disc brakes are typically renowned for their feel and modulation (i.e., enacting finite changes in brake force), letting you approach those thresholds with more control.
Response time: while a well set up rim brakes can generate strong braking forces, the response is often delayed in the wet due to the need to first clear the rim of water before effective braking can occur. In a similar manner disc brakes must clear water from the rotor, but this tends to occur much more quickly due to rotors being better protected than rims and the slots in the rotors giving water a place to go when the bake pads are engaged. This gives disc brakes responsive brakes even in down pour conditions.
Wear/longevity: rim and disc brakes both use some type of brake pad, and in both cases these brake pads will wear faster in the wet. That said, brake pads associated with rim brakes tend to wear proportionately faster due the rim braking surface being closer to the road causing it to get dirtier quicker than a disc brake rotor which is close to the wheel hub.
Structural integrity: Disc brakes have a dedicated braking surface (i.e. the disc rotor), where as with rim brakes the braking surface is built into the rim.  Wearing the braking surface of rim brakes can eventually result in rim failure without regular inspections and replacements. Where as rim brakes require a wheel replacement or rebuild, with disc brakes wheels should theoretically last longer as it is fairly trivial to replace a disc rotor. Furthermore, damage to a rim will affect braking for rim brakes, but not disc brakes.

In dry weather and/or clean conditions there is arguably less of an advantage to disc brakes compared to a well set up rim brake.


Why do my tubes fail with a small area of rubber missing?

It sounds like either something is rubbing a hole in the tube or it's a defective tube.

If it's a wear hole you might be able to locate what caused the wear hole.
Your wear point was either the tire, rim, or sometimes a tube gets folded and wears against itself.

I always put my tubes and tubes on so that the pressure rating on the tire is above the valve stem and on the freewheel side of the rear wheel or on the non-lever side for the front wheel. Doing this makes it easy to find pressure ratings and it allows me to more easily find where a hole in my tube came from.

Even if you don't know exactly how the tube was laying inside the tire looking at the hole in the tube in relation to the valve stem can help you find the wear spot.

Finding a rim wear point
If the hole is on the valve side of the tube in the narrow band that contacts the rim you can put the tube back on the rim and line up the hole with the rim to find the wear point. The wear point would be in one of two spots on either side of the valve hole in the rim. Look for something about the rim that might cause wear and correct it. Everything should be smooth and abrasion free.

Finding a tire wear point
If you know how the tube sat in the tire - because you put it on a specific way or because you remember then trace the hole back to the tire and look for a rough spot or something that could cause wear.
If you don't know how the tire sat in the tube feel around inside the tire and make sure everything is smooth. Be sure to check the inside of the tire bead.

Folded tube
If the hole is due to the tube rubbing on itself there are sometimes fold marks on the tube around the hole. When installing a tube make sure that it lies smoothly inside the tire with no creases or folds.

Defective tube
If the tube is defective it will look like the tube material gets thinner around the hole or the seam is thinner than the rest of the material. If the hole looks rubbed or abraded then it's not a defect. Your local bike shop should have someone with an experienced eye who can identify defects.


What is the hand gesture for "I'm sorry"?

I use a sort of wave, raising my hand but with no movement in it (so not a 'Hey buddy' or 'I need help' side to side movement).... it works on my bicycle, on my motorcycle, and while driving a vehicle. It's got somewhat of a dual purpose: acknowledgement that I did something wrong, and/or 'thanks for letting me in' gratitude gesture.

The motorcycle I find a very odd case of this. It's 95% not me giving the gesture, but receiving it after being cut off, not seen, turned in front of, etc. People are in general not interested in showing any rage and are quick to apologize when I'm on one, even if I'm not wearing the armored jacket and helmet. I don't get even half this respect in vehicles or bicycles.

That was a side note that I've found interesting, but the point is that it's the same gesture I seem to get from many other people. There's no side/side or waving motion, just a hand up, fingers together, "Thanks/Sorry".


The first approach to take is try to immobilize the axle by getting the other side dropout extra super duper pinched between the locknut and axle nut. If that side's axle nut can be freed, remove it and grease the threads. Snake in a cone wrench and open wrench on that side if applicable and get the cone and locknut very tight against one another. Then with a wrench on the cone if possible or the locknut if not, reef down on the axle nut. You may get more preload by adding a washer if it doesn't have one, and you'll tear up the dropout less. Then try again on the stuck nut. If you can put a wrench also on that side's locknut while doing so, it will help to immobilize the axle. (If you have access and think it will work, you could also just try putting a wrench on that locknut without doing the other steps. That will be enough some amount of the time.)
This only takes a minute and usually it just works.
Depending on what locknuts you do and don't have access to, another approach can be do the above to the extent possible, then try to break free the offending side's cone and locknuts from each other, then do wrenches on that side's axle nut and locknut.
Getting penetrating oil on the stuck nut will help with any of the above.


What to do about hypothermia on a long ride?

Hypothermia can sneak up on a person.  Unless you're paying attention, you usually won't notice until you're extremely cold.  Hypothermia can slow your reaction times and cause severe lapses in judgement, so be very careful out there!  It's best to avoid it altogether, but if it happens, don't trust yourself to make good decisions.

As far as what to wear:  I'm kind of a gearhead, so I like to wear fancy softshell clothing.  It's great stuff because it breathes well and lets out moisture but still blocks wind and (mostly) blocks rain.  If you're into that sort of thing, Pearl Izumi and Castelli both make some great gear.  If you're on a bit of a budget, I'd lean toward the tried and true wool.  Avoid cotton like the plague -- when it gets wet, cotton will make you extremely cold.

We lose a lot of heat through our heads, so in the cold months it's important to have a hat on under your helmet.  I have a thin wool hat that keeps my head warm and fits nicely under my helmet.  Be sure to wear a warm layer and a wind blocking layer.  Wearing a wool sweater and a windproof jacket over the top will often be enough.

Gloves can also be very important -- when I'm riding long distances in the winter months, I find gloves help me keep my fingers nimble.  Making sure your fingers are warm enough to work well can be a serious safety concern when it comes to braking.

Most of all, be aware of how you feel.  If you feel cold and then later your hands are stiff but you don't feel cold any more, that's a warning sign.

As far as warming up goes, you did quite well.  I would add a warm beverage to the mix -- hot tea, hot chocolate, or whatever you prefer -- as it helps warm you from within.


You can basically use any 7 speed Shimano brifter except for 7 speed dura-ace (which had a different cable pull). All the 7 speed Shimano rear derailleurs (road/mountain) except of dura-ace have the same cable pull. And you're fine with road front derailleur compatibility within Shimano.

The current Shimano brifter that is compatible is the Shimano ST-A070, from the Tourney line. The Microshift SB-R472 also works.


Yes that spring thing will add about 25 mm of extra height once you're seated on it.

On the downside it will make your seat wobblier in all directions.  They make the saddle feel like its coming loose and about to fall off.  Its an unpleasant feeling, though you should get used to it given enough time.

You can get 600mm seat posts, but the difference is probably not worth the cost.

I too have a folding bike that is functionally too small for me.   My plan is to get an engineering firm to fab up a new seatpost from tube, and to use an old-school saddle clamp on the end rather than an integrated saddle clamp.  This will require a minimum of operations, being necking down the top, and applying knurling to the lowest part.

Second option is to find a seat post in two parts.  You might see these on Unicycles where the rider leg length could be a large range.  These tend to have two QR clamps and a substantial length of overlap.  I've not found a useful sized one yet.  These are also built for bikes with little to no sideways pressure, so the bending forces on the post will be increased.

Third option is a bit reversed - if you fit longer cranks to the BB, then your lower foot will be lower again, effectively increasing your seat post length.  However this could get expensive and will only gain you 10mm going from 165 to 175mm cranks.  Then there is the increased risk of pedal strike on turns.

A cheap option is to find the shoes you own with the thinnest sole, and make them your riding shoes.  This will only give a few millimetres thougj


Campagnolo wheels are available with both Shimano/SRAM and Campagnolo cassette compatible freewheel bodies. Ask which cassette your friend has and if they have Campagnolo, you can get the correct freehub body as a spare part.

SRAM/Shimano and Campagnolo cassettes have slightly different cog spacing. You can mix them, but the derailleur adjustment will be slightly off.


Assuming your current pads are V-brake style, these pads should work well: http://www.swissstop.com/rimbrakes/rxplus/yellowking/

As for the pad holders, it's not easy to find them sold without pads, nor with carbon pads.  That's too bad, but you can buy these anyway and use the pads on another bike: http://www.koolstop.com/english/v_type2holder.html


Old Cannondale MTB. 2nd set of wheels. Orig wheel has 8 speed cassette...2nd set has a 7 speed. Need advice

You do not want to run a 7 speed cassette with an 8 speed drivetrain. The sprocket spacing is not the same (5mm for 7, 4.8 for 8) so your indexing will be off, and you will run the risk of changing one gear too far and dropping the chain (no matter how careful you are, you will do this eventually).

If the Schwinn wheel is a freewheel type, you can't put an 8 speed cassette on it.

If the Schwinn wheel is a freehub type, you still have a problem. 7 speed freehub bodies (that the cassette fits onto) are narrower than those for 8 speed and above, and a 8 speed cassette will not fit (although apparently this can be hacked, see here https://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#897).

Something else you want to do is check your frame's rear hub spacing, it's probably 135mm but the schwinn wheels may be 130.

If I were you I'd sell the Schwinn wheels and get a set of 8 speed compatible wheels to avoid the hassle of trying to make them fit.


Does Garmin Oregon 700 have Strava integration?

Is it possible to upload tracks to Strava?

Yes, you can upload your tracks to Strava. If your device is connected with Garmin Connect, there is an option to automatically upload your tracks after they're synched with the Garmin platform.
https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/216918057-Garmin-and-Strava

If you don't want to connect your device to Garmin Connect, an alternative is to manually upload the recorded GPX files in Strava. I would except the files to be stored in the Garmin/GPX folder, which is visible after you connect your device to your PC.
Next, on the Strava website click the + in the right top, chose upload and click "File" on the left column. The upload interface allows to upload multiple files at once.

  Are segments visible on your display?

As far I'm aware, the Oregon 700 does not have Strava live segments available. However, when I was using the Oregon 400, I used a small trick to visualize them on the map.

If you download a GPX of a segment (eg. using this Chrome plugin), you can upload the segment as a track on your device. Next, in the track manager I could chose to show this particular track (being the Strava segment) on my map. Even while navigating another
route or track While cycling, this segment was visible on the map. I didn't got any notifications for the start or end of the segment and had to spot them manually, but at least you know where to push as hard you can.

I couldn't find the exact steps in the Oregon 700 manual and don't have one myself to guide you, but this might already give you a good pointer.


Is my carbon fork steerer tube damaged by overtightened stem bolts

In practical terms, it's impossible to tell for sure in a case like this. It's probably fine, but there's no way of knowing absolutely via visual inspection.

The surface indentations from the stem windows do occur naturally even with consistently correct torque on the fasteners. They're pretty normal to see.

It would be a good idea to get it as clean as possible so it can inspected closely for cracks or delamination. If you find any of that, it's toast.


How many ball bearings inside shimano MF-HG20 freewheel top and bottom?

According to http://www.bikepro.com/products/freewheels/shimfw.html:

  There are thirty-eight 3.0mm inner steel ball bearings used in the inner bearing assembly


What maintenance is required after riding through deep water?

I had first hand experience with what a full immersion can do. Racing through 3-foot deep muddy water and diluted mud isn't as great as it sounds!

The biggest problem comes from your bearings, no matter what type they are. At the time I had a sealed square taper bottom bracket which is more or less impervious to getting grit and fluid and inside. However, repeated immersion (only over the course of an hour) caused water and dirt to get inside which caused this nasty grinding sound. Any other bearing is going to be similar. In my experience cage style headset bearings tend to dry out faster but pick up more grit, which is probably why your steering appears to be less responsive.

As for the rusty water you're seeing, it could be coming from uncoated areas within the frame, and unprotected parts going through the frame.

To answer your questions, yes you will experience similar issues. However, these could take more or less time depending on how much water they are exposed to and how well you mitigate those effects. Making sure water is removed (drying the bike, turning it on it's side or upside down) will help. You will also have an accelerated maintenance schedule which means cleaning bearings and regreasing parts. Following a proactive maintenance schedule will give your bike a much longer life than if you wait until something is wrong.


I would put a note on the local message board, like the one in the school or the local supermarket, or the online version like Craiglist.
Most likely you will not get anything if people have to pay for transport, selling really local might be the best option.

But fixing the tires and cleaning it up might double the money you can get.

An other option is to keep it for when you can get a discount on a new bike on handing in an old one. Not sure that one comes around when you have a bike to get off your hands, but when there is one it will bring more for your bike than any private sale of an old bike.


What is the correct inflation pressure for hybrid road/city bike?

When you take the tire off to fix the puncture- find where the hole(s) are. If there are 2 holes approx the rim width apart, then you have a pinch flat. If it is just one hole, then its probably glass/thorn etc. You will get punctures from glass/thorn no matter what pressure you run at.

Once you have checked, if it's a double hole- run your pressures higher, suggest you look at your tyre and run just below the max (eg. if max is 100 psi (7 bar), run at 90 (6.2 bar). If you run them at the max pressure, it can feel very "hard" on the road (but is used for maximum efficiency)

If it's a single hole- then looking at tyres with Kevlar/other puncture protection would be a good idea (especially if it continues to happen).


I would look for the following:

Doesn't transition from smooth (good) to sticky (bad) over the course of a long ride
Easy to apply before a ride, and during if needed
Reasonably easy to wash off from both skin and shorts
Hypoallergenic if possible.  Even if you're not initially allergic to the ingredients, it's possible to develop something after enough use -- happened to me with sunscreen during a summer of touring.

I've been using BodyGlide for randonneuring for about 3 years now and it meets all of my criteria.  It comes in a deodorant stick format which is easy to apply and doesn't seem to break down even on 600km rides (although it does need re-application every 200-300km).  The only problem is it doesn't ever completely wash out of the chamois, but that almost seems like a plus.


The bike is one of the Haro Nyquist siganture models. There were a few different models and years so you would need to get the serial number and deciper from BMX Museum Haro Serial Number Info

For instance if the S/N starts with R24W5.... it will be a 2005 Haro R24 Nyquist.


Those are called gumwalls. With this keyword you can easily search for them. Brands I see mounted on my friend's bikes are the likes of bontrager, panaracer, schwalbe, but Id say that most tyre manufacturers have a gumwall offer.


How to remove dried vulcaniser from cotton clothes?

I don't know if the clothing was cotton, cotton blend or what have you, but this has worked for me in the past:

Using your fingernails or a dull knife or scraper, pick off as much of the excess cement from the fabric as you can. You can try gently pulling, scraping or rolling fragments as best you can
I've used a little petroleum jelly rubbed on the cement to loosen it further. Repeat step 1.
Use a spray solvent like Goo-Gone. Let it soak for a few minutes and repeat step 1. You may want to rinse with lukewarm water and repeat applications of the solvent.
Launder your clothing as normal, using the hottest temperature recommended for the material. You may want to dab a bit of your normal laundry detergent on each glue spot before washing as well.

By no means will this always work. Depending on the fabric and dye, even if you get all the glue off the clothing you may still be stuck with visible spots or stains. But, if like me, you got cement on a favorite pair of work pants while fixing a flat on your morning commute it's probably worth the effort. If it doesn't work, you weren't going to wear the clothes much with the stains anyway.


From what I can see from the latest images available the answer is no. The forks lack a caliper mount. The frame lacks a mount for the rear wheel caliper. Your money would be better spent buying better quality brake pads for the current brakes. The real advantage of discs don't become readily apparent unless you are doing long downhills or riding in wet muddy conditions.  If you have your heart set on disc brakes it makes more financial sense to buy a used bike that is equipped with discs already.


I need a new bike derailleur, which one?

It looks like Specialized built bikes with that name from 1993-2010. A lot changed over that time.
In the last year the bike was produced, it had a triple crankset (and presumably before). Triple chainrings are less popular these days, so your choices for a front derailleur will be limited.
For the rear derailleur, you'll need to find something compatible with A) the shifter, and B) the number of sprockets. This will come down to the derailleur's "cable pull ratio," and without knowing more about your specific bike, it's not possible to make a recommendation. Even with that information, it may take some archeology to dig up the right answer.
What is the specific problem you hope to solve by getting new derailleurs? There may be a different solution.


Is there a road shoe cleat adapter (from road to mountain) that could be used in a cyclo cross race?

I have never seen a three to two hole adapter that also included toe studs.  Even if one existed you still have the problem of inadequate heel tread.  When you come into a barrier at full running speed and dismount, unless you have an aggressive heal tread (like on most mountain bike shoes), there is a good chance you will slip and crash.  Hitting barriers at speed sucks (I know this too well)!

If cost is an issue I suggest looking for used MTB shoes on a site like craigslist.  Used MTB shoes are actually the best as the sole has lost some stiffness letting you run better during dismounts.

Even if you came up with a method of adding a toe spike and heal tread to a road shoe, the typically ultra stiff road style shoe would be very difficult to run in.

Half of the fun of cross is running!  Well at least for me :-)


How do I use my power meter file to improve my time up this steep hill climb tt?

Aside from pacing better, if your cadence drops to 40rpm for too long and you are in your lowest gear at maximal effort for the expected duration, then you could probably use at least a gear 2/3rds or less than you currently have so you are likely to be able to sustain closer to 60rpm.

That's possibly not feasible on your bike, but perhaps a 29 rear cog at least would help get cadence up a bit higher. Being stuck at 40rpm is probably (but not certainly) compromising your ability to generate maximal power for the duration. Depends on how often or how crucial this climb is to your overall performance goals. If it's not that important and you only deal with such climbs rarely, then making such a gear change probably isn't worth it.

Of course if you are carrying extra dead weight, then working to trim down can also help since steep climbing speed is all but linear with your power to weight ratio. At least a power meter can provide additional insight into your overall metabolic energy demand from training so that you can manage diet and medium term energy balance for sustainable/sensible weight loss.


Thanks for all the answers, I will be buying a new bike.


How do I adjust V-brakes that engage too abruptly

You can adjust the pads so that the leading end of the pads touches the rim first. That should provide a little more modulation as the area of pad engaged on the rim will then increase as the force on the brake lever increases.

You may also want to inspect both brakes to make sure the pad adjustment is correct. Park Tool has a great page that shows you how to adjust V-brakes properly.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/linear-pull-brake-service


What kind of a nut is this holding my front wheels?

It's called an axle nut in bicycling parlance. In general terms, it's a type of flange nut.

Like most things bicycling, there's little standardization of these. The most useful reference is here at Park Tool's site.

It could be a 5/16 inch x 24 tpi, 3/8 inch x 24 tpi or 8mm x 1mm. Or some weird other variant. The likelihood of finding the right one at a hardware store is low and you might accidentally jam or cross-thread it if you force it. For example, some axle nuts are 26tpi which will thread part way then jam.

Your local bike shop will likely have a big box of old axle nuts that you can sort through. If they don't, find an bike shop that is older and dirtier. The less teeth the mechanics have (both oral and on their steeds), the better.


1996 Mongoose size 19" Crossway 650 replacement size inner tube

According to the Bicycle Blue Book, this thing shipped with 700c wheels and 700x38 tires.

So, you need 700x38 tires (or something similar, e.g. 700x35) and a tube which is rated for 700x38 tires (these are sold by ranges, e.g. 700x38-45 tubes).


Need cycling eyewear, but fogging is a big problem

I suffered from foggy glasses a lot, I prefer to wear clear lenses since I tend to ride after dark frequently. I tried a few of different cycling glasses with clear lenses, eyeglasses with anti-fog coating, motorcycle goggles, and several pairs of safety glasses with no luck.

I finally found a pair of $9 MSA Safety Works safety goggles with anti fog coating that work well, don't fog easily, and have good peripheral coverage without obscuring my vision. They sit far enough off my face that they prevent fog when I'm stopped. So far this has been the best alternative to bulky ski goggles that I've used.

One of the biggest things you can do for any glasses to prevent fog is to keep them clean and free of sweat, oil, and residue.  I don't know if this is the best method, but i tend to just clean my glasses with a touch of dish soap and rinse well. Don't use harsh cleaners like windex or alcohol which may strip the anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings.

Also, do your best to avoid scratching your glasses, as this will make it harder to see and often can causes refraction when looking at light sources. I keep a glasses case in my bag for storage when not in use.


Slap some JB Weld on that stub and shove it in the post. Let it sit for one day. Smack it around a little and if it doesn't pop off you'll be good to go.


not sure if a web "software" (aka website) is in your needs, but I recommend GPSIES: http://www.gpsies.com/convert.do

Item 1 of your list is for sure;
Item 2 not sure if it will be at such fine grain;
Item 3 yes, maybe not in such detail.

Even if not for this need the link is usefull and free, I use it a lot (I have nothing to do with this site I just like it).


Which rack top bag fits an 11" MacBook Air with space for a little padding?

Topeak has a laptop bag called an MTX Office Bag that attaches to the MTX racks and lays flat.

It is said to accept a 17" laptop so yours should fit in great and given how thin they are, you should have room for a change of clothes.  You might be able to use a padded sleeve.

I tried to put my older 15.6" Dell 131L in my Topeak DXP pannier and it fit, but not much room for other things.  However, I recommend getting a padded sleeve, and with mine it would stick out an inch or two and really no room for anything else.

These bags are pretty good about keeping stuff dry on short commutes (30 min) unless it rains really heavy (and then it was the bottoms of the pannier due to tire spray), but a large locking freezer bag will do the trick nicely.


What's the max weight a Btwin riverside 50 can hold?

The manual offered with the BTWIN Riverside 50 (click on the bike manual tab) indicates that 100kg is the max weight for your bike. 94 + 5 = 99 so you are under the limit. Max weight limits take into account rough usage. Pedaling while standing and daily commuting is well below rough usage. The pedals on this bike have a large steel rod as the main support with a sheer strength much larger than 200 kg.

No modifications are needed.


According to Performance, your fork is a  "SR Suntour XCT with 100mm travel, 28.6mm stanchions".

These aren't really forks designed to be serviced -- they're basically the bare minimum of forks which are not completely for fashion statements. You can look on Youtube for videos of people trying to service them and what not -- you're basically going to strip it down as much as possible (which may require some penetrating oil), grease it up, and put it back together (you might get a head start on this by banging it a bit to see if it unsticks). Note that this is  maybe a 50 dollar fork, and depending on how much you value your time, you might want to take it into a shop to see if they can unstick it or just replace it, possibly with a rigid fork if you're trying to save money.


What is the name of the part, often seen on BMX bicycles, that allows an additional rider on the back the bike?

They are called Pegs.
Pegs are mainly used by BMX riders to help perform various tricks.
Flatland trick (standing with all of his weight on one peg, not damaging anything):

Grinding a wall on the rear peg (imagine the forces when the rider jumps on the wall, still: no damage to the hub but of course to the peg and the wall):

Images from Wikimedia Commons


Bicycle with 1 tire with Presta valve and 1 with Schrader valve

I swapped out both tubes on my mountain bike with Presta (less chance of crap getting in to the valve and it means I can carry the same CO2 inflator as I do on my road bike) and got the bushings - once they were in I've had zero issues with the valve stem. I'd definitely recommend putting one in since there's the chance that the valve stem could rub against the edge of the hole or the tube could even prolapse through the hole.

I have two of the Presta to Schrader adapters, mostly in case my CO2 inflator dies and I need to try and fill from a gas station (it happened once and I didn't have 'em). Just walk into your favorite B&M store and they'll probably have 'em in a container on the counter. I think I paid just over a dollar apiece. If you're really concerned about losing it you can screw it onto the Presta valve and leave it there; just make sure the valve is screwed shut before you thread the adapter on.


Relationship between chain tension and chain wear

The chain should be as short as possible and as long as necessary. It will usually shift better with proper tension. The tension shouldn’t affect chain life though the shorter chain will. Make a 104 link chain shorter by 2 links and it has almost 2% less material and thus shorter life. But that’s really a small effect.

I can dimly remember an article which stated that higher tension (they tested big chainring vs. small chainring) is actually more efficient, probably because there are less vibrations.