How do I know which size and type of rim strip to buy?

There are a couple of types of rim tape available:

Cloth - This has a glue backing and is very long lasting.  If you need to replace a spoke nipple, depending on the age of the tape, you will most probably have to also replace the tape since it will no longer stick to the rim.
Rubber - This is continuous loop of rubber (stretchy) and the stretch is what holds the tape in place.  As it ages there is a tendency for the area around the valve stem hole to break.  The rubber can also perish or become brittle with age.
Plastic - This is a slightly stretchy plastic in a continuous loop that can be slipped over the outer rim.  I found that the tapes have issues as they age with cracking, particularly when you are using high pressure tyres.  You can get little splits in the tape just above the holes of the rim.

My personal favourite is the cloth tape, over time they have been the most dependable.

It is very important to get the right width of rim tape.  If the tape is too narrow you can get the tube being pinched into the rim hole, or cut by the hole.  If the tape is too wide then you can get the tyre being lifted of the rim when at high pressure (not instantaneous and leads to a huge bang).

I know you can get both the cloth and rubber tapes in various widths for the various wheel sizes, so shop around to get the right one for your wheels.


Should I buy a cyclocross bike or road bike to do Triathlons and CX?

If you have the budget for only one more bicycle you cannot go wrong with a cyclocross bike, you will be able to race CX in the fall (typically after triathlon season) and you can get some fenders and slick tires for road rides in winter/spring and take the fenders off when the weather turns nice for Triathlon season. You can get clip on aero bars if you really want to, but since your planning the triathlons as fun events, there is no need for aero bars or a tri specific bike.

I use my CX bike year round, either with CX tires during cross season or fenders/slicks during rainy season and take the fenders off during the summer months.

You can get by with a MTB for cross races (I see people all the time with MTBs at cross races), but it will be heavier and harder to carry up the run ups and over the barriers.

Take a look at Kona - 'Jake' or 'Jake the Snake' for a good CX bike.

Keep that mountain bike and try an XTerra (offroad) triathlon, lots of fun!


The same rules apply to mountain bikes as they do with road bikes when it comes to crosslining the chain. You can agrue it's even more important on mountainbiking as the chain bounces more on rougher terrain.

When you change to a 1x system, the front chainring should have a chainline in between the current 24/34. So the crossline is not as extreme as with 2x systems, when you are at the lowest and highest cogs on the back.

So the answer would be, it's not good practice. But it might be fine. You might experience more chain wear and possibly more chain drops.

To turn into a 1x, all you would need is remove the front shifter, the front mech, the 24/34 chainrings and replace with a 1x narrowwide chainring. Which chainring you need depends on your crankset, the number of gears on the rear, the rear hub spacing.

Also see this disscussion on 1x system crosslining


How to improve endurance to increase ride distance?

The best way to get better at riding is to ride. With that being said, to increase distance or speed, or both, the key is to not get complacent. If you push yourself a little bit each trip, you will do a little better each trip. There are apps available, such as TrainingPeaks, which provide you with a tool to create a training plan. Others, such as Strava, help to prevent complacency. You can see what others have done on a ride, and try to keep up or do better.

For distance training, the magic sauce really is putting in the miles. Pay attention to your cadence. Going at a higher RPM will allow you to ride longer, as your muscles won't fatigue as fast, but there is a cardio-vascular price to pay. Many say that around 90 rpm is ideal. I personally ride closer to 70, but I do start to feel it when I have a wicked climb later in a ride. Alternate your ride intensity. Take one day a week to crank out intervals, another day to ride at a low intensity and high cadence.

Think about your fuel. If you burn a few hundred calories in a ride, that energy has to have come from somewhere. Since it is ill advised to eat a big meal right before riding, think of fueling as something you do all day every day. Bring a snack with you on your ride, as well as sports drink in your bottles.

Finally, do not get discouraged. Approach each ride as its own event. The goal is to have a great ride. Sometimes the wind will be fighting you the whole way. sometimes you have a bad day. Think of all of the factors that go into a ride. Don't strictly compare times or speeds. A 7 mile ride with a 20 mph headwind is much different than a 10 mile ride with a 20 mph tailwind.

I will share a story with you. I started a new job about 2 years ago. I was riding my bike to work. It was a $100 super store bike. There was someone who I worked with that at one point in his life was a sponsored track racer. He saw me riding in one day, and we started talking. He asked me how far my ride was, and I told him about 2 miles each way. A few days later I overheard him making fun of me, saying I am not a real cyclist, my bike isn't a real bike. I decided that this will be my motivation. I started riding more, adding a loop around a block, or taking a detour on my way home. I kept riding, adding a little more at a time. He would continue to boast about his weekly 20 mile training rides. He would do his best to put me down over the distances I rode. Again, more motivation. A few weeks ago, we decided to race. Granted, he did not know that I had gone from 2 miles each way to over 250 miles of riding a week. We picked a 30 mile loop, he got on his $3500 full carbon racing rig while I hopped on my $800 alloy road bike, and set it up as a time trial. Needless to say, he has stopped talking at all about my riding.

The moral of the story is, keep riding, and enjoy the ride. If you don't enjoy what you are doing, you will stop doing it and never get better.


How should one cross the IJ river with a bike?

The route that you highlighted on the map is the ferry route. It operates 24/7. It allows bikes and it is completely free.

More info about ferries in Amsterdam.

There is also bridge on the east of Amsterdam.

And there are plans to build bike tunnel close to IJ tunnel.


Need advice on choosing the right folding bike

There no bike on the market that is very good at folding and also very good at “biking”!  So you have to decide if you care most about the folding or how well it works as a bike.   For a bike to fold into a small space it must have small wheels.  Small wheels are never as good a ride as full sized wheels.

The Brompton is consider to be one of the best folders about if you care mostly about the “folding” side of the equation, however it costs a lot more than £200 unless you get a very good deal on a 2nd hand one.

For £200 I think you will have to look on the 2nd hard market for anything good.
However even a “bike shape object” is better than walking or sitting in a road jam!  The bike you have linked to I would put in this category, check you are happy with its weight if you have stairs to need to take it up.    You will also not be able to take it on most public transport as it does not fold small enough.


Rear Derailleur Cage Plate Catching Chain at Lower Pulley

Basically your chain is too short / largest gears are too large. You should probably take it back to get a longer chain or smaller cassette, especially if it is still on waranty.


What is the best Rear Derailleur for single speed to 3 speed conversion

Yes - Altus are a step up from the Tourney lineup, but is considered a very entry level MTB product. I would encourage you to consider a higher spec model if you can afford it - I suspect the price difference will be small if you shop around.

Derailleurs are rated by the capacity and maximum tooth size. As you are run a x1 setup, you capacity requirement is 22-16 = 6, and the maximum tooth size of 22 is smaller than a typical road cluster, so any derailleur will do the job. As such, using a short cage will give better performance.

You don't say what spacing the three cogs are - If you are using an indexed shifter make sure it matches the cog spacing of your cluster. As always Sheldon Brown has all the info you need


You need to use high tensile bolts for high tensile positions like this.

A class 8.8 bolt (metric) or grade 8 (US) or higher is appropriate.   Cheese-grade steel from the local discount hardware store is not up to the task.

 US Grade 8 head marking.  These have a min yield strength of 130,000 PSI. (900 MPa)

 Metric Class 8.8 head marking, with a min yield strength of 640 MPa (93,000 PSI)

Your second option is to replace the seatpost with one that has two bolts for fixing,  This will decrease the flex possible on one bolt.

  One style of two-bolt saddle clamp, but there are multiple other designs.   They're all integrated with seatpost so its got to be exactly the same diameter as the seatpost you're replacing.

Underlying - your monthly maintenance check on your bike should have tested the saddle wobbliness and noticed any increase in play.  At that time you'd retighten the bolt to torque.  If it was over-torqued a low-grade bolt could have stretched and deformed, leading to eventual failure.

Finally - be a responsible road user and put the phone away.  Ride with your hands on the bars.  If not for your own safety then for others on the road with you.


How to pick the correct lock ring removal tool

The limited engagement you speak of is a quirk of some hub and Centerlock lockring combinations. It's annoying. You are correct that if you want, you can probably eliminate the issue with the kind of Centerlock lockring that uses an external BB tool. To my awareness there's not really another way; when I've seen this it's not a tool compatibility problem as such, but the hub has something going on that would block any conventional lockring tool from getting in far enough.
To do it with the tool you have, use a lightly clamped QR skewer to hold the tool on, and then turn it with a big adjustable wrench. That should be able to overcome the limited purchase if the end of the splines are still in okay shape from prior attempts.


Is it imperative to shift to a higher gear when in a descent?

No, the behaviour you're observing doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your bike.  You're just travelling faster than you can pedal in a particular gear.

For a moment, let's forget about descending and suppose that you're travelling on a level road, so the only thing that's pushing you forward is your pedalling.  In principle, you can travel at any speed in any gear, as long as you can pedal fast enough.  In reality, of course, there's a limit to how fast you can spin the pedals: your legs can only move so fast.

Now, think about what happens if you stop pedalling while you're moving forwards: the bike starts to freewheel. In fact, this will happen whenever you're pedalling slower than the bike is moving. You can try this out. As you're cycling along, pedal slower for a moment, and you'll notice two things: first, you'll hear the clicks of the freewheel as the bike coasts; second, pedalling is very easy because all you're doing is turning the cranks, chainrings, chain and rear cassette. None of your effort is going into moving the bike forwards.

This is exactly what's happening while you're descending: you're not pedalling fast enough to match the actual speed of your bike, so you're still coasting and the pedals are very easy to turn.

This is a perfectly normal situation: there's nothing wrong with the bike and you don't have to do anything about it.  However, even if you're freewheeling down a descent, I would recommend that you change into a gear that's appropriate for the speed you're travelling at, or your highest gear if you don't have a gear high enough. At some point, you will want to pedal again, either because you slowed down (corner, traffic, lesser gradient, bottom of the hill, etc.) or just because you want to go faster. If you're in an appropriate gear, you can just pedal and drive the bike forward. If you're in too low a gear, the pedals will spin with no resistance, which can be a huge surprise that throws you off-balance and causes a crash. Correspondingly, when you do start to pedal again, always start somewhat tentatively to make sure your gear is appropriate.  It's when you push hard against no resistance that you're thrown off balance.


shifting (hah!) from downtube to integrated shifters

You just remove the downtube shifters, put cable stops in their place on the bosses (e.g. Shimano SM-CS50), and then route the cables for the brifters using those cable stops like you would any other bike. Tons of people have done this and are perfectly happy with it.

There isn't a problem with doing this so long as the shifters are matched to  drivetrain  (i.e. the cable pulls are matched, and everything is for the right number of speeds in the front/rear).

As for whether to do this or not, completely dependent on how you feel about it. Note that you can likely make a pretty penny selling the Dura Ace 7402 stuff and running a newer Shimano Claris/Sora or Microshift shifter instead (which is likely better than the old Dura Ace shifter anyway in practice due to fresher grease, ergonomics and trickle down engineering over the past 20+ years).

Note that Dura Ace pre-1997 used different cable pulls than the rest of the Shimano line, so you can't just bolt the Dura Ace shifters to the existing drivetrain.


Cleaning and lubing bicycle chain with diesel

3 weeks isn't likely enough for you to damage the chain noticeably (rattling sounds and all that jazz) unless you're putting particularly heavy mileage.

This isn't something I'd recommend doing; diesel fuel doesn't have the right lubricating properties for a bicycle chain. It's also not the most pleasant stuff to be around.

Diesel will act as a degreaser which will clean the chain, but this is against most chain manufacturer's recommendations to begin with (which I've outlined here).

I'd suggest following the directions of the manufacturer and using a bicycle specific chain lube (or 3-in-1 if you want to save money), and a damp cloth to periodically wipe down the chain after riding and re-lubricating. I do own a chain washing machine, but it hasn't been used in quite a while.


If the crank arm is wide enough it may be drilled and a thread repair insert installed or tapped to a larger size. This is best left to your local bike shop. To buy the tools that you will most likely only use once will exceed the labor fee they will charge. They can also check to make sure the repair can be done safely.


I got glow-in-the-dark tape. Where do I place it?

You don't want glow-in-the-dark tape -- it's only useful if you store your bike in a dark shed and need to find it. The amount of "glow" is such that it's only visible in pitch darkness -- and that's for only a few hours after it has been exposed to bright light.

What you want is called "retroreflective tape" -- it reflects light back in the same direction regardless of the angle of incidence. It essentially turns your whole bike into a bike reflector. You can also buy it in adhesive rolls. Go wild with it, put it on anything and everything on your bike -- especially things that move as the eye is more sensitive to motion. The side of the bike is particularly important since we tend to have front and rear lights, but little on the side except wheel reflectors (which often fall off).

This is some retroreflective tape that I put on the rear fender and seat stays of my commuter (I have more retro tape on the sides and front that aren't visible in this photo). Left is under normal light, right is with my camera flash.

Photos by me, released to public domain.


How to estimate price of an old CrMo frame?

In this sort of negotiation, typically you end up meeting somewhere in the middle. You provide a number, the other side provides a lower number, and the actual number is somewhere between those two numbers (possibly close to what the other side offered initially). Even if the number you supply is accurate and well-supported, I'd wager they will offer less.

If I was in your shoes, I would start with the cost for a similar bicycle today. Call the shop back and ask for a price, and spec the bike with a similar level of modern components. If it was Ultegra, ask for Ultegra. Clearly this is just a starting point; they will certainly not pay this amount. I would also look for roughly equivalent mass-produced bicycles that could serve as a back-up. Do your homework, and with any luck you can find some comparable bicycles from around that time which have been sold or are for sale (eBay, or some equivalents).

Here in the States, one Web site that might be of interest in a situation like this is BikePedia; one could use a site like that to collect some data points of the costs of comparable bicycles. Since your bicycle was not brand new, I wouldn't expect to get anywhere close to the true replacement cost, but don't help the other side by low-balling the value of what you've lost.


What should I do with my crank/bottom bracket?

If you just bought it, the shop mechanic should remedy the problem no matter what specific part is to blame. If not, threaten to return the entire bike and take your business elsewhere. It should be as simple as that.


Is there a roadside workaround for a freehub that won't engage reliably?

Use strong cable ties or wire/cable to tie the biggest sprocket to the rear wheel spokes. This will eliminate the freewheel, so be very careful when slowing down or going downhill.
If cable ties are too weak, shifting or brake cables should work nicely. If you don’t have any spares you could even scavenge the front derailleur shift cable.
However, I think this problem is best treated with preventive maintenance and should announce itself quite early. If the sound of your freewheel changes or you notice it engaging slowly or failing to engage occasionally you should open it and lube it.


Why exactly did Boardman manage a further distance than Wiggins?

Boardman used what is known as the "Superman" position, as shown in this image.

This position has been deemed to be against the rules by the UCI.  Compare it to the position that Wiggins had on the bike, shown here.

His arms are not as outstretched, and therefore it is not as aerodynamic.

The superman position was first used in the hour record attempt by Graeme Obree as shown here.

There's been a large history and debate over what the rules should be. If you are interested, you should watch The Flying Scotsman which is about Graeme Obree's run in with the UCI and regulations.  It seems there is even some controversy over Bradly Wiggins' record, as he used custom made 3D printed handlebars when breaking the record.  As per UCI rules, all parts must be production and commercially available. Apparently they do have 3D printed bars commercially available, but they are all one-off and have to be customed ordered to fit the rider.


What’s a good way to carry a kid’s bike on an otherwise full bakfiets?

Option 1 - In the bin, forks over the front edge, with the front wheel removed and stowed inside bin.  Front two kids won't fit, and you'll have to mind that the steering isn't limited on the cargo bike.  Advantage, second bike goes on the other side.

Option 1b- same as above but hang it on the outside of the frame.  A short support that crosses the top of the bin would provide somewhere to hook the frame onto.  Pictured facing backward, but might go better the other way.   The inboard pedal could be a problem.

Option 2 - Extend the bin's frame and lean bikes on that.  Downside, its wide and involved modding your cargo bike.  Some kind of insert into the end of tubes might be adequate.  Upside, still carry 3 kids.

Option 3 - Add a rear rack (yellow) and strap the bike there

Option 4 - No picture.  Put the bike in a backpack like a tramping/hiking frame pack and carry it that way.

Option 0 - Three years is probably a bit small to be riding on the road, but riding a bit on the footpath may be ideal - depends on your location.  I like this one!

Upside, more room in the bin.  Kid gets exercise before you get there.  Sets a good example

Downside, you'll have to think for him while riding, so it will be extra slow.  Could double/triple your travel time.

All these answers will require some level of padding in appropriate places.


I'd cut it without a special tool:

fully unthread the nipple
remove spoke from the rim (no need to remove it from hub)
fully thread the nipple as far as it can go
cut 5mm of spoke thread with a regular cutting plier
fully unthread the nipple. mushed threads (from the cheap pliers) will be fixed that way
insert spoke into rim
thread nipple as much as necessary

Other options:

simply remove spoke from rim until you get a shorter one. missing 1 spoke doesn't cause any problems
partially unthread spoke and bend it in the middle with pliers until you get a shorter one
leave spoke as is and place a rubber square from an old tyre between spoke and rim tape to prevent any further punctures


When or how often should I replace my bike helmet?

Helmets should be replaced roughly every 5 years and after any crash where your head makes contact with the ground.

Helmets will crumble, compress or otherwise deform in sometimes hard to see ways when you hit the deck. The structural integrity of the thing will be massively diminished after even a relatively tame fall. This is one area where you don't want to mess around much.


I doubt you will find a way to do this; it would require a shoe with a pretty deep sole to recess the cleats into (that's what SPDs do).

Note that the SPD-SLs are pretty similar to the Looks but much more walkable.


Astra was the Beacon Cycle house brand, according to Sheldon. As @Blam and @Daniel R Hicks say, it's a mid-range 80s bike (that's a compliment)! The lugs, while nothing special, aren't drainpipe thick - this is a good thing. It was probably built well. Crankset may be Stronglight, and the derailleur and front mech are probably Sachs-Huret. Basic components that go on and on and on.

I can't tell you much more than that, I'm afraid. But it's in excellent condition, so it's a keeper. Since you don't want to spend lots of money on it, it makes an ideal candidate for practicing maintenance skills!

The tyres will be shot, so you should buy some new ones (nothing fancy). I can't tell from the pictures if they're 700c or 27", but the tyre size will be marked on the sidewall. If in doubt, just take one to your LBS.
Check the spokes by giving them a squeeze - if they feel a bit loose, you might invest in a spoke wrench (inexpensive) and give each one a quarter turn, but no more. The wheels might be a bit out of true, but if they're within 2 or 3 mm, just go with it.
The brakes will probably be very mushy and not return well when released. A new set of cables is highly recommended. If you're unsure how to fit them, see this post. Blast some oil into the pivots of the levers, too. Addendum: Fitting modern adjustable brake shoes, with modern pads, will really improve the braking performance! Those old pads will be dry and hard, and even when new would have been vastly inferior to today's compounds.
While you're at it, I would remove and dismantle the brake calipers. Clean them thoroughly, and lubricate any and all washers and pivot points, especially the point where the springs contact the arms (friction here can prevent old side-pull brakes from staying centred).

Don't be afraid to tear down the brakes; just be methodical and document each step, so you reassemble them correctly. When you put them back together, the nuts on the centre pivot should be pretty tight (to eliminate the arms wiggling around from front to back), but not so much as to cause the brakes to bind.

The headset might feel a bit gritty when you turn the handlebars. It may also be loose - if you squeeze the front brake and rock your weight backwards and forwards on the handlebars, you will feel the fork moving around in the headtube. If either of these symptoms are apparent, you might as well learn to service the headset!
Same goes for the hubs - if they feel gritty, or if they have any play, you might as well give them a new lease of life...

For about £30-£40, you should be able to buy a new pair of tyres and brake cables, a tube of grease, some new ball bearings, a pair of cone spanners, and a big fat headset wrench. With those few bike-specific tools, an adjustable spanner, and a few household essentials (rags), you'll be able to service it no problem.

Just get stuck in! You can't really go wrong with a sunny afternoon and a cold beer. Sheldon tells all!

Final word to the wise: As it was manufactured by Motobecane, some of the tube diameters and threads may be non-standard. Do not lose the seatpost!


Bike Shorts, Do you wear things under/over them?

Do you wear underwear with them? Can I wear shorts over them?

Absolutely not. Nothing over or under, just the bike shorts.

  Do I really need them?

For 200 miles? Hell yeah. Your ass will thank you.


What are the accepted hand signals for cyclists in the UK?

From a UK government website I found the following document (linked from a page about the Highway Code for cyclists).

Signals to other road users (scroll to the bottom for cyclist information)

Essentially there are three signals for cyclists:

Left arm out - "I intend to move in to the left or turn left"
Right arm out - "I intend to move out to the right or turn right"
(Right) arm up and down - "I intend to slow down or stop" (very rarely if ever used...)

In reality you will find only the left and right signalling used by UK cyclists - any other gestures would not be understood by enough other road users to make them worthwhile.


How to commute to work on your bike and dress up

I've recently started commuting to work 3 times a week and my commute is about 8 miles each way. I've found if I roll my clothes rather than fold them and pack just before I leave, there are no creases when I get to work. I always put my shoes at the bottom of my bag, then trousers rolled up then shirt. I leave my ties in my desk draw and leave my suit jacket at work.

It takes me about 45 minutes to get to work and I make sure I take the last mile easy so I don't arrive out of breath. I then spend about 10 minutes in my cycling clothes (making sure the kettle is boiled and quickly checking emails) to give me time to "cool down" before I go and get changed in to my work clothes. I've found I'm completely "dry" by then but if not I use wet wipes. Liberal use of deodorant and I'm good to go.

On the way home I just do the reverse. I attack the route home faster for a work out as I can have a shower when I get home.

I believe that as you get fitter you'll sweat less too, so it gets easier.


What are the differences between Columbus Tubings?

The Bicycle Info Project has a nice page at http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/columbus/columbuschart.htm that describes the different Columbus tubesets in layman terms.  The following is a sampling of what is on the site.  The information gets even more specific relating characteristics to particular tubes (e.g. top tube, seat tube, chainstays, etc..)


How to choose grips for trail riding AND commuting?

I use Oury Mountain Grips on my mountain bike and my city bike.

They have a cheaper slide on version (about $10-12 USD) and a lock on version ($ about $30 USD) which I prefer.  The lock on version avoids the 'slippy grip' issues you sometimes have when water eeks under the edge of the grip and it slips on the bars.

These grips are smooth and cushy enough to wear without gloves and are good and sticky when used with gloves.


Can I use a 130mm OLD wheel on a 135 mm rear spacing frame to put on a home trainer?

Can I use some kind of spacers (on the non drive side?) to achieve that?

TLDR:  Try it, see if it works.

Full answer:

Maybe, depending on how much clearance your frame and rear brake have. 5 mm really isn't that much. But without redishing the wheel the tire will be about 2.5 mm off center.  Given most newer road bikes are built to accept 25 tires and quite likely even 28s, you may have to stick to a 23 trainer tire, and even that might not fit.

If your bike is designed to handle 28s, you can probably get away with it without much trouble.

There's also the possibility that the 130 mm rear wheel interferes with your disk brake somehow.  I don't see any way to work around that, should the wheel and disk brake caliper interfere, as any redishing would move the rim and spokes closer to the brake components.

And you'll be lucky if you don't have to tune your rear derailleur at all with such a wheel swap, but you likely won't have to adjust the limit screws.  Some tweaks on the barrel adjuster will almost certainly be needed, as what you're proposing to do is should translate to a "normal" wheel swap, and such swaps often do require small adjustment to the barrel adjuster as the hubs on the wheels being swapped are just a bit different.


Wheels are considered being too critical for riding safety to be repaired in case of carbon failure. A professional carbon-repair shop is unlikely to accept carbon wheels, cranks, handlebars, seatposts for repair.

A couple of quotes found on the web to back up my statement.

From https://calfeedesign.com/carbon-repair-faq/:

  What do you not repair?

  Frequently rejected repairs include: aluminum-to-carbon bonding, carbon handlebars, forks, seat posts/integrated seat posts, stems, damage to carbon wheels, and metal frames.

From http://ruckuscomp.com/getarepair : only frame parts can be specified, not wheels.
From https://www.donsbikeshop.com/about/carbon-fiber-frame-repair-pg289.htm

  We don't repair wheels (even though the replacement cost is higher than the repair) because the forces exerted on the rim and the need to get the wheel balanced perfectly preclude a carbon fiber repair.

From http://joescarbonrepair.com/ says:

  What do you not repair?

  Frequently rejected repair requests are ones that involve aluminum-to-carbon bonding, carbon handlebars, forks, and damage involving the braking surface of carbon wheels.

However, https://www.applemanbicycles.com/repair/ says:

  Carbon Repair Capabilities
  I can fix a wide variety of carbon fiber damage to your frame. The most common repairs are: ...

  Disc Wheels (aero)


When not used, what gear should I store my bike in

It doesn't matter for any perspective aside from convenience -- usually the most convenient gear to store it in is the gear you're going to use first when you start riding again.


Plastic ring on new Shimano crankset, toss or keep?

I haven't seen one of those before, but it looks as though it could stop the chain dropping between the bottom bracket shell (the bike frame) and the crankset if you ever drop the chain off the inside of the small ring. When that happens it can be tricky to get it back out, and if the chain is oily you end up with that oil everywhere (mostly on your hands and clothes). This is something I see occasionally, as I stop to help people standing next to their bike looking helpless on my ride to work. On some bikes it's possible to get the chain wiggled in such that it's still movable but you can't get it out without taking the crank off (I've seen that in the bike shop).

I would leave the plastic ring in place just in case is stops that happening. It's one of those "5 grams stops the once in 10 years problem" things.

It might also reduce damage from the chain rubbing on the frame if the chains falls off as above.

Edit: after Batman found the part (Shimano EV-FC-M410-2465A), here's a diagram of something very similar via this pdf link


Product selection help: wheelset for vintage(ish)steel roadbike

Why not keep a look out for some Mailard, Mavic or similar wheels from the early 80's on ebay. Should be much cheaper and fit with the frame more happily. With the cash you'll save you can get some quality brake pads that are designed to work on those steel rims.


A 12mm thru axle to 9mm thru bolt adapter (literally just a 100mm long tube that is 12mm OD and 9mm ID) can provide a strong, stiff, and tool-free interface, and I believe is available from the same source as the 12 to 5mm adapter you are considering. In my experience, thru bolts (e.g., the tool free version available from DT Swiss) are much stronger than a hollow 9mm axle with 5mm qr skewer (I have broken a few), and have every advantage of a thru axle.  This would allow you to use the Ogre fork, or any of a number of QR-style forks.


Please take your bike to a competent bike mechanic.
We can explain how to properly adjust and maintain a threadless headset. We can also give you hints on how it has to be assembled. However, that you are asking this question shows that you are not at a point where you can fix it so that someone can ride confidently. If the steering, headset, or stem fail a terrible crash is likely to happen.

Assembly
Your bigger appears to have a threadless headset. A headset is the set of bearings that holds the fork in place and allows smooth turning. Since it has to take side loads, forces perpendicular to its plane of rotation, It consists of two angular contact bearings. These need to be pre-loaded.
There is a conical ring with a 45 degree face on the fork crown. The lower cartridge bearing is slid onto the steerer onto it. It should fit closely. The bearing then fits into a cup pressed into the head tube or the head tube directly.
The upper bearing is always rotate by 180 degrees to the lower bearing, so that the angled races take forces along the steering axis opposite to the lower bearings. It slides over the steerer and sits in the head tube, either directly or in a cup. Make sure the 45 degree face of the bearing fits the angled face in its seat.
Next comes a split conical ring. It slides on the steerer and sits on the inside angled face of the bearing. This ring has to be pressed down by the rest of the assembly to pre-load the bearing.
The pre-load is applied through a conical cap, spacers, the stem, (another spacer), the top cap (parts in parentheses are optional).
Most likely there are a number of plastic or rubber rings to seal the bearing assembly.
Adjusting
While adjusting the headset the stem has to be lose. Just close the screws enough so it sits properly on the steerer but can be turned easily.
Tighten the top cap screw. This presses onto the conical ring in the upper bearing via stem and spacers. Here one needs a bit of experience for the correct pre-load. It has to be tight enough to take out any play of the system, and then a little more force. But too much and the bearings will not move smoothly. WIth excessive force the bearings, or their seats will get permanently damaged.
When the top cap is tensioned to the right strain, close the stem bolts. Even when you remove the top cap now, the bearings will keep pre-loaded. It is important that the stem clamp takes all the loads while riding. The top cap is not strong enough and will fail.
Again, get a bike mechanic to fix it. If you botch it, at best you get a bike that doesn't steer, at worst you get a bike that sends its rider to a tumble that breaks their neck.


OP's answer-as-a-comment:

  The bike was not german, it was japanese. I found that the derailleurs were made by DNB Japan somewhere around 1960 and that the handlebar is french (Guidon Phillipe), but other than that , this bike is a mistery to me. The brakes only have a logo on them and the frame has only a number and a logo on the back. Underneath all the black paint, in the front, is a sticker but there is no way I can peel just the paint without damaging the sticker... On the pedals it says Lyotard 82 and they are in a rather good condition.

Thus, it is not identifiable.


On the surface it doesn't look good, but I wonder if there is a reinforcement wrap for the brake posts, with an unfinished edge). There are some informal ways to try and confirm whether the structural carbon has been damaged.

  'Carbon usually has a very crisp sound to it [when tapped] and when it’s damaged the tone changes completely,' says John Hansell of Yorkshire-based Fibre-Lyte, which offers a full inspection and repair service for carbon frames.

  -- How to assess a cracked carbon frame

Others will argue that this is a difficult method, or that it only tends to work when the damage is already very visible. Typically, I would tap with a solid object (e.g., smooth end of a screw driver), with a consistent force.  Tapping with your fingers might not work well.  There may also be pitch changes where the underlying material has change (e.g., many frames bond aluminum to carbon at places such as drop outs, steer, etc).  The tone to listen for is a dull thud.

As suggested by David Richerby you could compare and contrast the sound of the potentially damaged area against the other fork leg (which I assume does not show any signs of damage) to see if are any notable differences in sound when tapped.

Another technique I have been told to try when inspecting used frames was to squeeze in the area around suspected damage.  If the carbon feels "softer" it is a sign of structural damage.

None of these techniques are definitive, as it requires you to essentially "read tea leaves" some can do it, some miss signs others pick up on.

The definitive answer would be to scan the carbon (e.g., X-ray) to look for anomalies or damage. This however would likely cost more than the bike is worth and requires access to a skilled technician who can correctly interpret the results. Thermal scanning may be another option in this realm, but I don't know the availability of this technique, or whether it has been validated.

Ultimately, you may need to send the frame into Trek's warranty department and allow them to assess and replace if required, they do have a good warranty department.


The S shape allows for:

stronger head tube and bottom bracket welds without the need for gussetting. You'll find this on more trail focused bikes (such as AM, FR and DH).
wheel clearance for long travel forks
wheel clearance for the front wheel (ie. 29er's)
Still allows for room for a water bottle within the front triangle


Would a backpack or cargo rack be better for commuting?

I avoid backpacks where possible

1) Sweat - I get damp enough wearing just a cycling top.  Putting anything else on top makes it much worse.

2) Crashing - Occasionally I have carried a toolbox in a tramping pack.  One of the worries is "what happens if I end up rolling on this?"

3) Visibility - can be off-set with reflective tape or an overbag/wrapper/cover

You should at least try a rack or basket or frame bag.  See if you can borrow one for a month or so.


You'll probably be fine if you buy the wheel from the new version of what you have now. Probably. Shimano especially have a reputation for tweaking things just enough that last years parts don't fit.

The real issue is the axle diameter at the centre of the jockey wheel. If that matches the rest is likely to be fine. Unfortunately there's no real way to work this out from online photos or specs, since it's not one of the things that's listed (it only matters to people in your position, no-one else)

If you can find someone with the new derailleur who will let you take it apart to compare jockey wheels that would be ideal. A bike shop is likely to have one in stock that they can do this with, but the labour cost will probably be more than the price difference between the parts and the whole derailleur.

This is another case where if you have the second hand parts handy, try them and see what happens. If you can, it's probably better to scrounge a cheap/free second hand derailleur rather than buying new parts. IME a lot more people break rear derailleurs than wear then out, so it should be relatively easy to find someone who has a broken one with working jockey wheels. I'd try your local bike recycling group if you have one, or a tip shop. Basically, anywhere with a big pile of donated bikes that you can pick through.

If that fails or isn't an option, I'd look very carefully at the cost of replacement jockey wheels that might work compared to the cost of a new derailleur that definitely will work.


Is this issue possibly related to a defective damper? (Fox Evolution 2013)

While it can be related to the damper, if 2 new dampers have not fixed the issue, as you describe, it is likely related to the SPECIALIZED BRAIN mechanism in the fork.

Take it to a Specialized dealer. They will repair or replace it. And should do so at no cost or minimal cost.


First, don't attempt a u-turn at a junction where you may have vehicles approaching from multiple directions and vehicle drivers will be expecting you to make a left or right turn, not a u-turn.

U turn away at a point where you can see both directions clearly - away from blind turns and rises. Wait until vehicle have passed you to turn, If you need to get vehicles past, stop and wave them by.

You can also more safely u-turn by turning right or left onto a minor side road (or driveway, carpark etc), turning around there, then making the opposite turn back onto the major road.


Thru axle on unthreaded cyclo cross frame

This strongly suggests that the frame and fork have removable/replaceable threaded bits. There aren't really standards for these; they're more considered part of or specific to individual frames/bikes. It's the kind of thing you tend to have to get from a dealer for that brand or in some cases direct from the manufacturer. If this is the case, once you have them you would be able to measure the effective dropout thickness on each side and from there you'd be able to add those numbers to the spacing, and then you just buy a thru-axle that long with the right thread. Or you could just get them from whoever you get the frame fittings from.

There are some thru-axles that are unthreaded. Suntour Q-Loc is the main one running around currently that I've seen, but it's pretty common. However, it's only on suspension forks that I know of, and not on road/cx bikes at all, so I doubt it's what you have. But if the frame and fork feature a long, plain bore where something might fit through and don't look like they're missing anything, it's possible it's something like this that you need.


Whenever you are not aiming for riding in a race, go for serious puncture proof tires. Especially if you are a casual rider who can't just fix a flat within 10min on the road side. I certainly can't, even though I've patched enough tires for a lifetime. You are not going to get significant enjoyment out of being able to ride 0.1km/h faster, but you are going to get significant enjoyment out of not having to stop and patch every 100km, or so.


On the Sora R3000 (and many modern cranksets) the axle, right hand crank arm and chainring spider are all one piece. The left hand crank arm fits on the splines on the axle, and is held in place by two pinch bolts. The thread you see in the hollow axle is for a plastic cap that is finger tightened to provide slight pre-load of the bottom bracket bearings.

See this Park Tool webpage, section 3 'Two Piece Compression Slotted Cranks' Also, here's the R300 crank installation manual.

If the crank was loose, the pinch bolts must have loosened. It sounds like you lost the pre-load cap, but check that the pinch bolts are still there also.

Now the bad news. When aluminum cranks come loose on a steel axle, the large pedaling force can very quickly deform or wear the splines in the crank arm. Your left crank arm may be ruined. This seems likely as there are aluminum filings visible in your picture. You can try re-installing the crank arm, but it it likely to come loose again. There's a link to a video on the Park Tool page that shows you how to do that. Of source you can also take this to a reputable bike repair show and have them assess the state of the crank arm.

The bottom bracket is separate from the right hand crank arm and axle. It may seem one piece, but the axle is quite a tight fit in the bearing races. Normally the end of the axle needs to be hit with mallet to get it out.

If you end up having to replace the crankset, the specific model of crank your bike has is the FC-R3030 (three speed, without chain guards). You may be able to find a used replacement left arm, but I'd definitely have a bike repair shop check the axle if you go that route.


Disadvantage of Hybrid Bikes on Mountains

Since a hybrid is a combination of two or more types of bike characteristics, there are many possibilities, and you should consider what aspects of the particular bike where meant for the mountain or for the road and see if they meet you needs.

Tires

You can use almost any tire, provided your frame has the clearance needed. Wider tires can be safely used at lower speeds and also provide a contact patch with a larger area, both give better rolling characteristics for off-road riding (more traction, shock absorbtion and lower rolling resistance on rough terrain). The rougher the terrain you want to ride, the fatter the tire you want.

Some Hybrid frames won't accept tires wide enough for serious MTB riding. On the other hand, a wide frame and fork can accept the thinnest tire that fits your rims.

Drivetrain

Generally, MTB requires low gear ratios to provide mechanical advantage for ascents on rough terrain or for extreme climbs. On the other hand, Road riding requires high gear ratios to provide high travel speed while keeping the cadence (pedal rotation speed) relatively low. Commuting requires a mid range gearing, which you may modify towards any of the two extremes depending on how hilly is your city, your style and physical condition.

A road drivetrain may not have the low ratios needed for off road riding. Generally speaking, the same slope is rideable faster on pavement, thus you can use higher gears. An offroad slope has many smaller obstacles like roots, stones and terrain irregularities that do not allow the use of high ratios.

A secondary disadvantage is that larger chainrings get closer to the ground and so, are more likely to hit obstacles like logs or big stones.

Mountain drivetrain is normally good enough for smooth commuting. For a flat city where you don´t need higher speeds it means that only the mid-range gears would be used. The low gears may come in handy if you commute on a hilly city with steep climbs.

However, for high speed road riding, you may run out of gears.

Frames

Traditionally a road frame has an horizontal top tube, this reduces standover clearance. (distance between the top tube and the crotch of the rider while he or she is standing with both feet on the ground). Some hybrid bikes are designed like this. On mountain riding you usually need greater clearance, making this a disadvantage of certain Hybrid frames for MTB use.

The other disadvantage may be that the hybrid frame may not be properly reinforced to withstand the high demands of serious MTB riding or may not accept upgrading certain components, like a fork with suspension (or greater travel).

On the other hand, MTB frames tend to have sloping top tubes to provide better stand over clearance. While this is not properly a disadvantage for road riding, or commuting, the lower top-tube and seat tube junction also lowers the possible mounting points for rear racks, (if any) which in turn may reduce the possibility of fitting one. This is a disadvantage only if you need a rear rack with medium to high load capacity. (Because there are seat post mounted rear racks with limited load capacity).

Suspension forks and frames.

Some hybrids have mountain geometry but rigid forks. These can be used on light offroad use, specially for prepared trails that have been smoothed out. And for city riding if the city has good infrastructure (no potholes at least).

A suspension fork with around 100mm travel is good for any riding you can do on a hard tail frame (non suspension frame). It's excellent for trail riding and for cities where potholes are common or if your riding involves a lot of getting on and off curbs.

If you don't have a fork with suspension blocking, you should at least have one with preload regulation and rebound control. Higher preload and slower rebound setting than used for mountain riding helps to reduce pedal bob, thus improving efficiency for city riding. The same goes for using suspension frames for city riding.

A suspension frame is very unlikely to have mounting points for rear racks and complete mud guards.

My personal experience

I have successfully commuted on a very hilly city and made two 500+  kilometers rides (with around 100 km stages) on a hardtail mountain bike with slick tires, an air suspension fork, 3x9 mountain drivetrain, straight handlebars and a seatpost mounted rear rack.

The low gears (22/34) have been a blessing on steep roads or when I get really tired. On the high end, my 42/11 top ratio has been enough for the speeds that my training level allows me. The straight handlebar provide only one hand position, which causes hand and wrist strain on long rides.

The mountain fram geometry allows for a more upright position. This proved good for the back o my neck, since being 4+ hours on a bike at a time caused pain on my peers that where riding road bikes.

The thin, slick tires are so great that I can almost roll as easy as my road counterparts, but they are not as skinny as theirs, so I get slightly more comfort on rippled or highly cracked asphalt and more confidence against potholes.

The air fork allows me to easily tune it, using higher pressure to reduce pedal bob, since it doesn't have locking. The rear rack is very useful for light loads, but it vibrates a lot more than a frame mounted rack.

Another advantage is that my frame has v-brakes that perform a little bit better than regular road brakes.

My bike fits my needs closely because I didn't bought it as is, I have changed many components over the years. The only change I want to make now is to incorporate a road or a touring handlebar. (but I don't want to change my brakes or shifters...).

I'm currently experimenting with a rigid fork and bar tape on a riser (MTB) handlebar.

Bottom line is that bikes have so many components that the possible combinations are almost endless. There is no possible way of making a bike that will excel in all types of riding, let alone one bike that fits everybody's needs.

This means that any bike will have disadvantages for certain type of riding, so it is up to you to define your needs and pick the bike that most closely meets them, experiment, research and decide whether changing some component is necessary and possible (considering budget and compatibility) to make your particular riding better.


Does the value of an old bicycle depreciate if old tires replace with new ones?

In my opinion the original tires would only matter to a very small segment of the people, and only then if it was considered a "museum piece", and what are the odds of that? You could always remove the tires ( and possibly wheels ), and replace them with a functional set of wheels and tires, and store the originals if you feel the need to keep them around. Rubber tires don't last forever and will continue to degrade even if stored in a basement. I've been through the Bicycle Museum of America that has an extensive collection of bicycles from the late 1700's to present. Many of these bicycles have parts that aren't original due to accidents or simply being used up over the years they were ridden, but that certainly doesn't detract from their historic value. Wooden wheels and solid "rubber strips" for "tires" didn't last long on the roads they had in those days. Repairs and replacement parts are a part of the history of that particular bicycle.


Unless there are specific local laws or signage saying otherwise,*

NO. THE RED LIGHT MEANS STOP. AND IT MEANS EVERYBODY.

The traffic lights are there for everybody's safety, not just yours.

Pedestrians may be trying to cross, either because they have a green light or because there's nobody coming out of the side-road at the moment.
Bicycles turning left from the side-road will be expecting the cycle lane to be clear for them to enter. They're already having to check behind them to make sure no car is either about to turn right across them, taking a wide line round the corner turning left or trying to overtake while turning left, where there isn't room. It's very hard to do that and simultaneously check for people in the cycle lane. I come across this exact situation at the very last junction on my commute into work: it is very dangerous.

Also, at a more general level, a lot of motorists believe that cyclists are a bunch of scofflaws who don't deserve respect on the road because they don't obey the law. Motorists disrespecting cyclists is very dangerous for us, so please don't give them any excuse to do it.

* Now that an image of the specific junction has been added, I agree with Argenti Aparatus's answer that the absence of a stop line in the cycle lane suggests that local law does say otherwise in this case, and cyclists may go through this red light.


A bike for city commute - disc brakes, bar-end shifters, tires

For a city commuter bike, don't bother with disk brakes - go for simple rim brakes. You'll want the reliability over all else. You don't need disks for most types of road cycling, as the limiting factor for grip is likely to be your tyre anyway.

As regards shifters, go with whatever is comfortable for you. I like the combination of brakes and gear levers in the same unit, as you don't need to take your hands off the brakes to change gear. This is very useful in traffic.

I would also recommend touring tyres - offroad tyres lose too much power through rolling resistance, but you want tyres wide enough that you have some comfort and puncture resistance. You could also look into self sealing tyres.


It is (strongly) not advisable to put a rack on carbon.

You could probably put a lock mount on the handlebar stem (I do).

You could get an over-sized seat bag.

Possibly a handlebar bag.

Bottle cage bag but they don't have much capacity.  They are good for like wallet, cell phone, and keys.

Don't like to do product recommendations but Revelatedesigns have a lot of bags.

Not easy to find but there are carbon forks with rack eyelets. But I would not do that to that bike.

Not a typical commuter bike.


How important is tire tread on a mtb used for commuting?

"Importance" is highly subjective, debatable, and relative. But, based on the limited information in your original post, and a lot of assumptions about you, I'd say: tire tread is only of moderate importance. Unless you're really pushing the limits of the tire (very fast aggressive cornering, etc.) you can make most common tire types (mountain, urban, cyclocross, road, etc.) work for commuting.

Some factors to consider:

Commuting on mountain bike tires isn't usually super efficient, but can often be much more 'comfortable' than skinny road tires. This is because mountain bike tires tend to offer more cusion (due to higher air volumes and lower air pressures). Mountain bike tires often have higher rolling-resistance (when compared to narrower, higher-pressure tires) on pavement.
There are circumstances in which mountain bike tires have less 'grip' on pavement. This is if/when the tires are especially knobby (big, spaced knobs have less surface area contacting the hard pavement).
The trade-offs to these disadvantages is that mountain bike tires are generally better off-road, for those instances when you aren't on pavement.

Many commuters have found that a mid-width, semi-slick tire (i.e. something 30mm-45mm wide without significant knobs) ends up serving as a good/solid/comfortable on-pavement tire and also allows for sufficient off-road use.


Cannot shift to lowest gear - chain too short?

Yep, chain too short.

Yes, you can add some extra links in. The chain is new so you wont have links with different amounts of wear.

What I would suggest is splicing the left over links into the chain first. Then you will have a chain a few links shorter then original unshortened chain. Then size, re-cut and join it.

UPDATE: I was reminded by a comment that you cannot push out the link pin used to join the chain. You have to break the chain in a different place and push out a regular pin. Therefore, when you splice a section of links in you will have three link pins in the chain (the one you first joined the chain with and one on ether end of the spliced in section). This is very important. The link pins are of a slightly greater diameter than the regular pins and widen the hole through the outer plates when pushed in. A link pin installed where a link pin was pushed out will be substantially weaker.

I prefer Park Tool's recommended method to size the chain because it is far easier to perform (and safer). All you do is size the chain on the largest sprockets without threading the chain through the derailleur (because the chain would be pulled straight through the cage anyway). Without tension on the chain it's easier to hold in in place and mark the appropriate link.


Why are 3 inches mountain bike handlebar hard to find?

I can theorize. A higher rise would mean that as you bump along, you apply more torque to the handlebar.

I bet that above a certain threshold, the rise becomes so great that preventing the handlebar from spinning in the stem becomes a real problem.


Sunglasses for cycling - what features to look for?

Definitely something plastic, as that's going to be both safer and lighter than glass.

I'd look for something that was polarizing, as that will reduce glare, and something that offers UV protection.

You also should be aware that different colour lenses suit different light conditions, so you might need to make a decision based upon when you normally ride. I note that you live in London - I'm in the UK too and given our frequently poor light conditions, for the majority of the year I ride with clear (but high contrast) lenses.

Here's a colour chart I found a couple of years ago, to give you an idea.

As for replaceable lenses, they're a great idea but make sure you have an idea of the costs involved first. I got some glasses a couple of years ago and found that the cost of the spare lenses was disproportionate to the cost of the glasses themselves. (But still cheaper than 2 pairs of glasses.)

Another thing would be fit. You don't want them moving around as you cycle - I made the mistake once of buying some nice glasses mail order, when they arrived they were too loose on my head.

Lastly, if you come the the same conclusion as I did about using clear lenses, consider safety glasses such as these. They hit the same quality standards as bike glasses but are a fraction of the price. They are more fragile than cycling glasses but if I go through three pairs a year, its still cheaper.

Aside from that, how much do you want to spend? The pros seem to ride Oakley Radarlocks at the moment but, for what they are, the price is staggering.


Generally speaking you should just be able to take off your wheel and grab them with some needle nose pliers.  I just grab onto the tab (see picture) and slowly ease them out.  Mine are just held in with magnets.  More info is probably needed for a better answer.


Why is the front brake always on the left?

Emergency braking with one hand off the bars will end in tears regardless of which hand is on the bars. Skilled riders can steer accurately with either hand and often use their less dominant hand to steer while grabbing food or drink or making adjustment to clothing and bike.

So is your suggestion safer - I believe its debatable, and even if it is, the difference is pretty marginal - how often does a rider have to pull an emergency  stop while signalling, and more importantly, of those cases, how often would it make a difference to the outcome? What is less safe is riding a bike that is configured differently from what you are used to, hence the convention. If you have ever had the joy of pulling an emergency stop on a bike wired "the wrong way" you will understand what I mean.

Where I live, convention is different to where you live, however, only a few riders think enough about to worry, and fewer have a need to deal with it. Those that do learn to either adapt to new bikes quickly or reconfigure their bikes to suit them.


If you don't want to spend any money, just take it slowly at first to ensure that the brakes and steering are working properly.  Try twisting the bars while holding the front wheel between your legs to make sure the bars don't turn with a decent amount of force. Ensure that the wheels spin freely and don't rub on anything. It's ok if they wobble a bit on such an old bike, but if there is excessive wheel wobble you might want to have a professional look at it.

Alternatively, you can take it in to your local bike shop for a tune up and safety check. Looks like a single speed with a coaster brake so there really isn't much to go wrong or adjust but you might be best off having a professional take a look at it and making sure things are in working order.


Is it possible to fit a 26" fork to a 29er bike frame

Update: Fixed bad calculation for the BB drop, thanks to @mattnz.
Physically, it may be possible to fit the fork alone. But the resulting bicycle will be dangerous to ride, for at least two reasons.

The wheels with 26" rims vs 29" rims  are at least (622 - 559)/2 = 31.5 mm or 1¼ inch lower, meaning everything will be lower, including the bottom bracket and the pedals in their lowest position. This means you will have much greater chance to scratch the road or trail when pedaling. Even if it won't touch the ground when you ride the straight line, at cornering the whole bike leans, and pedals go even lower. An unexpected pedal-to-ground contact, especially when cornering, can kick the rider out of the saddle.

What size of wheel will you put at the back? If it would be a 29" one, the bike will look very odd, a "reverse mullet" of sorts. Besides the looks, a bigger wheel at the back will increase the steering angle, which in general corresponds to more sensitive steering. The bottom bracket will still become lower, although at lesser extent. The bike will be twitchy to control. If it would be a 26" wheel at the back to match the front wheel, see the lower bottom bracket argument above. Plus, if you have a frame for rim brakes, they won't work because they are designed for a specific diameter of the rim.

Using 26" wheels in a frame designed around 29" ones is really not recommended unless you can run all the numbers yourself for the specific frame and are confident that it will work, and you understand how the resulting bicycle geometry changes affect ride characteristics. As an example, for frames designed around 27.5" wheels, some people did use 26" wheels with them. But then one needed extra wide/high tires to compensate for the rim diameter difference. Wider tires are less likely to fit into the frame/fork without rubbing, so there are limits to this as well.
The difference between 29" and 26" wheel is just too big for this trick to work on regular bicycle frames. Some fatbike frames allow even that, e.g. one of my bikes accepts both wheels with 26"×4.8" and 29"×3", as confirmed by its manufacturer. But that is fairy unusual.


Which bike multitool should I get for a cannondale trail 3 2019? Which other tools will I need?

I wouldn’t get a multi tool.

All the tools you need for a modern bicycle (if you are not replacing bearings, crankset or cassette) are:

4mm hex key for:

seat post clamp
stem+handlebars
bottle holders
racks

5mm hex key for:

rim brakes brake lever clamps
derailleurs
saddle rail clamps

T25 torx for:

disc brake rotors

8mm hex key for:

pedals

screwdriver for:

derailleur limit screws

spoke key for wheel spokes
tire levers
pump
chain tool

Get a set of proper hex keys and the T25 torx if you have disc brakes. Get tire levers, a small pump for the ride and a large pump for the workshop.

But on single day rides it doesn’t make sense to bring any of keys. You really only need the small pump, tire levers and a spare tube.

When I’m making saddle adjustments I take a 4mm hex key (and maybe a 5mm key if I’m also adjusting the fore-aft position) for the ride.

On multi-day travel I bring the 4mm and 5mm keys plus spare shifter cables and spare bottle holder screws. I also bring the spoke key and spare spokes (only makes sense if you know how to use it). A multi tool would have too many tools on it (which makes it heavier than the two dedicated keys) and they are usually short and fiddly.

If you have disc brakes and need/want a T25 Torx key I’d get this T25 Torx bit from Topeak which turns a 4mm allen key into a fully functional T25 Torx key.


I think that the torque needed to seat the stem snugly enough is way smaller than that which would damage the steering tube.

And by the piece image and design, I would say the tension that is correct to seat the headset bearings is good to keep the plug inside too.

By the way, after you tighten the stem bolts, you could even take the plug out of the bike and ride it anyway (I had to do that some times, but just for a short period, of course...).


What is a good replacement for my MF-Z012 6 speed wind on cassette?

1984 – Shimano introduced Dura-Ace 7400 series with Shimano Index System (SIS) the first successful indexed-shifting system in cycling history. It was a 6-speed (7 and 8-speed later) system with indexed shifters mounted on the down tube.

From http://cycling-passion.com/dura-ace-history/
Your front mech is given as a FD7400B, which doesn't really carry a defined number of "speeds" because 6/7/8 all used roughly the same chain width.  The B means it is a "band-on" fitting, not a F for "braze-on".  It is rated for a big/small gap of 15 teeth.
Assuming your rear mech is from the same age, it will be a RD7400 which is rated for 6 speed and 26 tooth max cog.  A RD7401 is a 6+7 mech and a RD7402 is an 8 speed mech.
The downside is that this generation of Dura Ace had a whacky cable pull ratio.  So its ONLY compatible with a Dura Ace shifter of the same number of gears.  You already have both.
The upshot of this is that you need a 6 speed freewheel, where the big cog is no bigger than a 26 tooth.
If you want more gears, you'll need a new wheel hub, cassette, rear mech, and right-hand shifter.   Practically that means a replacement wheel.  And your frame has to have enough width to take a wider wheel - the OLD on your 6 speed wheel might be 126mm and wider cassettes use more space.  All that is covered in other questions on this site.
From Sheldon's site

Myth: Dura-Ace cassettes have a different spacing, and are incompatible with other derailers/shifters.
Truth: No, all Shimano cassettes and freehubs with the same number of speeds use the same spacing, and index with any system configured for the same number of sprockets.

You also need to avoid a freewheel with a bigger cog than 26 tooth.  The top jockey wheel could impact the big cog and that's loud at best, and disastrous at worst.
There's some interesting info at https://www.sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html  but you have the DA shifters and mechs, so that's not super-relevant to you.

Your biopace chainring won't care what you do at the backend.  Front shifting might get a bit twitchy if you put a thin 11 speed chain through a front mech intended for 6 speed, but it just needs to be pushed over a bit more before the chain gets shoved.  Easy.


When should I start cycling again after a cold?

I've generally found that moderate exercise helps recover from a cold (once you've established a bit of distance from death's door), but overdoing it can set you back.

You need to be doubly sure to maintain hydration, and cut back your workout in both intensity and duration.  Ie, take it easy.


Should thighs touch the stomach to reduce flab?

I think that this is a bad advice you've heard (by many?).

For pedaling seated, the seat has only one position; the proper one. See How do I determine the correct position for my bicycle seat? for info on how to set it correctly.

Regarding the flab thing, as far as I know touching your stomach with your thighs (or any other part of your body) will not contribute to a better workout or a six pack. For that I guess you'll need lots of proper training and a consistently proper diet.


Most effective way to improve cantilever brakes

Pad quality makes a huge difference on rim brakes. While the spares you have may be better than the old pads, they're still going to be far worse than a good pad, especially in the wet.
I have a BSO with early V-brakes that take canti pads, and have been pleased with these Kool Stop Eagle 2 dual compound.  The dual compund (soft and hard) is key to all-weather performance. I use similar pads on my hybrid with proper V-brakes; both the stopping power and the wear are far better than with cheaper pads.   XLC make some dual compound pads that stop well but wear faster than those Kool-stop pads.
When setting up cantilever brakes,  pay particular attention to:

The pad clearances. Set them almost as close as possible to the rims at rest; true the wheels if you find you've got to back off the pads to avoid touching the rims at certain points in the rotation.
Setting up the straddle cable for maximum mechanical advantage (from about 3:50 in your Park Tools video).  This is about how hard the pads press the rims for a given hand pressure, but good mechanical advantage shortens the travel of the brakes, hence needing the pads to rest close to the rim.
Do make sure that the straddle cable can't drop onto the front tyre if the main cable snaps, especially if your tyres have plenty of tread - a mudguard or reflector bracket can prevent the wheel suddenly locking up from a dropped cable and causing an unlikely but serous accident.

With good pads, well adjusted, cantilever brakes are almost equal to V-brakes in stopping power; the main advantage of V brakes is their simplicity.
The Galaxy series has been around for a long time, so your bike could be quite old (on the other hand it could be from last year).  If it's an old model, not only could the pads have hardened with age, there's a slim chance the rims are steel which is rubbish for braking. I'm not sure it was ever sold with steel rims (and almost certainly not with steel rims and canti brakes), but on an old bike I'd check anyway.


Milian Pere - Brompton child seat - installation instructions

Assuming your son will be sitting on a saddle then you need a saddle with a metal clip that interfaces between the rails of the saddle and the post. They are adjustable so the seat can be almost any angle in relation to the seat post. Brompton make one of the clips but you can probably find them cheaper on ebay, or included with some saddles. See images below:


Fuji Transonic 2.8 2016: rear derailleur hanger direct mount or standard?

TLDR: You have a standard mount hanger, leave the B pivot on the derailleur.

Looking at this Wheels Manufacturing page, what they call 'direct' hangers put the M10 mounting hole further to the rear than 'standard' hangers.

I believe that with the newer groupset series that introduced 'Shadow Technology' (moving the derailleur in and behind the cassette a bit) Shimano wanted the B pivot further rearward than previous designs and added the B-link to do this. They provided for original bicycle manufacturers and third party hanger manufacturers to make 'direct' hangers by making the B-link removable.

If your hanger goes straight down it's a standard type, use the B-pivot. If your hanger goes down and rearward at about 45 degrees, and there is a horizontal separation between the axle and M10 mounting hole of 1-2cm it's a direct type, remove the B-pivot.


My lock was rusty and key snapped while trying to unlock bike so now its permanently locked

If this is the cable or chain lock use bolt cutter. If it's a D-lock (U-lock) you have to use a hacksaw.


Bicycle acts like it's braking when I walk it

I'm assuming you have rim brakes.

Lift each wheel in turn off the ground and spin it. Does it appear to snake from side to side as it spins? If so, your wheel is out of true (it's no longer a disk but a sort of round Pringle) and it's catching against the brake pads at some part of its wobble.

If the wheels look OK when they're spinning, place the bike back on the ground and try to push the bike sideways by putting your foot against the axle. Does the wheel wobble against its mounting? If so, its bearings are bust.

Both of these are things that only an experienced bike mechanic would have the tools and skills to fix, so unless I've missed something, you're going to have to take it to a bike shop.


Maintenance of Fork springs on Marzocchi Bomber Dirt Jumper

Deciding whether or not to replace the fork or to service it, is a question only you can answer. You'll have to calculate how much it will cost to repair vs how much a new fork is. Take into consideration that your fork is a decade old now and that the chances of it breaking will only increase as time goes on. Parts will also be hard to find.

If the springs are worn, you will most likely notice changes in the compression and rebound characteristics of the fork. A worn spring doesn't mean that something else will break.

Yes, you can replace the springs yourself on most forks. Chances are, if you can buy/find a spring, you will be able to replace it. You might need a large socket/wrench for the top cap, but you should be able to do it yourself.


What bottom bracket fits a Truvativ E450 crank?

It's just an older style of BB. It's a square taper BB. Simply remove it and it should indicate width of the axle and the cup size (very likely 68mm). Then go order a Shimano BB-UN52 for less than $20 online. It'll outlast the rest of the bike. BTW, you can still find these cranksets on ebay. Good luck!


Have you been fitted on you bike ? It might be that your saddle is not a the appropriate height. More so if you have lower bike pain while cycling.

Some websites will provide bike fit measurement based on your body measurements (this one for example), you can start there. In general,  when the pedal is at 6 o'clock you want a slight bend in you knee (not fully extended, but not bent very much)

If that looks OK, I would check you pedaling technique, maybe you're doing something wrong there that creates pain.


How do so many bicycles end up in the canals of Amsterdam?

Why do you think they aren't recycled? EU legislation is pretty strict on what can go in landfill and it would be very surprising if the bikes fished out of the canals aren't recycled (i.e., melted down and the metal used for something new). 20,000 bikes is going to be at least 200 tons of scrap metal.

After being underwater for a while, the bikes are probably sufficiently badly damaged that their parts can't be re-used: components such as bearings would probably be damaged beyond economical repair and structural components such as the frame and wheels would have corroded to an unknown amount and can't be guaranteed to be safe.


How do I adjust my rear coil suspension?

With coil suspension you will need to purchase a new spring that is suited to your weight. Resistance comes from the spring so you need to purchase a heavier and thicker spring for harder suspension. There is usually a preload adjustment for fine tuning resistance but wouldn't change the feel drastically.

Most mid-high level suspension brands have a selection of springs (usually coloured for different weights) that you can purchase for different weight bands.

Air suspension allows you to adjust the pressure (volume) of air to change how soft it is.


Is there much of a difference between flatland and park/street frames?

Since you are new to BMX I would find a good local shop that specializes in BMX. In my area the three largest conventional road/MTB shops don't carry BMX. We do have two very good shops that only sell BMX and skateboards. So don't be dismayed if the first shop you check has nothing you want. If you can't find one, stop by the local skate/bike park and see what everyone else that is riding. Ask where they go for service, repairs or parts. Like mountain biking, BMX has bikes specialized for specific styles. The frames and components are designed for the style. From what I have seen Flatland bike are designed for slow speed tricks on flat terrain. This is where handling and light weight are more important than the ability to survive big air. The info I can find seems to point to you able to do flatland tricks on a standard BMX frame. If you try to do some dirtjumping or big air tricks on a flatland frame it's lightweight frame and components wont take the abuse for long. Since you are new, your style and preferences will change. I would look for a good used bike, this is where a good local shop can help.


How to prevent breathing issues during extreme cold

A scientific Journal, Chest Journal, published an article about the efficiency of heat exchange masks on asthmatic subjects during cold weather exercise.  They found that the heat exchanger masks were at least as effective as pre-treatment with albuterol in preventing decline in lung function.

I found several commercial heat exchange masks which could potentially be used for cycling:
Airtrim AirTrim Heat/Moisture Exchange Masks - seems to be the most athlete focused product and would likely be effective.

N-Ferno 6970 Extreme Balaclava with Hot Rox

Polarwrap, The Exchanger Mask

Talus Outdoor Technologies ColdAvenger Pro Soft Shell Mask or  ColdAvenger Expedition Balaclava

AirGuard Medical CT Mask for COPD or Asthma - May not be designed for high levels of activity

However, for less extreme temperatures, simply breathing through some medium, like fleece, which captures the moisture you exhale and passes inhaled air back over it may work as a less efficient, but still potentially effective heat exchange in warmer temps. For me, breathing through the balaclava helps a bit in temps over 15F, but is less effective at lower temps.

Anti-Pollution masks may provide a similar effect as well, but may not capture as much heat if they use exhalation valves which remove some of the exhaled air without capturing the heat.


It seems likely, since that is exactly NCN 4 - however, I haven't found any references to people riding the length of route 4, and the CTC route database isn't giving me anything either.

For reference, I plugged Charing Cross to Fishguard into cyclestreets and it reckons a shade under 300 miles (for the balanced route). Whether that means three consecutive 100-mile days, or five 60-mile days will depend on you.

I'd take the cyclestreets routes with a grain of salt, or at least study them carefully (and compare with the sustrans route description and mapping linked above).

Oh, and I see about 2km of total ascent on that route, with what look like some steepish sections once you're into Wales.


More or less skid patches for winter tires?

To spread skid patches around the tire, you need to have chainring and cog that have mutually prime tooth counts, i.e. no common divisors. With a common 42 tooth chain ring, 21 is the worst possible choice because it produces a straight 2:1 ratio. If this did no seem to make sense, search for "skid patch calculator" to find interactive visualizations.

If you really want to avoid excessive tire wear at the cost of some style points, a front brake is great. Also, the current version of Schwalbe Marathons doesn't seem to wear that well.

Edit: After writing the answer, the question has changed. Having less skid patches is a good idea, if your aim is to wear the tire to cords faster. It will not help with braking because the tire has skid patch facing ground when you brake. It will also not help much with lateral grip, because the smooth patches will be even smoother.


Every time I move my handle bar left or right the wheel turns in different direction

Sounds like the handlebar stem is loose. This is an extremely dangerous situation and you should go immediately (pushing your bike or taking it in a car, but not riding it) to your local bike shop to have it looked at.

The fix is easy and should take less than 5 minutes (and only a few dollars/euro if they charge you at all), but again it is critical that you get this repaired.


Heelstrike, which Neil Fein mentioned in a comment, would be my chief concern. You'd need a rack that moves the panniers aft. Axiom makes just such a rack that is designed for bikes without rack-mounting eyelets—instead it mounts to your quick-release skewer (which could make changing flats a PITA). I have seen people touring on road bikes with these, so it can be done. It would also be possible with some racks to mount the rack to P-clamps at the bottom. They also make this clamp-on seatpost rack that supposedly has a 15-kg capacity. Should be more than enough.

You might also consider a large seatbag. This one might be too small and is spendy, but it seems like it's in the right direction (and if you haven't explored Rivendell's website, do so—neat stuff).


New front fork has steel caps on V-brake mounts - can these be removed to expose threaded mounts beneath

These caps are indeed removable. They are protective caps on your brake mount bosses, to prevent the paint getting on the surface of the brake mount or threading, in the factory.

They've done their job so simply remove them and install your brakes as normal, they should just pull off.


The new freewheel looks like a drop in replacement. Both are 5 speed 14-28 teeth. Removal tool splines are the same so you can use the tool you presumably have.

Not sure what you mean by 'spread out'. Sprocket spacing and tooth pitch are all standardized in the bicycle world so a sprocket with the same number of teeth will be functionally equivalent.


How do I fit this pair of chain tensioners on my single speed bike?

They look like you want those "in" the horizontal dropout. The bracket should cover the frame and as you tighten the bolt it will pull the axle further away from the cranks, tightening the chain along with it.

Be careful to not over tighten as you want a little 'slack' in the chain. Also, it is very easy to tighten one side more than the other resulting in your wheel not rolling straight (just slightly off center is what I see most often).


The proper way to do this is to use a facing tool. Park Tool makes the BTS-1 for BB's and has directions to use it here. Theres also the Park Tool HTR-1 for head tubes with directions here.

[You may need different tools, but the idea is generally the same. Note that some manufacturers of headsets or what not may void your warranty if you don't do this properly.]


Do deep rims increase the chances of falling in strong wind?

Yes absolutely. The depth of a rim is directly related to the side-area, and a gust of wind will have more of an effect on a larger surface.
The largest wheel surface area is a solid disk, and even pros will prefer an open wheel to a disk wheel on a race day with a gusty wind forecast.
If there are a lot of sidewinds anticipated, an old-school box-section rim presents the smallest side-area to a wind, and will react the least to a sudden gust.

Consider also that a front wheel has two pivot points - the head tube and the ground contact patch.  The wheel's axle is not relevant to steering.   So there is more of the wheel/rim in front of a line between those two pivots, and a side wind will push the front of the wheel more than the rear of the wheel.
The result is a net turn away from the wind.  If the rider is not balancing and ready to react instantly, they'll find the bike turning under them without the rider's mass following, leading to a loss of control, a wiggle/swerve, and potentially a fall.   Not good in a pack!
The only correct action is to prevent the turn from starting.  You have to hold firmly onto the bars, and react immediately if there's a gust.  If you're watching the grass on the roadside, or other riders ahead, you can see a gust-front coming and brace yourself for it.  With timing and luck, you can even turn into the wind as it hits you, resulting in a net-zero steering change.
The other good choice is to slow down in gusty areas.  If your speed was halved, you'd have twice as long to react to the gust before overbalancing.  (very approximately).
Additionally, don't ride too close to obstructions, the edge of the seal, other riders, or cliff edges.  Having some more run-out room helps recover.
Deep rims on the back have less of an effect because they don't get involved with steering.  A solid side wind can push the bike around, but its not going to steer your bike into a co-rider or a parked vehicle, or off the road completely.


The two are not directly related.  On a conventional diamond frame the downtube angle is dependent on the length of the top tube and seat tube, and, of course, the seat tube angle.  The length of the seat stay is dependent on the seat tube length and angle, and the length of the chain stay.

Obviously, the two "share" the seat tube length and angle (which is related in part to the overall bike "size"), but the length of the top tube is determined by the desired "reach" of the bike, while the length of the chain stay is determined by the desired overall wheelbase (longer for road bikes, eg), and the wheel size and desired clearance (eg, for fenders) between wheel and seat tube.

If you look at Google images for bikes you will see a wide variation in relative angles.  Usually the seat stay is at a steeper angle than the downtube.


It's unclear what you mean by 'changing the shifting system to eTap but stick to the braking system'. You can't separate the two systems.
If you change shifters you are changing the brake levers. Shimano and SRAM hydraulic brake levers and calipers are utterly incompatible as they use different hydraulic fluids (SRAM DOT fluid, Shimano mineral oil).
If you are replacing the shifters/brake levers why not replace the calipers too?
Shimano provides extensive info on all their bicycle products. Start here https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/. Specific GRX810 info is here https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/lc/rx810/mech_2x11.


Cantilever brakes gets very weak if it rains

I think your transverse cable has got too great of an angle, and you can adjust it to provide more powerful braking force.

Much of the mechanical advantage of cantilever brakes comes from the "yoke angle", the angle the transverse cable makes from the horizontal. Sheldon Brown explains this in detail on his page about cantilever geometry (it's actually more complicated than Sheldon's explanation, but it's a good approximation)

(based off cantilever brake image from Shimano)

A transverse cable that pulls vertically upwards would have no additional  mechanical advantage, so would have a mechanical advantage of "1" while a transverse cable that is completely horizontal would have in infinite mechanical advantage (it's impossible to have a completely horizontal cable since once you apply the brakes, the cable will deviate). The mechanical advantage is 1/sin(yoke angle) and he provides a handy chart:

Yoke Angle
(Degrees) Mechanical
Advantage
90°   1
80°   1.015
70°   1.063
60°   1.15
50°   1.31
40°   1.55
30°   2
20°   2.92
10°   5.76
5°    11.47
0°    Infinity!

It's hard to tell exactly what your angle is in that picture, but it looks like it's close to 60 degrees, so you're not getting much mechanical advantage from the yoke angle.

If you can decrease this angle either by shortening the tranverse cable, or by widening the cantilever arms by sliding the brake shoes closer to the rim (which would help "flatten" the transverse cable, decreasing the yoke angle), you can gain significantly more mechanical advantage. You don't want just go for the greatest amount of mechanical advantage since you'll run out of available cable travel if it's too high, but you can definitely tune the brakes for greater mechanical advantage.

There are additional cantilever adjustment tips on Shelden Brown's cantilever adjustment page.


Is this normal for my new Cannondale Synapse Alloy 6?

No bike, no matter how good, is absolutely silent. It's possible that this bike needs to be tuned better, but more likely, it's simply the fact that it is Shimano's most basic 10 speed components and what is for Cannondale a more basic alloy frame.

I would suggest taking it to a different LBS for an opinion on what the real problem is, or if there is one.

It could be a loose or dry bottom bracket, headset, hubs, chain, chain ring bolts, saddle, seat post or pretty much any  other moving part on the bike.

I hope that is helpful.


What is the ideal brake pad material for a MTB used in both downhill and cross-country/Single-track settings?

Metallic would be better as you are suffering brake fade. Advantages any other type are far outweighed by avoiding brake fade.

If you have the option when you replace the pads, look for ones with a heat sink if they are available for your calipers. Suggest you should look at your riding style, and especially see if you can pump the brakes rather than drag them. If needed, a larger rotor will provide better cooling for a relatively small cost (rotor and adapter)

There are two causes of brake fade - one is pads/rotor overheating and loosing effectiveness, the other if boiling brake fluid. It may be worth bleeding you brakes, making sure you use a high quality fluid - if DOT, make sure you use a DOT5.1 which has a higher boiling point than DOT3 or DOT4. If mineral, there are no standards as with DOT - I would use the fluid recommended by the brake manufacture.


Note to readers -  Squirt is a wax based dry lube, the chain was not hot waxed.

The rust is cosmetic. Its been caused because you stripped the protective coatings with the degreaser and did not cover the chain and cassette completely in a protective layer.  Did you dry the chain before applying the lube and did you drown the chain then wipe off excess?

Did you reapply lube over the 7 days? A dry lube won't last that long.

For De greasers I use a citrus based cleaner or specific bike 'chain cleaner as these are not as harsh as many of the automotive ones. They clean the chain without stripping it bare of protection.

Dry lube is great, in dry conditions and OK in damp conditions but you need to reapply it regularly and use the right amount (which is heaps, drown the chain then wipe dry).  Wet lube offers better protection in wet conditions.

You can get plated chains if the rust bothers you.


Does rocking the bike side to side when e.g. sprinting or climbing help?

The rocking motion does not help with power output, but it is the way you maintain balance with least effort.

When one is riding in straight line, the system of bike and rider rotates almost freely around the axis that goes through the points where tires contact the road (there are steering forces to maintain the balance, but these are very small compared to pedaling forces). Because there is nothing to brace against, the torques around this line have to even out. Because pedals are not directly above the line, pushing them down needs some torque to counter it. When sitting down, the most natural support is the combination of handlebars and saddle (if you wondered why saddles extend forward between riders' legs, this is one of the reasons). Standing up to pedal allows using more force on the pedals and loses the support from saddle at the same time. This requires more force handlebars, but also allows another option: Rocking the bike from side to side brings the pedal that is pushed downwards closer to the centerline, which reduces the torque that needs to be countered.

From mechanics standpoint, the arms don't do any work when holding the bike upright. Holding the bike upright by twisting the handlebars wouldn't indeed take any effort if you could just lock your arms like suspension lockout. Unfortunately muscles don't work that way, so maintaining the bike upright while pedaling standing takes more effort than rocking the bike around.

This method could be used to control balance when sitting in saddle, too. The problem is that when sitting, you need to wiggle your lower body to keep up with the saddle and the upper body in other direction to maintain balance. You can do it if you really want, but it is not comfortable or efficient.


Most components will have an instruction sheet detailing the reccomended torque. This is typically measured in Nm (newton meters). Torque wrenches can also be purchased that show you how much torque you apply.

Some components even have the reccomended torque value on the component itself.
Checking other components will give you an indication of the difference in required torque in relation to your BB.


How to remove this kickstand without destroying anything?

The pin needs to be pulled out.  You can remove it using a wrench inserted in the kickstand for leverage to push the ring and that will loosen up the pin. If you need a visual, see this video.  Hope it helps.


Why aren't Tour de France riders going any faster?

The simplest answer to your question is that 1) speeds have increased; but 2) speeds would have increased even more except Tour organizers have been consciously making the Tour harder in order to increase the drama, suspense, and entertainment value of the race. That makes comparisons of overall winner's speed quite complex when combined with normal variations in wind, weather, and team tactics during the race.

First, some historical background. Over time, the winner's average speed in the Tour has indeed increased, especially in the period of the early 1990's and some (including, for a famous example, Greg Lemond, himself a three-time winner of the Tour) have claimed that this is evidence of doping behavior in professional cycling. However, as one of the other answers showed, there is a strong relationship between distance and overall winner's speed. Here is a plot that shows that relationship in the post-WWII period through 2012:

The distance of the Tour has been decreasing due to the rules and regulations of the UCI (the Union Cycliste Internationale), which negotiated a limitation to the length of races and mandated certain numbers of rest days during the Tour with the Professional Riders' Association. From an historical perspective, these limitation were a response to charges that the difficulty of the Tour resulted in riders needing to dope simply to survive, and that by "easing" the stages and inserting rest days there would be less need to dope.

An effect of shorter stages (and higher speeds), perhaps paradoxically, is that race organizers have been increasing the difficulty of the stages; this is particularly noticeable in the other two "Grand Tours", the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana but also applies to the Tour: the number and "spacing" of categorized climbs in the Tour has resulted in more difficulty overall. Each year, at the announcements of the routes for each of the Grand Tours, riders and analysts pronounce whether a particular parcours will be relatively difficult or relatively easy, and favoring either sprinters, time trialists, or climbers. That there is a still a strong relationship between length of the Tour and overall speed simply means that the organizers haven't completely compensated for the distance effect with increased difficulty.

And, although your question was not expressly about doping behavior in the pro peloton, a bit more must be said about that. The plot above shows a clear relationship between distance and speed but there is still a question about deviations (or the "residuals") from that relationship. That is, after removing the effect for the length of each Tour, what is the remaining trend in the winner's average speed? The plot below shows that trend with a dotted red line.

As you can see, the winners' average speeds in the 1970's and 1980's were below trend, while speeds in the 1960's, 1990's and 2000's were above the long-term trend. So, even if the long-term trend in speeds can mostly be explained by Tour length (the correlation between Tour length and winner's speed is about 0.8), some have pointed to this secondary effect in the residuals as further evidence of doping. However, there are two counter-arguments, one slightly weaker and one very much stronger. The weaker argument is based on the observation that the residuals are "double-peaked" and speeds in the 1960's were also higher than the trend, then dropped in the 1970's and 1980's. If doping were the simple explanation, one would have to explain the drop in the 1970's and 1980's, not just the rise in the 1990's and 2000's. However, the stronger argument is based on examining data from other races and comparing them to the Tour. If one were to examine the residuals from a similar plot of speed vs. distance for the Giro and Vuelta, one would see that the years when their speeds were above (or below) their own trend lines did not correspond with the same years for the Tour. That is, the speed residual for the Tour and the speed residuals for the Giro or Vuelta are not "synchronized." Thus, if doping behavior explained the reason why Tour speeds were higher than would be predicted from distance, then one would have to explain why doping behavior was different in the Tour and Giro (or Vuelta) in the same year, often with the same riders. Below I include a plot that shows the "residuals" from the Tour (that is, residuals from the regression of winner's average speed on Tour length) plotted against the same residuals for the Giro. This does not mean, of course, that there is no doping in either the Tour or the Giro -- it simply means that one cannot use average speeds as evidence of that doping. Conversely, it also means that one cannot use doping as an explanation for increased average speed. Taken together, it does support the evidence that race organizers's decisions about the routes is a main determinant of the average speed.


50t / 38t Shimano Zee crankset double 10 speed casette old mountain bike commuter conversion

Length of chain does not matter. The issue you will face is the rear derailleur's total capacity. Basically it's rear derailleur's ability to take up chain slack.

Total capacity = (difference in tooth count of front rings) + (difference in tooth count of largest and smallest cassette sprockets)

You can see the size of the biggest ring is not an issue, it's the difference between the two rings that counts. 50-38 38 is 12, which is less than standard road bike difference of of 16 (52-36, 50-34 etc.) so you should be fine with long cage derailleur.