How can i calculate the power in watts on an indoor trainer

Take a look at TrainerRoad.com to see if your trainer is on their list and you may be able to use a Speed/Cadence sensor with an ANT+ USB stick in your computer to use what they call "Virtual Power". They don't actually measure your power output, but based on known power curves of the trainer at given speed/cadence they run through some formulas to give you a number as you spin away on the trainer.


How do you repair or lengthen a B&M Luxos Control Cable?

I finally got this done. The procedure is as discussed in the chat for this question.

Open the light by unscrewing the two torx screws on top. (Be careful not to lose the rubber washers, they're transparent!
Take a photo of how things are arranged and connected inside. Putting the thing back together is a bit like playing tetris blindfolded.
Disconnect the cache batteries. They carry current, possibly up the switch cable, so you don't want to short something and fry the control circuitry while working on the cable. This light is fairly sophisticated, monitoring changes in voltage, ambient light levels, etc. I suspect it's easy to kill that circuitry with carelessness.
Cut the wire and insert an extra length of 4-conductor control cable, braided. I found some on ebay very cheap, 4 wires, AWG24.
Solder and heat-shrink wrap each individual connection, then heat-shrink wrap the whole splice area. (This means soldering 8 connections total.)

When you put it back together, the light will flash when you plug the battery back in. Don't get spooked. As soon as you connect the battery, you can test the remote (and onboard) switches to see if everything works.
Mine did. :)


Best way to train in an area with many hills

You can climb a hill basically three different ways:

Spinning up the hill in low gear at high RPM
Charging up the hill standing up (or at least really pumping the muscles sitting)
Grinding up the hill at 20-30 RPM

Of those, the third one is a good way to wreck your knees and generally make yourself miserable.  The other two, however, are both perfectly acceptable.

Basically, you divide hills into those that are short enough you can comfortably "charge" up, and those that are longer and more challenging.

For the short ones (and "short" is purely a personal choice) you typically downshift a bit and then raise your exertion level to something near your comfortable maximum, probably dropping your RPM a little but maintaining at least 60 RPM.

For the longer hills (and maybe a few shorter ones at the end of a long day) you downshift a fair bit more, raise your exertion level only a little, and "spin" at roughly the same RPM you'd use on level ground (though truth be told mine always falls off a bit), adjusting gears up/down to maintain that RPM and exertion level.

The thing you want to do is to use your gears to maintain the "sweet spot" where you're holding a relatively steady RPM (somewhere between 60 and 90) and also maintaining an exertion level that you can sustain for the long haul.

Of course, if your bike doesn't have a broad enough gear range to "spin" up longer hills then you have a problem.  You can try "charging", but that can run you ragged pretty quickly.  So (since you should NOT "grind" up the hill) you probably need to figure a different route that is more suitable to your bike and fitness level.

One basic rule of thumb I use while cycling that seems to work out pretty well is to always pedal faster than I breathe.  That is, if my respiration rate is 60 then I should be pedaling at least 70-80 RPM.  If I notice my RPM falling off or my respiration rate climbing, I downshift until my respiration rate drops a bit.  And on the flat I aim for an RPM that's twice my respiration rate.


Let it air dry (and/or wipe it dry as much as you can) and move on with your life. Don't put it near a heater, cause that isn't good for the rubber stuff. Re-lube the chain.

What gets you in winter is not so much the snow/ice, but the salt (which doesn't affect your bike if its just standing there). In this case, if you have the time and space to bring the bike in for a prolonged period of time (say, overnight), you can wipe down the frame with a damp cloth, maybe clean+lube the chain and drivetrain and other parts you would do routinely (e.g. brake pivots if you're using V-brakes; I usually have to take the v-brakes off and clean the posts and what not at least a few times in a winter).

Also, note that you can't rust out an aluminum bike, and this shouldn't really have caused a problem for a steel bike. A lot of people have bikes (steel or otherwise) which they leave out through winters and salt and survive fine for decades.


Will using dry lube and wet lube together give you better protection/performance than from using just one of them?

I don't think so - they are designed to be used individually, and for a specific purpose.

Like I answered to a previous question, the Wet / Dry naming of the product is a hint as to what conditions the product is designed for.

Wet lube is typically more like motor or sewing machine oil, and is designed to coat the chain and protect it in wet conditions. This will pick up dirt and gunk, but it will be mostly kept on the surface and will help keep water and other corrosive substances out of the links.

Dry lube is usually a teflon lube in an evaporating or wax base, so the teflon particles stay in the links without a lot of wet "gunk" left on the chain to pick up sand, dust, grime, etc. and is great for dry, dusty conditions.


I can see is a US power plug, suggesting its US based.  Thickslicks are very much a "cafe-hipster-singlespeed" tyre and rarely seen on transport bikes or fast bikes so this looks like a one-speed bike with a front brake (wise plan)

There are toe clips on the flat pedals, implying that this is a fixed gear not a singlespeed.  I'd not recommend fixed gear for your situation.

It has 700c aluminium wheels with either a steel or possibly an aluminium frame.  The thin tubes imply steel but its hard to tell from one small photo.  I doubt there is any carbon fibre on that bike.

The bars are called "bullhorns" and are "trendy-urban"  The "horns" risk catching anything you might brush past, so are more for looks than function.

As for colour, I see white tyres, white saddle, and white bartape.  This bike has never been ridden in its entire life and looks brand new.   White simply does not stay white on a bike for long, with tyres turning grey quickly, followed by bartape.

You could walk into almost any bike shop and find a commuter/hybrid/flatbar bike of similar shape.  Then get a leg over and see how you feel.  Do also try out other shapes of bike too - remember GQ is not a cycling magazine, its an interior decoration showpiece, and that bike as pictures is merely window dressing.

It is not a "working bike", it is a show pony.


Strida single speed - upgrade to 2-3 speeds possible?

3-speed is possible, but not at bottom bracket without heavy modification to the frame. The usual location for 3-speed gearbox is the rear hub. As far as I can tell, one could rebuild the rear wheel with suitable 3-speed hub. Running the shifter cable to the hub might be complicated with the folding frame, but I don't see how it would be more difficult than running it to the bottom bracket. Some models already have disc brakes, which also suggests that you can run a cable to the rear hub. If disc brake is not required, another option would be kick shift 2-speed hub. These things have a coaster brake and shift gears every time you brake, no cables required.


Does more gear inches on a folding bikes work better?

"Gear inches" is a way to define how "difficult" a given gear is.  A larger value means that the gear is more "difficult" and will take more leg muscle to move the bike forward.  A smaller value means that the gear is "easier" and hence you'll be able to climb steeper hills.

We can't tell you what range of values is right for you.  Your option 2 above has 7 different combos, vs 6 for option 1, and the "smallest" gear is smaller (in gear inches), meaning it will be "easier" than the "smallest" gear for option 1.  The "largest" gear for option 2 is also smaller than the "largest" for option 1, meaning that you will not be able to go as fast on flat land or going downhill.

But none of this really has anything to do with the bike being a folder, other than the fact that folders typically have a more limited gear range.


Do I really need a magic link or can I just replace the pin on my chain?

You can do that (*) - you just need to make sure you don't push the pin out all the way before reinstalling it (else it becomes quite hard to put the pin back in). However, a quick link is easier to install and remove (**) the chain (also, carrying a few of them around make for easy emergency repairs), since you only have to use the chain tool to shorten the chain and not risk damage to the plates when re-attaching or not aligning the pin correctly when re-attaching (this is the most common cause of failure for a chain, especially on higher speed chains). Thus, re-installing the pin is more likely to weaken the chain vs a quick link (which doesn't have this problem).

In any case, the quick link isn't usually the place of failure, so theres not really a reason not to use it unless your chain doesn't come with one.

(*) Well, check the documentation that comes with the chain. Normally, if there is a quick link, the manufacturer will tell you to use it, which the end of the paragraph will tell you why.

(**) On 10/11 speed systems, they are normally one time use links. On lower speeds, you can open and close the chain a bunch of times.

(***) As the comments point out, Shimano chains ship with a special pin to use (as do some Campy chains). You have to use this pin in this case (see this link for details/intricacies).


That pump is set up for another sort of valve (Presta, you have Schrader). You can probably switch it by unscrewing the end, removing the rubber part and putting it back in the other way round. You might need to turn round a plastic or metal part as well.


Definitely replace it.

At this stage, with the rubber delaminating from the case, it could come apart at any time. It's dangerous to use.

Near the bottom of the picture there are some bare threads. It is at that point the tire should have been replaced and perhaps only used in an emergency.

PS I see from the picture that the rim is quite worn. It's not far off needing replacement also.


If a derailleur cable snaps on a long ride, how can I keep going?

"Nothing is so broken you cannot make it worse" - breaking a perfectly good chain in the field, miles from nowhere, with a light weight emergency tool, would be my very last resort.

This will only work if the broken end is not too frayed. Remove the cable completely from the outers and the shifter. Thread the cable though the barrel adjuster on the dérailleur so that shifter end of the cable is butted against the adjuster. Clamp the cable onto the dérailleur (as you normally do, just with a  very long tail) with the dérailleur in a compromise position (usually middle of cluster, but towards the big cogs if you have hills to climb, and little cogs if you have lots of flat ground.) Adjust dérailleur with the barrel till its sitting on the chosen cog.  Cable tie/tape the remainder of the cable safely out the way (this is really important.....) - its unlikely you have have anything capable of cutting the cable so do not try.

If you cannot thread the cable, you my get away using something else - a cable tie, a piece of string or binding wire may be able to be used - whatever comes to hand.

This will leave you with a 2 or 3 speed bike using the front dérailleur - much better than single speeding it and a lot easier than breaking the chain.

Chain breaking to make a single speed is still an option if these attempts fail.

Edit : Feeling ingenious - if you are lucky and the cable and outers can be reconfigured......
If you have a separate shifter, and the cable is broken close to the dérailleur, you could remove the shifter from the handle bars, and clamp/tape/cable tie it onto the seat post. Rearrange the cable outers, connect the cable back up to the dérailleur, giving you a full range of gears - although shifting won't be as easy.


There are a few things that could be described as a 'wobbly' wheel.

Hold the rear wheel off the ground, grab the tire at the 12 o'clock and 9 o'clock (from the chain side of the bike), try to move the rim sideways. If the wheel feels like it is moving (wobbling) on the axle (other that rotating), the hub bearings are damaged or need adjusting. Your local bike repair store can tell you if they can repair the hub, or if a new wheel is required.

Hold the rear wheel off the ground, spin the wheel, watch the rim relative to the brake pads. If the rim looks like it is moving in and out relative to the pads (wobbling) as it spins, the rim is out of true. If it moves a few millimeters, it wont really affect the bike. Any more, or if the rim is hitting the brake pads, the rim needs to be trued. Again, your local bike repair store can fix that for you.

Lastly, the tire may have become uncentered on the rim. If the rim runs true but the tire does not, you can deflate the tire and push and pull it to re-seat the bead on the rim.


What speed is my Shimano Nexus 8 Hub in?

Put your shifter in 4th gear. Adjust the cable tension so that the yellow lines match. There really isn't more to it. Not much to do wrong. If you can then shift all the way up to 8 and down to 1, the basic installation is correct.

However ... from my experience, these hubs change a little over time. Mine (Alfine 8, basically the same thing) shows slippage in some gear every time I re-install it. After aligning the yellow lines, try to slacken the cable a little bit. This could be closer to the setting the hub was before you changed your tire.


How to replace downtube shifters with stem shifters?

You'll need longer cables in order to bridge the distance between where your original downtube shifters were and the stem (where the new shifters will be mounted). And you'll need to install a shifter cable housing going from your new cable stops (on the downtube where the original downtube shifters were located) to the new shifters on the stem.

If you plan on using shifters on the stem without an integrated cable stop you will have to add one just before the shifter(s) on the stem. Most likely your stem mounted shifters will have integrated cable stops though (such as can be seen in the following image)

Make sure to cut the cable housing to the appropriate length, make sure the liner is not folded over on itself before inserting the shifter cable. Use housing end caps on the cable housing if your cable stops allow for it (if there is enough room for the cable end caps). End caps:

It's alright if the shifter cables running from your bottom bracket towards the top of the down tube "'wrap' around the tube a bit" as long as they are not rubbing against the frame or if they are only slightly rubbing against the frame it shouldn't cause issues (it will be even less of a problem on non-indexed friction type shifters). If you find that your cables are rubbing too much on the frame/are not running smoothly because of it your suggestion of using a second cable stop on the bottom of the downtube might not be so bad. Do keep in mind that after the first cable stop your cable is already sheeted by cable housing so in this scenario I would suggest using only 1 cable stop (near the BB on the downtube) and letting the shifter cable+housing combo run all the way to your stem mounted shifters. This will most likely save you money on parts (less cable stops and brake cable housing is not that expensive especially when bought in bulk (10+m)). also this approach eliminates the posibility of the shifter cables rubbing against the downtube.

To neatly manage the cable housing in said situation I suggest using a cable clamp such as this one (dura-ace):

Mounted on a bike it looks like this:

There are also downtube mounted cable stops (clamp style) available where the two cables stops are further apart, which may match your current bike frame's cable stop spacing better. Here is an example:

They appear to be less common though so you might have a hard time getting your hands on one.

Perhaps you could use 'braze on downtube cable stops' . If the bolts used in your current clamp on down-tube shifters (to keep the shifter handles bolted onto the 'clamp body' have the same dimensions (same thread/diameter) as the bolts used to bolt on downtube shifters to a bicycle frame with braze-on downtube shifter mounts you might be able to install these 'braze on downtube cable stops' on your original clamp on shifters to create the needed cable stop.

What braze-on downtube shifter mounts look like:

What braze-on downtube cable stops look like:


Which brake pads to choose if you have fake carbon clinchers

I urge you not to ride these. I can't emphasize this strongly enough.

Almost all carbon manufacturing in the bike industry is done in China or Taiwan. There are likely to be a number of lesser known but good brands. For example, a number of posters on the Weight Weenies forum report good experience with Light Bicycle rims. I suspect but can't confirm that November Bicycles uses many Light Bicycle rims in its lineup, e.g. these wheels. In any case, their blog straight up admits that they've inspected and had good experience with their China-based rim suppliers. I've seen forum users endorse other lesser-known brands as well.

Fake goods are another issue entirely. These are fake. There may be rumors circulating that the factories for major Western brands, e.g. Pinarello, sell surplus product at lower prices through other channels. As discussed on the article, however, those are fakes. This Bikebiz article focused on fake frames, and it asserted that those are likely to come from low-quality factories with poor quality control. I'd suspect that the same applies to wheels.

Basically, it's possible that the carbon involved could have structural flaws that you can't see (e.g. voids that will propagate as stress fractures). Most factories in China do, in fact, conduct safety testing, but the ones producing fakes are very unlikely to do this. You could have the rims inspected, but this would require someone with knowledge of composites manufacturing and repair and an ultrasonic scanner or some other type of scanner. You would have been better off buying a lower-priced set of carbon wheels that were made in China, but were inspected by a retailer you trust and that has business insurance and a warranty. Or even just pony up for the Zipps.


Where I live, winter weather can reach -50 °C (-60 °F), with gale-force winds. How can I bike in these conditions?

As one comment has indicated, you may need to evaluate if cold this extreme is even safe to ride in. If you determine that is is, there are several issues you'll need to address.
There are a lot of questions here about winter cycling. I went through question with the winter tag. Here are some of the ones applicable to your situation:

Breathing may be a problem in extreme cold. The traditional solution of putting a balaclava over your nose and mouth and using large goggles may not be enough protection. The question How to prevent breathing issues during extreme cold has an interesting answer about heat exchange masks.

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.

Seeing will prove to be a challenge, and glasses or sunglasses will almost certainly prove to be not nearly enough eye protection from the freezing wind. Suggestions for winter cycling glasses? suggests that downhill MTB goggles, or maybe ski goggles will work. (Be prepared for reduced peripheral vision with any goggles.)

Tire selection in the winter is a bit of a black art. Whether you get fat tires or studded tires is largely a matter of the terrain: Lots of snow, or lots of ice? The question Fat or Skinny Tires for Winter Riding? has a great overview of the issues involved.

I think the arguments are as follows:

Fat: You can float on top of the snow and you don-t have to go through it. You have a larger contact patch with the ground.
Skinny: Will find it's way through the snow to find some pavement to grab onto.
Studded: Works great on ice but has no effect on snow/slush/other stuff. (Note never tried studded tires so just speculating).

Of course, you want to wear the proper clothing in winter. The traditional advice is to dress in lots of thin, breathable layers, but with temperatures this cold I'd not take any chances. There are many questions on this site tagged winter and clothes; I'd read them all. Talk to fellow cyclists and see what they wear. Start with short rides until you're confident that you're staying warm enough. Frostbite is a real danger!

Gloves are important; your hands freezing up an hour from anywhere warm can be a disaster. I'd not skimp on these, possibly layering multiple glove if need be. I've personally never found a single glove warm enough to handle even New Jersey winters, and always need to layer. You might want to look at lobster-claw gloves, cycling mittens, or bar mitts. Gloves with pockets for warming packs are nice, but do nothing to protect your fingers from being frozen. Also see: What gloves work well for winter riding?

Shoes should be warm, and also windproof. You'll need to layer socks, possibly even getting boots a size too big to fit them. What your options are here will depend greatly on whether you use plain platform pedals, toe clips and straps, or clipless pedals. Personally, I prefer plain platform pedals when riding on ice, removing clips and straps for ease of dismounting in an emergency. But I've heard good things about riding clipless on a fixie in the ice. (I'd be afraid to try it, personally.)

Most bike helmets are designed to cool the head as well as provide impact protection. However, since you'll be wanting to hang on to heat, I'd investigate helmets specifically for cold weather. See: Using a ski helmet for winter biking, Why don't cyclists wear all-encompassing motorcycle-style helmets?.

Freezing weather can be tough on bikes, particularly if there's road salt in your area. Cleaning a bike in winter presents special challenges. See: How do I clean my bike in winter? You'll obviously be cleaning your bike indoors, not washing it down with a hose outdoors!


If no one was hurt then you are probably good.

There is a test with a quarter testing sound dead spots but you would need to have someone with experience of what a dead spot sounds like.

I takes a bit to fracture a carbon.

frame failure testing

fork and hammer


How to board a ski chairlift that is not intended for bicycles?

Back in college, I did some downhilll racing at a ski resort with chairs like the ones you're talking about.

One guy carried his bike like this:

It had the advantage that when he dismounted, he just set the rear wheel down while still sitting in the chair, stood up, and walked off the lift with the bike next to him. The disadvantage was that it was an awkward ride to the top. If I remember correctly, it was also a little awkward to get onto the lift. He just sort of muscled it all into place.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture but most of us did it differently. We would straddle our bikes just like we were about to mount them while waiting for the lift. When the ski lift came up behind us, we would pick our bikes up and set the handlebars across our laps with the frame between our legs. As we got lifted up, the bikes would just dangle below the lift chair. Then, to dismount, we would just set the rear wheel down, stand up straddling the bike like when we got on the lift, and take a couple of awkward steps forward, just like you might do if you stop a little short at a stop light or something.

This way had the advantage of being super easy to get yourself and the bike onto the lift, as well as being easy to hang onto your bike on the way up. You could also fit two people on the chair at the same time. On the flip side, it was awkward to get off the lift, but dismounting never felt dangerous at all.

Honestly, the ride to the top was super scary (for me, at least). As you can see from the picture, there's no safety bar on those lifts. You could feel the weight of the bike causing the chair to lean forward a bit. I preferred to lift my bike a little higher than everyone else and rest the seat on the edge of the chair between my legs. This allowed me to pull the handlebars back closer to my face, balancing the whole chair out a bit. It was a little awkward to hold the bike like that, but the lift chair felt more stable. It clearly wasn't necessary since no one else did it and no one fell off the lift, but it made me feel better.


How to fit single speed tensioner onto bike?

Is it a push up or pull down spring? As far as I know, the chain can be put in tension both ways, but a specific tensioner will work only in one direction (either pulling up or pushing down, therefore the chain should run above or below the jockey wheel.

Emergency fix: run the chain above the jockey wheel and zip tie the tensioner to the frame.


You have 27inch wheels, and you can still buy tubes, tires and even new wheels.


Get in touch with Surly even if it out of warranty. The worst they can do is say no, and even if they won't fix it, they should be able to offer advise on the the best way to proceed. They live or die based on peoples perception of the brand, so have a vested interest in helping you resolve this kind of problem.

Any competent engineering shop should be able to make a reliable repair on Cromo. frames.


Square taper cranksets are common, you can find used ones or new ones fairly cheaply with either mountain (~42t) or road (~48-52t) chainring sizes.
Some Considerations for Switching from Mountain to Road Crankset:
number of gears
Mountain cranksets generally have three gears and road cranksets usually have two. To switch to a road crank with two gears, you can just adjust your front derailleur, including the limit screws, position & cable tension, and only use two gears of your three-speed shifter.
derailleur position
To accommodate the bigger chainring size, you will need to raise the derailleur on the seat tube so that it is still 1-3 mm away from the outer teeth while shifting. You will probably also need to tighten the low limit screw quite a bit, as there is no more very low gear. Finally, you will need to reset the cable tension. Depending on how much you moved the shifter and the condition of the cable, you may need a new front derailleur cable to make this work, but that's a cheap upgrade that is usually worth it just for the sake of reducing friction when you shift.
chainring clearance
One thing you will need to be careful of is that there is enough clearance between the chainstay (the tube parallel to the chain) and the chainring. If it's pretty close to the 42t chainring now, it might not fit the larger chainring (without, that is, extending it with a longer bottom bracket, but that raises additional complications with the chainline, i.e., you want your chain to run as straight as possible). But, it might fit just fine, in which case that would be a pretty easy swap to make.
other considerations
If choosing a used crankset, make sure to find one that does not have any visual wear around the teeth (should not have an asymmetrical tooth shape) or the inside of the square taper. There should be no apparent wear in either of those places or it will lead to problems fairly quickly. Otherwise there are lots of good used options and new options in the sub- $50 range.


A cruiser-style, semi-recumbent trike might be the best for you.

You can lean back so your stomach isn't in the way. Your back is supported so all your weight isn't on your rear end. Two wheels in the back spread the weight and result in fewer rear tire punctures. The trike ensures that when you're stopped or riding really slowly (e.g., uphill), you won't lose balance. It's impossible to do an end-over going downhill.

Because it's not fully recumbent, it's still easy to get in and out of, and you're higher off the ground so it doesn't feel as invisible to cars. Steering is done with the usual handlebars so it's easy to get used to. It's easy to move the seat forward for shorter or longer legs and the steering column can also tilt back.

Add an electric assist to the front wheel and you'd be in heaven.


Most seat posts have a "minimum" insert of 3 to 4 inches.  But this varies with the material and the thickness of the post, and the weight of the rider means the minimum might still be too little.

As a tall rider I frequently have my seatposts up to maximum, and have bent several over time, and have fractured one frame.  Now I always buy a 450 mm or 500 mm post and almost always reinforce it with an insert tube up the middle.  I will not ride a seat post without 5" of frame insertion.

Since you sound like a MTB kind of rider, consider a dropper post rather than chopping ruthlessly through your seat poles with a hacksaw.  These are intended to go at a good height for normal efficient riding, but you can turn the interlock and they slide down ready for low-seat technical riding.  I understand you can do it one-handed while rolling too.

Once you're done you can raise the seat again without stopping.  Downside is they probably cost ten times more than a normal seatpost.


Cycling Tips has some useful pointers.

To summarize:

Degrease the drivetrain.
Wash the degreaser off the drivetrain with the brush and sponge.
Wash the rest of the bike with soapy water and the sponge.
Rinse the bike off with the clean
water and sponge (or a low pressure
hose).
You can dry the bike by wiping it
down with a cloth or let it air dry.
It’s a matter of preference.
Finish the frame off with Armor-All
or give a light wipe with silicon
spray to deter the next lot of mud or
dust from sticking to the frame too
quickly.  For obvious reasons don’t
wipe on the handlebars, brake hoods,
saddle, or wheels.


New 26" inner tube different size to old 26" inner tube

Check the label on the tube - does it say '26 x 1 3/8' by any chance? If so, this is actually a completely different size than the standard MTB 26". Get a tube that says something like 26x2.1 or 26x1.9 - the point is, the tire width should be expressed as a decimal, not a fraction. See Sheldon Brown's tire size chart.

Yeah, I know, it's stupid - I didn't come up with this system.


Is it ethical to use an abandoned bicycle in my parking garage?

I don't get your logic.  So you would share with the rightful owner?

Borrowing is stealing.

When is property abandoned is a legal question.

I am not an attorney and don't take this a legal advice but to me a unlocked bike in public or semi public place for more than 30 days is abandoned.

I seriously doubt you can just air it up and ride it.  On an economical level if you have to put new tires on it you are not getting a good return.  The rightful owner or a person with even less ethics than you will take it.

Look for a used cheap bike. But then you don't know if you are buying a stolen bik


I am not a doctor, but its sound like you might be suffering Post Traumatic Stress, and should seek professional help to rule it out or get treatment.

You should be concerned about the 10 critical accidents (I read critical that as hospital/doctors visits and time off school/work, not a mere "off" ). You are likely riding beyond you limits, and need to learn to ride safer - (rein in the testosterone). Accidents happen, but 10 before the age of 20 is to high.  Its a numbers game, and with that many, one day you will not ride another day.

Have you ever had, and are still getting coaching? This would be my first step. You need to learn why you are pranging and getting hurt, and stop the "getting hurt" bit. Prangs are a part of pushing things when MTBing, getting hurt regularly is not.

In the end, if you cannot rein it in, switching codes (I presume you are down-hilling/freestyling with those stats) to XC, Cyclocross or Road may be wise.

And do listen to you parents. They don't want you to stop riding, they want you to stop getting hurt. They dread having to arrange a funeral or  remodel the house to suit a paraplegic.


What are the differences between a horizontal suspension and vertical suspension MTB?

The position of shock mounts is only one variable of many of the rear linkage design. It does not play an isolated role but really is tied to everything else.
You might have missed that there are many other designs. The upper mount can be on the top tube as well:

Or really, in many other places, like in-line with the seatstays:

Or pretty much hidden just outside the main triangle:

The shock can be placed at almost any angle, or even sometimes upside down, if such a design is deemed to fulfill the purpose of the particular bike.
There are frames with multiple holes to allow adjustments or longer/shorter shocks to be installed.
With so many factors in play, it is simply recommended to try a bike to see if you like the feel.


The steel cast lugs on the frame were introduced to Trek bikes in 1985.
Trek road bikes fell into three categories - touring, sport, racing - with wheel base, frame angles, and components appropriate to the category.

The tight seat tube to rear wheel clearance indicates a short wheel base racing bike.
The last year for a steel frame with a short wheel base is 1989 on the Trek 400, and 660.

For a steel frame with cast lugs between 1985 and 1989 I have found two racing bikes that came with Shimano 105 components.
- 1987 560 This model year head badge matches your frame
- 1988 560 Trek changed the head badge this year

So, it's possible that your bike is a 1987 560 with a swapped out handlebar and stem. Or, it the frame could be one of the other short wheelbase Trek road bike frames in 1987 with the handlebar, stem, and 105 components added.

Look at the catalog for 1987 and compare the parts on your bike with the parts on the bike in the catalog. If you get a solid match then you have a 560.

Also, as Jeff and Andrew indicate in the comments to the original post your serial number may provide you with information about your frame via the Serial Number Decoding Project.

Information derived from vintage-trek.com


I think you have a misconception about disc brakes. You may have heard that (hydraulic especially) disc brakes allow better modulation, which does allow for increased braking control, but if you yank the levers hard, they provide instant, full power braking.

Properly set up V-brakes can provide sufficient modulation to be controllable. Your evidently offer enough power to stop quickly.

Practicing emergency stops on grass is probably a good idea so you have more control of the bike under hard braking.


Where can I find tech documents for Mavic 500 RD hubs?

User mavic-com
password dealer
It has to be noted that the 500 series hubs are probably older than the content of even this old website (which has products going back to the mid/late 90s e.g. the original CrossMax)


Is there a convenient way to attach this to the frame?

According to Diane Craig at Kryptonite support:

  The Flex frame bracket will not work with the Messenger Mini +. We do not make a spline for the Messenger series to attach the lock to the bracket. The Transit H bracket will work it mounts to the handlebars and the lock hangs down"

Pictures of the bracket in use were few and did not include the Messenger Mini+.

Bracket empty

"convenient" is in the eye of the beholder.


Front chainring spacing difference between Shimano and Campagnolo?

Campagnolo cranks should work just fine. They use the same spacing between tha chainrings as Shimano cranks and work fine in practise from my experience.

Detailed explanation of bicycle cranks cross-compatibility.


Its not just the material that affects frame longevity, but the design of frames - different tubing thicknesses and geometries will last longer than others given the same materials.

That being said, a lot of touring bikes (often made of steel such as Reynolds 521 or the Tange equivalent or something, since in a pinch, you can repair steel in pretty much any country and its "ride quality") are essentially bomb-proof if you take care of them [the material is a neglectable factor relative to this, especially since you won't build identical bikes with different materials due to different material strengths and properties]. Some people have hundreds of thousands of miles on them with little degradation. Examples of touring bikes are things like Surly Long Haul Trucker, Trek 520, etc.

That being said, a lot of 70s Schwinns and 80s road bikes and what not are still running perfectly fine after replacing consumable parts (chainrings, chains cassettes, hub repackings, bottom brackets, etc.) when they were maintained reasonably.

Part of the reason why titanium lasts so long is that the people who buy titanium bikes are already extremely invested in their bicycles and take extremely good care of them. They aren't left outside, they get the top level of care, they don't abuse it, etc. so they see a very nice environment.

Also, very few if any decent bikes are going to survive taking a significant hit from a car.


Araya 27 1 1/4 rim and tire, max pressure

Don't worry about damage to the rim from air pressure in the tire if you inflate the tire to the recommended inflation range.

To say it a different way:

If you inflate your tire somewhere between 73 and 90 psi as labeled on the tire your rim will be fine. The pressure won't damage your rim. The steel or aluminum the rim is made of is much stronger than the material the tire is made of - assuming the rim is not damaged (extensive corrosion etc.)


I am not a lawyer, but it looks to me that it would be a big no. It is your decision to put it in the rack.

And in any case, they are actually pretty good - they are the most common type and I have never had one cause any damage in 35 years.


Why doesn't "butt soreness" affect serious cyclists?

When seated on the saddle, your weight is primarily supported (or should be) at the ischial tuberosities which are commonly known as the "sit bones".

Quoted from Wikipedia:

  When sitting, the weight is frequently placed upon the ischial tuberosity.[2] The gluteus maximus covers it in the upright posture, but leaves it free in the seated position.

Essentially, there is very little sub-cutaneous fat or muscle tissue covering the sit bones while sitting on a bicycle saddle and thus little "padding" between the skin and bone. So, when you go through periods of not riding or are new to riding, that region is not adapted to compression and impact from the saddle. After riding for a while, the bone, tendons, and muscle in that region adapts by strengthening in that region, and no doubt vascular and nerve changes occur as well.

What happens in the case of an inexperienced cyclist or one getting back into cycling, is that micro-damage occurs to the bone, muscle, tendons and other tissue in the area. The micro-damage leads to inflammation and thus pain/soreness. At that point, the the tissues begin to repair and strengthen. The bone is thicker and stronger, the muscles/tendons are stronger, nerves are adapted to the stresses, new blood vessels, etc. Once those tissues have remodeled and healed, there is no more soreness. (Actually, the process can happen again if one goes say, riding for 3 hours to riding for 6 hours, but usually won't be as bad the second time around.)

It's pretty much like any other area of the body that goes through the adaptations from not being exercised to being exercised. So, one gets sore at first, but as muscle/skeletal tissue adapts, one is not sore later on. To some degree, the issue is similar a bruise, but it's much more like the muscular/skeletal adaptations that occurs from exercise.


How can I make it clear to other road users that I'm an inexperienced cyclist?

This is an interesting and thoughtful question, and just the fact that you are thinking carefully about how other road users think about you is very valuable and will contribute to your safety on the road.
Your question makes a lot of sense. How do you indicate to drivers that you need and deserve their consideration and patience, especially when you have doubts about your own skill on the bike and the road right now?
Unfortunately, I am not sure that being seen as inexperienced will result in drivers being more considerate. I think it is likely to have the opposite effect. Just look how impatient and inconsiderate drivers can be when dealing with a learner driver who holds them up or inconveniences them.
Even children, unfortunately, don't in my experience get treated with more patience or consideration.
My warning would be that making your inexperience clear to other drivers is likely to have negative results.
Three points
Instead, I believe that the key things are to be:

noticed - the driver has to see you in the first place
thought about - can you give the driver reasons to think more carefully about you?
respected - can you give the driver reasons to consider your value and needs?

One of the best things I've read to help think about this is David Martin's Theory of Big. I won't repeat its points here, but I think it's well worth reading.
Regarding those points above:
To be noticed
Are you brightly lit, visible, do you stand out, catch eyes? Do you ride in a visible position, make clear, large signals? How do you dress, and move?
Mostly, these are easy things to do. Riding in a visible position needs confidence though; that's not always so easy.
To be thought about
It's not enough merely to be noticed. You want to take up some space in the thoughts of drivers. What can you do to achieve this?
Unfortunately, once again it often does take some confidence to ride in a way that helps you get thought about.
For example, on a road that I know has pot-holes or gravel in awkward places, I will ostentatiously signal and move widely around them; this can help a driver think "oh, this person moves around and does stuff" (not: "I can slip by this cyclist without a moment's thought or without leaving much room").
If you need to signal, signal in big, clear, impossible-to-miss ways that look like they express meaning. What you signal are your intentions. The physical act of signalling will get you noticed, but the expression of your intention is what will get you thought about.
More: at a traffic light on a busy road, if I am stopped in front of a car, I might pretend to fiddle with a brake or pedal or gear, or tug at the strap of a pannier, just to occupy some attention of a driver while we wait for the lights to change (when? sometimes I just get a feeling that this might be a useful thing to do).
Or, if I spot an on-coming car on a narrow country lane, I will make sure to move clearly across the line of sight of the oncoming driver before slipping in to the side of the road to make room. I don't disappear into a hedge before the driver has seen me.
Generally, you want to ride in ways that are cautious and predictable but without appearing to be too predictable. If a driver is sure that they know what you will do, that can be very dangerous. Better that they are never entirely sure what you will do, so that they stay alert for what you actually do.
I try to look as though I might do something that needs them to respond to appropriately. I want them to imagine that the wheels might suddenly fall off my bike, that my bags might burst open strewing shopping in their path, that I might suddenly stop to admire a flower or greet a friend.
It's important to note: I am absolutely not recommending foolish or dangerous behaviour. Weaving around unnecessarily around other road users is dangerous. Doing unpredictable things is dangerous. Riding on unreliable equipment can be dangerous. Actually having a loose bag is dangerous.
There are two more important ways that help you get thought about. They are to:
Make strong, clear eye-contact
Eye-contact is valuable. You exchange a lot of information - for example, you can communicate an intention - but you also simply place yourself in another's thoughts by it.
Avoid eye-contact
Sometimes, the opposite is called for. If a driver thinks you haven't seen them, they will be thinking about you and wondering what you will do. That's exactly what you want. So sometimes, I studiously avoid catching a driver's eye.
Which of these two techniques you adopt in any particular case will depend on the precise circumstances; I'm not sure I could formulate a clear rule. Both require and demonstrate a kind of confidence.
But either way, you don't want to appear as an uncertain, diffident road-user whose intentions and future actions are of no consequence and don't need to be thought about.
To be respected
Finally, you need to be respected. There are two senses to being respected:
You need to be respected as a human being
People, mostly, will recognise and respect another's humanity. Show that you are a human being, a being like them, to whom they have a duty of care.
The acts described earlier that help you get thought about flow directly into this. Now, as well as being thought about as a road user or as another vehicle on the road, you want to take another step, to be thought about as a human being.
So do human things, and look human.
I might take my hat off (I don't bother wearing a helmet, but it's not a discussion I'm much interested in having) and scratch my head on a long downhill stretch. "Oh," thinks the driver, recognising that I am a person just like them, "that person has an itch." Or I will tuck my top in, or pull it out. I might blow my nose at the traffic lights. Something that shows that I have a human body will never be to my disadvantage.
I'm not suggesting to make your bike rides into an unrelenting pantomime of extravagant gestures and unnecessary actions. You don't need to put on any kind of absurd performance (which in itself would be dangerous). It's rather that what you do, when you do it and who you do it in front of makes a difference, so you need to think about it, and use it to your advantage.
You need to be respected as a respectable road user
As well as automatically deserving respect as a human being, which you'd hope would be recognised by all, it also helps to earn respect. Maybe this shouldn't be necessary, but unfortunately, it often is.
Ride politely and considerately. Obey the rules of the road, and make a point of doing so. Stop at lights. Courteously invite motorists to pull out or pass when it's safe to do so.
If a driver makes way for you, make it clear that you thank them. Don't just wait to notice it, try to catch drivers in the act of being considerate so that you can acknowledge it.
Finally, people often respect people who behave as though they deserve respect. That is a good way to ride: confidently, as though you belong on the roads, as though you expect their consideration and respect. Diffidence and uncertainty will unfortunately lose you that respect from some drivers. Act confidently - such as making signals and decisions - even when you don't feel like it, or at least, as much as you can.
This is why I think that advertising your inexperience can do you more harm than good.
It's really hard to do many of the things that I have advocated above. They take confidence, and experience, and practice. Many of them involve demonstrating your vulnerability as a road user, but not your weakness.
I hope this helps, and I hope it helps think about how you need to appear in the eyes of other road users.
I wish I could offer more useful advice about how to do this, for a person who doesn't know already how to. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your riding and acquire the confidence you're looking for.


What are these tiny pieces of metal that came with my Giant TCR Advanced 2?

These are to protect your frame from the support bolt on Shimano front derailleurs (I don't know if SRAM have the same).

You can see them on page page 7 of this manual.


How to avoid cramped/compressed breathing?

I see you are aware of horizontal breathing vs vertical breathing - the former is "belly breathing" as you name it, the latter is the shallow type with shoulders vertical movement involved (hence less effective).

Perhaps this helps: on my firefighter training we've learned how to cope with hyperventilation - make sure you exhale deeply. The body will take care for inhale itself provided the lungs are properly emptied.

Good luck!


Can I replace Record bottom bracket with Shimano?

You don't indicate whether you've got a square taper (older) Record BB or one of the Campagnolo outboard bearing systems (Ultra Torque or Power Torque).

If it's an outboard Campy BB and crank, the spindle is a larger diameter than Shimano (25mm as opposed to 24mm), among probably other issues, so it will not work.

If it's square taper, Campy uses a different taper geometry at the taper called ISO, as opposed to the JIS standard that almost all other cranks use. More info on this here. As that page indicates, while there is some risk associated with having less spindle engagement, a lot of people successfully mix and match JIS BBs onto ISO cranks without issues. Ideally you get a spindle that's about 9mm shorter than whatever ISO spindle gave you correct chainline before, because the cranks each sit on the spindle about 4.5mm out from before. Note that the good way of figuring this out is before taking anything apart, first observe what chainline the old BB is giving you and whether there would be any issues with making it better if it's not already perfect, then pull the cranks and see what spindle length you've got.

Your Gios may have an Italian BB shell. This isn't a big issue but if so you'll likely need to order the new BB. Usually the BB is marked somewhere with its thread pitch, 36mm x 24 tpi for Italian.


Technically, it's highly possible, since you can export your routes to .gpx files and manipulate the timestamps.

A .gpx file is actually an xml file which is similar to html files with tags. Each tag tells you the current longitude, latitude, and the current time stamp.
You actually can edit the .gpx file with a text editor, i.e. notepad and edit the file by yourself. However, you need to know the exact long-lat where you want to "pause".


It's definitely not lead. Manufacturers have worked out that selling products with lumps of toxic heavy metal attached is not a good idea anymore.

Probably a zinc alloy that can be easily cast onto the end of the steel wire.


How can I tell where the damage is in the hub?

Hi you say this is the second time it has happened , did the axle snap/break on the previous occasion ? is it a mountain bike ? does it take a bit of hammering ?

if the they are cartridge bearings ,you shouldn't need a new wheel ,just a couple of new cartridge bearings ,and an axle . just take what's left of the bearing cases , get a ruler , measure inner ,outer and width , you''ll probably get a couple new for a fiver on e bay, then measure the length of the axle ,if you can source the specs for the bike , even better ,should state it. then the thickness of the axle(9,9.5,10 mm ),you might have to buy an old school axle with cones, but you can just use the axle ,stick it all back together. good as new .  fixed for under a tenner  . p.s if it is taking a lot of stress ,go for a solid axle over quick release,plus you have the added bonus of your wheels not getting nicked if the thief hasn't brought a spanner he he


That sounds like a sticky shift cable.

Undo the cable from the derailleur, check the derailleur itself is not sticking. You can do this by getting the rear wheel off the ground, pedaling manually and pushing the derailleur body inwards to change down to lower gears, then letting it come back to higher gears. Be careful to avoid catching your fingers in the chain.

You could also do a quick check of the hanger alignment: from behind the derailleur sight down the chain. The cage should be parallel with the chainrings. This is difficult to do without the bike in a workstand, but you can get the same view by taking a picture with a phone.

Pull the shift cable out and wipe it down, you can also introduce a small drop of lube into the housing.

If that does not fix the issue consider repacking the housing and cable.


When using a front mounted child seat, will it be better to size up or size down on a Mountain bike (I'm right on the boundary between sizes)?

Some things to consider (I'm certainly not an expert!):

Your toddler's weight, sitting high in the seat, will tend to make the bike top-heavy. Your legs are what will keep the bike from tipping over sideways, so a lower or slanted top tube (lower standover height) will make it easier to plant one or both feet on the ground.
Different bike models will have different seat-tube to steerer distances, which will affect your knee/Thule clearance as you mentioned. It might be worth looking at the men's models as well as women's models to find something you're happy with.
There are some reviews that mention the Thule limiting steerer movement to the sides on some bikes; maybe that's actually a good thing?
You or the bike shop can easily modify the bike, for example with a shorter/longer or differently angled handlebar, to suit your needs better.


So, I'm a US Expatriate. That is, a US citizen, living in Dubai. We travel. And we travel with our bikes.

There is no need for stress regarding traveling with a bike. It just requires preparation. When you buy your tickets, tell them you will be checking a bike case. It legitimately falls under the sporting goods exemptions for oversized luggage. Most airlines have a flat fee. American, who we're flying with in 2 days, charges 150 USD each way.

Print the airline policies regarding bikes to take with you to checkin. Many airlines employees don't know their own policies, so you need proof for their sake.

Use a hard case. Some airlines require it no matter what, and others won't guarantee the condition of your bike without one.

S&S couplers are a good idea, and the electrical issues can be worked out.  A 62cm frame will fit most boxes, especially if you have couplers. And if you're unsure, look at B&W Bike cases. Good quality, plenty big, and airline safe. As for losing or breaking your bikes, nothing to be done there. Except check the bikes thoroughly before you leave the airport, and make them pay. They must replace or repair a damaged or missing bike. While it will be unpleasant, it won't be the end of the world.

Mostly, it's not too big a deal. Delta's policies state that their 200 USD fees are not supposed to be for each leg. It's supposed to be for The whole distance, city to city, unless you booked each leg separately.

That's the average, about 200 each way. Be prepared, and don't back down. You'll be fine.


Regulations regarding Braking redundancy on single speed bikes.

No, you're not missing something, it is unsafe to have less than two brakes. If you only have one brake and it fails, you're going to have a bad time. Mostly, it's just cool to have one brake, or even zero lever brakes on your fixie. This style is probably just bleeding over into single speed bikes as well.

The law in most states here in the U.S. only requires you to have one brake, and even still there are some rebellious people that challenge how the law defines a brake and how many you should have. There have been court cases in my town that have tried to define whether or not a fixed gear system counts as the one brake, but the judge usually wins these arguments. Many European countries require road-going bikes to have a brake on each wheel.

Manufacturers that sell bikes with only one brake could very well be at risk of being entangled in a legal battle if someone is injured when that one brake fails.


When in a UCI race, does the helmet have to be to be fitted properly

According to UCI's official regulations

Section 1.3.031

(emphasis mine)

  Wearing a rigid safety helmet shall be mandatory during competitions and training
  sessions in the following disciplines: track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, trials and BMX,
  para-cycling, as well as during cycling for all events.
  During competitions on the road, a rigid safety helmet shall be worn.
  During training on the road, the wearing of a rigid safety helmet is recommended.
  UCI CYCLING REGULATIONS
  E0616 GENERAL ORGANISATION OF CYCLING AS A SPORT 74
  However, riders must always comply with the legal provisions in this regard.
  Each rider shall be responsible for:

  ensuring that the helmet is approved in compliance with an official security standard
  and that the helmet can be identified as approved;
  wearing the helmet in accordance with the security regulations in order to ensure full
  protection, including but not limited to a correct adjustment on the head as well as a
  correct adjustment of the chin strap;
  avoiding any manipulation which could compromise the protective characteristics of the
  helmet and not wearing a helmet which has been undergone manipulation or an incident
  which might have compromised its protective characteristics;
  using only an approved helmet that has not suffered any accident or shock;
  using only a helmet that has not been altered or had any element added or removed in
  terms of design or form.

By the letter of the law, Nibali could be punished for loosening his helmet strap at any point in competition.  Interestingly, USA cycling's regulations further clarify that "any point in competition" includes ANY time you are on a bike at an event, including warming up prior to race start and cooling down after the finish but before any awards ceremony (riding on rollers and trainers is exempt, however).

In reality I don't forsee any UCI officials wanting to punish one of the sport's premier athletes over something so minor; no one benefits by doing so, but it would cause anger and resentment amongst Nibali, his team, sponsors, and fans.  In the end, sometimes you have to pick and choose your battles.

That said, don't follow Nibali's lead here.  Wear your helmet properly or, as you say, it's entirely useless (not to mention, assuming you are not a WorldTour rider, you ARE liable to get disqualified by an overzealous local official).


Normally, a shop will not lie on their customers, as they do want you to come back again. But if you don't know whether to trust them or not, you can try to show your bike to another shop.


Do I have a genuine GT frame, even though it's not engraved or stamped with the GT logo?

My awnser is that it COULD be a real gt,but probably one made strictly for racing(not publicly sold) or a prototype made by some one working for the company at the time. My big brother once had a profile complete bike(When they only sold bars to the public) because he was racing at the time and it had no serial numbers or logos/stickers. Its because it was a prototype and a R/D guy asked him to check it out and give him feedback about it. He then gave it to my brother when he was finished with testing. And when my brother told his friends they laughed at him saying he was lying because "They only sell handlebars". No body would believe him except me( I was there) so It could be some reason they didnt put logos on . Probably a prototype if not,could be a fake


At what temperature do you say its too cold to ride a bike?

Anything colder than -55F (-48C) is difficult to mechanically maintain.  Most lubrication products on the market for cold weather are rated to -60F (-51C).  Which means that at -50F (-45C) they become almost unrideable and at -55F (-48C) pretty much unrideable.

I am aware of products rated for colder than that, but they have issues that when stored at room temperature, they will turn liquid and drain out of whatever compartment they are attempting to lubricate.

Personally, I have several zones:

Anything above 70F (21C): too hot to ride comfortably

70F (21C) to -10F (-23C): perfect riding weather

-10F (-23C) to -30F (-34C): possible to ride comfortably with proper prep on appropriate bicycle

-30F (-34C) to -50F (-45C): not comfortable, but rideable (similar to 70F+/21C+)

below -50F (-45C): Not rideable mostly due to mechanical conditions

You may also check this quesion for answers regarding prep work for cold weather riding.


I see no reason why the XT derailleur would not work with the same generation SLX crankset.  The FD-M735 is a triple derailleur (used for a triple chainring crankset) with a total capacity of 26T.  Your proposed FC-MC34, having 42-32-22 tooth chainrings, doesn't surpass this limit so you're good there.  Looks like your derailleur could handle up to a 48T large ring.

As mentioned above, quality difference between the two is minimal as the Deore XT models (which is what the FC-M730 belongs to) sit just one tier above STX (FC-MC34/6's designation).  According to this spec table the biggest difference is the XT has aluminum large chainring vs. STX's steel and there are also some differences in finish.  Note that the table doesn't include exactly the FC-M730 model, but references FC-M737/9.  I believe this is because the FC-MC34/6 is newer by a year or two than the M730, which grew into an M737.  At any rate, the two are about as close as it gets in a comparison.


Missing pin in replacement chainring, is it important?

You are correct, the chain guard’s purpose is to keep your trousers clean. I guess in this case it also prevents the chain from getting thrown over the chainring or it fills the gap between chainring and crankarm to prevent the chain from getting stuck there.
You only need the pin or chain guard in case the chain gets thrown over the chainring.
If you adjust the front derailleur properly this shouldn’t happen. I’d just use it the way it is. You could try gluing a piece of foam or wood into the narrow part of the gap (if it’s narrow enough to catch a chain) just to prevent the chain from getting stuck there.
Edit: Regarding your idea to use a screw+nut: The problem with a screw+nut will be that the nut and screw head will collide with the chain. It could even be that the wear marks in your picture were caused by the chain in normal operation if the “valleys” of the chainring were worn deep enough.


SRAM's current lowest-level groupset is Apex, which is a ten-speed setup and Rider_X says that SRAM have never made a nine-speed road groupset. Campagnolo also only seem to offer ten- and eleven-speed, so Shimano Sora is the only nine-speed in the current line-ups of the big three.


Different tire and rim widths front and back - Why? Should I replace one?

It is ok to have different width of tires on front and rear wheels, I
have a thinner tire on rear wheel as the clearance is low and I
wanted to fit a full fender.
Why would someone have different wheels? -

It is quite uncommon for new bikes to have different width of tires
but used bikes can(as your's is). Perhaps, if the wheel was
damaged/stolen the previous owner may have replaced with what is
available/cheap.
If you plan to change the tire size, ensure that the rim can securely
hold whatever width of tire you are about to install and has enough
clearance for fenders/frame.
If you bring your bike into local bike shop, they should be able to
tell you if a certain width will fit your wheel.
Just a tip for comfort - 35mm tires will ride a lot smoother as the
pressure on 35mm will be approximately half of what 25mm tires
requires.


Difference between KMC Z6 and Z7 for 6 speed cassete?

Z6: from http://kmcchain.us/chain/z6-br-gy/

Z7: from http://kmcchain.us/chain/z7-2/

I think the only real difference is colour: Z6 is "silver" Z7 is "grey/brown"  This is important to some people.

Note, Z6 was renamed from Z33, and Z7 was formerly called Z50.

I think your links show the wrong image for Z6 - the KMC site shows plain chain without slots, so CRC have a bad image.


What bikes will be used by the competitors in the Mountain Bike Olympics?

There was a test event on the Hadleigh Farm Mountain Bike course which will be used for the 2012 Olympics. There are various photos and videos of the event which show the bikes being ridden:

Videos on YouTube

Photos from The Guardian

Photos from Cait Elliott

From looking at these:

Everyone seemed to be using carbon fibre frames
Most riders used a hard-tailed bike, although some had full suspension
There was a mix of wheel sizes (I assume 26 and 29 inch)

You can make out manufacturers names on many of the bikes and in some cases on individual components if you're particularly interested in those.

Edit - a few things I picked up from the commentary on the 2 races:

In the men's race there were 3 different sizes of wheel in use - 26, 27.5 and 29 inches.
Most of the riders opted for a single chainring, with the rest using 2.
Suspension travel was around 100mm with the suspension set hard.
Tyre choice was small lugs to give better grip on the rocky sections.
At least one rider was using a "lefty" fork.
Some riders were carrying gas canisters to deal with punctures.
Bike weight was around 19 pounds (8.6 kg).


Will any 10 speed cassette work with a 10 speed shifter?

Shimano and SRAM cassettes of the same speeds (up to 11 speed) are all basically compatible with each other. The overall cassette width and individual sprocket widths and spacings are standardized for each number of speeds.

(This does not mean you can use any 10 size speed cassette in a drivetrain of course, as the derailleur has to be able to handle the cassette sprocket size range.)

Because sprocket widths and spacings are standardized, all shifter/derailleur combinations for a given number of speeds move the derailleur cage the same amount per click, to match with the cassette sprocket spacings. The amount of cable pulled by the shifter per click differs between Shimano and SRAM but this is compensated for by the derailleur actuation ratio.

If your chain is coming off the innermost or outermost sprockets you need to adjust the derailleur limits. If the chain is overriding the sprockets under hard pedaling check chain and cassette sprocket wear. Note that a worn chain accelerates wear on cassettes and chainrings. I recommend getting a chain wear gauge as they are cheap and easy to use.


If all else fails, refer to the instructions...

Incredibly, Surly have an online guide for how to remove the decals:

https://surlybikes.com/info_hole/spew/removing_and_applying_decals_on_our_frames

  We do not apply a clear coat over our decals. Except for one brief period a long time ago, we never have. Yeah, your frame’s decals can get scuffed up. But we have never thought scuffed decals look bad. In fact, we see them as a badge of honor, showing that you use your bike. Having exposed decals is kind of nice for other reasons too. For one thing, adding clear coat costs more money and we would charge you that money. Do want to pay extra for that? Great, take your frame to a painter and have him or her add a clear coat. Some folks want their bike logo free to help avoid theft. Others want black decals instead of white, or vice versa. Some people just don’t want advertising on their bike.  Some people want to add decals after a new paint. We sell decals kits for all our frame models, in both all black and white with a black outline. Find them here.

  If you should want to remove the decals that came on your frame or apply new ones, we’ve put together this little tidbit with some helpful suggestions. Again, they’re SUGGESTIONS, not gospel. Experience helps. If you know someone who has done this before, ask them to help you. Patience helps too. Go slow, think about each step. You’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation. And at no time should you use ‘hot’ paint thinners or adhesive removers such as naphtha, acetone, paint strippers, oven cleaners, etc. There is no need to bring a machine gun to a knife fight. Use mineral spirits, Goo Gone, something of that ilk, and use enough to get the job done. And be sure you’re in a well ventilated area.

  Removing Surly frame decals:

  Use a credit card or a plastic spoon or something else with a somewhat hard edge to flake the decals off. Don’t use anything too hard, because you could gouge or scratch the paint. Use a hair dryer to soften the adhesive prior to poking at the decals with the credit card edge. Once the decal is removed, apply adhesive remover with a clean soft cloth to remove remaining adhesive. Finish with rubbing alcohol or multipurpose cleaner to make it look all pro.

  There are other, quicker methods, but due to the risks to your paint, the steel under the paint, and potentially to yourself we have advised ourselves not to share these methods. Don’t ask what they are because we won’t tell you. Just be advised that if you try to warranty a frame that looks like it has been damaged by excessive heat or chemicals, we will laugh in your face. We will probably even say we told you so.

  Applying Surly frame decals:

  Assuming the old decals are nicely removed, clean the surface with some sort of degreaser or rubbing alcohol. Directly prior to installation of decals the tube surface should be dry and clean of dirt, grease, etc.

  Your decals, as they come packaged, are comprised of three layers. The decals themselves are sandwiched by a clear plastic top layer over the decals and a paper backing covering the adhesive on the back side of the decals. The adhesive is quite sticky. Once they’re stuck, they’re stuck, even if they’re stuck in the wrong place.

  Place the decal –with all layers intact- in the desired position on the frame tube, eyeing up their alignment on the tube. You might consider drawing vertical and horizontal center lines on the cover layer of the decals, to aid in alignment. Once you have determined the proper position, use tape along the top edge of the decal overlapping to the frame itself to hold its position.

  Carefully remove the backing paper, being careful to hold the decal out from the tube. Avoid letting the decal touch the tube! Sheesh…

  Starting at the top (where the tape is), at the middle of the decal, begin pressing the decal into place. Apply gentle but firm pressure and work from the middle top (by the tape) out and down. Work slowly to avoid wrinkles or bubbles.  These decals are not vinyl…you cannot simply pull them up and start over. Easy does it. Watch what you’re doing. No pressure. You’re doing great.

  Once the entire decal has been applied, go over it once more, pressing it down to make sure it is completely adhered to the frame. Beginning at one end, slowly and gradually peel the clear cellophane from the front of the decal. For best results, the cellophane should be pulled at an acute angle parallel to the frame tube. Pulling away from the tube may result in chunks of the decal pulling off, especially if not fully adhered. And this would be bad because you’d have to remove it and start all over.

  O.K., rub it a little more to make sure it is fully adhered. Adhesed?  Whatever. Crack a beer and stare at it for a little while. Feel all satisfied n’ stuff.

  Now go do the other side.


I've never used one, but judging from what I've been able to find on Youtube, they are definitely quieter than the magnetic trainers I have at home.


Cheap, effective degreaser recommendations?

Go to an auto parts store. In the case of cleaners and the like they typically sell the same things in larger packs and larger quantities than bike stores. They often also have a house brand that's cheaper than the other stuff.

You can get degreaser in the spray can (something like GunkFoam or also a non-foam version). Or you can get a solvent as used as parts cleaner. The linked one is 5 gallon but you can find it in 1 gallon as well.  This is good for soaking parts or dipping a small brush to clean parts.

You can also try household degreaser like Purple Power – it works better than you would guess.

And another trick is tire cleaner. For that profession detail look.


Ah the wonderful world of tire sizes, where nothing is what it seems! There are multiple size systems (French, fractional, decimal, ISO), and only ISO/ETRTO, the "international standard" is (somewhat) consistent. Unfortunately, many people don't use the ISO/ETRTO system.

The definitive guide to tire sizes is Sheldon Browns' site:
http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
The only thing I would like to add to the mighty Sheldon:

Avoid any tire with fractional markings (such as 26 x 1 1/4) like the plague, unless you are 100% sure what you are doing.

On to your question:

Your current tire: 26 x 2.0

This one of the most common MTB sizes, measured in inches:

26 in. diameter, 2.0 in. width.

Equivalent ISO = 599mm (diameter) x 50mm (approx. width)

Your new Btwin tire: 700 x25c

700 is a French size often used for road/racing cycles. Since the French like their millimetres, a 700 x 25 means "700" diameter, 25mm width. To complicate things, the French "700" is not the same as the ISO diameter...

Equivalent ISO  =  622mm (diameter) x 25mm (width).

Since the diameters are not the same, your new tire will not fit. There is also a large difference in tire width (50mm for the old tire, 25 for the new)

General tire selection advice:

1) Get the ISO diameter size right first. This is the only measure that can be somewhat relied upon.

2) Check tire width & rim compatibility.
Get the diameter size right first, then check the tire width. Small/skinny tires will not fit on very wide MTB rims. Fat tires will not fit on narrow rims. Measure your rim width. Sheldon Brown's site has a table that shows rim width vs. tire width compatibility.

From personal experience, I have established these quick and dirty rules regarding tire width:

Racing cycle wheels: 23mm - 30mm (but the wider tires probably will rub the frame)

City bike wheels: 30mm - 47mm

MTB wheels: 35mm- 60mm


A decent disc system is quite expensive - you need disc ready hubs, disc ready fork+frame and the actual disc brakes. A cheap/medium cost set of rim brakes (V-brakes) will typically perform as well if not better than cheaper disc brakes (and the maintenance is not hard). Thus, budget minded people should avoid disc brakes.

As for building a bike piece by piece, you'll typically end up spending more than buying a bike whole. Also, if you don't have experience with bicycles, you won't know which parts will fit together to give a suitable geometry for you (thus, buying a pre-built bike is a good idea) -- you need to know about standover, effective top tube length, all the angles involved, the Q factor you get with the choice of bb+cranks, etc which is hard to spec without experience or having a bike which is similar to what you intend to buy. Generally though, at the end of the day, you're going to pick parts based on your measurements and goals and then matching standards for each part. Park tool and Sheldon Brown are good places to start for looking on how to build a bike. Note that assembling a bike also requires some special tools (cassette tools, etc.), so you will be spending money there too. Thus, I do not recommend you build a bike part by part. (*)

If you're on a budget, you're better off buying a used bike (plus, you can test the fit and everything). For high slopes, you want low gearing (big cogs in the back and not too big things in the front). A used mountain bike with slick tires may be a good option (you don't need suspension on the road either, and this would make a good commuter and be cheaper than most road bikes -- think 80s Specialized Hardrock or similar). Also, your slope estimate is probably quite a bit off (20 degrees is quite extreme and rare to begin with!).

(*) If you live near a bike co-op, they might be able to give you access to the tools and people who can help you there, but it will take time and generally requires some experience anyway. Thus, I still stand by the idea that you should buy a used bike.


Replacement cassette for Schwinn Jaguar 7-speed?

Clearly this post is in regards to a newer Schwinn rather than the originals from the '50s and '60s, as the latter were all equipped with Sturmey Archer internal-gear  hubs.  Searching for "Jaguar" on the Schwinn website yielded nothing so apparently Jaguars aren't manufactured anymore.  Getting a little more desperate, I consulted the Walmart website and found what I figure is a reasonable facsimile of a Jaguar and downloaded its manual, which suggests that what you're dealing with is in fact a freewheel, not a cassette.  The manual offers no insight into the brand, but you might look for a brand on the rear hub--the freewheel will have to match the hub, so matching brands there should get you what you need.  You might also look at the freewheel's tool interface (see Sheldon Brown link) to spot brand differences.


I personally am a fan of the 650b movement. With a 650x47b tire, you get approximately the same rollout diameter that you get with a 700x28c. So as far as the distance per revolution, you are about the same with a 650bx47 as you would be on most road bikes. The benefits start with increased air volume. This leads to a much softer ride.

If you are talking about a conversion from a 700c to a 650b on a bike, there are very interesting things that happen to the geometry. Your bb drop will be greater, so clearance could become an issue. with a lower bb, however, comes a lower center of gravity. This could increase stability through corners. Another consideration is that most bikes designed for a certain sized tire. By changing that, you could affect things such as trail. A decrease in trail would help in low speed handling, but could greatly hinder higher speed stability.

One last consideration for converting a 700c to 650b is braking. If the bike has discs, then no worries. If they are v or canti brakes, then the reach may not be great enough to have the pads make contact with the braking surface on the wheel.

http://ridinggravel.com/components/wheel-comparison-650b-vs-700c/

There are some bikes road type bikes that are designed with the 650b in mind. Some are children's bikes, but if the rider is small, a children's bike could be easier to control.


Why would anyone use DOT fluid and vacuum-based brakes?

Advantages of DOT over Mineral Oil:

DOT has a standard - product that meets the minimum standards is readily available at low cost
Compatibility with cheap materials used for seals
Hygroscopic, so water will not collect in a single part of the system

Disadvantages of DOT over Mineral Oil:

Corrosive despite inhibiting additives, damages paint, skin, metals etc.
Hygroscopic, so water is absorbed and the boiling point drops over time. Limited shelf life and operating life.


Different Derailleurs with different shifters

Shimano 8 speed derailleurs and Shimano 8 speed shifters are always compatible.  So yes, you can use the 8 speed M310 shifter with your 8 speed derailleur.


Are Deore trekking / MTB groupsets compatible with cyclocross frames for touring conversion?

Some general rules of thumb:

The front crank does not care how many speeds are in the back. 9-10-11 speed chains all have the same internal width, it is the external width that is different. Using a 10 or 11 speed crank with 9 speed chain and vice versa provides acceptable performance in my experience.

I have had very good luck using deore XT 10 and 11 speed cranks with 9 speed gearing. The one caveat is that the chainline for road and mtb is slightly different. MTB axles are wider.

The really hard part is finding an appropriate shifter/derailluer combo to shift an MTB triple. If you are currently running a compact crankset, then keeping your current derailluer/shifter and switching to an MTB crankset should be a workable solution, provided you can lower your current derailluer enough to match the outer chainring. You might also need to grind the derailluer cage a bit to match the curvature of the outer chainring.

The thing to keep in mind is that everyone has a different definition of "works". The more you stray from shimano's recommended configuration, the less guarantee of flawless shifting. Only you can decide if it's good enough. I'm sure that there are people that would find the bikes I build and ride completely usable.

My 2 cents:

If money isn't a limiting factor, I would seriously consider switching to an 11 speed MTB 11-40 cassette in the back and a double chainring in the front. With the explosion in gravel bikes, support for this setup is increasing. Shimano MTB 11 speed will work on any older shimano 9 speed or greater capable freehub.

There are also conversion kits that allow you to add a 40t cog to an existing 10spd cassette. With add-ons like the Wolftooth road-link, you can shift these cassettes with current long cage road derailluers.


How to determine correct bearing size for Quando hub?

The vast majority of OEM hubs for adult bikes are 3/16" front, 1/4" rear, usually ten per side in front and nine per side in back. Exceptions do exist, but if nine 1/4" bearings comfortably fit in the cup with little to no extra space, that's very probably what it takes.

Quando is a line of Kun Teng, or KT, one of the largest hub manufacturers. By doing enough homework, or maybe just emailing them a picture of your hub and asking what bearings it's supposed to have, or asking them if they've ever made any singlespeed/track rear looseball hubs with anything but 1/4", you may be able to get a definitive answer.

If one had to figure this out without any external information, it becomes a matter of making an educated guess based on looking at:

How the different sizes of bearing mate with the profile of the cone
and/or cups. The radii won't be exactly the same, but they do
complement each other (a bearing engineer would put that better I'm
sure), and by knowing what's normal you can pick up on incongruities.
Also if a bearing's radius is way too large for the cup/cone, it will
be apparent by the fact that it's making contact at more than one
point.
What installing the different sizes does to the positioning of the
cone relative to the rest of the hub, i.e. whether any sealing will
be sitting at the right level and able to work properly, or whether
any of the race is exposed that one would normally expect to be hidden.
Where the ball track (the line the bearings clear away in the grease)
sits on the cone race. If it's at an extreme end of the race's curve,
that's a sign of the wrong bearing size. Being somewhere near the middle is a sign of the correct size. Likewise, in some cases one would be able to make inferences based on where the ball track is falling in the grease relative to where existing wear lines are on the races.

All the same considerations, especially ball track, apply to determining appropriate replacement cones.

Wheels Manufacturing makes replacement cones for many common KT hubs. I have no idea if they'd be applicable to your track hub, but maybe.


I never wash any of my bikes with water. Water, specially at high pressure out of a hose may get to places it shouldn't (i.e. bearings) and thus reduces the life expectancy of your bike.

Personally, I don't have a lot of space inside, and this works perfectly fine:

let your bike dry completely
scrub off all bigger chunks of dirty with an old dry cloth
use a cleaning agent (ideally something like WD40) for stains that don't come off easily
degrease your chain, also using a bit of WD40 and some dry cloth
possibly remove wheels from frame if you really wanna get everything off
reassemble everything, grease movable parts using a little bit (!) of chain oil or thicker grease (i.e. motorex) if needed
most importantly: repeat regularely, so your bike never becomes too flithy


Is it worth buying a lighter bike? If so what kind?

IMHO, it's not the weight that is hurting you the most. While weight makes a difference and a lighter bike would be much better, it's too common in cycling world for people to use weight as a proxy quality and performance. Any twit with scales can measure it.  That said, there is no doubt more suitable bike would make longer trips faster, and a better quality bike even more so, but only you can decide if the cost is worth it.
Weight only affects hills and acceleration. For a long ride mostly on the road we can practically ignore the effects of acceleration.
On the hills, lets say you shaved 10kg off the bike, your total weight is now 75kg instead of 85kg. From this calculator, a 100M climb over 10km will take 38 minutes on the lighter bike vs 40 minutes on the heavier bike. Using these rough numbers, the calculator comes up with figures that are close enough to help you decide "Is it worth it"
However, resistance and power loss from a bike such as this are a big factor that cannot be ignored.  New tires that are a hybrid might be more suitable—a bit of lost time in the forest for faster riding on the rest of the trip might be a trade off. Something like Schwalbe Hurricane would be a goods starting point.  The shock and fork should be tightened as much as possible, since I doubt they have lockout.  Your position on the bike, getting more aerodynamic would make a big difference—bar ends could help with this.
While the perfect bike for you sounds like a gravel bike, there is no need to head down the path of very expensive to get a significant improvement in performance. A hard tail 29" MTB running something like the Hurricanes would be ideal and handle the forest section with ease. A drop bar bike running 35mm tires would be good if you are a skilled rider and happy to take the wins on the road for some drawbacks in forest sections.
Before buying, ask around and see if someone you know has a bike they may be prepared to lend you for a couple of rides—you might be surprised who has an old bike in need of an outing...


Tiagra 4703 74mm bcd, 4 bolt small chainring

I've scoured some distributors and I don't think this exists. There's really only a couple 4-bolt asymmetrical triples out there period, and they haven't been out very long. I don't think you're going to see this anytime soon either, because it would blow past the RD max capacity specs of the applicable groups, which is a non-starter from a manufacturer's perspective. Sadly, these are not the cranks to own if you want freedom to customize your gearing, which is pretty ironic since conventional 110/74 are some of the best of all time for it.


How helpful are neon/led lights on the rims, while riding at night?

The motion of the light is what does the work, the colour is less important as long as its bright.  A valve light will describe a "flattened corkscrew" through the air and is obviously different to any other vehicle on the road - which means you get perceived by driver's conscious brains not just their subconscious or autonomous brains.

These things are brilliant because they're not powered, and reflect a lot of light.  They're also lightweight and forgettable.

http://www.dx.com/p/bike-wheel-spoke-abs-safety-reflective-tube-reflector-grey-12-pcs-228130#.VplvhW8y-Cg

Check your legalities too - here its illegal to show a blue light on the road at any time unless you're police.   Likewise green lights are reserved for doctors on urgent medical callouts (although this is very rare now.)

Anyone can run a flashing or steady yellow light in any direction, but red lights can only show to the rear and white lights can only show "in the direction of motion" which is why car reversing lights can be white.

The same rules go for reflectors, which means my white spoke reflectors are "technically" illegal because they can be seen as white from the rear.

"Ice white" headlights are in a fuzzy area, as are illuminated adverts on buses and taxis that feature these specific colours.


Looks like a Gary Fisher bike to me.

If it's a 2008 then it would have to be the Mako because all the other Gary Fisher bikes in the database have a suspension front fork. It was the cheapest Gary Fisher you could buy that year.

This particular bike came with the rare and highly coveted pig accessory.


Does a bike exist that is both very light and does not need to be ridden in a hunched over position?

Here's what you need!  Lightweight and upright --


Best places to put protective clear stickers

Here are a few places you may want to consider

Right chain stay where the chain knocks against it.
Bottom of the down tube where rocks might get flung from your tires.
Around the headtube, check if there's any place where the gear and brake cables contact the frame when turning the bars. Rubbing cable mat seem insignificant but can easily wear away paint with enough time.


Are axle end caps usually on both ends of the front axle?

You probably lost one. I’m not aware of any design that only uses one end cap, especially when the whole point of having end caps is to convert the hub axle to a useable interface between the hub and fork. Without an end cap, you just have the bare axle exposed. It might also be the wrong length too; some hubs can be converted between boost and non-boost spacing (110 vs 100mm) by switching end caps.


Shimano caliper not sitting properly on fork (gets angled)

First double check the wheel is fully seated in the frame. If it is, and the caliper is sitting at an angle no matter what you do, it's a sign the post mounts need  to be faced, which essentially is a shop job unless you buy a fairly expensive tool. This isn't common on new suspension forks for whatever reason, although you see it out of the box on frames quite a bit presently. Hopefully whoever you bought it from just takes care of it for you.

A related problem arises if the mounting bolts have been overtightened and caused the post mount or adapter to dent a depression into the surface of the caliper. That doesn't really happen on relatively chunky mounts like these though, more the dainty rounded ones that some bikes use.


Maintenance lube for Aluminum Electra Townie

Cup and cone bearings on a bicycle need 'preload' for them to work properly under load. This is because the balls are tiny spheres of metal that deform under your weight. Hence the bearings must be tightened up slightly beyond feeling smooth when unloaded. Due to quality of parts, i.e. not perfect, a pre-loaded bearing feels 'rough' and requires effort to spin it. There are proper ways of applying the correct pre-load, e.g. with the use of a torque meter, however, 'feel' is a good way to do it. To understand that 'feel', go into a bike shop and try to turn the spindles on the new wheels that are for sale. With rare exceptions all of them will feel rough - this is preload. Now see how your own spindles/axles feel when you turn them without load, chances are that they feel pretty much the same.

If you have rough bearings then you might think the grease is missing. Chances are that it is just the preload and not a grease problem at all. If you are going to dive in there anyway, do get a handle on the preload concept. As for your question on grease, a little grease goes a long way and you don't want it contaminated. The white lithium grease in a tube from your local bike shop will do fine. Yes you can buy posh coloured 'marine' grease but preload is what matters most with bearing setup.


DIY: what material to use as DIY shim seat post?

Definitely alloy drink can or other thin sheet metal as it is not compressible and is not affected by water, oil or grease.


the source of the bike's stability is the gyroscopic effect of a spinning wheel.

This is incorrect. Gyroscopic forces play virtually no part in bicycle stability. What keeps a bike stable is the counter steering induced by the frame geometry, particularly the sloped headtube and resulting trail in the fork.
In any case, your single speed will be fine on the rollers. It doesn't take much speed to stay stable on them, any gear ratio appropriate for a bike on the road will work on rollers.
I'm surprised you haven't just tried it to see how it would go, and not conclude your setup is fine already.


Long stem influence on cyclocross handling

Couple of problems I can think of:

Reduced front-center (BB to front axle) on the smaller frame which means more toe overlap.

For the same reason the front wheel will be tucked further under your center of mass, which may create problems on steep descents.


I stopped by the local Niner shop and they told me the II is compatible


No need for a refit, but I would have the bike shop do the work if they'll do it for free.  Normally the washer is just moved from under the stem to the top so no cutting of the fork steerer tube is required.


Check the derailleur hanger alignment, and that the derailleur is mounted properly without the bolt being cross-threaded.
You can check the derailleur alignment by eye. Pick up the back of the back of the bike and look down the line of the top run of the chain. (This can also be done with the bike upside down).
The derailleur cage should look like it is parallel to the chainrings. Often the bottom end of the cage can get pushed inward.
If the hanger is bent a bike store can re-align it for you with a special tool.


Do your legs get tired faster when riding a recumbent trike compared to a upright bike?

I'm not a pro rider and have never used clips on any bike.  Even on your upright bike you train your legs and feet to stay where they're supposed to... if they just relaxed they'd fall off the pedals no matter which bike you're on.  I've been riding my recumbent for almost 3 years now and have little interest in riding anything else, though it did take a week or two to get the "new muscle groups" factored in.

Once your legs get used to the new position, as Adam mentions, I doubt you'll get any more fatigue or whatever than you did previously.  I find it less fatiguing for my legs since it takes less effort to go the same distance or speed on the 'bent (less wind resistance etc.)

The worst thing I had to get used to was the lack of ability to "stand up on the pedals" for quick jack-rabbit starts or climbing hills.  That took a bit of getting used to, including getting very intimate with my derailleur shifting.  The first few times you stop without gearing down for the next takeoff teach you quickly to avoid stopping without downshifting at all costs.  Climbing hills, you just go through the gears more instead of standing up and pumping to get "over the top".  I'm not a fast rider by any means but I find I can keep up with and occasionally pass upright riders who pass me on straight and level but run out of steam as they climb hills closely in front of me.  I haven't ridden for extremely long distances (I normally drive the first part of my 32 mile commute and park the car and ride the last 7 miles to and from work) but I have ridden the entire 32 miles several times without problems of any sort keeping the feet on the pedals.

When coasting down long hills (I cannot keep up with the pedals over ~26 MPH) I have no trouble keeping the legs and feet in proper position as I rip down the hills.


Is there a way to syncronize cycling activities from Movescount to Runkeeper or vice versa?

Strava is now connected with Movescount so you can sync together your stuff via this site.


Which type of handle bars are best for off-road & road use?

The best handlebars for on/off-road MTB use are made of unobtainium:

They offer four hand positions including an acceptable aero tuck. The double bar also acts as a hand-shield. The loop at the front is useful for carrying shopping small distances. The total width is narrow enough to squeeze through gaps in traffic, hands protected so long as not using the bar-end position. You get 2x 'dashboard' for mounting lights etc.

The Scott AT4 was made by the earlier incarnation of 'Scott' and they have no  interest in making them now. The alloy is some last-forever furniture alloy so keep your eyes peeled on ebay for some.


If the saddle position in picture is good for you, the frame is definitely too large. It's not the top tube you should worry about, but the handlebars are too high and forward which makes the position uncomfortable.

For comparison, I'm 6" and usually the frame size that fits is M.


Aero wheel on front, regular on back - why?

I think this is being over-thought. Aerowheels on messenger rigs have nothing to do with performance, quicker locking ability etc. etc. It’s just the new generation mimicking the older generation, trying to be cool.

When I was a messenger, many of us were pursuing racing careers.  The messenger gigs were essentially poor man’s training, and a steady source of income- since sponsors didn’t give you enough to live even on ramen. When fixies started to become cool, the next generation of messengers were mostly posers. I say that with love- spend enough time on the bike, and the most blatant, fashion-conscious poser will become an actual rider, and to their credit, that’s exactly what they did, and many of them ended up very cool people in love with the bike. But sometimes some lame things from the early part of that process can survive, and even end up being the norm.

So it was with the racer affectations such as aerowheels. A lot of those guys looked up to the older messengers, they’d see them around town on their race rigs when they weren’t working, and monkey-see-monkey-do.

I remember once I was trying out a full-carbon (no padding) saddle from a sponsor. This was bananas back in the day, because even though carbon wasn’t exactly new for frames, it was cutting-edge for this kind of application. Anyway, I ran into some young’ns down at the shop, and like two weeks later, there was a full-carbon saddle craze among the hipsters who were on the job. That saddle was horrible even with chamois- I basically tried it and sold it. I can’t imagine what it must have been like with jeans and being weighed down with fifty pounds (24 kilos) for the mail run. But they rocked ‘em, god bless those crazy kids.


Should tire pressure be equalized or slightly offset?

Tires usually have a inflation pressure range, or maximum pressure specification rather than ab absolute recommended pressure. The pressure you should be using depends on how much you weigh, the surfaces you are riding on and your preference for ride comfort.

Unfortunately there is no way to definitely determine what you tire optimum tire pressure should be, but you can experiment with different pressures.

Similarly there does not seem to be any definite guidance for different front and rear pressure other than the front should be a little lower because most riders have a rear weight distribution bias.

Personally, I ride a drop bar bike with a moderately relaxed position so I run the front about 10-15% lower than the rear.