How old is this rear steer skip tooth tandem?

This looks like a prototype or maybe even a home-made version due to the way the horizontal cross tube for the second rider looks unevenly cut off just before reaching the first rider's seat post.

Dating will be a bit of a trick - the angles of the down-tubes don't match anything I can find on the net with a cursory search, but rear steer tandems were popular as far back as the 1890's in quite a few designs.  Prices seemed to average around $150 USD. Many got recycled/refurbished in the 1930's and later, usually with upgraded seats and tires/wheels.  The seat in the picture doesn't look more than 50 years old.

Brands names that I have come across are Colsen and Geneva.

The cranks remind me of pre-1940's bikes with the spindly crank arms, as opposed to tapered cranks that are more commonly seen today.

I would suggest looking closely at the frame, even the underside, for any marks that show names or numbers.  Might be hard to do as the paint looks a lot newer than the bike and may have filled in the letter/number stamping on the frame, or any mounted/welded/riveted ID plates.

It's not too far off from the late 30's Colsen models, so I'm making an educated guess it is at least pre-World War 2.

update:  looks like I found the exact same bike at this eBay link: http://goo.gl/yxirV8

added by Nul: Seller says: "looks as if it's been repainted at one time. the wheels and tires don't look right for this bike, although the rear wheel sprocket is skip tooth. seats are not original. one pedal is different from the rest. i do not know what kind it is, there is no badge. i did find a serial number on the bottom of the front pedal shaft housing. the number is in the photo, looks to be #46556. there are a few dents here and there. buy them when you see them!!"

Photos from auction (added so they're not lost when link disappears from ebay)

Auction closed on 30th June 2016 with a hammer price of $699.99 USD


If the wheel was impacted enough to require truing it’s plausible the hub was damaged. The axle might have been bent, bearings damaged or the freehub mechanism.
You can easily check for bearing problems. Take the wheel out, turn the axle manually. Feel for play or roughness in the bearings as the axle turns.
Hold the axle ends and spin the wheel, check for clicking or grinding noises. Hold the cassette and spin the wheel backwards, check for clicking coming from the freehub mechanism.
The nuts on the axle indicate you may have a cup and cone style hub which can be disassembled. I’d hesitate to disassemble a rear hub though as the bearing arrangements can be complicated.


To ride in the dark is difficult.  You should have a decent head light on your helmet so it tracks your vision, and a handlebar light that tracks where your front wheel is aiming.   In addition you should have a secondary front light and two back lights for redundancy.  We don't make product recommendations here, but that would be the minimum.

To increase your awareness, consider riding UP the track that you plan on coming down later.  This way you'll be moving much slower and have a better chance of spotting obstructions before you come through.

Also consider not doing crazy speeds on downhills.  The road rules say "Don't outdrive your lights" so you should be able to stop in the distance illuminated.   Perhaps you should leave the downhill leg until the sun is higher ?

Braking technique - if you were doing a hard brake on a turn, and your front wheel slid out from under you then its all over, you're going down.  Some more tread on your front tyre may have helped, as would lower pressure in the front tube.  Another technique, you could overweight the front wheel to make the side lugs dig in and regain grip, or you could unweight the front wheel and try to stop it pushing, and therefore regain grip.   All this has to happen really quickly, we don't generally react fast enough.

Clothes - your outerwear did its job, and took all/most of the sliding damage.  I suggest you slap some patches on the damaged bits, and on the knees, and call it your Riding Gear.   No point dressing up all pretty for a ride (unless you're into that sort of thing)   My favourite riding pants have canvas on the knees, over a patch of woollen blanket, and some light cotton on the inside of the knee,  They're butt-ugly but totally comfortable.

Finally experience - you've just acquired some.  Sadly it was painful.

You should also give your bike a close look and service.  Standard crash damage to look for includes:

Wheels out of true, rim damage, broken spokes and loosened nipples.
Disk Brake rotors no longer flat, or rim brake pads slightly out of position
Gears out of whack - bent derailleuruer hanger is very common.
Mudguards/fenders out of position, or plastic bits cracked.

Also give the bike a service and lube, and look for damage while doing it.


inferior/weaker rims vs superior/stronger rims with an underweight cyclist

You get what you pay for. The DM18 is a cheap rim with good enough reviews rating it good value for money. The DH19 is a better rim - only you know if you can or want to stretch your budget, however "Quality is remembered long after price forgotten" comes to mind. Are you prepared to regret not spending that extra money every time you go for a ride?

Provided the wheel is built well and maintained, the cheaper rim will stay true (its the spokes that keep the rim true, not the rim). The DH19 has eyelets for the spokes - meaning the rim will handle more abuse and last longer (without eyelets the spoke holes tend to fatigue and crack). However, as you are only 50kg, I expect the cheaper rim will easily handle the riding you are suggesting. If you were 150kg, I would steer you to the DH19.


Bike geometry and bio-mechanical topics have been discussed by others already, but I wonder if a large part of what you're observing is a relative difference between speeds on the two types of terrain?

Think of it this way:

You ride a "regular" bike on the flat. Your ultimate top speed is essentially governed by aerodynamics. You reach a speed where the force of the air you're pushing against equals the force you put in.

When you ride a recumbent under the same conditions, it's more aerodynamically efficient, so your top speed is higher.

Makes sense.

Going uphill it's a little different.

A larger part of your input energy goes in to overcoming gravity. Which is why your top speed will be lower.

Riding a recumbent uphill, you're still overcoming exactly the same amount of gravity, so aside from other mechanical advantages a recumbent may or may not give you in this situation, your top speed will be roughly similar to riding any other type of bike. The aerodynamics play a much smaller part in the equation..

Summary : the relative difference in the two top speeds is going to be greater  (and more noticeable) on a more aerodynamically efficient machine.

Caveat: I'm neither a scienctist, nor a recumbent rider :P


Baked on grease can look yellow or the manufacturer might have coated it with something. In this case, it looks like the manufacturer gave it a light coating.

Normally the lube from your chain (especially if you use a tacky lube) is enough to prevent corrosion. But if you're worried, why not just give it an extra coating of silicone oil.

For bare metal parts, I also use Boeshield, figuring if it's good enough for BOEing to SHIELD aeronautical parts from corrosion, it's good enough for my bike. I use it on places like hex bolt heads which seem to attract corrosion but you could also use inside your cassette.

Fineprints: But (along the lines of what  @Criggie points out) it might be cheaper to buy a new freewheel than a can of Boeshield... Another side note is that using an acid to strip rust can be a bad idea because it leaves the exposed metal in a particularly vulnerable state for corrosion. Because rust on the sides of the sprockets really doesn't hurt you, I would have just degreased with a citrus degreaser and left the rust alone -- or bought a new freewheel.


How can I increase the highest gear ratio?

Some background on the front chainrings:

Lots of bikes have a front derailleur, allowing more than one chainring. Some bikes have a single front chainring and no derailleur.
They're called chainrings rather than cogs (which are at the back).
There are typically either 3 or 2 chainrings on the front crankset.
If there are 2 chainrings, there are two 'flavours': Compact (with smaller rings, eg: 50 tooth and 34 tooth) or Standard (with larger rings eg: 53 tooth and 39 tooth)
Another important stat is the BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter). This is the diameter of the circle described by the bolts attaching the chainring to the crankset. A common figure is 130mm.

So you have a few factors to consider, and there's more information we need.

Do you have a front derailleur?
How many chainrings are in the front?
What make and model do you currently have?
How many teeth are on each chainring?
How many cogs are you your rear cassette?
How many teeth are on the smallest and the largest cog on the cassette?

With this information we can give you some advice. Just as an alternative, you can also replace the cassette at the back to change your gear ratios.


Will this mix of Shimano 10 speed components work together?

Sorry no, the 105 shifters and GRX derailleur will not work together.

Older Shimano 10 speed groupsets use the 'classic' 1:1.7 actuation ratio (length cable pulled / lateral cage movement). 11 speed groups required a different ratio to work properly. The newer 10 speed groups - Tiagra 4700 and GRX 400 series - both use the same ratio as the 11 speed groups, and are therefore not compatible with the older 10 speed groups.

Shimano publishes extensive specifications an compatibility information for their products. The latest compatibility information is here: https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com. If you look at road rear drivetrain compatibility you see that the GRX RX400 derailleur only works with Tiagra 47xx, 'Non series' RS405 and GRX RX400 shifters.

You can see that the HG50 cassette is explicitly compatible with the RX400 derailleur.


How do I choose a light GPS device supporting Strava?

The 'best' is fairly subjective and probably not compatible with lightest. For what it's worth I remember reading somewhere that the Edge 510 is widely used through the pro peloton.

I use a Garmin Edge 810 and would recommend it in an instant but it is possibly bigger than it needs to be if you're very worried about weight and size (I chose it for its navigation and live tracking).

On the smaller scale, the Garmin Edge 200 or slightly larger 510 might work.

Also the Cateye Stealth 10 (or 50 if you want Cadence) are supposed to be highly rated.

I'd be surprised if any of them struggled with lasting far longer than 4 hours. My 810 handles 5 hour rides with about 50% battery left and that's using bluetooth for live tracking for the whole ride.

The downside of a pocket type GPS tracker is that you don't get the data (like speed, cadence) in front of you while riding.


Quick Release vs Thru-axle specifications when buying wheels

You have it correct. You basically need any QR disc road wheels. Note that 135 is the standard for QR disc rear ends but non-disc road is 130, and some other bike genres use other numbers.


How can I remove the bottom bracket from this old road bike?

This type of bearing is not serviceable. The plastic piece is the seal that retains the grease and keeps water and dirt out. The crank needs to be pressed out to remove the bearings. Try to tap the crank with a soft faced hammer. the bearing on the opposite side should be pushed out by the crank. Installing the new bearings will require some care. I have had good success using standard and deep sockets to drive in the new bearings.


What Factors Should I Consider When Picking a Base Bar

You're going to need a lot of stuff to make this change.

Bar end shifters for the ends of your aero bars.
Bar end brake levers for the ends of your base bar.
Base bar & aero bars or an integrated option.
Potentially a new seatpost.
Potentially a new stem.
Maybe a new seat.

You might want to look into clip-on aerobars. These attach to your existing bars and typically have a slightly less extreme position so you should be able to get away without too much of the extra fit stuff above. This'll give you a chance to see if you even want to use areobars, they're not for everyone.

You're also going to want to get a good amount of training in in your new position, if your event's less than a month away, I'd be wary of making this change now.


I bought a used 20 inch bmx bike from bike shop but no one has any idea of the brand

Verde BMX at http://verdebmx.com/completes/

They appear to be based in Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Method:

I did a google image search for "BMX logo leaf" because it looks like a leaf to me
One of the images is this, which looks kind of similar
Following the link to their web site gave me this answer


I need the help identifying what type of bike I have a notes specialized but that's about it

The frame is somewhat like a 2003 Specialized Hardrock, no later than that because the 2004 frames seem to have additional bracing between the NDS stays for the disc brake.
However, it looks like every single component has been changed or upgraded since. Therefore you answered your own question; you have a frame, a Specialized, with a list of components as you described.
See John Burgess' answer for a more precise match on frame i.d.


Lifespan chain and gear wheels on e-bike

It’s impossible to give an answer because chain and sprocket wear is dependent on load as well as distance. Stronger or heavier riders apply more force. Riding lots of hills will do the same.

The best approach is to get a chain wear gauge and record how long a chain lasts for you and your riding.

Conventional wisdom is 2 or 3 chains per cassette. Inspect the cassette when you replace the chain.


Answer Yes its a standard cup and cone axle.

I had to unbolt the reaction arm from the chainstay, and unbolt the brake cable from the activation lever arm.  This was simple.

Gotchas though - you have to remove the drum brake completely, and the inside cone is recessed so its hard to get a cone spanner on it.  Best method is to get the inner cone and lock nut in the right place on the axle, and tighten them together and then do the drive-side cone.

Hub with locknut and spacer removed.  Notice there's an awful lot of spoke holes on this thing, I could fit double the number of spokes!  :

Drum/hub with brake removed::

Drum shoes, view from the inside.  They're not a great fit with some parts worn smooth and other parts never touched the drum.  Activation is incredibly simple-the shorter arm is pulled forward by a brake cable, which rotates the shaft.  There are lobes on the shaft that push the brake shoes apart, and against the inside of the drum.  When the cable pull drops, the two beefy springs pull the shoes back off the drum.


Are bicycle helmets repairable or disposable?

They're designed to take the impact of the fall, once they've done the job they can't be used again and you must buy another. It's not safe to attempt to repair a helmet with glue.


Harsh Winters bike - Steel vs aluminum frame?

I've ridden quite a few different bikes on salted roads for over three decades, and it's more a case of preferences than objective benefits.

The steel bike will get chips in the paint, then rust and look really ugly after a season or two.  It will probably take decades until it's rusted enough to make much of a structural difference, but it'll be really ugly quite fast.  Ugly bikes get stolen less, so this may be a positive if you don't care about looks.

Aluminium bikes in salt will stay rather good looking, but the steel bolts will react with the salt and aluminium and seize quite properly unless you change them all to stainless.  If you don't change them, make sure you get good at drilling out bolts and re-threading if you plan to do your own maintenance.


Should I repack the hub bearings on new wheels with quality grease?

You may want to just open them open to take a peek to make sure that: 1) they are actually packed with grease to begin with and 2) that all of the bearings are actually there.

With cheap hubs, missing grease and missing bearings are not unheard of. But if a quick peek yields lots of grease and a full set of bearings, I'd tighten up the cones and pedal away.

[New]  p.s. Just a quick note that asking which the best grease to use is sort of like asking which operating system is best: Windows, Linux, or MacOS (or FreeBSD or AmigaOS). You can't go wrong with whatever the LBS has (Pedros, Park, or even FinishLIne). I tend to be a quirky FreeBSD type and use Magnalube, a weird specialty lube which no one else has heard of.


Changing the Crankset on a Stevens Cityflight

First, you should be sure that the crankset is actually worn -- cranksets last a long time, and some teeth will look like they are worn (but they aren't) due to aiding shifting.

The bearings aren't in the crankset itself -- they're in the bottom bracket, which is pressed/threaded into the frame. In your case, your bike has a Hollowtech II bottom bracket, and you can use Hollowtech II compatible cranksets (or change the bottom bracket type, and use some other crankset).

When choosing the crankset, you do have to have bottom bracket compatibility, crank lengths, and if the crank clears everything on your frame when installed -- for example, most mountain bikes will have interference if you stick a 50 tooth crankset on them because the geometry of the bike is not setup to take this.

I'd suggest just going to a local bike shop to make sure you do need a new crankset, and chances are they'll have some Hollowtech II crankset that will fit your bike anyway, if needed.

Another reading of your post suggests that the splines on the bottom bracket (thing the crankset goes onto; contains the spindle which the crank arms rotate about) may be worn (is this what you mean by shaft?). In this case, you'll need a new bottom bracket and crankset. I'd leave this work to a shop if you don't want to buy the tools (bottom bracket tool, big wrench, crank puller, etc.).


What electric bikes are for sale in the US, and how good are they?

One of our bikes is an electric bike.  It's an older iZip HG 1000, and although we got it through the American "manufacturer" (Currie Technologies), like most of the low-end ebikes it's made in China of heavy steel and uses cheap, cheap, cheap components.  For example, it has these awful band brakes because they're slightly cheaper than cantilevers.  (Those pics are not of my bike.)

When we bought it a couple years ago, most of the department stores (WalMart, Zeller's, Canadian Tire) had bikes of similar (low) quality available under a variety of brand names - iZip and Schwinn (both also from Currie) were the most common.

However, even though I've always referred to our ebike as a cheap, made-in-China piece of junk, in the first 6 months we had it I commuted 40km a day and put 2500km on it.  It hasn't been used as much since then, but it's still going.  OTOH, it has required some work...  For various reasons, it has a two-part drive-train: a short chain from the cranks to an intermediate sprocket, then another chain from there to the freewheel.  As shown in the following picture, I managed to shear off all 4 bolts that held the two cogs on the intermediate sprocket together.  (And to get access, I first had to take apart 4 or 5 pieces of plastic bodywork.)

So it comes down to: you get what you pay for.  If you don't abuse it, a cheap ebike might do ok, but fundamentally it's made with heavy, low-quality steel, and cheap components.  Bikes like that can be serviceable, but are simply not very good.

One brand that seems to be associated with somewhat higher-quality bikes is BionX.  I think they are still mostly a supplier of LiIon battery packs, motors and controllers, and many different companies sell ebikes built with BionX drive systems.  You could look for local dealers who sell bikes made with their components.  I'm sure there are other companies that supply drive systems to bike shops.


How to calibrate Garmin Vector 2 power meter pedals with a Wahoo Elemnt computer?

It seems others were having this same issue and it turned out to be the torque not being set to specs (Garmin recommends a torque of 25 to 30 lbf-ft (34 to 40 N-m).

In my case, I had skipped a step in the Wahoo calibration. Here's the fix:

1.) turn your pedals 1 rotation so that the pedal pods blink 5 times in a row (this means garmin is ready to be calibrated).
2.) Turn on your Wahoo Elemnt by pressing and holding the power button. Once on, press (but don't hold) the power button to get the to the GPS/Sensors screen. Select your sensor and in the bottom left corner you should see CALIB. Press that and it will complete the process.

I just got back from a 3mi test ride and my watts went from 257w to 118w (which is much more accurate!).

Hope this helps!


What's this torque specification on the seatpost for?

I suggest looking at this table from Park Tool for what each component needs for torque.

For the seat rail binder (aka seat fixing bolt aka the bolts you've photographed), Park tool gives a range from 174 - 347 in-lbs as the Shimano value, with some others requiring as little as 44 or others as much as 300.

If we convert 174 in-lbs to N-m, thats about 20 N-m (the rule is divide by 9-ish). So, its a reasonable value for the bolts under question.

As noted in the table, the number doesn't really make sense for the seatpost binder (thing that holds the seatpost in the frame); you normally just go enough that it doesn't slip for that, which Campy suggests 4-6 N-m which is much lower.

All being said, I'm not sure who actually measures that torque unless you have fragile saddle rails or post or something. But I suspect many people go (well) below the 20 Nm ish figure from Park Tool by a good amount. I've never used a torque wrench for this,  but I'd guess I've tightened with 10 Nm at best.


Depending on your ability level this might be noticeable or it might not. Pro racers are often able to tell when as little as 100g is added somewhere on the bike (or geometry changes by .5 degrees for example).

With switching wheels the weight loss is felt in a couple different ways:

Overall weight On a bike that only weighs, let's say, 28 lbs (12,700g) a loss of .9 lbs (410g) is about 3% savings. If your bike weighed 100lbs it'd only be about 1%, so the impact of general weight savings is dependent on light the bike is already.
Rotational weight Heavier wheels are harder to spin up and slow down faster. Reducing that weight will reduce these effects. However, this comes mostly from the weight at the edge of the wheel (tires, tubes, rims), so if the weight savings are coming from a lighter hub, it will be less noticeable.

As usual, these all depend on the specifics of the wheel, the bike, and the rider and how all three interact. If your looking at dropping whole pounds by switching equipment I'd do it, but if it's just to save 50g, then it's probably not worth it.


How can I unbend, straighten or flatten a bent rotor?

Try a Park DT-2 rotor tool or something similar.I've used a large adjustable wrench with mixed results.Usually the larger the clearance between the pads and rotor the more forgiveing it will be to the rotor being a little off.I leave the wheel mounted,spin it to find the high spot .Then tighten the wrench on to the rotor and flex gently to straighten the rotor.


I'm lost with all the names of bike parts flying around!

See the terminology index. It doesn't apply just to fixies, but a lot of the parts on either kind of bike are the same.


Choosing the right wheel size in my cycle computer

I have not had much luck with any of the preset settings (on my cateye computers) always using custom. Here is how I recommend to measure the circumference:

Inflate your tire to desired psi
Put a mark of chalk on the garage floor and bike tire
Sit on my bike and roll forward one revolution until the bike tire mark comes back to the floor
Mark the end position on the ground
Measure the distance between the marks on the ground, convert to mm (for the Cateye) and set the custom tire circumference.

I have found differences between different tires (both 700 x 25) and even differences with the same tire (air pressure difference).


How do I get the pads out of my Avid BB7 disc brakes?

I've been pulling them out a lot lately. They do come out easily, but only if you have the adjusters all the way withdrawn on both sides. The catch is that the adjusters (at least the ones I'm working with) can start seeming tight before they are backed out all of the way. So backing them off can be a bit of a judgment call.

Update: I was doing the "holiday overhaul" on my partner's bike and I was also sorting out why the brakes were hanging up a bit (corroded cable) and noticed another thing that can make the pads harder to get out than they ought to be – the actuator arm wasn't releasing all the way because the cable was a bit too tight, so I was missing maybe 5 or 6 mm of travel when the brakes were released.

Once you've got them all the way backed off and the wheel removed, pinching the tabs together and centering the pads in the caliper opening should let them come out fairly easily. Sometimes, I find that it helps to hold the pads all the way to one side and slide the one towards the center out a bit and then reverse the process. There is a pin in the adjuster that secures that pads and if you don't clear that they will hang up. Often when the pin hangs up you naturally pull out the other pad a bit. Once one pad is past the pin, pushing it towards the side and pulling the other one should be enough to get the whole assembly out. They come out with very little force.

There is nothing that will stop you from pulling the pads out one at a time, just move one towards the center and pull it out, then do the same with the other one. If you do this, you're likely to leave the spring behind, but it is relatively easy to coax out with a pair of tweezers or a pointy object or even a blast of air from behind.


Keeping a leather saddle in good condition

I guess shoe polish (the creamy one, not fancier new ones with sylicone and lots of synthetic polymers) at least won't do any harm, but maybe there are better choices.

Manufacturers advise the use of specific products (Brooks Proofide, for example) both for treating the surface against wear and tear induced by friction and the elements, but also for treating the deep layers of the saddle thickness, improving its mechanical characteristics, specially when new and yet uncomfortable, but also after some use and possibly abuse (mainly due to weather).

Leather tanning actually takes the subcutanous connective layer of cattle skin, which is rich in collagen, and treats it so that it can last longer. As such (at least it seems so to me) they have a "natural" affinity for natural substances, specially the lipo-soluble molecules found, for example, in Proofide itself: tallow, beeswax, cod oil, etc.

I like to look at my Brooks as if it was a somewhat living friend: we have a friendship, I treat it nicely and it responds by treating me nice. Even caressing it and silently talking to it is fine (at least is makes ME feel fine).

So with the Proofide I like to think I am giving something it likes: those fatty, variated, long-chain, apolar, gracefully degrading organic molecules, and not the inorganic, synthetic, industrialized, unlively plastified synthetic products one might choose as an alternative.

(and by the way, the thinnest layer once in a while is more than enough: that tiny can of Proofide will last for many years!)


I'd suggest stripping all the components off the bike (yes, ALL of them) then hit the frame lightly with a flap disk in a hand grinder.  You want to key the paint, not necessarily remove it.

Keying provides a mechanical surface that is not flat.  This will allow your new paint to form a three dimensional bond with the previous coat and will be more abrasion-resistant.

You also have to mask off every part that doesn't need paint.  That's the bottom bracket shell and threads, and anything else that has threads.  Your fork's bearing races must be paint free, both on the fork and in the head tube.  Noone paints their seat post because tolerances are too fine and it will scratch up anyway, so remove that.   There's no point painting the inside of the seat tube, but a little overspray's no big deal.

Your frame appears to be a Huffy, which is a low end bike so probably made of steel.  So any scratches through the existing paint will show bare bright steel which will need a steel primer.  Sometimes this is called an etching primer, which chemically does a similar thing to the sanding process.  Both is a great idea.  Don't wait - you should be spraying the primer within an hour of finishing the sanding.  Don't give the rust monster a chance to get stuck in.

If your bike frame is aluminium/aluminum then you need a primer for AL and not FE.

Then when the primer is hardened, a light wet-sand over the whole frame to remove any flecks and provide the next keying surface, for your top coats to sink their teeth into.  Use this to examine the frame for light spots and missed areas.  There's a lot of surface area to your bike - more than one might think.

Depending on your paint and its thickness, density, and grippiness, you probably want to do a minimum of two top coats.   Some of the 80s bikes had 12~20 coats of paint total.

If you're adding new decals, then put them on top of the last colour coat after light sanding and wipe down, and do at least one clear-coat over that.  If no decals, do the top coat anyway.  This provides the first line of defense against dings, whangs and scratches.

You can choose a matt or satin or gloss finish at all layers, but the clear coats are on the outside and give the most finish-effect.

If all this sounds like too much work, and your plan is just to blast it with a rattle can with no preparation, then go ahead.  Its your bike, do what you want with it.  But expect it to look like a rattlecan job and to flake off pretty quick.


Rust proof or not the outside of a steel steerer column beneath the stem

I generally wipe whatever greasy or oily rag I have lying around at the shop on any uncoated steer tubes as a habit. We're in a fairly dry area so it's not of great importance. If I was in a wet area I'd use a product called FrameSaver.

There is no concern with slippage if the steer tube is greasy.


Difference Between SRAM SX eagle chain and SRAM NX eagle chain(12 speed)?

The NX chain is of slightly higher quality, so it will last longer and shift better. That's not relevant here though.
Yes, you need to shorten a new chain in most cases. The riveted pins increase the chain's strength, but do require a decent chain tool to punch out. Hold the new chain up beside the old chain, matching link to link, and break it at the same length/link count.


Lower gearing with 15 year old Shimano Ultegra

Switching the rear derailleur to a 9-speed Shimano mountain and the cassette to an 11-34 is the most straightforward in terms of minimal parts changes. It's not the lowest you can go. It leaves you with the high gears you've already got, i.e 52/11, which is not useful for most people, but one of the questions here is exactly how much you're happily willing to take off from the high end of the range. (For most people in this situation, but not everyone, the answer is a lot.)

Switching the crank to a compact 50/34 was the next fashion after standard doubles like she has finally fell out of favor for normal people road bikes. You could do so with or without also doing the above rear end change. The FD and shifter you have should be fine. Most compact cranks you'll find are nominally 10 or 11 speed. To make them work with 9, use tiny chainring spacers. There are many posts here about this.

So-called super-compact cranks with ranges like 30/46 have finally started to become mainstream in the last few years. The nice thing about them is that for many people, 46 represents around the biggest big ring that's actually useful, i.e. in many cases everything beyond that is wasted. They'll work acceptably with your FD. A lot of them are external bearing cranks with chainline specced to work with 135mm rear ends, which isn't a dealbreaker for putting on her bike but is a minor drawback. To avoid this you could get a square taper one like Herse, VO, or IRD. Some of these cranks come in variants with big rings smaller than 46, but these won't play nice with your existing FD and shifter setup.


Noticed a scratch on my carbon steerer, should I be worried?

Looks like a surface scratch, so no need to worry.

Obvious source of a circumferential scratch on the steerer is the stem being rotated around the it, although in this case I suspect the stem moving up and down slightly from the normal varying forces on the handlebars during riding. Just check for a rough edge inside the stem.


Laws against electric assist bicycle with energy recovery?

New Zealand

There is no speed limit for a bicycle, but you can be charged for "dangerous use of a vehicle"

An electric bicycle must have no more than 300W of power in addition to the rider's mandatory pedal input.  Bicycles do not need registration or licencing, but there are lighting/reflector, braking and helmet requirements.

Any more than 300W and it becomes an electric motorcycle, regardless of whether it has pedals or not. At that point it requires licencing and registration and the rider needs a motorcycle endorsement on their driving license.

If your bike has electric brakes that do energy recovery, then that is irrelevant to the power output of the motor.  Your ride does require two independent braking systems, so that failure of one does not prevent the other from working.

By comparison, a liquid fuel motorbike without pedals, and cubic engine capacity of under 50cc still requires registration and licencing, but can be ridden by a licenced rider with a car endorsement only.  A motorbike licence is not required.


I have done such a thing for many years with a rigid carbon fork for winter and a suspension fork for summer. At the beginning I simply called the headset manufacturer and ordered another crown race for my headset.

Many reputable manufacturers sell crown races separately (or give them away if you call and ask nicely).  It is quite common to damage a crown race if it is not removed properly during a fork swap and SHOULD NOT require buying a whole new headset.  If your manufacturer won't sell you another crown race, I would highly recommend you buy another headset from a manufacturer that will and be done with it.

Companies that won't sell small replacement parts for their products generally have a "disposable" mentality for their products.  If they consider their products disposable, you should as well.  I personally avoid such companies as I would prefer to not ride or deal with disposable parts.


Buying brake levers, how do I find the correct ones for my bike?

Since it sounds like you have mechanical disc brakes (Avid BB5 or Tektro Novela not hydraulic) then any direct-pull or V-Brake lever should work fine with your cable. Searching for 'V-Brake levers' or 'mechanical disc brake levers' should provide plenty of responses.

For example, if you look at the spec page for the Avid FR-5 lever, you will see that they are compatible with both "Mechanical disc brakes, Linear-pull brakes." V-Brakes are a type of linear-pull brakes.

Note that most levers designed specifically for Cantilever Brakes will NOT be compatible. The key issue is that the levers must be direct or linear pull.  Some brake levers (e.g. Shimano's ST-EF60 shifter+brake lever combo) are switchable between canti's and V-brakes. If you don't set them to V-brake, you're not going to pull enough cable for proper braking.


For the most part, yes, all Shimano and Shimano-compatible (SRAM, Sunrace, etc) 8-speed cassettes are interchangeable in terms of their overall length and fit onto the freehub body. However, hubs from the early years of cassettes might be either Uniglide or have the original Hyperglide freehub design that precluded use of an 11t cog. Much more info here.

Shimano comes up with different schemes for how the ramping, shift gates, and other design aspects of their cassettes are supposed to work together. The codes stamped on their cogs deal with what scheme that cog belongs to and what gear position it's supposed to be in it.


Scott Mountain bike. Problem with pedaling

This can happen easily when a new chain is installed with a cassette that is worn, but you would likely notice that it's the chain skipping in this case.

It sounds like the culprit is the engagement system inside of the hub of your rear wheel. The engagement system has teeth that lock when you pedal, and if too many of these teeth become worn you won't get any power transfer, it sounds like this is your most likely culprit. I've had this happen before, and it tends to only get worse. If it seems like this is what's happening, take the rear wheel into the shop and see what they can do for you.


Does headtube angle affect which fork you can use?

No, dropout security isn't considered to be affected by the match between fork and head tube angle.

On bikes, concerns with QR hubs coming unseated from loads encountered is all about the relationship between the brake pad contact location on the rim/rotor and the orientation of the axle slot. The frame doesn't change that relationship.

It is true that one could contrive a situation with a forward-oriented disc fork pointing up to the sky once you had a slack enough head tube angle, such that yes, forces from the ground would be trying to unseat it. That does sound sketchy but I'd be surprised if it ever just happened by accident, because forks like that have a good amount of downward angle in the slots.


Dia Compe Brakes for 1991 Bridgestone RB-T

Advert for Bridgestone RB-T showing brake placement to be a lot closer than standard:

The brakes look like Deore LX cantilevers from the early 1990's (these were available in both silver and black):

I would agree that you have a problem. You may want to put narrow 20mm rims on the bike to mitigate the problem. You could source some early 1990's Shimano/Suntour/Dia-Compe brakes that catered well with touring as well as mountain bikes. Dia-Compe 986's were the first ones to be 'low profile' yet still use the 'brake blocks on stalks' (as opposed to the nut and bolt ones). There were also examples from Shimano and the Suntour badged Dia-Compe models. Pads are also a consideration. When Shimano XTR came out the pads became longer and thinner. In the UK Aztec make replacements for these (with the 'stalks') and they are widely available.

What you may also want to look for are the very early cantilevers that stuck out a long way. Dia Compe 983's are the classic example. There is a problem with these if you are using panniers on the back and if you have anything but a small frame size - they poke out into the pannier bag and get wedged on.

As for getting hold of some of these early cantilevers, try your LBS as they may have some knocking about in the workshop that they may let you have for a small fee.

Reposted from the MTBR forums for future reference, the specifications of how cantilever bosses should be done:


Is my dream of finding a light/commuter/hauling bike a pipe dream?

I think that it is generally true that any "all-purpose" tool is less-than-ideal for most purposes.  There are trade-offs for everything.

If you are just looking for a bike that allows you to ride fast and long while carrying a load, though, I think you are looking for a light touring bike.  Get something with drop-bars and road-y geometry.  Get a comfortable saddle for it--maybe  Brooks B17.  It will go reasonably fast (not racing-bike fast, but certainly faster than my Globe Vienna).

Personally, I am not following my own advice--I am doing what you suggest on a mid-80's Schwinn steel road bike.  I have racks and fenders on it.  It goes not-as-fast as my racing bike but fast enough for sure.  When I routinely carry lots of heavy loads on it, I start breaking spokes but that's the wheel's fault and not the frame.  The old steel Schwinns really do never break--if you put the right components on them, they will haul anything you want.

At some point I may replace the Schwinn with something more modern.  After all, I'm running it with old 105 gear and down-tube shifters.  Generally fine, but when I can afford it I'll upgrade.  My Vienna has started to spoil me, with its IGH and shiny paint.

In your position, I might consider a Civia Bryant.  Go with the belt-drive option.  It can haul a load, go fast, seems comfortable (having only looked at the geometry), and is low-maintenance.


Please Assist in Identifying This Frame!

Nice looking frame. Some nice looking, desirable equipment attached to it too. Would be cool to see it finished off and back on the road. Probably holds more value if you keep it authentic to the era/leave as is.

The holey bits are called the frame lugs, I guess they are ‘drilled lugs’ if that helps bring up any more search results.

Possibly it’s from a big brand, or maybe from a small custom builder, made specially for your late neighbour. Either way it’s probably a quality example, someone’s gone to a bit of trouble making it.

I think the more successful searches are for a bike with original branding and equipment spec from the biggest manufacturers. Then it’s a matter of hunting for archived catalogues etc. Otherwise it’s a bit of a guessing game/luck if someone else has the same one.

But... get some more good quality pictures of the whole bike from all kinds of angles and keep asking around on various websites, maybe you’ll start picking up clues. I think it’s interesting/distinctive enough to warrant a bit more asking around. Maybe seek out some framebuilders and get their opinions.


Determine which cage length on Shimano Ultegra 6800

Road rear derailleurs tend to have two available lengths, while MTBs have three. The page you linked to seems to be MTB focused.

See this Shimano page that shows both the SS and GS side by side, it should be easy to tell which of the two you have.


I need help with identifying my 26" cruiser, no ID markings, I built it 25 years ago and could be 15+ years older than that.. TIA

The frame looks like a 1979 S&S Newport
S&S is the manufacturer.
Newport is the model

It's amazing how many frames similar to this were made from the late 70s to the late 80s (and even some in the 2000s)

1979 S&S Newport from the BMX Museum

Another bike, same frame, different angle, also from the BMX Museum

Frame only rear shot

The key frame features are:

Slightly "notchy" bend in the top tube. Later years(Newport was made until 1983 based on what's posted at the BMX Museum) seem to have a smoother bend on the top tube.
Two piece rear end
Brake mount made of tubing (not flat steel)
Flat steel chain stay brace just behind the bottom bracket.
Straight "3rd tube" brace tube below the top tube.


What is the best web application to create cycling cue sheets for future rides

I mostly use it for tracking rides after the fact, but Ride With GPS has cue sheets and route planning based off of Google maps for their paying members.  From the GPS side, it works great, your mileage may vary for pre-planning.


Based on the edit, put a new cable on. And while you're at it, you may as well replace the cable housing.


With caliper brakes like yours that's not the case. With some cantilever brakes adjusting them so that they contact the rim later can increase the mechanical advantage (leverage), making the brakes more powerful if then adjusted properly. But that's a usually-minor effect on a type of brake you don't have.

For your bike the suggestions Blam made in comments are correct. Start by cleaning your rims and pads.That means sanding or filing the dirty surface of the pad off, and wiping the rim with a wet cloth. Don't do that the other way round! Damaging your rim is expensive to fix, but brake pads are cheap. Most people don't bother trying to clean pads at all, they're cheap enough that it's easier to buy a new set.

In your case you appear to have two-piece pads, where there's a metal holder that accepts a rubber insert. That makes it even easier. First, buy new inserts. There should be a little split pin that holds each insert in place, which you need to pull out using pliers. Then slide out the existing inserts and put the new ones in, with new pins. Then adjust your brakes.

There are several web pages describing that process in more detail, like this one


Why is a steady cadence so important? Or is it?

This is really a pretty complex question. Without knowing where you read about "steady cadence being a good thing" or what the author meant it is hard to evaluate this statement, but this SE.bicycles answer presents data showing that riders don't ride at a steady cadence. Rather, they alter their cadence according to conditions of the ride, the level of power they wish to put out, and the choice of gearing they have available. So your initial premise may not be correct.

That said, assuming you are on a constant gradient, with consistent wind, trying to go as fast as possible over a fixed distance, then you want power to be constant, because constant power application is the fastest way from point A to B in those conditions. If power is constant, then cadence will also be constant, unless you are shifting. Most humans can maintain the same power over a fairly wide variety of cadence, even if it doesn't feel as good. Usually it is fine to self select what cadence you want. It may be the case that you prefer a different cadence when climbing vs on the flats. If that is so, do not feel that you have to shift to keep cadence the same as the terrain changes.

The second part of your question presents a scenario of alternate pedaling and coasting, and posits that since it may be more economical for automobiles to do so perhaps it will be so for human powered cycling as well. However, humans are not like internal combustion engines -- we have two different metabolic pathways to generate power, which are colloquially called "aerobic" and "anaerobic." Aerobic metabolic production of ATP via the Krebs cycle is relatively efficient, but when we need to produce power that exceeds our aerobic capacity we switch to "anaerobic" production that is sustainable for far shorter periods of time. Compounding this "supply of power" issue is the "demand for power". The demand equations for cycling power are well understood if not well known, but the aerodynamic component of drag varies with the square of airspeed so the power demanded varies roughly with the cube of speed in calm conditions. These two physical constraints mean both that cycling faster and then coasting requires more energy than cycling steadily at the average pace, and also that speeding up is more physiologically taxing. That is, 1 minute of high power followed by 1 minute of recovery is still more taxing than 2 minutes at the average power, even though the total joules of work performed is the same. This is the basis for why "high-intensity" interval workouts lasting X minutes can have a greater training effect but be much less enjoyable than the same X minutes steadily spent at the average power.

As it happens, here is a plot based on data from a segment of a ride where the rider alternately pedaled and then coasted. This segment of the ride was done on a flat road, with almost no wind. The upper panel shows cadence; the middle panel shows speed; and the bottom panel shows power.

The "sawtooth" in cadence and power are apparent, and you can see speed increase and then slowly decrease. For this roughly 4 km long segment using this particular pattern of pedaling and coasting, power averaged 100 watts. If, on the other hand, the rider had covered this same flat 4 km long segment at constant speed so that the distance and total elapsed time were the same, the power would only have needed to have been 70 watts, a savings of 30%.

In this case, the bicycle used was a geared bike, so had the rider changed gearing he could have produced the required 70 watts with many different combinations of cadence and pedal force. In other words, steady cadence need not have been used. This is an illustration that cadence isn't terribly consequential, and you have wide latitude to ride at whatever cadence you want to meet the purposes you wish to achieve. If you enjoy pedaling and coasting, there nothing wrong with that.


Is deep v wheels safer then the standard fixie rims

The consensus opinion (for typical road use) seems to be Deep V's, apart from being best for showing off cool colors and looking good, have no advantage over other rims. Some people report they are stronger - break spokes and go out of true less often, although I cannot find a scientific study to confirm this. What I have read, people have replaced old, worn out, cheap wheels with new higher quality deep V rims, and then claim the Deep V's made the difference. The reality appears to be the new and better quality made the difference, not the deep V.

I have found no evidence that Deep V's improve handling, to the contrary, there are many reports of Deep V's making the bike harder to handle in cross winds - presumably due to the larger cross section of the rim.

Its not a big surprise that Deep V's and Fixes are commonly seen together - they are both products with more disadvantages than advantages for an average cyclist, promoted with evangelical enthusiasm by a few and ignored by most.


The bigger tire will give you slightly higher gearing due to the higher diameter. You should get a trainer specific tire, as the compounds are harder to prevent overheating/excessive tire wear. Your tire isn't slipping against the roller on the trainer in either case, so the power transfer argument is relatively moot (theres rolling resistance and what not, but its not something you should be worrying about on a trainer...).

The reason why you'd get a 700x25 tire over a 700x23 tire would be that if your rim was wider, it may support a 700x25 tire better.  This is why some trainer tires are produced in 700x23 and 700x32 (e.g. Continental Hometrainer-- the larger size will fit some 29ers barely, which have wider rims). Most road racing bikes are designed for 23's so its easiest to ship 23's, which most trainer tires are, for road bikes. Also, there exist frames which will rub with a 25 but not a 23.

The TL;DR version: pick whichever one you want, provided your frame doesn't rub.

Also, I didn't find anyone actually producing a trainer tire for 700x25 -- there are training tires for 700x25 but they're for the road, not for the trainer.


Some of the answer depends on what kind of riding and how much riding you do and how much money you want to spend.  As a previous responder indicated some of the stock factory wheelsets are fairly inexpensive.  Check Nashbar and elsewhere on the Web.  But if you want to buy some time replace the spoke and put some liquid wrench on the spoke nipples and wait till they loosen up.  Mostly brakes tend to stick because of old cables/housing.  Replace the cables first.  An easy way to check the chain is with a simple ruler.  Any rivet to a given rivet should be at or no more than 12 1/8 in.  If it is more, throw the chain away and get a new cluster.  As an aged ex bike mechanic, I have noticed a tendency for these days for shops not to fix stuff but rather to replace and sell new stuff.  Thus their eagerness to sell you a new wheel.


Since the actual tire has burst, I think the most likely cause is that over the course of the 4000km you have ridden, the tire has suffered a cut or other damage that you did not previously notice.

While sitting in your room, the pressure of the tube has gradually stretched the damaged area, and then burst.

Inspect the other tire to check for cuts or severe wear.


Should I buy a crank, derailleur, cassette, etc. all from the same company or are the parts of the drivetrain not super specific

It's complicated.

There are many groups of parts that will work together just fine, and many that will not. You can mix and match brands in any number of ways and have it work fine.

Buying everything together is an expensive way to guarantee that everything will Just Work.

You can put something together for much, much less money using random bin parts from your co-op. But, you will still have to pay for it with your own research work, in learning all the different ways that the components have to fit together.

The good news is, putting a bike together isn't rocket science. There is detail that you will need to learn, but you can learn it.


A potential firmware update being the cause was a red herring; no fault was introduced via any FW update. Nor were any settings incorrect. The "fault" was in fact a "feature":
Answer:
If you long-press the "Record" button on top of the GoPro for 3 seconds it initiates "Time Lapse" with "Quick Capture" and overrides the manual settings.
This is why you clearly see "Time Lapse" is active in the videos, but you can't see any evidence of it when you check your settings: Long-Pressing only sets it non-persistently making it difficult to troubleshoot.
Since the GoPro is in a protective case, when reaching up on top of my helmet activating it with gloves on, I was mashing the button down for too long because the camera doesn't give immediate feedback that it's actually on. Be warned...
That devil was buried in the "Using Quick Capture" section of the GoPro Manual on page 44 of the GoPro 9 PDF User Guide.


How do experienced cyclists know which gear they are in without an optical display?

All the elite riders I have encountered just know. I think its part of the attention to detail necessary at that level. You almost never see them looking down to check (that would be showing a weakness and giving oponents an opportunity).

But if you mean can the rider say which cog they are using at the front and rear? then the answer is that often we can't say.

Usually we know by memory which front cog we are using. And as I change the rear gear, I know by the different feel of the ratio whether I'm near the top, the middle, or the bottom of the cluster. I very rarely try to change gears past the last one.

The bike knows. That's enough.


Just installed a new chain but it took me 4 tries, is it safe?

You should never break the chain at the connecting pin. Once a connecting pin is in there, it should not be removed.

Removing a regular rivet enlarges the holes in the chain plates slightly. A connecting pin has a slightly greater diameter than a regular rivet so it fits properly. When you push out the connecting pin the holes get enlarged slightly again, so now a new connecting ping is slightly too small.

So you have weakened the chain and run a increased risk of breaking it. You'll have to decide if you want to take on that risk. Personally, I would fix the chain for peace of mind.

If you want to fix it you have a couple of choices:

Replace the damaged chain links with new links from the small length of chain left over when you shortened the new chain, using two new connecting pins, and being extra careful to not screw it up this time.
Replace the damaged outer chain links with a Shimano Quick Link. Beware that most quick links are one-time use so make sure the chain is routed properly before completing installation.

I recommend #2

BTW, if you threaded the chain through the derailleur cage incorrectly, you can remove one cage side plate instead of re-breaking the chain.


What width between dropouts is suitable for a hub of Xmm?

You can find the whole gamut of tolerances, especially if you include very low-end bikes. All the numbers I have are my own estimations but they are based on taking rulers to plenty of frames and taking wheels in and out of thousands more.

There is no formal rule for what's acceptable, so any answer is likely to be viewed as too tight by some and too loose by others. However, a lot of framebuilders and industry types see +/-0.1mm as the gold standard for most of the key frame alignment tolerances on higher end bikes, including dropout spacing, rear end alignment as measured with a Park FAG or similar tool, and a bunch of other dimensions. Many decide upon .1mm as the number where if you try to do better you'll be chasing ghosts, struggling to reproduce measurements, etc. A lot of nicer bikes measured out of the box will conform to that for their dropout spacing.

Less premium but still "dealer-level" bikes these days are almost always +/-0.5mm or better for dropout spacing, although occasionally you see a bike where it's more like 1mm.

Low-end and historic bikes are way more all over the place with dropout spacing fidelity. On a contemporary steel department store bike, it wouldn't be surprising to see +/-3mm. For aluminum the dropouts can't be leaned on to flex into conformity the same way and things aren't quite as bad, maybe half that number.

You mention 120. Bike boom bikes had very sloppy tolerances for dropout spacing, probably something like +/-3mm. Good modern track and singlespeed frames are usually very close to dead-on, like +/-.2mm or better. Quickly dialing in optimal chain tension is a total nuisance when you've got gap at the dropouts.


how to strip the paint from a bike yourself?

John Allen has a page on refinishing a bicycle on Sheldon Brown's website. You need some covering on the frame to protect it, though. For aluminum, it is recommended to use chemicals and not sandpaper (due to particle embedding), but for steel, sandblasting is fine. The main issue with chemicals is fumes.

There are also several related threads on bicycles.SE such as this one and this one.


Would a quality derailleur improve a cheap bike

If your bicycle is a BSO (bicycle shaped object sold at discount mass retailers), then likely no. You'd spend $100+ labor on the derailleur and a new chain, but then the next week the brakes would fail,  the handlebar would come off, or the frame would crack. BSOs are money pits. Furthermore, it's unlikely you could just replace the derailleur, you'd have to also buy new shift levers or brifters, depending on what you're replacing it with. If the derailleur ate the chain, then it's likely that the derailleur hanger will also be bent or misaligned.  I'd use the return policy of the store to return the bike. It was clearly misassembled.

If your son's bike was a quality used bike (like a late 1980s hardtail Specialized Rockhoppper)  then it's likely that the "bones" are good and that upgrading some components would be worth your while. A better derailleur would lead to faster and smoother shifts. But you'd still run into the problem that by the time you get new derailleurs and shifters, you might have spent enough to buy a used 2000s Trek mountainbike. There's plenty of life in the older hardtails and many people prefer them to the newfangled things.

Update:  A store return isn't possible as it was bought off of the street and that the owner has £85 in sunk costs for a bike that would be about £130 new -- i.e., a little bit above a £50 BSO but not yet into the middle end. With £85 in sunk costs, I think you want to keep your repairs to under £25 given that you already spent a bit on a new tire and tube.

The likely thing that happened is that the old derailleur's high or low-limits were not set correctly. Thus when your son unknowingly shifted up or down (likely up), the chain skipped merrily off the rear sprockets into either axle (from the highest -- i.e., smallest-- gear) or the spokes (from the lowest). This then jammed the rear wheel, yanked the derailleur into bits, and it's lucky your son didn't have an accident.

First, you need to assess the damage. The rear derailleur is mostly probably bent/broken beyond repair (while tempting you cannot unbend it). Check the chain carefully, it is likely to have some bent or damaged links. Check the rear sprocket, are any of the cogs damaged? Check the spokes if the chain damaged them. Check the derailleur hanger, is it still straight? Check the front chain ring and derailleur, do they look good?

If you're lucky, the damage is just limited to the rear derailleur and to the chain. If the chain appears to have any damage at all, it's safer to get a new one (a bend in the chain or kink will cause chain suckage again).

The problem is finding a new derailleur. You want to keep the old shifters if possible to save money. There are two factors: one is the number of gears (7/8/9) on the rear and the second is the shifting mechanism. If you want to DIY, then you could purchase a new rear derailleur (assuming you have a 7-8 cassette on the rear, they go for around £10-20 for the cheapest models, but again make sure it's compatible with your shifters). Then look online for detailed instructions and be sure to set the hi/lo limits on your derailleur correctly -- and make sure your derailleur hanger is straight.

If you need a new chain, then you'll need to get a chain breaker tool as well, so budget that in. Other tools you may need will include a set of hex keys (allen wrenches), screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, bandaids (for skinned knuckles), pliers (to crimp the ferrule of the derailleur cable, don't forget to get some ferrule caps), and a BIG adjustable wrench if your derailleur hanger is bent.

Again, it's not trivial to install and adjust a rear derailleur correctly and not really a project for a brand new bike mechanic, especially when the test subject is your son.

Otherwise...

Find a local bike store that appears to have been around since the time of the Wright Brothers. The greasier the better.  Go to it with your tail between your legs and ask if they might have an old, used derailleur that will fit your bike. Do not wear nice clothes when you go. Bring your son and have him make puppy dog eyes.

If your store is anything like the place that I have downtown, then they can dig out an old, compatible derailleur from their parts bin for £3 (US$5) and might even put it on for you for a few quid more. Be sure to patronize them in the future.


First cyclocross race - how to choose and set up the bike

Most cyclocross tires are 33-35mm and with tubulars (glued to the rim) many will run very low pressures (20-22 psi). I run 35mm clinchers and get to each race early to pre-ride a lap or two to dial in my pressure, typically will run 28-34 psi depending on how rocky the course is, I don't want to pinch flat, but really like the lower pressure as each lap it typically gets more and more muddy and you want the grip, especially on the off camber sections.

Cleats or no cleats is going to be more about your comfort getting in and out as you will get on/off the bike to carry up stairs/run-ups, through sand pits and barriers. This is about speed getting unclicked and clicked back in and right up to speed. Search on You Tube for cyclocross mounting.

You did not mention disc brakes, but with rim brakes, the sand will mix with the mud and wear your brake surface. If short and fast I'll ride the sand pits, if running I carry my bike, so go with the lighter bike.

Many courses have run-ups and barriers to carry your bike, so go with the lighter bike.

Many races have a 'pit' area for you to leave extra wheels, or even a different bike, so bring both bikes, get there early take a lap on each and race the one you like better. Put the other bike in the pits and switch if you get a mechanical or pinch flat. If this happens far away from the pits, you must run the course with your broken bike - you cannot leave course and take a shortcut, fix or switch and then get back on course.


Each kind of grease will perform best at a certain temperature. And is designed for a certain speed of movement of the parts it is used at to reach and not exceed that temperature.

So yes, it is worth it to use the special grease for bikes or get an other kind of grease that is designed for the speeds/temperature your parts will get.

I found that when a friend opened the ball bearings of one of the rear wheels of my recumbent trike and showed me dried out grease, which had just never gotten warm enough to spread through the bearing. He replaced it with grease for slow moving ball bearings. From then on the trike did run much better.

For the grease that does not move, there are also different ones. And again designed for different work. For those parts of your bike where you hardly ever want movement, you want grease that does not stick when it gets old. It should not go soapy or sticky because it changed character.


How to make the most out of daily commute?

Interval Training.

It's a type of workout where you alternate bursts of energy with periods of recovery. There are many variations of interval training. If you want cycling specific intervals, you could try "The Time Crunched Cyclist" by Chris Charmichael. The book is primarily about training for Centuries or racing, but if you follow the methods, you'll get into great condition. Interval training is an excellent cardo workout and a great alternative to jogging.

One popular method of interval training is the "Tabata" method. This uses 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise (at an intensity of about 170% of VO2max or 90 - 95% of your max heart rate) followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 4 minutes (8 cycles). Typically, this is done 3 or 4 days a week and not on consecutive days.


Can anyone tell me if this men or womens bike and possibly model?

I see "Schwinn Sierra" in the decals your photo.  I'd guess its somewhere between 2000 and 2010 in age.

As long as it works, stops safely, isn't going to fail, then its a good bike to ride.

Yes, it would be classed as a woman's frame, but there's no physical reason a male couldn't ride it as well.   It may have a female-specific saddle or might be slightly angled up at the front, but that's easy to change.

There's suspension, but its in the seatpost, and possibly some in the handlebar stem (or its an adjustable stem)   The saddle is also sprung.

The black bar is a carrying adaptor for a car rack, replicating the higher top-tube of a men's bike.  Its not part of the bike and probably shouldn't be there for riding because its clamped to part of the handlebars that should turn freely.

Schwinn marketted very similar bikes under the models "Quest" and "Mirada" (that mirada is older than the one in your question)

The picture is not great so can't really comment on the bike's condition.

A $10 bike that does its job is totally worth it.  By the looks, you get lights too, which would cost that by themselves.


Note: Different cassettes may need different spacers.

Unless there is a defect in the cassette or freewheel, it should not wobble (at all!) when properly installed.

Try removing and cleaning the cassette (a bit of dirt can cause it to get skewed a bit). When you put the cassette back on, make sure there is about 1 mm of cassette sticking past the freewheel hub before putting on the locking ring. If the cassette is not sticking past, then (just like a compression headset), you won't be able to tighten it properly and you will need to put additional spacers behind the cassette. Tightening a lock ring without the correct spacing can also easily strip the lock ring (which is better than stripping the threads in the freewheel, but will still ruin your afternoon).

If there is still ANY wobble, a visit to your LBS may be in order.


Just found a vintage Sears & Roebuck 'Ted Williams' Free Spirit 3 wheeler. Can I modernize it?

Sure, anything is possible, especially if you have access to a oxy-gas welding or brazing torch (or arc/MIG/TIG welder), a grinder with a cut-off wheel and a willingness to cause mayhem.

As a BMX, it'll be heavy and ungainly, especially around corners. When you pedal, it'll pull to one side as it doesn't have a differential, but it'll be tons of fun and something different.

Why not put a really big wheel on front and turn it into a rocking trike?


How to wash a hydration pack (not resevoir)?

Here's what I found from Dakine (brand I have), guess I should've trusted Google first!

  DAKINE Pack Washing Instructions

  We recommend washing your DAKINE backpack by hand in cold water with a mild detergent and soft bristled
  brush. If hand washing is not going to do the trick, the second option
  is to use a "front loader" washing machine. This is better because it
  has no center post for straps to catch on. There is still a chance the
  straps could catch so place your pack inside a pillowcase or mesh bag
  before washing. Wash your pack in cold water with a mild detergent on
  gentle cycle, Do not bleach your pack. Hang to dry in a warm but shady
  place, the sun could change the color of your pack. Switching the pack
  from inside out to right side out throughout the drying process is the
  best way prevent mildew. Damage caused by washing packs or bags will
  not be covered by warranty.


Popping/flexing, but *not* when pedaling hard

I would suspect a problem in the bottom bracket, but would also check pedal spindles and bearings.

Check for any movement or play between:
- The pedals and crank arms
- Crank arms and crank axle
- Crank axle and the bottom bracket shell

If there is movement between the crank arms and crank axle don't ride the bike. Alloy cranks moving on steel axles will be irreparably destroyed.

Check that the pedals turn smoothly, and the crank turns smoothly in the bottom bracket. It helps a great deal if you get the chain off the rings when you make the latter check.

If there is play, 'hitches', 'notchiness' or a grinding feeling when turning the pedal or crank, the bearings are wearing out / worn out.

You have not said what material frame you have or what bottom bracket type you have but some press fit bearings tend to be creaky.


It is possible to upgrade your groupset to be Syncro-shift compatible. All you need is the new BT-DN110 battery. Once you have the new battery, you just need to update all the firmware, then set it to Syncro-shift with the e-tube software.


Convert from 3x drivetrain to 1x with 3x cranks

A quick google of "Shimano Deore M610" returns https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/deore-m610.html

This shows there are 6 different cranksets in the groupset offering.  Yours is a triple which excludes a couple, but your chainrings could have a mounting hole size of 104mm or 96mm for the big ring.

You need to identify your PCD or BCD dimension before buying a chainring.

We can see it needs to be a 4 hole mounting, not 5 hole.

There's nothing much to be saved by putting a 1x chainring on with its narrow/wide tooth design, because someday you will change gears by accident or on purpose, and then its a 1:1 chance your chain will go wrong when changing back to the big ring.   So you could remove the left shifter and wire, and permanently lock the front mech in one point using the limit screws.

Another thought - if you only ever ride on the big ring, then your big/big combination will have the most cross-chain angle.  This might be okay, or could cause premature wear on chain and chainring and cassette.

You could look at running a single chainring on your existing crank, and removing the other two for weight savings.

You could even replace the entire right crank with a single, something like the Shimano FC-M6000-B2 from the same groupset, which looks like this:

This appears to be a one chainring crank.  You need to match the crank arm length (or change both sides)   You'll also need to consider the chainline, which is how far outboard from the centerline of the bike is the chainring.  On your triple it will be further out (more in line with the little cogs than the big cogs.)

For maximal frugalness, just replace the worn chainring.   If you're canny and good with your hands, consider buying a used bike with the right parts, combine all the good stuff onto your bike, and give away the ratty old one or use it as a beater bike.


When Should I replace the rotors on disk brakes?

Normally the manufacturer of the brakes gives some minimum value for the rotor thickness. For higher prized brakes they often even provide some gauge that lets you easily check if the rotor is still thick enough.

Typically the minimum thickness might be somewhere below 2mm (I believe to remember that the absolute minimum for Magura discs should be 1.7 or 1.8 mm). But as said, this should be an information that should be in the manual fo your brakes.


What could be causing excessive friction in a new rear hub?

Adjusting the bearing is quite easy although it's more than just unscrewing the 2.5mm hex-screw at the left side of the hub. Here's the link to an instruction sheet from Campagnolo.

https://www.campagnolo.com/media/files/035_68_Technical%20manual_wheels_adjustment_hub%20Campagnolo_12-12.pdf

While the PDF describes how to remove excessive play easing an axle that is too sticky goes the other way round with one small addition.

The steps are the following:

Untighten but don't remove the 2.5mm hex-screw that pinches the left cup.

Hold the right-side axle steady and turn the left anti-clockwise (to untension the load on the bearings) by 1/8 turn.

Check if the axle turns as desired. If it's still too tight repeat the previous step.

--While it's easy to tighten a bearing that has too much play, it may be tricky to loosen one that is too tight. A slight whack  on the right axle stub with a rubber mallet is helpful. (Speaking from experience with Campa wheels!)

Check if you didn't put in excessive play.

Retighten the 2.5mm hex with a torque wrench @ 2.5Nm.

But as I suggested in a previous comment I'd take the bike to the dealer because the wheels are rather new and still under warranty. And do it quickly, an overtightened bearing is easily destroyed.

One more thing: new rear wheels may be a little bit 'stickier' than one might think good. It is often due to the fact that they have to bear more load and resist to the pull from the chain. A couple of hundreds of km is often required to have them running properly.

They do have a video showing the overhaul sequence:
https://www.campagnolo.com/WW/en/Support/complete_revision_of_campagnolo_wheels_hub


I want the year and model of my powerlite BMX bike

I see a One-piece crank which suggests its a lower-end bike frame.

The lack of other parts suggest its not rideable in its current state.  You'll need wheels, saddle, chain, freewheel, brakes.

Upshot - Assemble it and ride it.  Doesn't matter what the decals said originally.


Are HV/HP switchable pumps as capable as a specific HP or HV pump?

Answer: No.  Any tool intended for a specific job will always be better at that specific job than a multi-purpose tool.

That said, pricing may mean that a single pump is sufficient for your needs.

Fat bike tyres have a lot of volume to fill, but generally they don't go to high pressures - I'd be surprised if you're running them at anything above 40 psi.

Note I assume you're not talking about shock pumps when you say high pressure - they are used on higher end shock dampers and not tyres/tires.

You said "less work" but from a wording point of view, the work remains the same, your input multiplied by the efficiency of the pump will approach the total work required but never equal it.  So a 50% efficient pump will feel like you're doing more work than a 75% efficient pump.


Answering for completeness:

Such saddles are available but only as spares for E-bikes, from the bike manufacturers.  They aren't necessarily compatible with a normal saddle as they use unusual mountings, and the saddle post diameter isn't specified (instead they list which bikes it's a spare for).

They're heavy and not necessarily designed for hard use.


Is there a quality alternative to powder coating when it comes to repainting a steel frame?

Powder coating, done right, is quite durable. I have had it done on an old steel frame a few years ago and have been happy with the result. The more expensive alternative is regular paint.

As far as vehicle owners go, you can't find ones that are more vain than motorcycle riders. These people often get paint or powder coat jobs done. The good news for us is that that means there's always a nearby facility that can handle bike frames. Bicycles are just like motorcycle frames except more simple. So, look for places that handle motorcycles and you then know they can do bikes too.

What you need to do first is to take off all parts from the frame including the bearing race on the fork (will require a bike shop or very special tool). The shop will then be able to blast the old paint/coat off your frame, clean it with a solvent and apply a base coat and paint or powder coat. If the shop has done motorcycle frames, they will know what to do with holes and threads and know which areas should be free of paint.


Does shorter shock stroke limit rear travel better than higher shock pressure?

The stroke really makes no difference here.

You set the pressure in the shock such that a certain sized hit causes a certain amount of travel. The only difference is where a shorter travel shock will hit the bump stop, a longer travel stroke will carry on. Presuming all else the same, small bump compliance is the same, as is all shock behavior up till 40mm stroke.

For XC riding, the lower travel comes from a desire for firmer suspension, firmer suspension requires less travel, and there is no point building a bike with more travel than is needed.

A longer stroke shock may be a bit heavier, but my guess is if a model comes in both options, the difference will be the bump stop rubber, so maybe the 40mm stroke will be heavier from having a bit more rubber.

In your case, I would go shopping for the best 40mm or 45mm stroke shock I could find for my money, but I would prefer a 45mm as there is no disadvantage and you can increase travel simply by lowering shock pressure if you desire.


Is it possible to have a cover over your chain,cassette,derailleur and cogs to avoid regular cleaning?

Its quite tricky with a derailleur geared bike, due to well, the derailleur having to move.

A common solution to this is either to:

1) Run single speed

2) Run an internal gear hub

Both options can be run with a chain case

which can cut down on some of the maintenance (but does make things like changing the flat or occasional lubrications a bit more annoying).

Belt drives can also be run in configurations (1),(2), and are supposed to have less maintenance, but you need a more special frame since belts cannot be cut to be installed.


What different frame materials have been used?

Bones

Density average 1.84 g/cm³ for dry bone.

This would be a pretty bad material for a bike frame, and its quite likely that any bone bike really has a metal core in the middle.

Advantage

Shock factor, or as part of a costume ("Death rides a Pale Horse")

Disadvantage

Bones aren't particularly structural by themselves.  A skeleton is made from tendons and cartilage and soft tissues as well.
Durability - bones that dry out get brittle and will snap easily.
Intolerant - A crack could go from a minor hairline to a full break very quickly.


Unlike in a comment above, I'm not going to assume that you can carry the rest of your shopping when you go in the second shop. But hopefully you can carry any valuable items, then leave cheap bulky stuff in the trailer.

I do this with panniers and backpack, buying the more stealable items first and keeping them with me, then buying fruit and veg, leaving them in an open pannier, then going to the supermarket for the rest of the food shopping. The open pannier is on the basis that a closed pannier could be full of something more tempting than a bag of onions.


As long, as you can easily move the links of your chain, there's no problem. Just lube them and ride them, and they'll be fine. The movement will rub any rust from the critical places. You may need to work the chain for a while before the links become free, a creeping oil should help get the links moving again.

That said, there are two ways to ensure that a chain won't rust (as quickly as yours):

Make sure they are always well-lubed. A surface that's covered by oil is not covered by humid air, and cannot rust. May work well during storage, not so well when you actually use the bike.
Use chains with an anti-rust coating. I have quite good experiences with this, though the chains are a bit more expensive. I'm not sure how robust the anti-rust coating is against sliding through a front deraileur, though (I only ride IGH). In any case, I've never had a rust-proof chain go stiff.

Of course, anti-rust coated chains still like being kept well-lubed...


Why does my non-drive side crank arm come loose?

By "non-drive" I assume you mean the left side.  This is more apt to come loose than the right because of "precession" -- most crank bolts are right-hand thread on both sides, but the motion of the crank arm relative to the shaft tends to loosen the bolt on the left side, whereas it tends to tighten the bolt on the right side.

But if this is occurring it's because there IS motion between the crank arm and the shaft.  This should not be, as the two should fit together so tightly as to prevent any motion.  What has no doubt happened is that the bolt was installed too loosely at one point, the crank arm worked loose, and now the socket of the arm is misshapened so the two tend to move relative to each other all the time.

Using some Loctite (the "removable" variety) on the bolt will help temporarily, but ultimately something must be done about the misfit between the two parts.  Basically either the arm must be replaced (and the shaft, if the situation goes on for too long), or (if this is a square shaft) you must carefully fashion a shim (perhaps out of aluminum pop can material) to create a better fit.  (If it's a splined shaft you're probably SOL.)  And regularly re-tighten the bolt -- don't wait for it to get loose.


I'm confident to call it a scam.

The same bike is on Amazon for $2162 to $3856 USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Diamondback-Bicycles-Podium-Vitesse-Carbon/dp/B01HHQ1BWA/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_200_t_1

Manufacturer gives it a MSRP of $3700 USD.
To expect to pay 5% of that price is MASSIVELY suspicious.

Also notice the site lists MTB-style frame sizes (Small-15.5/Medium-17/Large-19/XL-21), where the bike is built in metric sizes (XS 50; S 52; M 54; L 56; XL 58cm)

I see the word "diamondback" never appears on the remote web site at all in text - it only appears on the bike photos which appear to be lifted from standard advertising materials.

TL;DR Yes its a scam.  Send your money at your risk.  If you ever do get a bike delivered, it will be an inferior knockoff product.

Just don't.


Tyres for puncture resistance for mountain biking on rocky dry terrain (folding & lightweight)

I really like some of the WTB tires.  Specifically the Bronson and the Weirwolf.  It's tough to find a tire that's going to do it all, but I think WTB is a good mix between weight and durability.  I also really like the traction of those two tires in a lot of varying conditions.

When you say "they wear out too quickly" how quickly are we talking?  How many miles/rides/weeks...

Another thing to consider, if you are riding tubeless (or willing to do the conversion) I have had really good luck with Stan's sealant to keep punctures to a minimum.

Also, are the tires wearing out due to treadwear, punctures, sidewall tears?  Those two tires are a really good balance all around but if you have specific concerns/issues, you might get some better recommendations.


Modern tubeless bicycle tires require a sealant to be added to the inside of the tire. If a small leak develops the sealant seeps out, meets air, solidifies and seals the leak. I believe this arrangement has become popular because earlier tubeless standards like UST required heavier tires.

The white foam dots you see is the tubeless tire sealant leaking out of holes in the sidewalls of the tire, and failing to seal them completely it seems.

what's fascinating is the pattern of holes in the sidewall, I've never seen anything like that before. I think commenters on on your question are correct, there's possibility you have damaged the sidewall by riding with excessively low pressure which has folded the sidewalls at an acute angle.

Refreshed sealant may solve the problem - sealant loses effectiveness over time. Replacing sealant or a tire is not difficult and is relatively inexpensive, depending on the the replacement tire you choose.

Have the bike repair shop check the tire for damage, if the tire is obviously damaged or even suspect I'd opt to replace it as the labor cost for replacing the tire with new sealant will be the same as replacing sealant in the existing tire.

While you are at the bike repair shop, have the rear wheel checked for trueness , you may have suffered some impacts with the tire under-inflated. Also, think about getting yourself a pump with a pressure gauge to avoid future problems if you have been under-inflating the tire.


The main criteria for determining fork fit are:

steerer tube diameter (1" or 1 1/8")
steerer tube length
steerer tube type (threaded or threadless)
wheel size
brake type

Suspension travel can also come into play as the frame was designed for a fork of a given length. Deviating from this length by adding or subtracting suspension travel can affect the handling characteristics. How much it will affect it is a subject of much debate. I think if you stay with 20mm of stock you are most likely ok.

The fork on your bike appears in the photos to be a  1-1/8 inch steerer and at the price point it sells at it is most likely a straight steerer, (some are 1-1/2" at the crown and 1-1/8" at the top). The disc brakes are a match as is the wheel size. The XCR is a step up from the Zoom fork listed as the stock piece for your bike, but it is still considered an entry level fork. As long as you limit it to entry level abuse it should work fine.

The advantage of a spring fork over a rigid fork is you gain some compression dampening. The fork compresses to absorb impacts and vibration. You generally don't get any rebound dampening. The fork will extend at the same rate it compressed. A hydraulic fork can give you controlled compression and controlled  extension.


What's that frame ? I can't find anything about it anywhere

"Teker" seems to be a name related to pants and motorbikes.  A good google search phrase would be "teker road bicycle -pants -motor"

I found two bikes with the same brand listed - the logo is identical too.

https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/teker-pro-team-36400
https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/teker-6800-36250

Both have shimano 600 series components, which were released in DuraAce in 1983 and discontinued in the early 90s.

Thing is, your bike looks newer than that - based on appearance I'd spec yours at late 90s through to early 2000s.

Not a good answer, but its a start.


i need to replace both wheels on a Giant Escape3 which are compatable?

Giant may vary the spec in other markets, but I found this listing:

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/escape.3/22033/83618/#specifications

The rim width isn't listed, but with 32mm tyres, Sheldon suggests 15-19mm.

The gearing on the stock wheel is a 7-speed screw-on freewheel, but getting a wheel with a freehub and a 7-speed cassette should not cause problems.

Without disc brakes, the dropout width could be 130mm or 135mm; as this hybrid looks to be designed more like a mountainbike than a roadbike, 135mm is more likely.


Is it possible to move a wireless computer between two bikes?

It depends on the bike computer.

Some computers have this feature, others don't. A brief look at the manual of this computer says yours only supports one bike and you'll need to get another computer for the other bike (or recalibrate it each time you swap them).
If the tire sizes are the same, you might be able to get by by just swapping the computer between two sensors of the same type, but there may be enough sensor variation that the results may be off by a measurable amount, so I wouldn't recommend that. If the tire sizes are different, you'll obviously need to either recalibrate or have the computer have settings for 2 bikes since the circumferences are different.

In any case, you need 2 sensors, and if you're using a cheap bike computer, the cost of the other sensor will be close to getting it with another of the same bike computer.


I don't (yet) own an E-Bike, but have spoken to my LBS a few times to find out whats happening in the market. My interest is Mountain biking more than road riding, but the observations probably apply more or less to the same extent.

1) People who are less fit / non-cyclists get into riding who otherwise would not. This does not appear to apply to you.

2) In many cases price competitive to non-electric bike - I had trouble taking this seriously then had it explained. People go into a bike shop looking for a bike to lighten their wallet. Evey cyclists knows you quickly get into the $/gram game and end up spending hundreds to save a few grams. Many buyers then turn to the E-Bike rack, and work out they could have a 'decent enough' e-bike made with mid range components for around the price of the light weight racer they are looking at.

3) Further and longer translates to more fun for the same effort. A recurring theme is cyclists on E-Bikes head out and ride for longer - 4 hours instead of 2, 8 hours instead of 6. The main reason is they are still enjoying riding at the end of a long day because they have not worn themselves out.

4) Diverse groups - many people worry they are the one holding everyone up, and do not wants to be 'that guy'  (or girl). Rather than join a group they don't ride. A recent event some mates did was a 70km, 2 day MTB ride with a diverse group from diehard's to tag along partners who struggle with 20km rides.  The less fit/confident/skilled in the group rode E-Bikes. The end result was the group rode together, stopped and rested together and no one felt pressured or held up. The ride converted some hardcore 'Box before E-Bike' types to 'Not till I am old and slow'

5) Fitness - evidence is building that people who buy E-Bikes gain more fitness than those buying traditional bikes, because they ride more often and longer. I suspect there is an element of the starting point of many E-Bike riders is very low.

Everyone is different - me, 20 years ao, would have lef tthe E-Bike on teh rack. Now over 50, if buying a new bike, my ego says its too soon.... Couple of long hard rides I might get it to change its mind.


How to remove crank arm with broken bolt on SRAM Omnium crankset

I brought this to my local bike shop. They were able to get the external bolt off with a larger hex wrench (the bolt is 8mm). Not sure how they got the inner bolt out--I'll edit with an update when I stop by to pick it up after the replacement part comes in tomorrow.


Here are the indicator lights and reset procedure straight from my Bosch e-bike training manual.

Voltage from the charger should be 5V so that doesn't seem to be the problem (See if it matches up with what is printed on the charger (either you have the 4 amp or 2 amp charger)).

The battery does have a built in management system (BMS) that safeguards against overheating, overcharging, short circuiting. As per the picture, you need to hold the button for 15 seconds to reset the battery, not the 10 seconds you wrote about. When the battery is critically low and gets recharged, you will need to do that reset.

I would recommend going into a Bosch certified shop if that doesn't work as they will have the dongle and access to the diagnostic software.


Disc brake pads are loose in the calipers, is this a problem?

"ting" sounds with mechanical calipers are not uncommon. The rotor flexes when steering and the pads do move a bit. Some calipers use magnets to hold the pads in, some use springs. I wouldn't be too concerned.


Do you automatically have to replace your chainrings once your chain reaches 1 % chain wear?

I think that one rule of thumb I saw asserted that if you replaced promptly, you could get 2-3 cassettes per chain, and 2-3 sets of chainrings per cassette. I'm not able to provide a concrete source for this right now. However, the fact is that chainrings do wear more slowly than cassettes because they have more teeth.
I think very likely that your cassette needs replacement, and I would do that preemptively. I would not replace your chainrings right now, unless they have had several prior chains that also got to a high level of wear. For smaller chainrings, I would probably lean slightly more towards preemptive replacement.


I live in a country which doesn't have snow, but have recently gone to Europe (Czech Republic), where I could "understand" a bit how these things work. Also, my background is with mountainbike on any sort of offroad terrain, including mud and beach sand.

That being said, I think your most concern would be the grooves/ruts from refrozen snow on roads, much similar to sun-baked mud on some fire-road tracks, but much more slippery, and flotation, much similar to riding on loose gravel or sand (I am speculating a bit).

I can see a lot of studded tires are also slightly pending to the knobby-fatty end of spectrum. With wider tires (no need to be super-wide), you can use lower tire pressures to float better and yet don't get pinch flats. Also, with wide AND knobby tires, you can much more safely ride diagonally through ruts without the danger of your front wheel getting caught and you fall.

So, that's my (also a bit speculative) impressions about effects of tire width, tread-pattern and inflation pressure.

Hope it helps!


Can I use pin-held V-Brake inserts in (cantilever) screw-held Shimano M Type brake pad holders?

I don't know whether the v-brake replacements fit in. However, normal cantilever brake pads are very easy to find. When you don't find a replacement insert, just order some entire brake pads. You will probably get just as good braking pads for the same price.

Edit: Perhaps ask these guys: http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/brakeshoes.html#dura.


As i work with fitting, i would recommend you to look for medical advice first. Probably you need some work on your foot and then think about solutions for your foot position.


Should my foot be able to step flat on the ground, when I sit on a bike seat?

For a standard bike in normal use you should not, from the seat, be able to touch the ground (without leaning, or except, perhaps, on extreme tip-toe).

A standard diamond frame (with horizontal top bar), for road use, should be sized so that you can stand flat-footed over the top bar with a "comfortable" margin (but no more) between the bar and the stuff above the bar.  (A bike used off-road will generally be a bit more compact, and, of course, the top bar is often not horizontal.)

The seat should be positioned so that your leg is almost fully extended at the bottom of the stroke (the knee should not go perfectly straight).

One way to fit the seat height is to have someone hold the bike while you pedal backwards with your heels on the pedals.  With your heels on the pedals the knees should go perfectly straight at the bottom of the stroke, but with no need to rock side-to-side to maintain contact with the pedals.  (Once you switch to using your toes on the pedals in a normal fashion the proper almost-straight leg extension is obtained.)

Off-road, and for stunt riding, generally the seat will be a bit lower, and some may find it convenient to lower the seat a bit for city riding.  But be aware that a too-low seat puts significant strain on the knees and can lead to knee injury (especially when combined with riding in a too-difficult gear).