Can I swap down to a different number of teeth on a chainring

Yes, this should be possible. Though there are several things you need to check to ensure it is compatible:

Number of bolts, and bolt circle diameter (BCD). Count the number of bolts, and measure the distance between the centre of two bolts. Then check Sheldon Brown's Bolt Circle Diameter Crib Sheet to see what the BCD is. Common sizes are 110 (mountain bike), 130 (road), 135 (Campagnolo) or 144 (track).
Chain width. Most bicycle chains are 3/32" wide, though some singlespeeds use wider 1/8" chains. You want the chain, chainring and sprocket to be the same width. Wider chains and chainrings may last longer, though are a bit heavier.
Chainring ramps. Most chainrings are designed for geared bikes, so have 'ramps' to allow the chain to derail and change from one ring to the other. If the bike is singlespeed, you don't want this, so look for an unramped or singlespeed specific chainring.
Chain length. If changing to a smaller chainring, your chain will have to be a bit shorter. So you will have to remove a couple of links from the chain, or adjust your chain tensioner if you are using one. Note if your chainring is worn out, then your chain is probably also worn. So it would be worth replacing the chain with a new one.
Gear ratio. For a singlespeed, changing to a smaller chainring will give you a lower gear ratio. So you will have to pedal faster to go at the same speed. This may be preferred, depending on what sort of terrain you ride on, and how fast a cadence you like. If you want to keep a similar gear, you can change the rear sprocket to a larger size.


Today (2019) road bikes have branched into several sub types, each optimised for certain type of riding. Yet, several are quite versatile.

Road bikes for races stayed very much the same in their scope of use as they were in the past. Today they are specialised on aerodynamics and or lightness for climbs. These are hardly ever good beginner bikes. When you need one, you will know it already. People typically get them because they actually race, dream of racing, or are just in love with the bike.

Endurance bikes are a road bikes with a more relaxed geometry. That is, the rider is not so low and stretched out, and the bike is slightly less agile. These bikes now often come with disc brakes. Disc brakes allow wider tyres. A typical endurance bike ships 28 mm tyres, and is often good for slightly wider tyres. They are perfect for bound surfaces like tarmac. But also good for light gravel roads. Their disadvantage to race bikes are slower and usually heavier.

Gravel bikes continue this trend to even wider tyres and more stable geometry. With 40 mm wide tyres these bikes can be ridden on rather coarse gravel and easy trails. Some gravel bikes are almost as off-road capable like mountain bikes used to be in the 90s. Gravel bikes always have disc brakes. Their disadvantage compared to endurance bikes is higher weight, higher price, slightly slower.

There are categories like cyclocross, touring, and time trial, and tri-bikes.


Is it possible to run standard mechanical shifting on a Scott Foil Premium frame?

The Foil Premium frame does not have the factory routing for mechanical shifting. It is designed for Shimano Di2 or Campagnolo EPS electronic shifting only.

I was able to modify the frame successfully to accept normal cable routing, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are very confident in your skills with drill and dremel. And of course it voids the warranty.

Edit:

To respond to a couple of requests for more information in comments, I've added some detail about this frame mod.

To be clear, this very much voids your warranty, and requires precise and careful work to avoid destroying the frame.

FYI, my mod was successful, but was very risky. I literally had to cut a large hole of a very specific shape and position in the BB shell.  I also had to drill a hole through the pre-molded cable stop section at the head tube, as well as through the chainstay by the rear derailleur.

The holes needed to fit these parts and be very, very precisely placed in the frame.

I was able to make a pattern out of paper and take very careful measurements From a Foil 10 frame. Without that ability, I would not have been confident enough to do this mod.


How does one remove the lockring and sprockets from a Shimano MF-HG20 freewheel?

The lock ring should thread off anti clockwise. You’ll have to hold one of the sprockets with a chain whip to keep the whole body from turning. If you have a lock ring tool, that makes it easier.


According to the post the bike display said "circa 1895" so the claim is that it was made around 1895. Is this believable?
I think it is. During this period there was a lot of creativity directed at bicycles and there was a lot of variety in construction methods.

To validate the approximate year on the bike I thought to find another reference for the same bike. Searching for "White Crown Bicycle Company" in a variety of search text strings came up with nothing.

Next, I looked to find bikes from the period with similar looking construction. During my hunting it was clear that your observation was mostly true.

  All other bikes I've seen from that era appear to use separate pieces for each blade.

Most of the forks in that era were obviously constructed with individual blades and some type of stamped or forged crown.

Here is a picture of an 1892 Iver Johnson No. 1 Diamond Safety Bike with what might be similar construction methods

It's not exactly the same but it's similar and it's very different from the crown with blades fork.

The rear stays seem to have a similar construction

I spent a lot of time reading the article on this bike to try to verify that the fork blades and frame stays are actually tubing and not just bent solid steel. As near as I can tell it really is tubing.

As Criggie said, the fork in the original post may not be a single bent tube.

The fork and rear stay in the pictures I've posted may not be a single bent tube. It could be a rounded crown with blades brazed onto posts and smoothed out to look like a single tube.

My thought is that if the bike below is from 1892 then it's reasonable to think that the bike in the original post is circa 1895.

If you send your picture and information to Colin at The Old Bike Museum he might provide you with better information.


It is not unusual to see brake pads worn like this.
In order to keep brakes from squealing pads are often set so that they hit the rim at an angle.
This means that the brake pad will wear at an angle.
That being said - it does look like someone was a little over enthusiastic on the angle of your pads.

The arrow indicated the direction of wheel spin.
The brake pads are pictured at an extreme angle to make illustrate the point.
Pads should be "toed in" just enough to stop the noise and no more.


Will 27 x 1 1/4” tires be too wide for an old bike that came with 27 x 1 1/8” tires?

In lieu of more information about the bike, the best answer is probably not, but maybe. You can find some examples of bikes that came with 27x1-1/8" that also max out at that size, but they are not very populous relative to ones that could fit a little bigger tire. As always with questions like this, it all depends on the exact tires and rims in question anyway, because there is variance in the actual size among tires that bear the same nominal size, and among inflated width among different rim widths.
Also since you have the old tires, you're in a better position to figure it out than us. Mount them on the new rims and install on the bike. You probably have choices in dropout slot position that can affect clearance. Measure the inflated width and height. Most 27x1-1/8" tires run pretty true, i.e. 28-29mm wide on the sort of rim they're intended for, approximate inner width 15ish and outer 20ish, or a little bit wider and shorter if your new rims are chunkier, like if they're more replacement wheels for bike boom 10-speeds with their 22-23mmish outers, to which a more typical 27x1-1/4 also runs pretty faithful and lands about 32-33mm wide and tall, or narrower and taller on a slightly roadier rim. From there you can make the inferences needed to figure out if the "average" i.e. pretty true to size 27x1-1/4 will fit.


A very thin coating of grease will help prevent the threads corroding or sticking together, as will a specific anti-seize product. You definitely want something on the bolts as water and crud gets thrown up into the bottom of the saddle by the rear wheel.

You can use thread locker, but if you have been having trouble with the seat bolt coming loose you are probably not tightening it enough. You can try taking the bike to a repair shop and having them use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts properly.


How do I know what nut to get for training wheels?

The other answer is functional, but buying tools to check threads is going way beyond what someone needs who just wants to put training wheels on a bike.  Assuming you are in a North American country, head out to the nearest hardware store (Ace, True Value, etc.) or home improvement store (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) and bring the training wheels with you.  Its possible that the threads are destroyed on either the nut or bolt.  The employees at these stores are always helpful and can find exactly what you need, or sometimes see issues that you can't.  If employees aren't there or not helpful, there are usually nuts and bolts in the hardware section you can use to test out different sizes for fit.


What exactly happened to my rear derailleur?

The screw that you are missing there is the B Tension screw. This screw rests on your derailleur hanger on your frame and sets the angle of the derailleur body.

Usually, when you put a new derailleur on a bike you use this screw to adjust the distance of the upper pulley (Jockey pulley) on your derailleur up or down from the teeth on your cassette. You want the top pulley to be 5-10mm away from your cassette teeth when then chain is on the largest / easiest gear. This keeps shifting nice and tight, because the derailleur is as close to the cassette as possible, without riding the pulleys on the cassette teeth.

Screwing this in will move the derailleur body and pulleys downwards, away from the cassette, while screwing it out (or completely out in your case) will cause the derailleur body to be pulled up by it's spring into the contorted position you mention.

Read more about it here (scroll halfway down the page)
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur

Also, if it wasn't obvious already— you've now learned why you shouldn't spin the rear wheel while you adjust the High Limit screw...


Old but still worthwhile: Breaking Away.


FSA Comet (CKM-7158T) crank removal problem. How to?

Use the self extractor. Most two-piece road and mountain cranks that have self extractors don't at this point feature any other real way to do it, even if a conventional type puller could in theory be made for them. FSA in particular has about a million different threads they use for the extraction threads. If tools for them all exist, they're not commonplace.


Can I run a 700c/28"/29er wheel & tire on a 650B full-suspension mountain bike frame?

The only way is to try it and find out. The great thing about disc wheels is that the brakes are in the same position regardless of rim size, so if you put the wheel in and it physically fits (i.e. it goes in the frame with enough clearance) and for the rear it has the right cassette, you're good to go (possibly with some minor adjustment to the brakes). If the outside diameter of the wheel with the tire on shrinks versus your 650b wheels with the 2.25" tires, it should work fine. If it grows, you may have to worry about clearance. You can check this by putting the wheels on top of each other.

That being said, reducing tire size may not work so well for actual mountain biking, so if you are going to take it mountain biking rather than electric biking on the road, you may want to stick with the bigger 650b tires.


How long for legs to get used to fixed gear 15 mile daily ride

First off, I assume when you say "fixie" it is a pure fixed-gear bike? It's not a flip-flop (where the wheel can accommodate a fixed cog on one side and a freewheel on the other)?

If it is a flip-flop, you'll find it easier to ride single speed rather than fixed.

Second, I agree with much of what @Arne has said in your comments. From these you say you're riding 45x15 - I think one of the beauties of fixies is that they're easy to work on, and you can easily buy cogs with more than 15 teeth. Similarly, but a bit more expensive, you can easily buy a chainring with fewer than 45 teeth. Either of these (or both of them) will make your ride easier (and therefore ease on your muscles).

A site I like is Velosolo, not so much because they have great prices or anything (although I have bought from them and it was a good experience), but they have a good selection of single-speed/fixed-gear parts, so you can evaluate what your options are.

But make sure you keep your current parts as you'll likely want to put them back on the bike in a month or so.


Which tube will fit a -(700 x 25c) wheel?

The marking on the tire '700 x 25c' means a 622mm diameter rim, with a nominally 25mm wide tire. ('700c' comes from an older French standard for wheel and tire sizes, it's very commonly used to refer to the standard road bike rims and tire size).

Inner tubes fit a range of tire sizes as they are quite flexible. The two numbers denote the min and max tire sizes. A 700 19-25c tube will fit, as will a 700 25-28c. As long as you tire size fit in the range specified you are good.

Note that tires and tubes may also be marked with 'ISO 622' or 'ETRTO 622' These are both equivalent to 700c.

You also need to get a tube with the correct valve stem length. Tubes come with a range of valve lengths to fit different depth rims. The length is not usually marked on the tube but is easy to measure.

The simplest thing to do of course is take the punctured tube to a bike store and simply ask for new tube that is compatible, for a 25mm tire. Or get your BF to buy his own tubes (or learn how to patch them).


Threatening swerving by driver - should I report it? (Canada)

I also live in Ottawa so I can provide some pertinent viewpoints.  Yes, you should report it, and yes, it will probably be an exercise in frustration. Don't expect the police to do anything about it. However, you should report it anyway, it might end up in a database somewhere and give them another data point about why it's important to build more cycle lanes and increase driver education on the issue of cyclists.  If they notice a trend of complaints against the same vehicle, perhaps they will be able to do something about it.

A little anecdote.  I once saw a car ram into the back of another guy's car at a stop light. The driver in question fled the scene. I was able to catch the license plate as I was walking down the sidewalk at the time of the accident.  Even though the police were able to find the car, and identify that indeed it matched the description and damage, they were unable to press charges for fleeing the scene because the owner of the car claimed he wasn't driving, and the police therefore didn't have enough evidence to actually issue a ticket or charge the suspected driver.

Without video evidence, there is probably little they can do to actually issue a ticket.

If you are uncomfortable making this turn because of the high amount of traffic and because of incidents like this. You can just head straight on Rideau across the intersection and then wait for the light to change and then go straight across Sussex.  This will avoid a lot of traffic and won't add much extra time to your commute.  You might even possibly avoid issues like this in the future.  It's not great that cyclists have to ride so defensively, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Hopefully this situation won't turn you off cycling. I've found that most of the drivers in the city give quite a bit of room to cyclists, but there are always bad apples in the bunch.

One last point, if you want to ride the city without having to deal with traffic, check out the CN Cycle for CHEO. You got 2 weeks to get ready, and it's a great way to see the city and help a worthy cause.


Last ditch attempt to fix creaking bottom bracket (Epoxying the BB into the frame)

Park Tool offers the RC-1 specific press fit BB retaining compound. As I understand it expands slightly when cured to take up space between bearings and slightly oversize frame cups.


At minimum you require:

new hub in your rear wheel that will take an 11 speed cassette.  May be cheaper to buy a complete new wheel, but 26" and 11 speed hub would be relatively rare combination
new cassette, 11 speed
new 11 speed derailleur with the same mount as your current one
11 speed chain
single front chainring and spider and cranks to suit your current bottom bracket interface, which is probably square taper.
11 speed shifter for the bars

Probably wise to replace your shifter cable inner and outer while doing this - they're cheap.

You may need a new bottom bracket cartridge that fits whatever interface your new cranks have.

You can probably continue to use your pedals.

Price all that up as new parts, and you could easily exceed the cost of a nice non-BSO MTB.  I'd strongly recommend you fix up this nice old bike as-is and just ride it.

There's nothing better than riding your old bike and keeping up with a modern bike, except for passing and dropping a modern bike.


Missing Link -- which one, 7.3mm or 7.1mm?

Look at the box that your chain came in -- 6/7/8 speed chains will either be 7.1 mm or 7.3 mm pin length.

The SRAM chains are 7.1 and Shimano are 7.3. KMC notes this on their website. Get the one that matches your chain brand (and if its KMC, get the one KMC suggests). Wipperman's lineup seems to be a mess -- some of the 8 speed are 6.6, others are 7.2; it might just be an error on their website though.

The 7.3 mm missing link is known as the "KMC MissingLink I" and the 7.1 mm one is the "KMC MissingLink II". The 9's are 6.6 mm and the 10's are 5.9mm (which may be useful for someone who is confused with a higher speed chain, or another manufacturer's chain).

In practice, a lot of people use another manufacturer's quick link (KMC/Wipperman/SRAM) with another manufacturer's chain. I've used SRAM 8 speed Powerlinks in Shimano chains without problem. However, official manufacturer guidelines is generally to use their link closing method -- Shimano, use their special rivet, SRAM use the provided Powerlink/lock(for >9 speed), KMC is usually links, etc. But, normally, you get a link with the chain, and carry whatever link for emergencies; any of the links on the market for the right number of speeds will do for emergency repairs.


Identification of non-standard frame feature and suitability of frame for mid-drive e-bike conversion

The piece you refer to is a kickstand mounting. As to whether it can be utilized in, or get in the way of, a conversion depends on the 'kit' use. Can it be cut off? Yes.

The frame looks like a high mount single pivot style rear suspension - with the shock mounting almost horizontally between the top front point of the swing arm frame and the downtube. This might have chain length issues you would have to be mindful of - the chain 'length' changes depending on the rear axle's position along the arc of suspension travel. A trickier conversion. The bike doesn't look like it has been used a lot chainrings, wheels etc show few signs of wear - though it maybe an older style, older build. a picture of the whole bike would help further.


What bag should I buy first for my gravel-touring kind of bike?

For one day you are often fine with your jersey pockets and a small saddle bag. If needing more I would:

increase the saddle bag

and/or

add another small bag above the top tube behind your stem.

Photo Topeak

I would leave large saddlebags, handlebar bags, frame triangle bags and so on for serious touring. They can be awkward but have their place when you have to carry a lot of stuff.

The next bag for me to add would be a frame triangle bag, but only when needed. It is still stable, fixed in the frame and does not move.

Photo Bikerumor

I see a lot of handlebar bags carried  by tourists on their hybrid bikes that are popular here, but for me they spoil the handling characteristics of the bike, you have to fight the bag when turning and they can move during the ride and so on. For a more serious rider I would add them when you need more stuff, not for a day ride.

The frame triangle bags can cause interference with your legs, the friction may damage your lycra shorts (if prolonged), so I would also add them later when needing more space.

Although gravel bikes often do come with mounting points for racks/panniers, those are unpopular in modern bike-packing solutions where the preference is on carrying everything in the axis of the bike (not on sides) and the rear bag is mounted on the seat post.


Remove those two screws visible in the picture and lift off the indicator. It may be that the mechanism to move the indicator has become dislodged.

You could, as I do remove the indicator completely. Sometimes underneath there is a blanking plate you can use to cover the hole. You don't need to see which gear you are in and it means you can move the lever closer to your brakes for a tidier bar layout.


Shimano GRX (or similar) and a flat bar - possible?

The GRX is theoretically possible. Or at least better than road ones, bucause it s specifically designed for larger tyres so it gives more clearance for wider chainstays. It moves the chainline by 5 mm outward in comparison to road cranks.

Also, the 46-30T chainrings on FC-RX600-10 give a bit more clearance than compact road chainrings.

Still, your MTB frame's chainstay could be too wide. You will have to measure it or try it somewhere.

As for the flat bars, the Tiagra flat bar shifters SL-4700 should be compatible according to the compatibility chart.


It's the pawls riding over the catches that make noise. If you hub was previously "loud" and is now quiet, something is likely keeping them from dropping energetically into the catches. I'd disassemble your hub and inspect/clean/relube.

As others (@Daniel R. Hicks) have noted, the issue is that if the pawls aren't catching, the ratcheting systems of the freehub is no longer working properly. As far as bicycle malfunctions go, this isn't the most dangerous thing that can happen as your brakes will still work, steering is unaffected, just a sudden reduction of power to the road.

Whatever is causing this (dirt or rust most likely) is likely to also have secondary effects, chiefly drag, but also the possibility of undue wear on the freehub. Five years is a decent amount of time for water and road grime to make it's way in. You probably don't need to get to your LBS today, but plan on stopping in this week. They should be able to confirm the cause in a few minutes.

Happy Riding.


Some people never do.

In races, people push to the limit, and sometimes past it. And people make mistakes. So there will always be crashes.

It's part of race craft to learn to read the corners and your competitors, to know when to make sure you are ahead or inside the risky riders.

At this early stage of your career many of the riders you are riding against are enthusiastic learners. Some strong athletes can't cope with the risks and drop out of Crit racing or ride at the back to build condition for other kinds of race.

You don't say anything about how the crash happened. It might sound unkind, but you don't have to fall when someone bumps into you, or falls in front of you.

Keep at it. Try riding at the back for a while to watch and learn. And watch other higher grade races.


Yes. I do exactly this to the carbon bike almost every week just to check when I hear something even resembling a possible creak... well, that is if you ignore that I actually do something similar but even more stressful for the bike every single day; every time I take a corner fast in the woods and feel the tyres losing grip.

So far checking out creaks this way has led me to tighten the BB once and to tighten the crank arms once. However usually it's actually a seat post related creak (sometimes still heard when doing the above). A quick clean and some mounting paste sorts out the post.

If this procedure actually breaks your frame or something, then be happy, very happy. You avoided a serious injury.


Can you be ticketed for breaking the speed limit on a bike?

In the US, ignorance of the law, statute or conditions is generally not an allowable defense for violating the law.  If the speedometer in your car is broken, you can certainly still get a speeding ticket.  In almost all US jurisdictions bicycles are vehicles and subject to all the same laws as cars.

That's the long answer; the short answer is YES.


Check out the videos on the Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll you can definitely stand and tilt the bike side to side.  Whether it would handle Andre Greipel in a full out sprint I couldn't say. It's probably one of the better options to look into.


If you want to make your bar tape last longer, there are a couple approaches you can take: repair it when it is damaged, or invest in longer-lasting bar tape. Even though it seems like it might be harmless, I would not use improvised bar tape, or no bar tape, or some flat, non-absorbing tape like household electrical tape, as it is actually an important component for both comfort and safety.

Along with the seat and the pedals, the handlebar is a primary contact point between you and your bike. All of the vibrations your bike feels are transmitted through these contact points. If you try riding a bike without bar tape, your arms will feel those vibrations much more than they would with something to absorb that shock, your arms will get tired much faster. At best it is uncomfortable to ride like this, and at worst it is dangerous, and can make it difficult to use your brakes properly.

Cheap tape will fray, dry out, or fall apart sooner than nice bar tape. If it does start to fray or fall apart, or if you crash and damage part of it, you can wrap electrical tape around the damaged area to repair it. This will usually hold as long as you need it to.

Personally I have started using synthetic leather bar tape (Brooks) as it is much more durable than the cheap stuff (2 years old, used almost daily, little sign of wear), and does a really good job at absorbing that vibration. It is heavier and thicker, though, so it's probably not what you'd want to put on a racing bike.


How can a beginner cyclist build up power?

Keep on riding. Ideally every couple days. If you can't ride, do some other form of cardio exercise, such as going for a walk. I'll bet a couple days after that ride you'll find the same distance a little easier and might even be able to go a little further.
Get a day of rest. If you've pushed yourself really hard and you're "done", take a day off before getting back on the bike. (or at least before doing anything hard on the bike)
You may need to tweak the bike fit. Make sure you can inhale fully. Forward/aft position of the seat as well as vertical position of the seat can make a difference in power. Ball of your foot should be on the spindle of the pedal, when the pedal is straight forward your knee should be over the pedal, and at the bottom of your pedal stroke your leg should be near full extension (but still knee a bit bent). You shouldn't need to stretch your leg or rock your hips to reach the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
Build your leg strength, especially quads. Squats or leg presses.
Pay attention to your pedaling technique. Don't mash the pedals hard in a high gear. Move them faster in a lower gear, move your leg smoothly through the entire pedal motion and try to pull your foot up a little as it comes up, but without removing your foot from the pedal.
Interval training. This is the most important thing for building your endurance. Once you're warmed up, ride as hard as you can for 30-60 seconds, then ride easy for several minutes. As you build up endurance, increase from doing that once to doing that several times during a ride. If you can't do 30 seconds, do what you can.

Above all else: have fun riding. Don't torture yourself. Enjoy yourself. If you have fun you'll keep it up and keeping up the riding will make more of a difference than any small details.

So that's the "thorough" version.  But Neil Fein's version covers it pretty well:

  Ride often. Rest. Repeat often.

Have fun!


Small wheel bike to be converted to bigger wheels

Cheapest, safest and most practical option option would be to sell and buy  a second hand bike.

For instance I just sold and old, but perfectly usable full suspension MTB that originally cost about $US3500 in 1995 for $US60.00. The buyer got a bargain and I got some space back in my garage. Look for someone who wants some garage space back....

If however you are wanting to make a franken-bike for fun, you will also need to consider the increased wheel size will probably need different gearing, and the frame will be subjected to quite different forces than what it was designed for. You would need new chain, new wheels and tires. Brakes may not be in the right places and might not fit. As it was a kids bike the cranks might be too short.


Can i put two rubber rim tapes on a single wheel (single wall rim)

Is it ok to install second rubber rim tape over the existing one to flatten out the "hills". The tyres are mtb 12" and the air pressure will be around 60psi-65psi, and the load around 220lbs.

I can see absolutely no harm in any reasonable number of rim tapes. The only downside is cost: you have to pay for two rim tapes. If you start to stack a huge number of rim tapes, let's say over 5, then you'll probably note that the rim tapes cover the rim channel, making tire installation harder than it normally would be.
So try it to see how easy tire installation is. Once the tire has been installed, your only potential problem is tackled.

Or is it ok to leave the "hills" forming inside the rim with one rim tape?

Most likely it's as ok as a single wall rim can ever be. In particular, your wheel is never as strong as it would be with a double wall rim. However, if you really want to use a single wall rim, that's one solution. Note the "hills" don't move much in operation (spoke tension in a rotating wheel is dynamic but the spoke ends shouldn't move because spoke tension changes due to slightly flattening wheel) so they are unlikely to cause a puncture over time. So, it you install an inner tube, if it doesn't puncture in a week of riding it's unlikely to puncture in several years of riding, apart from other external causes of puncture.
To be completely sure, install an inner tube, take it for a ride or two, and deflate the wheel removing the inner tube. Do you see any inner tube damage at the spoke ends?


There's a whole sport - cyclocross - that involves riding road bikes off road. Typically the gearing is a little lower than a stock road bike, and these days a lot of them have disk brakes. Most will take fairly wide tyres, 38mm is not out of the question.

For riding a stock road bike off road, I'd look mostly at tyres. If you can find some that will clear your frame that have a bit of tread that will help a lot. Puncture resistance may also be worth while, you're more likely to find thorns off road. I would also experiment with lower tyre pressures, as that may improve traction.

Other than that, I'd just ride and see what happens.


Recommendations for clipless pedals that can be used with regular shoes

I've been using Shimano A530 pedals for that purpose. Mountain SPD-compatible clip on one side, with a nice wide flat platform on the other.

I've also used the old Shimano M324 pedals, but prefer the slightly lighter weight and lower profile of the A530s.

Note that other foot retention systems, such as PowerGrips and the like, will work with all shoes (such as winter boots) and many existing platform pedals.


I removed the insole of the shoe, placed the Allen wrench in the hole left by the loosened bolt. I then aligned it with the hole the bolt goes in to the cleat AND THEN turned the shoe and it popped off...


Spoke nipple broke, should I replace more than one?

I would just replace the single nipple that is broken with a new brass nipple. It sounds like these wheels are not very expensive so I wouldn't want to invest a whole lot more time and money in replacing something that may or may not be a problem in the future.


What is the common "vocabulary" for the captain and stoker to communicate?

I posted a link to this question to the Bike Friday Yak list - tandem riding is popular there - and got back a few responses, this one in particular. I'm posting this here simply because nobody else seems to have an answer; If this isn't typical, please feel free to edit this answer.

A standard signalling vocabulary seems to not exist. Teams need to ride together a lot until signals evolve in time, and every team seems to develop their own shorthand organically. This may not be the most efficient way to do this, as the loss of one rider in a team essentially means that the rider left will need to form new signals from scratch.

From poster John S. Allen:

  In my experience, it's either "slow down, I'm scared" or "wow, this is fun!"

  But seriously, see this by Bill McCready:

  http://www.gtgtandems.com/tech/propmethod.html

This article spends a lot of time on how the team needs to function as a unit, getting a rhythm going. McCready uses the example of mounting the bike and starting, but it's easy to see how this applies to shifting, leaning into turns, etc.

  Also these pages by Sheldon Brown:

  http://sheldonbrown.com/tandem.html

In particular, this quote is relevant to this question:

  The team becomes more than the sum of its parts. An experienced tandem team develops a very special level of non-verbal communication, via subtle weight shifts, variations in pedal force, and general empathy.

  After a few hundred miles together, you will find yourself coasting at the same time, shifting without the need for discussion, and and maneuvering smoothly even at slow speeds.

  This is not just a matter of each rider's acquiring captaining/stoking skills; when two equally experienced teams switch stokers, something is lost, and this special communication doesn't happen...it really is unique to each couple.

While I can imagine that things might be different in competition, it seems there are no standardized communication cues. A tandem team needs to suffer through the initial stages of learning to read both the situation and each other.

(Again, I stress that this answer is only the results of my research. If the information here is incorrect, please downvote and leave a comment.)


Bottom bracket tool for Shimano BB-R60 Ultegra 6800/105 5800 Hollowtech ii?

The Park BBT-59 is the main one you'll see. (If you scroll down a little on your link to it, you'll see it says it's the one for BBR60.) A less expensive one from Lifu/Icetoolz now exists and I see it can be found on ebay if you search for "icetoolz m093." It's 1/2in drive.


The Continental GP 4000 are a high end road tire, were as Espoir Sport are a middle tier tire. Top end Specialized road tires are fairly comparable to Continental (years back Specialized snagged one of Continental’s lead tire guru).

Middle tier tires tend to prioritize price, wear and puncture resistance, while higher end tires tend to prioritize, speed, comfort and handling.

Which is more important is a personal decision.


I had one just like it many years ago. Not a good collectible, and not worth much. It's an old Murray.


From your description yes, your pedals sounds to be not greased properly.
If you please could post a photo from different angles, it would be easier to provide further advice.

In general, if there is a possibility of disassembling, you should do this and repack the bearings, the same way as you would do with cone hub.

For temporary solution or if the pedals cannot be disassembled in non-destructive way, a thin grease or even chain lube may be suitable, but then the pedals should be greased as often as you lube your chain.


Will hydraulic brakes work with vertical underseat recumbent handlebars?

I can't speak for every hydraulic brake ever, but when I've done this I didn't worry about it, I just bought sealed brakes and put them on. I'm currently running cheap Shimano ones on my touring bike and have not had any issues, and in the past I used Hayes with similar lack of problems.

This bike I switched from cable to hydraulic after cooking the brakes on a downhill, and I haven't had any problems in about 5000km of riding since.


Are disc brake post mount adapters compatible for both front and rear?

I actually can answer it now myself.
Shimano has "rear" and "front" adapter. This is a relict from the time where post mount adapters were not used yet on the frame and therefore post mount were only for the front.
See this chart from Shimano
Other brands like Avid/SRAM don't even distinct between front and back.

Post mount adapters are in general compatible for front and back, making the front/rear label obsolete.

Source:http://forums.mtbr.com/brake-time/rear-shimano-adapter-160-203-pp-can-i-use-front-mount-1083866.html


Fettling issues - slow shifting rear gears while riding

You need a local test route for this and other things. For some things just up and down your street will do, but for this issue you might need to put the bike through its paces properly.

Ride your test route, paying particular attention to the feel of the problem. Stop the bike, tweak something relevant (your best guess) and ride it again. Better or worse? If better but not perfect - adjust some more the same way, if worse go the other way.

You may be able to use your commute in the same way if commuting on this bike is an option.

In your case I'd get it perfect on the stand, then tighten the rear derailleur cable a little. Test ride and see.

Actually of course this is a tedious version of normal adjustment procedure. The nice thing about a rear derailleur adjustment issue is you don't need the bike on the stand for minor tweaks.


Could the E-bike drivetrain wear down till needing replacement after 400 km?

I have tried to regulate the rear gear mechanism by adjusting the position screws but failed to make any improvement.

That's almost never the adjustment that the rear derailleur needs. Those screws are called the limit screws, and they set how far in and out the derailleur can move. All they do is stop the derailleur from moving the chain all the way off the cassette on either side. There's basically nothing that causes those screws to move on their own so, assuming they were set correctly when the bike was built, they should almost never need to be touched. The symptoms that do mean they need adjustment is that either the chain is falling off the top or bottom of the cassette (derailleur able to move too far) or that gear changing is just fine, except that you can't change into the smallest or biggest cog (derailleur not able to move far enough).

The correct adjustment is to use the barrel adjuster to get the correct cable tension. That very often is needed on new bikes, because the cables tend to stretch a bit after they're installed. Argenti Apparatus has already posted a video so I'll not go into more detail than that.


Is it worth it to repair or is it better to buy?

Here's a few things you could do-

Get a new seat and seat post.
Ride the bike and see if anything sounds or feels amiss. Places to look out for are the moving arts like headset(handle), the drive train and the brakes.
The drive train seems to be in prime condition except for rust. Spray some WD-40 or equivalent rust remover on anything thats rusty and make sure you wipe off the extra cleanly. Then lube the whole drive train.
Your brakes will need replacing for sure, best not to take risks with safety.

You will have to decide the worthwhileness of the project for yourself. Money wise it won't cost much more than $50 (~20 for the seat, and the rest for brake pads and other implements like WD-40 if you don't have them). I would personally do it less to save money but more for the learning that would be gained from doing it. But the importance given to learning experiences differ from person to person and its up to you


135mm rear end, 130mm rear wheel, Titanium frame

You could add two 2.5mm spacers on each side, or even on the same side (or one 5mm spacer).

If you add to one side, you could even correct some perceived/subjective asymmetry, be it with chainline or with wheel dishing.

It's not impossible, if you use the wheel without spacers, that the dropouts get marked by the axle nuts, due to the slight twisting that will probably appear. Anyway, as others pointed, most probably that would not seriously damage anything else.

(More "anyway" yet, I would try the spacers first ;oP )


4 punctures in one week, even after replacing tube and tire, what's happening?

The answer to my question -- why did my bike puncture four times, even after replacing the tube and tire -- turned out to be: bad luck.

The first three punctures were caused by some damage in the tire (the punctures on the tube were all on the tire side). After I replaced the tire, I got another puncture - but this time the puncture was on the part of the tube facing the rim. On inspection I was that my rim tape was protruding up at the point of the puncture. Because I had a new tire and tube I had pumped the wheel up more than usual, which perhaps meant that rim tape protrusion was now a problem.

So, four punctures in one week: three from the tire, one from the rim.

For anyone else experiencing a confusing series of punctures, consider that you may be unlucky and that there are multiple problems in your wheel!


How can I fit Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28-622 tires on a 622-16 rim?

Marathons are a known-pig of a tyre to fit to any rim.  You're not alone.

The first fit is always hardest.  After that they go a little easier.

Use three tyre levers, ideally ones with thinner blades/scoops/shovel ends.

Leave the tyre lying flat somewhere warm for a while before you start.  This brings the rubber to a slightly more elastic state.  Hanging up on a hook tends to slightly deform the tyre.  I suggest you wash your rims while the tyres are laying out in the sunlight.

Wash your rims - it doesn't help get the tyre on, but you'll be less dirty and you'll have a better grip.  Take the chance to renew your rim tape if needed - and if you do, use a thin tape not layers.

Now the hard bit.  You want to get one bead into the rim all the way around.  Make sure your tyre rotation is right at this time (guess how I know this...)

Then fit your tube's valve through the hole, and then lay the tube in the tyre. Leave the tube fully deflated.

Starting at the valve, get the second bead into the rim.  Work around and at some point it will just stop popping over the rim's flange.

The trick now is to use velcro ties, tape, cable/zip ties, or even string.  Go back to the valve, and make sure both tyre beads are sitting in the deepest valley of the rim.

Here's the profile of this rim so its not a lot different in the middle.

Many bike rims have a cross section profile like this:
  where you can see a lot more space to be gained.

(semi-related - car tyres are extremely hard to manipulate.  So they often have a massive valley in the rim for helping get tyres on and off and for strength.)

Use your straps around tyre and rim (ie pass between two spokes) and cinch it down firmly to hold the bead in the valley.  Work away from the valve in both directions.  At least 3 ties, maybe a 6 will be needed. I like velcro ones cos they're reusable.  My little 12" tyre went on with just 2 ties.

   LOOSE
Notice the line around the tyre sidewall just above the rim?

Also while doing this you want to "pull" the tyre to gather up all the slack possible and draw that extra around to your last working area.

  Imagine you're trying to get into some really tight cycling bibs/tights/knicks and you get the idea.

Back to the working face,  use your tyre levers to slowly work both ends of the overlap.   Do be careful to avoid pinching the tube  cos it would suck to do this again.

  Notice the amount of "slack" tyre at the top of the image.  There's roughly 8mm of tyre exposed, and at the bottom that same line is below the edge of the rim.

If its just not working, you can use a spray bottle with clean warm water and some dish soap to lubricate the rim area.  Never use oils or grease.  The dishwash liquid will wash off easily and if trapped in the bead will do no harm.

Some people find this process easier with a helper - a third and fourth hand are quite convenient too as are a second pair of eyes.

Don't worry about the future - once the tyre has been on there for a while it will be slightly easier to remove and refit.

Some people swear by the Quick Stick / Stik

And some people prefer the X tool

I've never used the former, but I own the latter and while its interesting is only slightly different to normal, quality tyre levers.


Steps to remove Ultegra and install SRAM Force disc brakes with internally routed hose

Your steps are all correct, I suppose the main issue is how not to spill brake fluid everywhere and how to route housing internally without any frustration. I've been through the same recently and know how annoying the job can be. Apart from draining the system, you have several options:

Use a special barb that threads into the hose and has a hole to attach the thread to. The "RockShox Reverb Stealth Barb Connector" can be found on eBay for 10USD. There are other similar products too.
Source about two meters of ~5mm 2:1 heat shrink tube and connect it to the old housing before pulling back. You can cover the open end of hose with a piece of plastic bag, the heat shrink should hold it tight enough. Repeat in reverse when routing the new hose. I did this with shifting housing and see no reason why this approach wouldn't work with a hydraulic hose.


Did you buy your bike from a country with a different driving convention (drive on right vs. drive on left) as your country? I believe this is why they are swapped (Edit: upon further reading I think only brakes should be swapped country-to-country), as to if you can switch them, this answer (and probably your question is a duplicate) indicates no.


Which replacement pulley wheels fit a Shimano RD-6400/6401?

There are third party replacement pulleys available from at least BBB brand. They come with a set of adapters for different derailleurs, and in my opinion are better quality than low to mid tier original pulleys. There is also good chance that searching for the original spare part code finds a mail order shop that has the original part.


For future people who might have the same problem described:

Okay I have figured it out with the help of my local bikestore.
Turns out the whole wheel was a little bit lose.
After taking apart the wheel it turns out the so called locknut or what seemed like the lock nut  has untightend itself
After taking off the casette and everything else in the way and after tightening the lock nut the problem was solved and the wheel back in place


Help me understand bottom brackets and cranks

24mm refers to the diameter of your spindle (the rod connecting the two cranks)

You can look for more details on this chart:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/images/sizing/FSA___RD_CRANKSET_STANDARD_18x24_20140306_reduced_size.jpg

Hope this works for you :-)


Assuming that you've already checked that the rotor is true (and out-of-true rotors are more responsible for rub than pulsation), I would take a micrometer and measure the thickness of the rotor in multiple places. You are likely to find that it was not machined correctly. Also, check the surface finish of the rotor on both sides. It doesn't matter what it is so much as that it is uniform, all the way around.


To distil an entire field down to a short answer....

  The bicycle should be comfortable to the rider and for the rider's intended use.

How you go about getting to that state of comfort is a slightly longer-answer, and too big for this space.


Are chain ring spacers a good solution to adjust chain line?

Yes spacers are fine for this. It sounds like you want to move a few millimeters - 2 or 3 millimeters is fine and the bolts can handle it.

A word of caution about bottom bracket spindle: make sure that your crank is clearing the chain stay. Inspect this under load. You might look and think you have enough room for the shorter BB but on your first ride you can put a few nice gouges in your chain stay when you put the hammer down.


What's the best way to stow (winter storage) an all-carbon bike?

I don't see a problem hanging a bike from a carbon fiber composite rim. The amplitude of the load would be much, much lower than when riding over even moderate bumps. OK, the load is radially outward rather than radially inward but the wheel is not weak in that direction.
Maybe of the inside edge of the rim is particularly narrow in profile you could damage it, but suitable padding would prevent that.


Removing WD40 from disk brakes - possible?

You should get rid of the pads and buy new ones. You can clean the disc with cleaning alcohol or brake cleaner. Just be sure to also clean all holes from the inside as there might be some oil left.

Afterwards bed in the new brake pads and you are good to go.


What is the effect of adding weight to a wheel vs adding it to the frame?

The answer I got was 2x -- adding one ounce (or gram) to the wheel at the outer diameter (ie, the tread) is equivalent, in terms of force/energy needed to accelerate, to adding twice that amount to the bike frame.

The answer was a bit involved and takes careful reading to fully understand, but the answer can also be explained with this thought experiment:

If you have a theoretical weightless wheel, fixed to a stationary axle (ie, not rolling on the ground), and you add a mass to its outer diameter, the energy needed to accelerate that added mass to some tangential velocity is the same as the energy that would be needed to accelerate the mass to the same linear velocity (ie, as if it were attached to a weightless bike frame).

But if our theoretical weightless wheel is not fixed on a stationary axle, but is instead attached to our theoretical weightless bike, we are accelerating the mass both tangentially AND linearly so we add the two energy requirements together, meaning it takes 2x the force to achieve the same acceleration and 2x the energy to accelerate to a given speed.

So the answer is 2x (and not 7x or 10x or whatever is often quoted).


I use a Garmin Forerunner 235 which has these features. The heart rate monitor is built into the back of the watch, rather than using a chest strap which I think the Polar model does.

It can also connect to bike speed/cadence sensors, your smart phone etc.

A dedicated bike computer like the Garmin Edge 810 is also useful as it adds a map display and route planning.


Newbie Question: What do speeds mean on chains?

A bike with a 5 cog cassette requires a 3/32" 5 speed chain which has also been referred to as the "10 speed chain". This is different to a modern 10 speed chain though as below.

In rrecent times speeds refer to the number of cogs that make up the rear cassette. Outside of big box stores gearing is generally specified as YxZ. So in a department store you may see a bike advertised as having 21, 24, 27, 20 or 11 speeds whereas in a bike store it would be sold as 3x7, 3x8, 3x9, 2x10 or 1x11 (right up to 1x12 which strangely is currently referred to just as Eagle!)

The reasoning behind specific chains for different speeds is as they have increased the number of gears available on a bike they have maintained the same freehub width over the last 4 iterations. 8, 9, 10 and some 11 speed cassettes all work on the same width hub. This has been achieved by spacing the cogs closer together and producing narrower chains.

There is generally tolerance in a chain to go up/down 1 speed without issue. Ie. an 11 speed chain can be used on a 10 speed cassette.


What is the technical name for this nut-bolt thing with inner hubs?

They called cap nuts, and often the washers will have an anti-rotation tab on them that is bent in so it slots into the dropout. They have an oval hole in them to lock onto the flats on the axle.

If you're lucky the thread is an M10 fine (M10x0.1mm) and an industrial fastener outlet will have them (I use www.bolt.com.au), but there are a few fairly common sizes around so it would pay to make sure. If you are working on older bikes and buying tools a small thread pitch gauge would be a useful thing to have, they're under $20 here. But trying to measure the thread inside a cap nut with one is very hard work and youŕe likely to get it wrong. The better alternative is to buy an axle thread set - basically a short section of each of the common threads on a backing plate. You try the axle or nut you have on each until you find the one that it fits (the tool is clearly labeled).

From your torque question and the pic above, I suspect you are trying to do up the nuts to stop the wheel sliding forward in the dropout. For that you need serrated washers that cut into the dropout. And damage it. The better option is a chain tug as previously discussed here. A torgue wrench won help much with old nuts and axles, as they tend to lose strength as they wear.

Edit after the new photos: The Shimano anti-rotation washers are nice and thick, also serrated, so need to go on the outside of the frame (where they are now). You've already done enough damage to the dropouts by digging things into them. So you need a thin chain tug to fit inside between frame and hub. Also one that you can file off any protruding aligning bits, since your dropout opens forward rather than backward. I would look for one that has two screws rather than one, so it will be more stable on that curve at the back of the dropout. I have one like that on my commuter.

 or at least an outline of where it should go - obviously behind the frame rather than in front of it as sketched.


Tried to tighten the brakes, won't grip at all

On the first picture, if you look closely at the cable right to the bolt at the center, you will see deformation marks from the previous clamping. The position where you have clamped the cable seems to be too slack. That is, too much cable is left between the lever and the pinch bolt.

To fix it, loose the cable, press the "thing" that rotates when you press the brake lever clockwise, and clamp the cable again at the new place.

You may end up taking up too much slack, permanently pressing the brake pads against the rotor or drum; in this case, find a compromise position between too slack and too tight. It can be done by using the adjustment barrel at the lever, if you have one there.


Carbon bike for commuting - concerns about durability

TL;DNR - All else equal, an aluminum framed bike at the same price as a carbon bike will be a better bike.

My general feeling for Carbon frames are they are overrated, or more accurately, quality modern aluminum frames is underrated. Aluminum frames cost alot less to build than the cheapest carbon, let alone a quality carbon frame. With Hydro forming, the designer has a lot (not all) of the design flexibly of carbon, and a lot more than the days they build frames from tubes.  Savings building the frame can be spent on components, making a better bike at the same price point.  Obviously at the "Money is not issue" end of the market, carbon makes a better frame for riding, but care must be taken because at this end fo teh market carbon layup is done in a way to maximize performance weight, with less concern to robustness.

As far as robustness and longevity, a quality, but not race focused, carbon frame will be more than robust enough.

Using the N rule, you really should have two bikes, which will probably be more cost effective longer term. One for commuting which is cheapish (its only 5 miles, a few hundred grams weight saving won't make any difference to you commute times or effort even if it is a bit hilly) and robust. Then have a weened bike for longer rides that you keep the miles down. After a year, the weekend bike is still in great condition rather than having been used in all weather and banged around in the work bike racks by other riders.


What's the best technique for removing a tyre from the rim?

First off, you usually only need to remove one side of the tire if you're just fixing a puncture.

If the tire isn't fully deflated, let all the rest of the air out. It'll make your life easier.
Using your hands, grip the tire near the valve and wiggle it a bit to loosen the bead up from the rim. Work your way around the tire, repeating this process until you get back to the valve. If you've done this and step 1 properly, the tire should be loosely flopping around inside of the rim.
Grab three tire levers. You can do the job with less, but it's harder. I've never needed four. The ones that will get tire off most easily will have a hook one one end, like these:

Insert one tire lever underneath the bead just above the spoke that is most directly opposite of the valve. The tire will be a little looser (more loose?) directly across from the valve and thus, easier to remove. Pry it up and hook the other end of the lever on a spoke.
Check to make sure that you've only got one side of the bead under the lever. If you've got both sides of the bead, the rest will be somewhere between very difficult and impossible.
Repeat step four on the spoke to the right of the one you just hooked, and then the spoke on the left.
At this point, the tire bead may be loose enough that some of the tire levers fall off. If so, great. Pry it the rest of the way off with your finger. If none of the levers has fallen out, it's ok. You just have a tire that fits a bit more tightly. You should still be able to get your finger in just to the outside of your three spokes and slide it along to pry the tire off. As I mentioned before, I have never had to use a fourth lever.
By now, you should have the bead completely removed on one side. You can remove the tube by reaching into the tire opposite of the valve and just pulling it out. You'll reach a point where the valve is the only thing holding it in place. Push the tire out of the way and remove the valve.
If you''d like to completely remove the tire, you'll be able to just yank it off the rest of the way with a firm grip.

The steps above will work on any tire. Skinny, hard case, non-foldable tires tend to be the hardest to get off. Fatties that are foldable can often be removed with nothing more than a good yank. If you have the option, it's still better to do it with tire levers though so you don't risk pulling too hard and damaging the tube. Tires inbetween those ranges tend to vary in difficulty.


If you can't get out of the lowest (easiest) gears then something is stopping the cable from releasing. There could be a number of reasons for this. The shifter on the handlebars might not be working properly, something may be caught on the cable and pulling it, the cable could be frayed and is snagging on something, or the rear dérailleur could be jammed.

So you should do some diagnostic tests: if you try to put it into highest (fastest) gear and the cable goes slack but the rear dérailleur doesn't move then it's not the shifter, so you can rule that out. If you undo the nut that holds on the cable to the dérailleur and the dérailleur moves, then it's the cable, and if it doesn't then it's the probably the dérailleur.


Stupid question: does my rear derailleur have a hanger?

The hanger is part of the frame in this case. This is a pretty common design, though many newer frames will have the hanger as a removable part of the frame that can be replaced if damaged. In the case of your bike, if there is damage, you have to (carefully) bend it back to shape.


I see that the definition of a bunny hop is subject to the kind of cycling we're talking about. I doubt you'll find a specific definition that everyone will agree with.

However, what's common with (almost) everyone's concept of a bunny hop is that the front wheel elevates first and and the rear follows — just like a bunny hops — front paws first. Whether you and your bike are airborne due to clip pedals, upward pull from the handlebar or black magic, doesn't matter in my opinnion.

Where my definition came from? 20 years of BMX, urban and dirt biking, occasional downhill and aggressive trails. Last 5 years mostly just commuting with a cyclocross. Still feels good to bunny hop over curbs and branches.


Does carrying a chain lock around on the frame reduce a bicycle's performance?

Yes your bike will be heavier but it the only performance reduction putting it into your back pack wont change it. Personally I carry mine in a back pack but it is because I cant find a place in my bike where to carry it and bike it self feel more heavy. I can feel how it affects the balance setting it higher and making the bike unstable.

So as a personal chose I prefer to carry by bike lock in a backpack. If you feel ok carrying them on your bike go on. You only problem will be the added weight.


Learning to listen to my body and stop over-exercise

Learning to listen to your body equates to developing discipline in your training.  Changing the type of exercise can help you give specific muscle groups rest but you can still exercising without the discipline to meter your effort and therefore not actually rest.

My suggestion is to write out your exercise plan and journal how you do.  The aim of the plan is to allot time to hammer your body with space to let your body recover.  That also means you choose your exercises and routes appropriately - no hills on easy days.  Keep track of what you do, be diligent to stick to what you write down.  If something isn't working, change your written plan, but follow your plan.  DISCLAIMER: Consult a doctor regarding your efforts, 4 days of forced recovery means you aren't recovering and you risk severe injury and burnout.

Discipline is an additional "muscle" that you will need to exercise, strengthen and push to its limit. The harder you work on your discipline the more consistent you will ride, the better you will recover and the more you'll know about what your body can handle.

Developing a plan and learning to meter your effort will pay dividends for you TT as well.  No amount of strength will help you in your race if you blow your energy within 1 mile and struggle the last 12.3 miles.

Best of luck.


What kind of fork could i fit on my bike

I wouldn't consider anything over 140mm. beyond that, you're really messing up your geometry and endangering your frame.

Keep in mind that your frame's limits are really determined by how much you weigh. If you're 140 pounds, the frame will take much bigger jumps than if you're 240.

You say that the rear shock is really stiff. It seems there is an imbalance in stiffness between the front and rear suspensions. If you don't have the preload on your Suntour cranked all the way up, you should try doing so before upgrading.


Rear cogs on a 9-speed are about 4.5mm apart, center to center.  A typical chainstay length is a hair over 400mm.  The arctangent of 4.5/400 is about 0.65 degrees.  At such a shallow angle you can simply multiply 0.65 times the number of cogs you're spanning to come up with the angle that is spanned when you shift that number of cogs.  In other words, shifting from cog 1 to cog 9 would span 8 cogs and produce about a 0.65 x 8 = 5.2 degree change in chain angle.

Front cogs are probably a little bit farther apart, but not much.


Bike chain slips off sprocket as I pedal during repairs. Any idea why?

Figured out the issue. The cotter pin behind the sprocket needed to be removed and the sprocket moved backwards.

Edit: that did not fix the issue. I'm still working on it.


I do the supermarket run every week by bicycle - have done for about 7 years

Family of four so I more or less fill a full size shopping trolley every time.

This is made possible by a Christiana Trailer which is pretty much equivalent in load capacity to a shopping trolley:

I have a bike that is now dedicated to the role of towing this beastie (for the supermarket run and for the Saturday morning run to the Greengrocer and the Butcher). Would only give it up for an actual cargo bike/trike


Derailleur hanger built-in/cast with frame — options if misaligned?

This looks to be a steel frame which has a steel derailleur hanger. Steel is much more ductile than e.g. aluminum alloys and it can be bent/realigned (reasonably) many times before it cracks.

So don't be afraid to use an alignment tool if you have one. If you don't have one, use an adjustable spanner wrench to grab the hanger and align it. Even if it is steel, be careful and do not over-bend it.

Even if the worst happens and a crack develops or the hanger falls apart, it still can often be fixed by welding, but that would be much more involved and expensive, so try to avoid that of course.

  I suspect a hanger alignment tool is only meant for use with a 'replaceable hanger'?

Not really. In fact, replaceable hangers are mostly made of aluminum alloy which is more brittle than steel and survive less realignment attempts than fixed steel ones.


What do you wish you knew you before you bought your first nice bike?

Prioritize more:

Tires -- the bike must allow me to use the tires I want to use.  I used to have a road bike that did not allow any tire wider than 25mm.  Any bike that cannot use 35mm tires is useless to me.  Some people are still under the illusion that narrow tires are fast, wide tires are slow; there is a bunch of research that indicates this is not true for tires up to 40mm, and at the relatively low speeds most people ride (<25mph).  Wide tires allow you to ride on all surfaces without worrying about gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, bridge grates etc.
Fenders -- if it's too hard to install decent fenders, I am going to hate riding when it's wet.
Gearing -- if your highest gear is a bit too low, you're not giving up much. In the rare case (downhill+tailwind) where you could use a 53x11 gear for a few seconds, you'll just go a bit slower.  If your lowest gear is too high, there are some hills you can't climb, and other hills that you can climb only with great difficulty. To me, this suggests that overall lower gearing works better.

Prioritize less:

Weight -- if a bike weighs 0.5 pounds less, but is uncomfortable on longer rides, that really limits my enjoyment.
Pretending to be a racer -- unless you are actually going to use the bike for racing, resist the temptation to pretend you're a racer and need the lightest wheels and the shortest wheelbase.  In practice, this is not useful for most people (heavy riders end up damaging superlight wheels, etc.)  Before you decide that compact cranks are for wussies and get a 53/39 crank, think about how much you're really going to use that 53/11 top gear. How fast would you have to go for that gear to be useful ?

Surprisingly like:

Internal cable routing -- I can attach a Revelate "Gas Tank" bag to the top tube, put it on any kind of bike carrier on the car, and easily carry it on my shoulder without cables on the top tube getting in the way


I would generally default to the drive direction indicated on the side wall of the tire.

I know folks that run tires opposite of that recommendation for specific reasons (traction gains at the cost of rolling resistance), but generally, the manufacturer knows what they are doing when they put that arrow on the sidewall.


Do oversize pulley wheels increase derailleur capacity?

All else being equal, a longer cage will increase the capacity of the derailleur.
For example, the only difference in Shimano's long- and short-cage 105 5700 rear derailleurs is the cage.  See https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-RD-5700-3042A.pdf
Per https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/si/SI-5X90B-003-ENG.pdf that the short-cage SS models have a 33-tooth capacity while simply changing to a longer cage gives the GS model a 39-tooth capacity.
But note that the largest supported sprocket size remains unchanged, but that appears to be because the location of the jockey wheel closest to the sprockets also remains unchanged with the cage swap.
It also seems reasonable to assume that increasing the size of the jockey wheel closes to the sprockets without changing its location would result in a smaller maximum usable sprocket size.
I'd say you'll get more capacity, but you may not be able to use a larger cassette to take advantage of that larger capacity.
I also suspect that larger jockey wheels is likely to result in degraded shifting performance since the larger wheel could allow more side-to-side movement than a smaller wheel would.  "But the marketing says it's stiffer and the bearings have tighter tolerances."  They would say that, and it might even be true.  When it's all clean and new and unworn - how durable and free-spinning will those ceramic bearings be when they get grit and grime inside:

“Ceramic bearings are beneficial in environments not requiring grease lubrication,” says Lew.  But a bicycle is expected to cope with a vast range of conditions, rain and dirt, and where maintenance schedules may be less than optimal, and the last thing you want is to ride bearings without grease. It’s this requirement to cope with the conditions common to cyclists that offset the promised lower rolling resistance of a ceramic bearing, according to Paul Lew.
“The rolling resistance of a ceramic bearing compared to an ABEC 3, 5 or 7 steel ball bearing is offset by the resistance of the grease,” he says.  “In order for a ceramic ball bearing to out-perform a steel ball bearing, grease is not an option. Does this mean I should run my ceramic ball bearings dry or with light oil? Yes, but you won’t like the result in an environment where the bearings can become contaminated.  If you run your bearings dry they will feel gritty and rough.”
Hope’s Alan Weatherill concurs with Paul Lew’s conclusion that ceramic bearings are not suited to the demands of cycling and says their suitability to industrial machinery doesn’t necessarily provide the performance benefit for cyclists that many people and companies claim they do.
“Another issue with using them [ceramic bearings] on bicycles is their hardness,” says Weatherill. “While this again is an advantage in many industrial applications, it's a major drawback on bikes. The shocks from hitting potholes and other road blemishes impact the hard ceramic balls into the softer steel races commonly used. This dent in the race is then felt when the bearing is rotated, giving you rough bearings.”


Is there a local bike shop near to you where you can go and try one for size and perhaps get advice?

I think, generally speaking, it's easier to get a slightly small frame to fit rather than trying to adapt a too big frame...


How can I measure a saddle to buy something similar?

Summary:

There is no set of measurements you can use to compare seats between brands.
The best way to get the same feel every time would be to find a seat model you like that has an enduring reputation. You may even want to get a spare, just in case.

Details:
The seat a bike company includes on a new bike is most often the one they could get for the lowest price. It's almost impossible to find a match for these seats.
On more expensive bikes bike companies will specify something that is name brand and can be purchased again from various venders.
In either case if you get a seat that works for you it's almost a miracle. Bicycle seats are like shoes - they really need to be tried on. Some companies offer an easy return policy on seats so you can try out seats at home and return them if they don't work.
The measurement that pops up most frequently is seat width.

Every saddle should either come with a width measurement or can be measured.

Even seats with the exact same measured width will have different curvature, length, padding thickness, padding type, frame, design and flex.
Since there are so many factors in what determines how a seat feels some seat makers have web functionality/methodology asking you questions that will allow them to make suggestions for the correct seat. The Selle SMP "Saddle Finder" is one example. Another is the Saddle Finder for Treks Bontrager brand (not a recommendation) They base their recommendation on things like male/female, age, type of bike, type of cycling, frequency of riding and sit bone width based on pant size.
The information provided by seat makers is based on standards created by the seat maker that might help you pick seats that are similar within one seat maker's model range. It is unlikely that one makers information will help when comparing seats from different makers.
There are some seat makers and models that have been around for a long time.
The best way to get the same feel every time would be to find a seat model you like that has an enduring reputation. You may even want to get a spare, just in case.


Like so many other things in life, size does matter.

You need to have the master link matched to the chain size (which depends on the number of speeds and manufacturer (which is basically campagnolo versus everyone else)). For example, a master link for a 11 speed chain will be too small for a 7/8/9 speed chain.

Manufacturers generally suggest you use their chain closing mechanism (Shimano's special rivets, KMC/SRAM's master links, Campagnolo's special rivet that needs peening, etc.), though many people mix and match master links across brands without issue.

In this case, you'll be fine -- 7/8 speed bikes use the same chain (you have a 3x7; the 24 would be 3x8), so you can install the link on the chain.


Where can I get a new steer tube or 1 1/8" 6061 Aluminum Rod Stock?

2 things:

While many older forks used replaceable steerer tubes, the steerer tube is still specifically  shaped for that fork. Tubing will not do it. You need an oem replacement steerer tube. Nobody makes forks like that anymore, hence the lack of google results.

Also, that steerer tube in the photo looks to be steel, and should not be replaced with aluminum.


Is my stopping dangerous when Idaho Stop is de facto but not legal?

When it comes to stop signs, I live by some simple rules:

If it's a multi-way stop and there's another car waiting or just arriving, I stop.
If I can't clearly see or judge what I'm riding into, I stop.
If it doesn't feel right for some reason, I stop.
If there's a cop there (or a history of cops), I stop.

I don't necessarily clip out and put my foot down, but I stop. These rules have worked for me pretty well. But one thing I've never worried about is my safety, when I stop. I've easily ridden 100,000 miles on the roads, including the East Bay, in all kinds of conditions. I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I felt less safe stopping than not stopping. There are plenty of things out there to worry about, but that isn't one of them.


Lockring tool seems to be 1mm or 2mm too small to fit sram 8 speed cassete?

The tool you have looks to be for freewheels. Here’s a photo of a known good cassette tool (Park Tool FR-5.2):
See how the splines are way deeper than your tool’s?
The other large tool you have is likely a bottom bracket tool and is not for cassettes at all.


Sram's chains are little bit wider than Shimano's. Sram links will only work with Sram chains. KMC will work with Shimano chains.


You are a biker and you hit a pedestrian

I've never done that, but in many places you are legally required to stop and render assistance.  Also, it's the non-a**hole thing to do.

  You are a biker and you hit a biker

Again, stop, make sure the other person isn't hurt and doesn't have any mechanical trouble that'll stop them from riding.
If there is an injury or either party thinks it necessary, exchange contact info and/or wait for a responding officer.

  You are a biker and you hit an inanimate object

If it's someone else's property, like a car or a mailbox, and there's damage, leave a note with your contact info.

As Johannes points out, in some jurisdictions, a note might not be enough.  You might be assumed to have fled if you don't make an attempt to contact the owner or file a report with the police.

  You are a pedestrian and a biker hits you

In many places, the cyclist is probably at fault since there are no highways for bikes where the pedestrian isn't assumed to have right-of-way.

Ask for contact info, and offer assistance if the cyclist is injured.  If the cyclist leaves the scene without stopping, remember details (what the cyclist looked like and was wearing, their frame color and design), and file a police report.

  You are driving a car and a biker hits you

Same as in a car/car collision.  Stop, render assistance and give a report to any responding officer if either party is injured or thinks a report is necessary.

  You are an inanimate object and a biker hits you

Impotent rage.

  You are a biker and you fall over in the middle of the road and everyone laughs at you

I've done this.

Pick yourself up, and declare that you meant to do it.  Ride off pouting.  Realize your wheel is now out of true.  Stop.  True it enough with the wrong size nipple wrench until it stop scraping against the fenders.  Ride off pouting again.


cable too short to reattach into a sturmey archer 3 speed shifter

Cables have special ends on the brake lever / shifter lever side which you need in order to hook the cable into the lever. A brake cable end for mountain bikes looks like:

You can't add these ends to an existing cable. If the cable is broken near the lever, then almost surely the part of the cable with the end is not going to be long enough. Thus, if you don't have a cable end, buy a new cable.

It's quite dangerous to have a broken brake cable, so you should get that fixed asap.

If you do have the appropriate cable with end, you just need to remove the cable tension (disconnect it), and then thread it through the part of the lever which can grab the cable as shown here.


How to add rear rack to a full suspension bike?

I recommend against doing this. You will be dramatically increasing your unsprung mass, which will play hell with your suspension's dynamics. You might want to consider a trailer instead, or see if you can carry the load in a frame bag and/or seat bag.


A couple things here that could be tripping you up:

Both belt drive and Nuvinci hubs can be noisy all by themselves. Belts frequently also make noise in the stand that vanishes when riding and vice versa. Getting belt tension just right is a whole other step and noise will frequently be the result when it's not dialed. Lubricating it is another piece. (I always use silicone cleaning spray, and yes this is a Gates-sanctioned thing). If the rear cog was visibly out of line with the front, then perhaps this isn't likely to be the problem, but worth mentioning.
When you bent the frame around the second time and the noise went away, it could have affected the belt tension.
If somehow the chainline (beltline) was incorrect with the parts that are on there, it could create the situation where it made noise when the alignment was right and didn't when it was wrong.
Doing what you're attempting without dropout alignment tools or an improvised substitute is iffy. What they do is integral to the whole process of aligning a frame after it's been severely misaligned.

You mention that you're seeing some torsional misalignment between the BB and the front wheel. A way you could go about trying to fix that is taking the fork out, clamping the BB in a vise with some old steel cups, removing the fork and headset, and getting a long steel pipe that mates closely with the inside of the head tube to use as a leverage bar. Then to check the alignment (which you should do first) you can hold the frame up against a light source and eyeball the parallelism between the seatube and headtube. This isn't likely to have any bearing on rear torsional alignment though. You need dropout tools for that.

Something you can do is take a long, straight piece of square aluminum extrusion, like 80/20, and use it as a straight edge referenced off the bottm bracket. For example, clamping them together in a vise, measuring with a caliper between the seat and the straight edge all the way down their lengths, repeating for the down tube, then removing the straight edge, re-clamping the bb, and reefing on the tubes. If there is shell misalignment, something like this is how you'd fix it.


How to be certain a Boardman ADV 8.8 would fit without prior road bike experience?

This is why people recommend not going to Halfords. (For the benefit of people outside the UK, Halfords is primarily a car accessory shop, which also sells bikes).

If you go to a proper bike shop, the staff will insist on fitting the bike to your properly, rather than coming up with excuses not to. They'll also let you take the bike on a proper test ride, rather than just riding around the store.


According to campus police reports (apparently backed by video surveillance), an organized gang of bike thieves operates in my area using techniques like this. They use the following system:

A few "spotters" stroll around the campus and pick out the $1500+ bikes.
An hour or so later, a different thief, dressed in coveralls etc. comes by and cuts the locks with appropriate tools. He then walks away, leaving each bike with a cut lock.
An hour or so later, a third group of thieves comes round to collect the bikes. They put away the cut locks exactly like a rider would put away a lock they own, so that it appears to onlookers that they are the owner. They then ride off.

So apparently at least some of the more sophisticated thieves will go to the trouble of separating the cutting from the theft, if they know they are under surveillance.


At that weight it is 99% Aluminum. This is also backed up by the sizing of the tubes, as Aluminum has a much lower density. At the sizing and thickness of the tubing for it to be Ti/Steel it would be a considerable amount heavier.

The uniformity and consistency of the yellow/bronze would lead me to think that this is most likely anodized.


The sprocket wheel on my Shimano Nexus 7(SG-R46) no longer rotates freely when free-wheeling my bike

OK. I love the nexus series. They are great pieces of kit with a lot of utility in crappy environments. Low maintenance, ease of use and nearly bullet proof.

Except when it comes to water. Your model uses grease to lubricate the internals, not oil. Water intrusion, even in small amounts, will cause the symptoms you describe. The hub most likely needs to be taken apart, cleaned and repacked with the super special shimano grease (I wouldn't play with that one here as the wrong grease might cause damage.) It's pretty straightforward if you take your time.  For more information, including diagrams, instructions and shimano factory manuals go to Sheldon Brown's (RIP) at Nexus Internal Gear


Is it normal for disc brakes to smell of burnt plastic?

Sounds like you may have "glazed" your pads and rotors. New brake pads require a break-in period before you subject them to hard long braking.

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/article/workshop-how-to-bed-in-disc-brake-pads-31337/

Even when you already have your disks broken in, long drag braking can cause them to overheat and fade. This leads to a kind of vicious cycle in which the brake is less effective and you start using it even more.

Brakes are designed to cool themselves with the available airflow, even a few seconds every minute can make a difference. Of course, that's easier said than done when you feel like you are over your head. Braking effectively is a skill that takes practice. If you are dragging the brakes constantly to control your speed, you'll be better off coming to a complete stop and regrouping.

Sometimes, you just need to walk stuff when you are over your head.

http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-training/how-to-brake-your-mountain-bike/


Will an ACS 13T X 3/32 Crossfire freewheel fit an All-City Standard 130mm Hub?

No. Freewheels that small use a smaller diameter thread intended for BMX hubs. The smallest freewheel you're going to find for that hub is a 15T. I believe ACS makes one in 15T called Claws that fits a standard hub. Cheap and it works.


The Scope Of The Lance Armstrong Doping Scandal

While there are a lot of riders that have admitted doping, and/or been sanctioned for it (As well as others involved in the teams), I don't think anyone has compiled a single "Lance list". If you want to know, you are pretty much going to have to look through the team members and then check each of them individually.

In addition to US Postal, Trek/Discovery and other Lance variations, many riders of the same era from other teams have also been sanctioned, among them Ulrich, Vinokourov (sp), Pantani, Basso, and the list goes on.

Now that the USADA information has been released, the number of people named/sanctioned that testified include 11 former teammates in the USPS/Discovery days, among then Hincapie, Christian Vandevelde, Levi Leipheimer, Frankie Andreu. There are also quite a few redacted (Blacked out) names that are either not riders or are foreign riders. There have been quite a few resignations and firings among team staff related to this. There is an excellent interview with Levi here: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20121016/ARTICLES/121019643

Note: Some of the following is hearsay type material: There is also speculation that the UCI itself was complicit in Lance's case, letting the team know when testing would occur, etc. (End vague, hearsay type evidence).

One of the running jokes I've heard is that if they do actually take the titles away from Lance (Which is still up in the air, that's a UCI decision and will probably eventually end up in CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport]), they will have to find some club riders to give it to because nobody else would be left.

In short, it's a big mess, and it's probably safe to say that doping was (and still is) rife in elite cycling, and the ones that get caught are the ones that simply aren't paying attention.

Oh, and for the record, Lance has tested positive twice, once for corticosteroids (1999), which was not outside the legal limits and attributed to a saddle cream, and another test in the 2000's was tossed out because the sample wasn't handled properly.

I think it's a bit of a misnomer to label it all as the "Lance doping scandal", however. Lance is just the most visible part of a very large iceberg.

And to add, now that the iceberg is starting to break up, many sponsors are leaving Lance (As of 10.18.2012) These include Nike, Giro, Trek, Anheuser Busch. Honey Stinger (Of which he is an investor) is removing his likeness from packaging, and he has stepped down as chairman of Livestrong. There is speculation that SRAM is attempting to buy back his shares as he is an investor there as well.


Basically what you want to do is to get stronger – you want to be able to ride in a higher gear at the same cadence. There are a number of ways to work on this, one is to push yourself hard(er) on hills.

What has worked for me is to find a hill that feels relatively easy in a low gear (for me this means that I can comfortably ride the hill at around 80 rpm). Then I'll try the hill in a higher gear (a cog or two higher in the rear, still using the small ring in front), pushing myself to keep my cadence up. I'll do this until my legs and/or lungs hurt, then I'll coast down the hill and recover. Then I'll do it again. Maybe four or five times. Then I'll go for a nice ride :-)

I think the formal name for it is something like interval training or hill repeats. The idea is to work yourself hard enough to get your heart rate high and trigger release of growth hormone. The growth hormone tells your body that it needs more muscle. It must figure out somehow that the tired muscles are the ones to grow…

The weight of your bike, is a mixed blessing – for absolute performance it definitely hurts – it's more weight that you have to carry up the hill, but on the other hand that same extra weight is helping you get stronger. I'm sure someone knows how to do the calculations, but my gut sense is that it is not a huge difference.


How to keep a component "pressed" so the chain remains hooked?

Yes, that is the rear derailleur. FYI there is a Terminology Index on this site that provides all component names.

It seems the problem you are having is that the derailleur is not lining up with each of the rear sprockets, so the chain is not running on them properly.

Most modern derailleur systems are indexed, that is the shifter lever has discrete clicks that correspond to each sprocket. What has probably happened on your bike is that the cable has stretched or loosened so that the derailleur does not sit directly over a sprocket at each position.

The derailleur or shifter cable usually has a barrel adjuster that can shorten of lengthen the cable to adjust the dearilleur position. In your case the cable likely needs to be detached from the derailleur and the effective length reset.

There are several online guides that detail how to adjust derailleurs. This one from Park Tool is probably one of the best ones - https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment.


Your question does not provide enough information to locate where the noise is coming from. There are many things on a bicycle that can create periodic ticking or clicking. The best we can do is provide you some pointers to help track it down.

One of the most obvious things to do is try to recreate the sound when you are not on the bike. Hold the rear wheel of the ground and manually turn the pedals. Having someone assist you will allow you to move your head near the drivetrain and rear wheel and try to figure out where the noise if coming from. If the noise does not occur when doing this, the problem it might be associated with the front wheel.

If the sound persists when you stop pedaling but the wheel is moving, it's the wheels rather than the drivetrain.

You say the sound becomes louder and quicker when coasting. You may actually have two noise sources, one associated with the drive train and one with the hub or freewheel.


The Deore XT is a mountain bike derailleur and as such has is long cage dérailleur. Long cage dérailleurs can run larger cassettes for a larger gearing range (at the cost of larger jumps between gears).  I don't know what the Shimano product selection was like in 1999, but you can now get Shimano 105 as either long or short cage depending on your set up (see images below).

As for Deore XT being more "solid" in 1999 we were running 105 short cage derailleurs on downhill bikes with a single front ring, so that we could run shorter chain lengths and have less chain slap.  The 105 derailleurs survived many crashes.  (Speculation/Humour - I personally suspect the shop was smoking some impressive substances, as was often the case with bicycle shop owners in the 90's)

Compatibility Notes

For more technical description you should see a previous bicycle.stackexchange question:
How to calculate the capacity of a rear derailleur

Short cage - Short cage dérailleur can only take up or let out so much chain slack.  Therefore your gearing setup may require more chain slack than your derailleur can give or take up.  For example on a double front ring (road bike) set up you can't have a rear cassette that has a cog larger than 27. That said, on the right setup the chain slack is tighter and shifting should be more precise.

Long-cage - Long cage dérailleurs can take up or let out much more chain slack due to the longer pulley cage.  You can run a larger array of gears as a result.  The downside is that shifting isn't quite as precise and the chain isn't under as much tension and you are more likely to get chain slap on rougher terrain.

UPDATE: Since posting I have learned that there are now short, medium and long cage derailleurs.  Same basic idea still applies.

Visual Distinction Between Short and Long Cage Derailleurs

To give you a better idea about what a short and long cate derailleur look like I dug up the following images from google.  Your Deore XT will have similar proportions as the Shimano 105 long cage derailleur displayed below.

Short Cage Shimano 105

Long Cage Shimano 105


2-speed front derailleur - three possible positions?

That's the high "trim" position.
Most Shimano front road derailleurs have four positions: low, low trim, high, and high trim.
If your derailleur is properly adjusted, after you shift the front derailleur to the low-gear position, it will have a position somewhat outboard that can be reached by pushing the brake lever somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 the way to full shift.
And as you've discovered, there's a "high trim" position that can be reached by applying light pressure to the small shift lever to move the derailleur slightly inboard from its "high" big-gear position.
Those two "trim" positions allow cross-chaining capability without the chain rubbing on the front derailleur cage.


Are there any tricks or pitfalls in timing gear changes?

3 basic tips

Try to be predictive in your shifting. Don't wait until you really need the next lower gear to change gears. Try to do it before your cadence drops to where you're mashing on the pedals
Ease up on the pedals when shifting. If you missed on the first tip, then let up on the mashing very briefly during the downshift. This will aid the chain in transitioning from one cog/chainring to the next. With some practice you can even get the timing right to where the chain will climb (or fall) during the least powerful part of your pedal stroke (6oclock/12oclock-ish) during sprint (or just normal) pedaling
Don't shift the front and the back at the same time. Try to drop the front chainring first and stagger upshifting in the back by a split second. This will help reduce drivetrain issues like dropping your chain and chainsuck.


What is what appears to be electrical conductive tape beneath the "water-proof cap" inside the Ultegra 6600 STI assembly?

Flight Deck was a system where information on gear selection and cadence can be sent to a head unit to display to the rider, and combined with the wheel diameter, also speed. So electrical contacts to connect up to this. A bit superseded by GPS units now.


How much assembly is required when an LBS orders a bike?

This is determined by your LBS, the relationship you have with them and the bike your buying.

Generally bikes come in flat pack boxes and, with the exception of top end bikes, are partially assembled out of the factory. The reseller needs to attach the handle bar and do a safety check. If you want to change parts out you'll have to pay workshop rates.

However if you a buying a good bike from a good LBS you'll find they'll disassemble the bike, chase and face the head tube, bottom bracket and disc tabs as part of the sale. They'll also make any upgrades that you've asked for, either purchased from them or from a different reseller.

If you're purchasing the parts from them on a new bike you should expect a discounted workshop rate. If your bring the parts you shop be expecting to pay premium workshop rates.

There's no set rule of thumb. However as always ensure you have a good relationship with your LBS and they'll look after you and your bike.


How do to tension and true a rear wheel with a warped rim?

You need a good book, and, unfortunately, no really good books on bike maintenance have been written in about 20 years.

Two that you might be able to buy used are:

Effective Cycling
By John Forester
MIT Press, 1984

The All New Complete Book of Bicycling
By Eugene A. Sloane
Simon & Schuster, 1980

Both contain decent discussions of wheel building and truing.


Ideal differences are generally thought of to be around 15%.  Changes in excess of 20% make it difficult to select a proper gear for spinning based on varied conditions.  Changes of less than 10% are so slight that they will almost unnoticeable to most unskilled riders and even some skilled riders.

You make an assumptions about the purpose of gearing on a bicycle that is incorrect.  Gearing is present to provide the proper gear to maintain a near constant and comfortable for the rider cadence in a variety of changing conditions.  They are not simply there to provide a shifting mechanism until the bike "gets up to speed".  A combustion engine has a power range that is most efficient at a certain RPM, but there is no comfort level involved.  It will produce any amount of power in it's range given the proper amount of gas. The human body does not work in the same manner.  There is a very defined range that riders are comfortable producing power in.  Generally producing power above that range causes drastic losses overall and can only be maintained for so long.  You miss the point that lower gears also need to be closely spaced to maintain that output in conditions that greatly slow a bicycle (hills, wind, etc).


Removing Derailleur Hanger from Devinci Spartan

Welcome back. Sweet ride and I hope to read more about Devinci and their bikes. Leading a sheltered life and really have only heard of the bikes in passing. In the interest of an answer for you, a Google search of "2018 c Spartan," lead me to the company's website and then to the  Technical Manual.

As you can see on page 1 at the rear axle schematic, you will indeed remove that nut to release the split pivot derailleur hangar. They term the rear axle assembly, "Pivot Kit Shaft," and the right side has about 5 pieces, counting the bolt, bearing, axle and dropout insert. The hangar is the other piece. Included in the document are torque values for every connection. These should be closely adhered to along with good threaded fastener techniques (greasing threads, Loctite where indicated, clean surfaces, etc). This is especially so for carbon frames. The schematic helps immensely, making more words superfluous.  Good riding!


Is it possible to change to a larger and type of crankset from a one-piece Ashtabula style?

One piece cranks are used on inexpensive adult bikes so larger chainrings should be available as replacement parts. The crank-chainring interface is standardized. See Sheldon Brown's page on one piece cranks.

Note that the size of the chainring will be limited by the clearance between it and the drive side chainstay.