What other tools do I need with my truing stand?

If you're just truing a wheel, all you need is the appropriate spoke wrench (which depends on what wheel you have, obviously).

There are four aspects to truing a wheel (quoted from Park Tool, which I suggest you read):

  LATERAL TRUE: this true is also called “rim run-out”, and is the
  side-to-side wobble of the rim as the wheel spins. This aspect is the
  most critical to brake caliper settings.

  RADIAL TRUE: this is the amount of up and down wobble. If the wheel
  becomes out-of-round, it wobbles up and down with each revolution. In
  severe cases this will affect brake pad placement and can be felt by
  the rider as a bump every wheel revolution.

  RIM CENTERING or “DISH”: this refers to the rim being centered in the
  frame. If the rim is offset in the frame to either side it may be
  difficult to adjust the brakes. Severe cases of poor centering can
  also cause handling problems, because the rear wheel will not track
  behind the front wheel.

  TENSION: this is simply the tightness of the spokes. Spokes are
  tensioned just like other fasteners. Spoke tension is best measured
  using a tool called a spoke tension meter (tensiometer) such as the
  Park Tool TM-1, which flexes the spoke using a calibrated spring.

You probably won't need to handle dishing a wheel at home. As for the tensiometer, it can be nice to have (esp if you're replacing spokes or whatever; large deviations from normal spoke tension) or if you get into building a wheel, but a lot of people go by feel (squeezing spokes or whatever) and it is adequate.


Many of the smaller bolt heads on MTB components tend to be Torx these days, especially for certain brands. For example, of the components I own, the SRAM mtb derailleurs, brake levers, brake rotors, shifters, etc use Torx-headed bolts, yet all the SRAM road components I own are strictly hex keyed. Why they don't stick to one style- preferably Torx- I don't know. I do know that Torx provides more "bite" which results in a bolt head that is less likely to strip, especially in smaller sizes. This makes a lot of sense, especially where higher torque is required such as brake rotor bolts which typically require a higher torque specification in comparison to similarly sized hardware.

That said, there would be no real technical or performance reason to have only one Torx bolt per rotor. I know that many cars with alloy wheels use a single lug nut with a special head per wheel and normal lug nuts on all the rest of the bolts for theft protection. Perhaps this is supposed to be something analogous to that. Alternatively, since you stated that this was a BSO (or Bike-Shaped Object, usually referring to a low quality or department store bike), it's possible that a) a single Torx bolt is used to discourage low skilled workers that are assembling the bikes from removing the rotors, especially if they are of differing sizes, or b) this is simply what they had laying around and the single count on each rotor is a coincidence.

Bottom line, you would not find this as a "feature" of disc brakes or bikes equipped with them of any real quality.


Shifter cable broke down: misuse, lack of maintenance, shifter or regular occurrence?

It's not uncommon. Some Shimano shifters are prone to breaking off near the head in the shifter and it can be a bugger to get that little bit out of the shifter. My wife has Ultegra 9sp and I have to replace her cable about every 12-18 months.

She can now tell when it's beginning to fray because the shifting gets dodgy before it completely breaks.


Should I feel self-conscious wearing cycling shorts to school?

I'm currently a senior in high school, so I understand your concern about style. In my opinion, and that of all my friends, wearing lycra shorts to school looks ridiculous, no offense. I don't know how far your commute is, but when I take my road bike to school, it's only 3 miles, so I just wear regular shorts and bring another t-shirt I can throw on so I'm not all sweaty and throw a pair of sneakers into my bag so I'm not stuck wearing cleats all day. If you have a longer commute, just put a pair of basketball shorts on over your lycra shorts. It looks good, feels fine, and others can't even tell you have lycra shorts on underneath them. Baggy cycling shorts don't look much better than lycra when you're in high school, even just for your commute.

As far as changing in the locker room, that should be fine. I've done the same thing plenty of times. If you're self-conscious about it, you can always use a shower stall or something so you have some privacy.


That sequence is more or less correct, though different mechanics will likely do it differently.

First off, if you haven't changed derailers (or adjusted the the one you have) then the low and high limits should be about correct.

The front shifter has a spring that pulls the derailer cage in the direction of the small sprocket, so without the cable in place it will move that direction.  Adjust the LOW limit to center the derailer cage over the low sprocket.

In order to adjust the HIGH limit you need to have something (ie, the cable) pull the cage in that direction, so attach the cable.  To get the cable about right, though, put the shifter on the lowest gear setting, screw in any barrel adjuster, and then stretch the cable tight and clamp (but do not cut the cable short yet).  Then use the shifter to move the derailer to the high end and adjust the HIGH limit to center the cage over the large ring.

Once you've got high and low set, and the cable attached, you adjust the barrel adjuster to center the cage over the middle ring when that's selected with the shifter.  Then repeat the whole process to fine-tune it.  And expect to need to tighten the barrel adjuster again in a few days as the cable stretches out.

I'm skeptical that your setup lacks (and is intended to lack) barrel adjusters.  They may have been incorporated in the old shifters and the new ones lack them, in which case you'd need to buy inline adjusters.  Or the adjusters may be there but "hiding" -- on the derailer body, in one of the frame fittings for the cable, etc.


How to clean an stone-stricken carbon MTB without doing damage to the carbon....?

I would clean the area with soap and water. you can cover any deep paint chips  with clear nail polish. Gaffers tape which I assume is similar to  duct tape will not provide adequate protection. It degrades when exposed to sunlight and the residue left after it is removed is tough to  remove. There are several companies making frame protection films. "Lizard Skins" is one I am familiar with. It is a thick  plastic  adhesive backed film. The film comes in precut shapes to mount in specific areas. When the film gets to the point it needs replacement it peels off. Any glue residue comes off with alcohol.


How do I calculate the power required to climb a hill at a given cadence?

You don't quite supply enough information in your specific question (that is, "50RPM for 10 minutes with 39x23 with 10% hill") to provide a full answer in absolute terms but, if we assume you're riding a standard sized 700c bike there's enough information to make a good estimate in relative terms.

First I'll give a short answer, then a rule of thumb that's easy to calculate and will put you within about 10%, then a longer more detailed answer.

The short answer to your question, in relative terms, is ~ 3 watts/kg of total mass. To convert that to total absolute watts, you just multiply 3 watts/kg * total mass (in kg) for you, your bike, and all the equipment you're carrying. For example, if you weigh 70 kg and your bike and all its equipment together weigh an additional 10 kg, it will take approximately 3 * (70+10) = 240 watts. If you weigh 70 kg, that would mean you would need to produce 240/70 = ~ 3.4 watts/kg of body mass.  To put that into context, 3.4 watts/kg for 10 minutes is not a bad amount of power output for a casual recreational cyclist; on a normal walk on flat level ground people average around 1 watt/kg, while a pro cyclist might be able to average in excess of 5 watts/kg for an hour. It has been estimated that Lance Armstrong produced slightly over 6 watts/kg for 40 minutes in climbing Alpe d'Huez during the Tour de France.

A rule of thumb to use to convert speed to power on steep hills is this: On a steep hill, multiply the hill's gradient by your speed in km/h, then by ~ 3. If you measure your speed in mph, multiply by 5 rather than 3. That will give you a ballpark estimate of the watts/kg you need to produce. For example, if you are climbing a 10% hill in a 39/23 gear ratio at 50 rpm on a standard sized bike, you're traveling at ~ 11 km/h (or around 6.5 mph). So 10% * 11 km/h = 1.1, and 1.1 * 3 = 3.3 watts/kg. Alternatively, if you measure speed in mph, 10% * 6.5 mph = .65, and .65 * 5 = 3.25 watts/kg. Basically, all you have to remember for this rule of thumb is the number 3 if you measure speed in km/h, or 5 if you measure speed in mph.

How did I convert your cadence in a particular gear to speed? On a standard normal-sized bike, the "700c" rear wheel has a circumference ~ 2100mm (= ~ 2.1 meters). If you were pedaling at 50 rpm through a 39/23 gear, then (50 rpm) * (39/23) * (60 minutes/hour) * (2.1 meters) = ~ 10700 meters/hour, or 10.7 km/h, or 6.6 mph.

And now, the fuller explanation. The equation to convert speed to power is well-understood. Total power demanded has four parts:

Total power = power needed to overcome rolling resistance +
              power needed to overcome aerodynamic resistance +
              power needed to overcome changes in speed (kinetic energy) +
              power needed to overcome changes in elevation (potential energy)

Of these, the simplest piece is the power needed to overcome changes in elevation which, fortunately in this case, is what you were asking. On a steep hill, your speed is low and the aerodynamic and other resistance forces tend to be small relative to the climbing part. The power needed to account for the change in potential energy is straightforward:

watts(PE) = slope * speed in meters/sec * total mass * 9.8 m/sec^2

or

watts/kg = slope * speed in meters/sec * 9.8 m/sec^2

So, all we need is to get speed in m/s. If you have a cyclecomputer that reads in km/h, you need to divide km/h by 3.6 to get m/s and multiply by 9.8. If your cyclecomputer reads in mph, divide mph by 2.25 and multiply by 9.8. If you do this, you'll see that the resulting constants are approximately 3 (for km/h) and 5 (for mph), as stated in the rule of thumb above.


If you have a freewheel (which it seems like you have on the BSO), and theres anything wrong with it, the solution is to replace it (if those directions don't work, you can try this method). In general, they're not user serviceable parts.

My guess is that you have some pawls stuck or something.  A stopgap measure that might work is dumping wd-40 or similar into/around the freewheel.

In any case, the repair will be the same -- buy a new freewheel, a freewheel remover tool and install a new freewheel on.


Do we know this type/brand/model of vintage bicycle?

ITs a generic BSO made for the 70/80's 10sp market, likely basic cro mo or gas pipe type.heavy as lead...not worth wasting effort or money on..


The major differences are the HX series is machined a little differently, which aids in preventing chain stretch from happening as quickly and increases over all tensile strength. The pins are mushroomed which also adds durability and helps with lateral flex. The increased cost is due to increased machining/production process.

Other than those two things they are pretty similar, if you ride a ton i would spend the extra, if you don't ride often then go the cheaper route. I have had some experience with both and they do seem to last a bit longer especially if you are a heavy rider or really power through things and are hard on your drive chain. if your more of a light agile rider that finesses through things rather than powering through then you would probably be fine with the standard 510.

Back when i spoke with KMC and was researching all their chains for work, i believe the number they told me was 30% strength difference between the standard and HX. I do not however know where this number came from or what sort of testing was involved to come to that conclusion.

I personally like their new Neochrome color, its like an oil slick rainbow kinda thing, looks good with lots of black :P


It partially depends on where the cable comes out of the post. If it's from the top you can route the cable across the bottom of the top tube and up to the handle bar or down the seat tube and up the down tube. On the other hand, if the cable comes out of the bottom of the post, you can try to go out the bottom of the seat tube and up the down tube.

What is also becoming more common on frames without designated routing for dropper posts is to run a 1x setup and re-use the routing for the front derailleur cable for the dropper cable.


Lock ring won't reattach on bottom bracket

Not attaching it will be bad, the thing it's there to lock will loosen or tighten as you pedal. What it does depends on whether it's a left hand or right hand thread.

Looking at it, it might be a right hand thread, meaning a French or Italian bottom bracket. So it will tighten up as you pedal. That's unusual and may be the reason the lockring is loose (whoever took it off turned it the usual way, it didn't go on, they gave up). If so, you're lucky and it's just a matter of putting it back on by tightening it the usual (right hand/clockwise) way. It may even be that the BB has a right hand thread and the lock ring is a replacement with left hand thread, and that's never going to work.

But it might not be, the photo is not really clear. The thread is quite fine so it can be hard to get it started. If the thread is damaged you're going to have to fix or replace it, so it's worth spending a bit of time trying to get it to screw on.

You may well find that the reason it's loose is that it won't screw back on, and possibly that the reason the bike was sold is that that renders it unrideable. Or, if it is a right hand thread, that they're so annoying to work on and relatively rare as a result, that the owner decided to give it up as a bad idea.

Fortunately the parts required are relatively cheap and readily available. Unfortunately you need special tools to do that change.

You will need:

a 6mm or 8mm allen key to undo the crank bolt (visible in the photo)
a crank puller (maybe)
a bottom bracket spanner (BB spanner)

(edit - thanks Carel) It looks very much as though there are "self extracting" crank bolts - if you undo the bolt in the crank it will hit the ring that's been screwed in (you remove that by gripping onto the two little holes in it), and push the crank off. If it's been there a while it will help to lubricate the bolt/ring interface, ideally with grease but oil will also work. Removing that crank will give you much better access to the lock ring.

You can do this two ways: find a replacement lockring and BB cup and just swap those. The parts should be nearly free... if you can find them. It's not worth paying someone to do this, so you'll need to rely on the friend who has the parts also having the tools.

The other way is to buy a modern cartridge/sealed bottom bracket and fit that. You really need to know which threads are on both sides of the BB to know what BB to buy, so first you need to pull the cranks and extract the existing BB. Personally, I would buy a sealed BB to replace that open one, so I wouldn't be too fussy about how exactly I removed the bottom bracket. But keep the axle, you need to measure that to determine who long it is because that's the key measurement when buying a replacement. Be much more careful about pulling the cranks, you need to keep those.

This is what a bike shop will do. You're probably looking at $40 or more for the bottom bracket and $20-$30 minutes of labour. Or buy the BB and borrow or buy the tools ($30-$40 off Amazon or eBay, more from your local bike shop).

Assuming it's not a standard/British bottom bracket, your choices are a non-threaded "universal" BB that just sits in the frame held by screwing the two parts together, and a threaded one that actually screws into the frame. The former will probably be easier to find, but be aware that it will almost certainly damage the threads in your bike over time, so once you put one in you can't go back.


The short but not really useful answer is stiffness, aerodynamics and mass.

Light wheels will allow better acceleration and climbing, because the rider has to put energy into the increasing angular momentum and lifting the mass against gravity.

Aerodynamic deeper section but heavier wheels are faster on the flat at a constant speed. Once the wheels are spun up mass does not need energy to keep spinning, and the aerodynamic losses predominate.

Generally a 'better' wheel will be one designed for the particular conditions you want to use them for, and there is a good correlation between quality and cost.

If you want to figure out which is the better wheel from similar designs from different manufacturers at the same price point, you'd need a testing lab to distinguish the differences.


My rear wheel shifts in the dropouts, what could cause this?

Check the alignment of dropouts, and if QR mates with dropout with full surface on both sides. Maybe you could use marker or some kind of fresh ink, paint the dropout, install everything and then observe if paint transfer was uniform.

If you have spare wheel (or you can borrow one) ideally without QR try installing it and see if problem persists. If the problem persists, than the issue is on the frame side, or in the way you are tightening. Otherwise, it is on the QR side.

Lastly, I have to ask this, are you sure you are installing and tightening QR right way? (finger tighten, and then use lever on QR to get a good tight)


Is it possible to increase maximum seatpost insertion length by filing down a seat tube bottle cage mount boss?

Drilling the seat tube is a bad idea, for the reasons you've indicated. Very rarely a bike shop will have a tool for reaming a seat tube (more usually framebuilders have those) that can to the task in a slightly safer way.

BUT from my experience with a welded steel frame where I didn't bother to back-purge (lesson learned!), even once you weld an extension onto the end of a half-round file, it's a tedious and difficult job to file down irregularities inside the seat tube. You're trying to apply pressure half a metre away from the part you're holding, and that's hard to do. You need a long, strong extension on that file. This is why framebuilders have seat tube reaming tools (which are expensive).

A reaming tool will probably not help you, because that boss is a single, hard obstacle and will likely damage the tool if you can even get it into position to cut the boss. If you do get it in there it's as likely to cut the opposite side of the seat tube away as cut the boss.

A better approach would be to drill out the boss. It's likely that the boss is actually a separate assemble riveted into the frame - they drill a hole, insert the boss, then compress it so it clamps into place. If you can drill out enough of the boss it will fall out, leaving you the original hole in your frame.

Which is the real problem with this approach - at best you'll end up with a hole in your seat tube, and the BB will fill up with water. You can out tape over the hole, and replace the tape when it starts to fail, but it's not ideal. Welding a cover plate on will reverse the heat treatment of the aluminium, leaving a soft spot in the tube. Soldering a patch on would be better, but soldering aluminium is hard (it's an excellent heat conductor!)

The extra stress from the end of the post should be minimal, most seat tubes are actually butted so that minor bends or dents to the tube don't lock the seatpost in place. You'll find the top 100mm or so is tight on the post, after that you have 0.1mm or so space around the post.


You need something else to prop your weight against. Artistic cycling practitioners usually use saddles with high rear edge that can be leaned at. And of course you can use other parts of your body, such as shown here (check the rest of the video for the saddle).


What are my options for installing a FD compatible with Shimano Sora 3x9 STI brifters on a frame with top-pull cable routing?

There are no top-pull Shimano road front derailleurs. (Edit: This was wrong, they've made FD-CX70 in a top pull variant. It's contoured for cyclocross doubles and it's 10-speed. 10-speed FDs on 9-speed chains can be tricky or impossible to adjust to be free of rub, alhough manipulating the cage may solve that.)
A few different companies have made clamp-on pulleys like that. Origin8 is another one.
A lot of cross bikes have a pulley mounted to a braze-on. You can get the pulley part an from framebuilding suppliers, dead frames, etc. They usually use an M6 bolt. The question then arises would just doing it with an M6 rivnut be strong enough. I think it probably would be, but it would be an experiment.
If the downtube is a diameter you can find a clamp-on housing stop for, I think that's the good way. Put a housing stop there and a BB cable guide on. The hole for the cable guide is easy to drill and tap, and many shells have one there anyway.
The other clamp-on housing stop way is get a 31.8 one and clamp it on the seattube under the FD, then do continuous housing zip-tied to the downtube looped down and around the BB. This is easy to do, but the upwards-opening housing makes it the worst option because water contamination will foul it.
Remember to add an in-line barrel adjuster to any of these setups.


As many cable manufacturers recommend, modern cables+housings are designed to not be lubricated.

So, if you have modern cables, I'd probably avoid lubricating the cables period.


New pedal fell off maybe 50 miles after installation. Should I replace the entire crank, just the arm, or repair the thread?

If you installed the pedals incorrectly, you likely damaged the other crank as well.  I'd buy a new set of pedals and have a competent repair shop heli-coil the cranks (both, if necessary) for you.  I believe this would be the cheapest fix (if you plan to keep the bike).

As for the return and other issues, I have no idea what REI's policies are and whether or not they would take back a damaged (and currently unusable) bike.  Perhaps they will refund your purchase price minus repair costs.  Again, heli-coil is likely the cheapest repair.  However, you need to talk to them to find out what options they are offering you.

Based on this incident, I'd recommend you have a shop do any repairs you need until you get some experience wrenching under your belt (from a class, competent friend, internet, etc).  That is, whatever you decide to do (new cranks, heli-coil, etc) I recommend you do it with some sort of supervision or instruction to save yourself additional hassle.


Can / should you put a 28C tire on a rim with an ETRTO of 622 x 14

There's no issue with running a 28 on this width rim. In the decades of 23mm tires being the norm and virtually all road rims being 13-15mm internal width, many cyclists rode 28s since it's the widest size many such road bikes can take.

32 is also fine. 35 is about where issues with squirmy feel are perceptible.


Trek Domane and undamped motion with Isospeed?

As you already suggest the behaviour is not that of a conventional spring. Compared to a conventional spring I would expect it to have some quite high internal damping so it may have characteristics similar to a spring/shock combination.


I think its worse than that - your valve core is not there, but the thinner thread where you connect the airhose is there.
That tells me the shaft of the valve core broke off, the acorn nut was lost, and the guts of it fell into your tube.
This is what a removable valve core looks like:

Your tube appears to be like the one on the right, with no removable core.

You have the coarser thread as an integral part of the valve stem.  Had the valve core been removed, that coarser threadded part would be gone too.

Answer Your tube is dead and need to buy another tube.
The only way to save it is if those two threadded sections can be separated by unthreading the end.  And I suspect they won't because I can't see any flats for a wrench/spanner.
Sorry for the bearer of bad news.   If you want to find some less expensive tubes, search online resellers like wiggle or chain reaction.  Their Lifeline brand tubes are about $4 eurodollarpounds.   I buy them in 5 packs and keep them in stock.


It's as easy as removing the front shifter, shifter cabling, front derailleur, and changing your crankset from a double to a single.
If you have a brifter, you can remove the derailleur cable and figure out some way to keep the brifter from flopping (jb weld, etc) if you don't want to replace it with a brake lever.

The major expense will be getting a single crankset.
(Depending on your crankset spider and desired front gear, you may be able to keep your old crankset as described in comments below.)

Tools you'll need aside from the usual allen wrenches and screw drivers will be a crankset puller and pedal wrench.

Note the weight savings are minimal. You'd save more weight by not having a cheeseburger for lunch.


How to test-ride a full-suspension bike?

Bike shops have a special test-bikes to be lent for a whole day or even a weekend. I tested Specialized, Scott and RB for the whole weekend this way.

You will pay them a refundable deposit (20-80% of price of the bike - depends on the shop). Some of them will charge you a little for cleaning/service or whatever. This may vary across the countries; I have experiences only with mine, but Specialized and Scott are international brands, so I expect similar offers around.

This is an answer for the topic, not your last question, but I think this is the right way to choose a bike.

There are also test-centres in some Single-tracks where you can borrow a bike for couple of rides. But they have a limited offer of models there.
Or some shops organize test-events near nice places to ride with many bikes to try if you book in advance.

This is the best way to choose a bike. I was in the same situation as you. On the first test I borrowed two bikes from one Shop (RB): similar hard-tail and full-suspension and rode it with my friend exchanging couple of times to discover if is it even worth to invest to full suspension. It was quite convincing. Then I tested couple of other models of brands above for weekends. It's a fun to have a different new bike on every weekend. From these tests I came with very certain conclusion what I like the most.


How to mount a compact pump onto a full-suspension frame?

Electric tape is a bad idea because the adhesive can mess with your tube.

Other suggestions

Many off-road riders carry a hydration pack instead of bottles/bidons.  Carry your spares in the pack.
Jersey pockets have worked for roadies for many decades.
Do you have bottle cage mounts?  Either store your tools inside a bottle in the cage, or many mini pumps are sold with a mount point to go between the bottle cage and the frame.
I have a small triangular frame bag that fits inside the main diamond of my bike.  It carries tube and tools, and a USB battery to power the camera on longer rides.  It straps around the top and down tube by velcro.
Likewise you can use a top-tube bag, which velcro-straps to your top tube and around the steerer.  Often found with a clear plastic panel on top to hold your phone.  Sometimes referred ti as a Bento, because it can hold food for snacking.
Not on your bike, but Time Trial bikes with Aerobars can have stuff mounted in the middle of the forearms, with relatively little aero impact.
Any sort of smallish cloth bag can carry your spares, and then use 2 or 3 velcro cable ties to fasten the bag to the frame where its out of the way, and not going to get dirty.  People who ride downhill would want the weight rear, so on the seatpost or seat.  Those who ride everything prefer weight low in the middle or forward if you do steep climbs.
Its also possible to load some tools inside handlebars, replacing the end plugs.  Although this can lead to accidental loss of tools and is no good for tubes.
I read somewhere that the latest Stumpjumper frame has storage compartments in the downtube, which sounds like an interesting idea.
There are frame pumps that are designed to wedge between a corner and a peg, but your frame probably won't have that.
Finally - consider not carrying it.   Instead you could carry a smaller CO2 inflator or add sealant to your tyres and trust it will do the job.  Not really recommended.  Further, there's little point carrying tools you can't use, don't fit your bike, or are broken/worn.  Weed out your loadout and take what you need not what you might need.
If you're out with mates, you don't all need a pump and a multitool.  Just stay together and avoid being separated.


What's this "spacer" lever on the front brake lever for?

Adding pictures to Weiwen's answer...

Here is a picture of a brake lever with the part in question circled in blue.

It is a quick release mechanism integrated into the brake lever that allows increasing the space between the brake pad and the rim for easy wheel removal. Flipping the lever to the right or left in effect makes the brake cable longer allowing the brake pads to open wider.

Other ways a brake quick release has been implemented...

This brake lever has a quick release button

Sometimes the quick release mechanism is located in the brake caliper.

Sometimes it is located in the brake cable hanger/stop, in this case the front cable hanger

On a side note - is that speaker wire used to power the lamp?


Fork Compression Speed during brake action

This depends on:

Rider's centre of mass relative to the front axle (x and y).
Fork spring rate or air pressure.
Fork damping settings.
Braking force over time.
Fork offset and frame head angle.

Could be calculated with something like Matlab but you're looking at university-level vehicle dynamics modeling.

Far easier just to test it.


Hydraulic disc brakes pads are self adjusting for wear, so if the lever needs to be pulled back too far, or is hitting the handlebar the hydraulic system needs to be put through the proper bleeding process to remove air bubbles. You also need to check for leaks and loss of fluid, and check the wear on the brake pads.

Hydraulic fluid cannot be compressed, but air obviously can. When you pull the lever the air bubbles are compressing rather than the pistons and pads being forced towards the rotor. It's kind of like having a spring in the cable of a mechanical V-brake system.

If you are unfamiliar with hydraulic brakes, you may find it better to have a good bike repair shop do the bleed process - it requires a special kit, replacement fluid and has to be carried out following proper procedure. If you want to learn how to do it yourself there are video tutorials available online (here's one) but you really need to check the Shimano manual to make sure you are following the correct procedure.


Yes the FR 1.3 should work. Note that you should be turning counterclockwise to remove the freewheel. You do not need to put the axle back in or remove the lock ring. One trick is to secure the tool in a vise pointing upward. Set the wheel onto the tool and use the rim of the wheel to turn the wheel off if the freewheel rather than turning the freewheel off the wheel.


How to tell if a carbon frame is damaged or if the paint just has stress cracks

Markus Storck, lead engineer and owner of German carbon frame powerhouse Storck Bicycles, told me at a conference about 3 months ago that the best ways to tell if a frame is cracked are movement and time.

Movement, because a crack will flex if it's through the paint into the carbon, and you put pressure on the center of the crack, and time, because a crack will grow with time if it's more than paint.

If you are even halfway concerned with a crack, don't buy the frame.

It's just not worth the risk, unless you can afford to be wrong about the frame's ride-ability.

I hope that helps.


My 6 geared Shimano bike doesn't shift from higher to lower gears but does the opposite smoothly

Separating the derailleur and shifter by undoing the cable is the correct diagnostic process. You now know the derailleur articulates freely, and the shifter shifts freely also.

Next step would be to pull the cable at the derailleur end while working the shifter to see if tension produces friction or binding in the cable and housing.

Also closely inspect the cable run. Make sure that the housing is inserted into frame bosses properly. Look for kinks in the housing, runs of housing that are too short or anything where the cable might bind up  Pull the cable out and check for kinks or fraying.


Cycling fast - and brakes don't work - what to do?

First, I'm sure you've already considered this, but for future visitors: don't get into this situation. If you're at all unsure of your brakes, stop riding until you can get them fixed. Brakes don't just stop working for no reason. Most cyclists should never experience this.

Second, are you sure you have to stop right now? If you're on the flat, you can come to a gentle halt just by sitting up in the saddle (to make yourself less aerodynamic) and waiting a minute. This is certainly preferable except in an emergency. If it really is an emergency, and you must stop in the next few seconds to avoid a brick wall, cliff edge, boiling lava, &c., do the following:

Manoeuvre to somewhere it is safe to do so, and then put your weight on one side so that you fall over sideways. You need an empty space a few metres long (depending on surface conditions and speed) to be sure you won't hit anything. If you're on a road, hitting a high kerb at an angle should help you land on the footpath. If you're in parkland or countryside, a hedge or bush is a much better option than a drainage ditch.

Be careful that even though you know a fall is coming you don't tense up: keep your joints loose and tucked in. Even at a fast cycling speed, if you stay frosty and alert you should be able to walk away from a deliberate fall like this with some bruises, no broken bones or head injuries.


Sounds like there is stickiness on my tire, but there isn't!

Ken Hiatt mentioned a wet spot between tire and tube, and I'd like to add something that have already caused me the same symptoms: the anti-puncture band.

In general, there is an overlapping zone of anti-puncture where one tip lays over the other. Depending on how they sit against each other, this might cause this noise. In my experience, this is also a cause of puncture, because the edge of the band can "cut" a groove into the rubber and eventually puncture it.

I wouldn't discard, for the sake of completeness, something inside the rim if it is double-walled (sand, nipple, whatever), or perhaps something related to the loading/unloading of some spoke when the bike rolls with your weight over it.

Hope this helps!


Choosing new tires: can't find my size on schwalbe site

Your bike had these tyres as stock in 2015 Cross 40c Front - Cross 40c Rear according to http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Merida-Crossway-40-2015-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_74298.htm

2014 version was listed as Tyres:  Cross 700 40C

So you have a 700c rim which can take a 40mm wide tyre.

Confirm this by looking at the sidewall of the tyres, it should say 622-40 or 40-622 somewhere on it.

Any cyclocross tyre should be good up to a width of 40mm, and you might be able to go a little bit larger if the frame and brakes have clearance.

TBH tyre sizing nomenclature is a horrendous mess.  If you want to know more, click here How are tire sizes measured?


Likely something under tension failed which compromised support of the tube leading to the explosion.

Three main culprits come to mind:

Rim Tape - Rim tape can fail as it gets old. Usually what happens is that it can no longer keep the tube out of the spoke nipple wells.  When this happens the tube will expand into the spoke nipple wells where there are all sorts of sharp bits that can lead to a puncture. Look for a slit in the rim tape over one of the spoke nipple well holes.  The tube will have a puncture on the side facing the rim.
Compromised Tire Structure - Your tire carcass may have become partially compromised (e.g., damaged side wall) and over time this slowly broke until the tube exited the compromised area and ruptured. The tube will typically have a large slit.
Temperature related blowout - Is our garage hot?  If so this will increase the pressure in the tire.  If you were already at the upper end of allowable pressures (or the tire/rim combination is not good) then this could lead to and over-pressure blowout where the tube escapes at the tire/rim interface. The tube will typically have a large slit on the side (as it would have escaped at the tire/rim interface.

Inspecting the tube will give a lot of forensic information. Make sure you note the orientation of the wheel and tube as you disassemble this will make it easy to trace back to the source of the puncture.  A puncture on the inner diameter of the tube (i.e., the side that faces the rim) will point towards (1).  Large slits in the tube are suggestive of (2) or (3).  If you inspect the tire and find no damage then this is suggestive of (3).


You can measure the chainline at the cassette as well as at the cranks.

Park tool Company has a nice article on measuring chainline at both the crank and cassette.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chainline-concepts#article-section-3

It's my understanding that bikes sometimes have the chain further offset from the  frame centerline at the crank than at the cassette, to avoid the chain rubbing on the next bigger ring when small ring - small sprocket cross-chaining (triples especially).


XC helmet for road biking, or road helmet for XC?

There is significant debate over the statistical benefit of wearing a helmet or not. My guess is most of use wear a helmet just in case the "Helmets are safer' camp is right but wonder if they really are.

I cannot imagine the difference between helmets from a safety perspective being statistically significant. "Road. XC etc are just marketing terms - the helmets meet standards, and these tell you how much protection you get. Much better to sell two helmets and make twice the profit, easy to do by making them look different enough that peer pressure has people buying a helmet for every task - I bet someone sells a "Commuter" helmet and a "Bike Courier" helmet somewhere.

You have not mentioned the most important aspect of helmet purchase - fit. A helmet that fits you is significantly better than any stickers as to what standards it meets.

Presuming then you are choosing from a range of helmets that meet published safety standards, and are happy with the manufacturer as far as their honesty around this (Many standards are declarations of conformance rather than independently tested), choose a helmet that fits first, and has the features you are after second.


How to properly align the rear wheel to the bike (granny bike, single speed)

I suspect you either are missing the lock washer (toothed lock washer, picture follows) on the drive side or the one that is there is worn out. Place one outside of the dropout, between the dropout and the hanger for the rack/stand.

And the promised picture of the washer I meant:


Identifying 1970s-80s Motobecane Special Sport

The frame is a 70-73 motobecane. This head badge was used during this year. in 74 it was changed to the round version
I however dont see a frame in their catalogs called a super sport, so not to sure about that. however you seem to have matching components to the Grand Touring from this time period.Here are some old catalog scans


Bought new chain. Do I have to remove links?

Chains normally come with more links than you need, and you should use a chain tool to remove the excess links from the chain prior to installing it.

This link from park tool shows you how to size a chain (but the easiest way is normally to just match the length to your old chain provided it was adequately sized and you didn't change anything else). This link will show you how to install a chain.


DIY Painting a Bike Frame: Is it possible?

I'm not an expert on this, but I do have a friend who immaculately restores vintage bicycles. I've helped him on a few projects and this is roughly what he does. (My friend started out 5 or 6 years ago with an old cruiser and cans of spray paint. Wound up becoming obsessed and ended up with a spray painting set-up that he found on Craigslist...)

Basically he starts with your steps 1 - 4 for paint removal, although more advanced. My friend has professional grade spray painting equipment and uses industrial grade coatings, so he's not using rattle cans of spray paint.

After the paint removal, he re-tapes with a finer grade of masking tape.
Usually 2 coats of epoxy based primer.
2 - 4 coats of color, which is an industrial grade polyurethane paint.
During the color phase, he deals with lug detailing and decals. This part is tedious and time consuming.
Finally, 3 coats of clearcoat. And then the frame hangs in the paint shed for 24 to 48 hours.

If you're serious about it, I can find out what brands, etc he uses.

And for powder-coating, another acquaintance recently spent ~ $200 USD on a frame.

Yeah, totally possible However, sending your bike frame off to the paint shop for powder-coating ceases to be DIY. ;~)


Shimano tourney 7 speed shifter for rear not working

The cable could have broken, leaving the derailleur sitting on the smallest cog on the upper limit.  I had this a few weeks ago, the cable had broken within the shifter so was not immediately visible.

If when shifting you feel little or no resistance when trying to change to a lower gear this will be a good indicator that this is the problem.


Is it ever okay to get in front of another cyclist at stoplight?

It clearly is OK sometimes: almost the opposite case to what you describe, i.e. when a faster cyclist has been gaining for a while but finally catches up at the lights, or has been stuck behind unable to pass because of passing cars. I've been in both sides of this situation and will sometimes invite obvious fast cyclists to get away ahead of me.

Without condoning red-light running, some people get away very early at lights. I'd rather they were in front of me than behind, itching to overtake. I've got enough to worry about with the cars.

I've seen cyclists stop so far back in a bike box that there's no safe place behind them (with big vehicles around). Often these are the slow cyclists who don't position themselves clearly on front of cars but sometimes they're fast riders who don't want to unclip and are leaning on something. The sort of riders I'd normally let past. In this case a little discourtesy is less important than avoiding being in the blind spot of a bus turning the corner. That could be considered a general rule.

Any kind of jockeying for position is not OK unless preceded by an agreement to race, to which my response would be "you go ahead".


Shimano Deore SL-M590 shifter lever stuck

The M590's are awesome shifters.  Like all trigger shifters, the factory grease can become hardened and contaminated over time leading to frozen pawls--little levers that move the internal cog by fitting in the tooth grooves of the cog and act to either move the cog which winds both the inner cable and a spring. Another pawl, engages a groove holding the cog in place after a shift is complete.  When you use the B lever--the top one that releases spring tension and causes a shift from larger to smaller sprockets-- this pawl moves out of the groove allowing spring tension to unwind the cog and thereby the inner cable.  So, free movement of these pawls is necessary for good shifting.  It is in these areas around the pawls where old grease firms up and eventually restricts the movement of a pawl enough so that the shift stops working either partially or completely.
The fix is ample amounts of WD40 or similar degreasing spray flushing the innards of the shifter. After cleaning and drying the excess fluid, a light grease can be reapplied to the workings of the shifter.  I myself use TriFlow aerosol as lubricant and will regularly squirt some into the shifter while working the levers to keep things lubed and clean and free moving. Lithium spray grease is helpful in this maintenance too.
If the inner cable is stuck, it obviously needs to be freed. There is a plastic screw on the shifters lever side that covers the access hole the inner cable goes through, and where the seat for the end of the cable resides.  The end of the cable can only be accessed and freed from it's seat when the shifter has released all spring tension and the cable seat lines up with the access hole.  The shifter must be in the highest gear--the position where all spring tension is released and where the derailleur would have the chain on the smallest cog or chainwheel.  Attempt to get into this position by activating the B-lever several times. It is helpful to put some tension on the inner cable by pulling gently the cable while working the B lever. Essentially you're mimicking the derailleur spring tension.  When the shifter is in the high gear (rear) or low gear (front) the seat for the inner cable is in line with the access hole and the cable can be pushed out of the seat and drawn out through the access hole. Sometimes there is a bit of plastic whose job it is to secure the cable end in it's seat. This will have to be manipulated out of the way so the cable end can move out of it's seat and be removed.
With your shifter apart the pawls can be seen well and their movement assessed.  You must be careful not to dislodge either end of the coil spring.  I also would not attempt to loosen the center bolt as all those little pieces can come apart. It's a POA to refit them properly.  When you're ready to insert a new cable, have the shifter back together except for the access cover screw and the shifter in the state of fully released spring tension.  You can then start feeding the end of the cable through until it's end is seated in the shifter.
Other model numbers of 9 speed shifters very similar to the M590 include SL-M530, SL-M510, SL-M750.  The M590 is the newest, higher level 9 speed shifter (Deore level).  The Alivo and Acera groups are now 9 speed and have shifters that will work as well.  These are newer than the M590 but not yet at that level (IMHO) despite the trickle down of technology Shimano utilizes that makes the performance of today's lower tier components on par with yesterday's higher tier offerings.


Can I use chain rings that were on a 9 speed for my 11 speed cassette or do I need to get 11 speed chain rings?

Max length chain you can get: 500 foot from here http://www.bikeman.com/CH5052.html ... should be enough :D !
You may find shops reselling whatever length you want.
A 11 speed chain should work okay on 9 speed chainrings.
Keep up with frankenbiking, the fun is in the process and in the final result!


I've had both. A really nice trailer and a child bike seat -- where the child sits between the rider and the handlebar (like this WeeRide Kangaroo Child Bike Seat).

My daughter was ok with the trailer, but absolutely preferred the seat.

I found with the seat in front of me, the weight didn't affect me almost at all, and if the bike was going to fall, I'd be in a much better position to protect my child (since she's directly in front of me).

We used that for a long time and never ever had an issue (and let's face it, with the kid along for the ride, you're not likely to ever ride like a madman, right?)

She's six years old, and still misses it (we stopped when she was about 3.5 yrs old--just getting too big!)


I find that using my primary hand (my writing hand) is better than the other one.

Keep eyes on the road, you should not have to look to find your bottle.

I use my teeth to open the sippy valve, breathe in and then take a small drink and hold it for a sec before swallowing.

Sometimes I hold the bottle over the bars for 5-10 seconds to let the first mouthful have an effect, and then take a second drink.

When done I use my chest or my index finger to close the valve, and then put the bottle back in an empty cage (yes once I tried to push a bottle in where the other already was)

You should be able to put the bottle down into the cage without looking, although sometimes I take a quick glance if it doesn't go straight in.

Drinking on a climb is okay as long as its not too steep.   Straight and consistent is best.

If you're riding in a group, don't drink on the front cos you'll slow down and that will cause the whole bunch to loose momentum.  Wait till you rotate off the front before drinking.  Right at the back is ideal.

Never drink on a downhill or anywhere the road surface is a bit sketchy.  With a bottle in hand your control is lower, and gravel or sudden potholes need a lot of attention.

Improve by practising - same as most things in cycling.  Quiet ride make sure there are no cars around and nothing coming up that may be an obstacle, and have a sip.  Don't guzzle water, it will be bad for your guts and there's a chance of some going down into the lungs by mistake, inducing a cough.

I find that I often phlegm-up within 5 minutes of a big drink, so drink less but more often.


Steel requires rust proofing. Just like on you car, there is a thin layer of primer under the top color. When scratched to the base metal, sanding and painting the affected area is necessary.

Sand until the exposed metal is shiny. Depending on the spot, you can use a high grit paper, or wet sand paper with water. You might want to start with 200-300 grit and then maybe 400 or 600. You're working with a small area so you don't want to press hard when sanding.

A good technique to make sanding with paper easier is to fold it a few times to get into tight areas. Folding gives you a stiffer sheet edge and you can work it in crevices. Also wrap an inch or two of paper around a woodend dowel, or even a pencil. A round shape will help you sand the long vertical scratch on the fork without having to sand the whole width of the fork surface. The round shape will only touch the suface in a long thin area instead of a wide area.

Wet sand paper is usually less than a dollar at most hardware stores when bought by the sheet instead of the pack. You shouldn't need more than a sheet or two of each grit. Wet paper last a lot longer than dry. It can also be cleaned/washed.

Use a high percentage alcohol to degrease and remove dust after sanding. Dry thoroughly if wet sanding before using the alcohol.

Then prime, even if it's just dab priming. Allow the primer to dry thouroughly and lightly sand the primer back to where the original paint just shows around the wound. You can also use a high number wet sand paper with water to lightly sand.
Look for a paint match at an auto parts store. Dab the paint on primed areas and let dry. Wet sand with high grit paper to match the original finish. Treat the paint like a regular car. Small amounts of paint polish will give you a good shiny finish with little work. Apply wax and enjoy. Paint like yours should last a long time.

1) Rough sand with shaped paper to get the rust off down to the metal.

2) Wet sand for a finer surface finish.

3) Dry, then degrease with alcohol.

4) Paint with primer.

5) Sand the primer and lightly dust with lint free cloth(cotton ball or pad) and alcohol.

6) Apply matched paint.

7) Wet sand with fine paper.

8) Wash, then polish and wax to shine.

9) Enjoy for years to come.


Quiet and strong chain recommendation for fixed gear commuter bike

Chain noise is not completely avoidable on fixed-gears, due to the stress from chain tension, etc. However, there are many types of chain which would be inappropriate to use and would cause extra noise.

Be sure to purchase a 'track' chain (some are produced by Miche, Izumi, and KMC) and expect to pay $20+ for a quality chain.

Also, be sure to keep your chain clean and well lubricated! Even on regular bikes, the majority of chain noise comes from a dry chain.


Do bike frames actually break so easily?

No, they are not, if used in a way they are designed to and regularly checked for health.

I think that a proper answer to your question should include statistical information on what percentage of bicycle frames (btw, why only frames? wheels, handlebars etc. break too) break over the time. The reason of a breakage, such as crash or manufacturing defect, should also be taken into consideration. However, I do not possess such information. So instead I want to warn you against being affected by the survival bias effect by only looking at "bad" examples. I want to comment on several points in regard to the video above, or any other bike crash footage.

We do not know how often and how hard these bicycles were crashed before they finally gave in. Damage, especially in carbon parts, is not easy to see without special equipment.
Quite a few crashes in the video were caused by front wheel detachment. That's not frame but fork issue or rather user installation error.
A couple of episodes demonstrate just direct crashes. Nothing is guaranteed not to break after that.
I am not sure that all of these bikes were used in their intended discipline. I've had bad experience riding an XC hardtail on an DH course.

The good thing is, even after all these crashes most of the riders were able to walk away from them more or less fine. That stresses proper use of personal protection.

P.S. Every bicycle user manual that I've read (and I am one of those weird people who actually read manuals to things) states that bicycling is inherently dangerous activity. Not just MTB but any cycling. So, wear protection appropriate to your discipline, know your skills and improve them, regularly take care of your bike, and have fun!


England Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme: how not to miss the next release?

The 'fix your bike scheme' forms part of the UK Conservative government's range of economic populist measures in response to covid-19 (which included 'eat out to help out', a scheme which gave discounts for restaurant meals to support the restaurant industry, but may have led to more covid cases https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/oct/30/treasury-rejects-theory-eat-out-to-help-out-caused-rise-in-covid).
Essentially the thinking was 'people will avoid public transport and we should encourage more cycling'. This may relate also to Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, getting covid-19, and feeling that his obesity was a factor in the severity of his illness (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/boris-johnson-obesity-coronavirus/2020/07/27/d5d0221c-cff0-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html)
Other measures have included 'pop-up cycle lanes' https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53105020 but many have been removed following complaints from motorists (https://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/politics/pop-covid-cycle-lanes-chichester-removed-no-longer-needed-could-worthings-be-next-3014037  https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/remove-the-pop-up-covid-19-cycle-lanes)
The 'fix your bike' scheme is an appealing idea as there are probably a few million bikes around in bad condition that could be put back on the road but probably they aren't going to that.
Anyway, because 500,000 bikes (the total number of vouchers) is a lot to repair all at once, they are releasing them in batches of 50,000. Only around 4.5 million people in England ride bikes at least weekly

so those vouchers all at once would be overwhelming given the normal volume of work for bike shops/mechanics
There have been two releases so far:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bike-repair-vouchers-launch-in-england/

28 July 2020 at 23:45
16 November 2020 around noon (not announced in advance)

The long gap between the first two releases was due to the overwhelming demand for bikes globally due to covid-19, and massive demand for paid work, so adding more 'free' work into the system had no benefit to mechanics/bike shops at the top, since they had more work than they could perform.
Now that it is dark and cold in England, the bike industry, including repair, has calmed down massively, and government-funded repairs are more welcome.
However with several million cyclists, 50,000 vouchers will not go far.
Since the vouchers are 'free money', the government does not seem to be pre-announcing them, since they demand will vastly overwhelm supply.
I had a look on Twitter, and found:

https://twitter.com/transportgovuk/status/1328316455037919240 12:38pm GMT 16 November 2020

It was also mentioned slightly earlier by Grant Shapps, Minister for Transport (12:31pm) https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1328314766121644032, and Cycling Industry News (12:06pm) https://twitter.com/cyclingindustry/status/1328308340292792320
This page should be updated with the new details:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fix-your-bike-voucher-scheme-apply-for-a-voucher
A service such as this one, could keep track https://visualping.io/
The vouchers ran out by 9pm and there were also website problems https://twitter.com/transportgovuk/status/1328445587432337410
Given that there are 390,000 vouchers remaining, so 7 or 8 more releases, then you have some chance of getting them if you are subscribed to places that will notify you when the vouchers come out. Tracking the gov.uk page and also maybe https://fixyourbikevoucherscheme.est.org.uk/ for changes might give you a head start, as the pages will obviously be 'live' for some minutes before it is publicly announced. If you wait till the public announcement it's possible that the server will be overwhelmed....
I would note once you have the voucher to shop around carefully, as a lot of repair places will still charge you £££ even with the voucher. They don't expire till March. It is 'real money', albeit possibly paid slowly by the government, so don't be fobbed off with any place that wants to treat it like some kind of dodgy discount voucher - this is paid for by £50 (plus admin!) of taxpayers' cash, it's not like a groupon or something where there is a fat commission to a third party. Obviously though busy repair shops might still prefer upfront cash, hence shopping around....
Note also that the money is for repairs which must include some element of labour, can include parts, but not accessories. Those who are handy with a spanner looking to get some value out of the voucher might find that something like a new tyre (but only if the existing one has perished), chain or cassette would maximise the value of the 'parts' rather than the 'labour', but this is something to be discussed with the shop after you have obtained the voucher

Eligible Repairs include repairing or replacing:
o tyres, tubes, wheels and related components;
o braking system components;
o transmission system components;
o components for permanently fitted lighting systems.
o other essential components which prevent safe use of the cycle e.g.
deteriorated grips or saddle;
• The following are not Eligible Repairs:
o a sale of replacement parts without any repair work.
o replacement or upgrade of existing safe and roadworthy components
or of removeable lighting accessories.


How should disc brake rotor size scale with wheel size?

To achieve the same braking power, the rotor/wheel diameter ratio should be constant. (Assuming the caliper is the same, and assuming cooling is sufficient.)

If the rotor/wheel ratio is constant the leverage between the force applied by the road surface and the rotor is constant.

Also, because circumference scales linearly with diameter, the speed of the rotor surface at the caliper, and hence friction force, will be the same.

Re heat dissipation, rotation of the disc will have little effect compared to  forward motion through the air, which will be much more effective at providing cooling air flow.

I would think that for most bikes that are not being used for sustained braking on descents an appropriately sized rotor and brake caliper has sufficient heat dissipation. I’m perfectly happy to be informed otherwise though.


Is it really going to damage a bike to wash it with a hose?

Yes, pressurized water can damage your bicycle, specifically by washing the grease out of bearing areas. Note, this is pressurized water.

Using a garden hose without a sprayer is unlikely to do damage. Using a garden hose with a shower type sprayer is unlikely to cause damage. Low pressure, so that it doesn't break the seals, is the point. (I avoid the risk, anyway, because I can't afford to be wrong, and how much pressure is OK depends on the strength of the seals on your particular bike.)

A car wash, or any other pressure washer, is pretty much guaranteed to do damage.

Washing by hand, with a bucket, a car wash brush, a toothbrush or gear brush, and some non-detergent based soap is the safest way, and with a little practice and preparation, can be done in half an hour.

Some detergent based soaps react to aluminum, and can cause serious damage to an aluminum frame or parts over time. Make sure you use an aluminum safe soap.

You can make things easier by using a repair stand to hold the bike, and removing some parts, if you have the tools and knowledge, but that's a bonus.

Other than that, it's just elbow grease.


Visible play in the front wheel that is not in the thru axle but in the hub itself? (video included)

Yes, this is play in the bearings. How to fix it depends on the type of hub you have.
'Cup and cone' bearing hubs have ball bearings between fixed cups in the hub and adjustable cones on a threaded axle. These can be adjusted to take out play.
Other hubs have pressed-in cartridge bearings. These just need to get replaced , you'll probably need a bike repair shop to do this for you as they will have the required tools.
You may be able to do some research and find what type of bearings you have, otherwise you'll need to start disassembling.


Running one wheel with clincher and one with Tubular

If flat takes you out of the race, then there is no big reason not to do this. As noted, the biggest reason not to is having to carry more flat protection.

You might even decide to purposefully choose different tires - a bit heavier in the rear for a bit of puncture protection, something that adapts to wet a bit better in the front for steering when it starts to drizzle, etc.

Bottom line, not a safety concern.

Happy Riding.


Healthiest bike posture for slower long rides

If you are looking for the most ergonomic riding position, you should give some kind of recumbent bicycle a serious consideration.
I don't have any references to data, and soreness is subjective. But in my personal experience, the recumbent and velomobile riders on longer rides (Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 km, London-Edinburgh-London 1400 km and such) are the riders reporting the least amount of posture-related problems.
You can still get sore on a recumbent if you overload your knees and leg muscles. But a reasonably fitted recumbent bicycle is probably the most ergonomic ride you can get: Your weight is spread out over a proper seat, your hands and arms are neutrally positioned and don't carry any load, and your back is supported. Also, almost every recumbent seat has a slight turn at the top to support your neck, and many have an ergonomic headrest (preventing problems like Shermer's neck).
I ride recumbents myself for longer brevets and touring, as well as "regular" bikes. The different in comfort on longer distances is noticeable, and the most interesting part personally is that you can increase your distance remarkably fast without soreness penalties. I have finished both 300 km sportives and longer brevets (up to 2100 km), and while the legs muscles feel quite worn, and I may look forward to some sleep and rest, my back, wrists, and seat does not hurt.
If you give recumbents a try, you should check the angle between your shoulders, hips and the bottom bracket. A large angle, with the three above almost in a straight line, is similar to an upright "city bike" - and may limit your power output, as well as put a bit too much weight on your seat. This could be the case for some older recumbents like the Tour Easy.
A sharper angle between shoulders, hips and bottom bracket is more similar to a typical road bike position, just rotated backwards and supported by a seat. This is typically found on short-wheelbase higher bottom bracket recumbents, like the Bacchetta highracers or the HPVelotechnik Speedmachine.
(a Schlitter Encore high bottom bracket road recumbent pictured below)


Trailer hitch between a bike and trailer?

I would also go the commercial route, buying the hitch and building only the trailer itself. The handling (during cycling) of an axle attached trailer is much better than if you attach it on the seat post. Handling is best if the hitch parts can move as little as possible relative to each other. The Chariot hitch is pretty good, especially considering the fact that only one axle/quick release module fits a wide range of dropout designs.

Still, everything can be improved: The German company Weber makes a hitch system with the following highlights:

extremely rigid connection
very simple and fast to use
fits most frames perfectly by providing different frame/quick release attachment parts, even for geared hubs etc.
fits basically any drawbar, by providing inserts for any commonly used tubing size
can easily be locked (although the lock won't scare a good lock picker)
an integrated bike stand is available
quality and safety are top notch, and the parts last a long time

Weber hitches are easy to get hold of in Germany. It should be possible to get them exported to almost everywhere. Unfortunately the information is in German only, and the system is rather complex with all the different frame and drawbar fittings.


Like Daniel said, a good rule of thumb is to keep oils off rubber and plastics. Some will damage them, some will preserve them, but you don't want either type on your tires. You should be more worried about the fact that the oily spot on your rear tire can cause it to break traction much more easily, especially while braking or cornering. If you're going to be storing the bike for any period of time, just stuff a rag between the spokes up next to the hub to catch and absorb the oil.


With the help of a bike fitter and mechanic, we found a very good solution that has served me well. I've put in about 2000 km this year and am heading to my first imperial century tomorrow.

Mechanically, the solution involved:

Custom mounting SPD cleats quite far back on the soles. I'll add a picture later, but I'd say they're 3/4 of the way to the heel. For my torsioned leg, the cleat is mounted rotated by 35 degrees.
Carbon-soled road shoes with a flat surface to the back. We went with Bontrager Velocis. First attempt was with non-carbon soles, but the sole ended up tearing under pressure after a while. I've found the pressures do loosen up the cleats so I've had to have the mechanic tighten and glue them twice over the season.
Kneesavers pedal extenders - To avoid hitting my heel on the crank arm, we put in the longest pedal extender for my torsioned leg, and a shorter one on the other side for balance (to avoid feeling off centre on the seat).

From there, bike fitting was key. Everything is configured so knees, hips, etc. follow the usual parameters as much as possible.

So far, I'm feeling great, and don't really notice the loss of calf muscles in the pedal stroke. Some occasional knee soreness, but nothing beyond what I think most 40-year-old cyclists experience.

Very grateful to my local bike shop for taking lots of time to come up with this custom solution!


Until you get the hang of it, set up in a hallway, where you can brace yourself on the walls around you until you get up to speed and while you learn your balance.

Other than that, you just have to keep trying.


Repetitive strain injury risk, seated vs standing on pedals

This depends entirely on the conditions one is riding in.  Crashing on ice, one is probably better seated as the fall has a lower drop and sliding is easy enough.  In a rock garden, you may be better standing so that you can clear obstacles and not have your bike as an extra factor involved with the crash.  On a busy sidewalk, being seated and stopping more quickly might avoid entangling pedestrians/additional cyclists, etc.  On a roadside, it might be preferable to stand and roll away from the road to avoid the dangers of laying in a heap on a roadside with your bike.

Additionally personal skill comes into play, people who don't know how to roll with a fall are perhaps more likely to be injured from a higher fall (standing).  However, there are skills that help with a sitting fall as well.  Taking a sitting fall on your side (rolling up from hip to shoulder without slamming knees or elbows) is preferable to going over the bars while sitting or putting an arm out and breaking it.

I think conditions and personal skill with falls will make a larger difference than what position you start in.


What kind of wheels use spoke washers/nipple washers?

Spoke washers are used at the hub end, between the flared out cap and the hub itself.  The intention is to take up extra length between the bend and the end, to help prevent the spoke from breaking.  Common use is on hubs with thin flanges (for lightweight or because they're cheap) and on heavier loaded bikes to spread the load.

Notice how the lower spoke is snugged closer to the hub?  The upper spoke is more likely to break sooner.

The nipple washers are for spreading the load at the rim end of the spoke.  You're right that the washers have to fit inside the rim track/valley but that's so they lie flat against the inside of the rim, rather than touching in two places and focusing the stresses.  Again, touring bikes or load bikes would be the place to find these.  Race bikes wouldn't have them.

Nipple washers are used to allow the spoke to leave the rim at a strange angle.  Normally the spoke leaves slightly away from 90 degrees (pardon the pun) so the nipple is not flat against the rim, and the spoke is under a slight bending load.

Here's a rim with large domed washers that let the spoke stay straight.  I think this might be a motorcycle rim, but the concepts are the same.

If you have a damaged spoke hole, a washer may help, but its a judgement call about how much damage you can safely ride on.  If the spoke nipple fits through the nipple hole, I'd not ride on it even with a washer, because all you've done is put the load on a stamped washer then onto the edge of a damaged hole in the rim.

Would you trust this rim if it had a 2c flat washer below the cracked piece?  A curved rim washer would just make it worse.

Tubeless tyres take away the worry of pressing on the washer - here's an extreme example on a fatbike wheel:


The first diagnostic step from where you are is make sure the little screw on the front of the lever is snug, then disconnect the cable from the RD, pull away the housing from the lever, confirm the cable is intact and not jammed/fraying inside the shifter, and gently tug on the bare cable as you shift back and forth through the gears. If it feels normal there, including the 3-4 shift you're having trouble with, then the shifting problem is of the mundane variety, i.e. excess cable friction, hanger alignment, tweaked derailer, improper setup, etc.

If it isn't shifting correctly even as you're tugging on the bare cable, you need to figure out if it's a broken spring or other internal part or if it merely needs cleaning and re-lubrication. It's usually obvious if something is broken, but if not you can do the clean/lube step first. There are different ways of doing this, but the quick and dirty one is just flush it good with silicone spray lube, working the pawls back and forth with a pick if they're accessible, and also putting a dot of grease on the pawls if possible in emulation of new STIs. If it's not broken that will make it work again about as reliably as anything else. Alternatively, a more perfectionist approach is unscrew it from the mount, take the hood off, and put the whole thing in an aqueous parts washer without agitation, and then re-lube in a similar fashion as above.

If it's broken, you should probably throw it away and get another one. If you want a really questionable new hobby, you could try to track down a donor to steal parts from and do this.

The good news is that just getting another replacement used right ST-3300 or new Claris 2400 is pretty feasible and cheap. If you get another one of the exact same shifter, you can play the trick of unscrewing the old one from its mount and putting the new one in its place without even having to redo the tape or brake housing.


Does https://veloviewer.com/ do it for you?

Looks like it ties into strava.


Is it worth swapping MTB front forks/wheel to ISO 584/27.5" from ISO559/26"?

I assume I read this correctly that you want to replace the fork and wheel making the front a 27.5" and the rear will remain a 26"

If this is correct I don't think their would be any real benefit. There were several companies in the past that did similar things and don't any longer the 69er comes to mind which was a 26" in the back and a 29 in the front.

Rollover will improve for the front tire yes, but more than likely with the different geometry you will likely be putting more weight on the front wheel which will nullify any roll over gains. Also climbing will become significantly more challenging.

It will also track through corners differently. I would recommend sticking with the same size wheels. I don't think you will see an significant gains in doing so, or any gains for that matter. If anything I would recommend a fork of the same size with more travel if that's what your worried about. Your legs and body are the most important suspension though.


Chain keeps slipping on in-hub geared bike. Stretched chain?

Chains do not literally stretch, i.e., the metal links do not actually elongate due to  the force placed on them. A chain will get slightly longer as it wears though, caused by the holes in the links the pins go through getting slightly bigger, allowing the individual links to move slightly further apart.

Here's a good article on chain wear: http://www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/article/bicycle-chain-wear-explained-46015/

If you ride a lot, your chain might be worn out and this has worn the rear sprocket as well, causing the chain to slip over the teeth.

See this question for diagnosing if you rear sprocket is worn out: How to tell when to replace cassette?

However, in your question you say that the problem went away when you adjusted the chain tension, then came back when you rode the bike. It may be that the wheel had slowly moved in the frame over a period of time until the chain started slipping, then you moved it back but did not tighten the wheel sufficiently allowing it to move again (and more than before) when you rode the bike once more.

If the wheel moved you will see that the chain tension is now too low again. If you do not feel happy tightening the wheel in the frame more, or don't want to risk stripping threads on the axle or nut, have a bike repair shop adjust the chain tension and tighten the nuts to the proper torque setting with a torque wrench, and check the chain and sprocket for wear at the same time.


You say you've lost some of the other bits.  This kills the brifter.

Seriously, just buy a replacement, probably you can find it used for $50.  Normally you'd redo the bar tape in order to replace the entire shifter, but if you want to avoid that, you could probably swap the entire internals of the new unit into the old body (I say probably because it may be a bit fiddly and perhaps not worth the trouble, and everyone needs new bar tape anyway!).


If what you want is to run a single chainring setup, then yes, it is possible.

However you may need some spacers, five in this case, to make up for the thickness of the removed gear. This spacers may be simple washers, but they have to closely match the hole diameter of the chainring and, of course, the thickness.
You can also cut them from sacrificial chainrings.

There is also the option to find single chainring specific bolts, but some vendors may offer them at a higher price than the crankset you want to buy.


Sidewall repeatedly splitting in same place on rim

Mark and note where the split happens on the rim. It's possible that the fault on the rim is only discoverable when the tyre is inflated. Perhaps, there is a crack in the rim. If you have a pair of callipers, measure the width of the rim with the tyre inflated and uninflated. This may highlight such a crack/failure.

Also check the geometry of the wheel by slowly turning it and examining the rim at the brake block as it rotates.

If either of these tests show problems, the rim should be replaced


How can I fix the hook of a weather proof pannier?

I just used a 5mm bolt with locking nut, and a ~15mm wide washer on the inside when this happened to my Ortleib. If you use stainless steel bolt, nut and washers it won't rust and the pressure against the pannier materials stops it leaking. I'd use the biggest washer you can find on the inside, but the biggest I could find was only 15mm. If you look at the other rivet you will probably find that the washer is smaller than that, and possibly that the other rivet is also about to fail.

My repair has lasted several years of regular use, and I still have the pannier today as a backup (I bought new ones when I wore holes in the fabric after more than 10 years of use)


Polite/Proper Way To Notify Pedestrians and Bicycles

From Southern California, when approaching slower traffic from behind on bike lanes and paths: "On your left" meaning that you are passing them on their left-hand side. Only left. People hear the "On" portion of the call and they start moving to their right.

I can't ever recall hearing "On your right". Good thing, too. Would be a mess.


You use the anti-seize compounds on bolts where you would normally use grease. For rotor bolts, use an ample amount of blue threadlocker (loc-tite), even on Ti bolts. It acts as a sufficient barrier between the two pieces of metal and prevents oxidation and bonding. I've done this on others' bikes as well as my own with no instances of bonding to report. You don't want your rotor bolts backing out and anti-seize compounds are not suited to prevent that from happening.


My rear wheel keeps getting side to side wobble issues. Can it be too much pannier weight?

If the rim is aluminum made, truing it after a serious bend can result in fatigue of the material leading to repeated subsequent failures.

I'd try a sturdier replacement wheel instead of repeatedly truing it, especially if it's a job you pay for and not doing it yourself.

If you are happy with the hub  you can keep it and get just a rim. The cost of building a wheel can be pretty high though, depending on where you live.

The weight of the pannier should not count too much, unless you are a heavy rider and the total weight on the bike is near the specced limit of the wheel. This is usually the case for low-weight, racing, higher-end wheels (some have a 80-120kg limit) or for cheapo wheels with no specs and poor materials used.

The unbalanced weight should also not account for the issues you are having, given the fact the bike should be able to resist great side forces when turning, especially at high speeds.


Updating equipment on old Team Raleigh frame

I've been doing exactly this with a Raleigh Arena 10 speed bike.

Its ridiculously expensive to buy new parts for this old bike, so I was fortunate to pick up a crash damaged road bike that had frame damage but the transmission was okay.

You need long-reach brake calipers to move from the 27" wheel to a 700c wheelsize, which is 4mm smaller.   I got some NOS Tektro R556 dual pivot calipers cheap, and while they fit the front wheel perfectly the rear still doesn't reach the rims.  More work required here.

  From https://www.bikeman.com/bicycle-product-reviews/product-testing/1028-tektro-r556-dual-pivot-long-reach-caliper-brake

The donor bike had Shimano 105 3x9 and that has transferred across okay.  I was astonished that the cartridge BB fitted right in.

The front derailleur is clamp-on and requires a shim for the smaller seat post.  I also had to be creative with the pull cable routing given its bottom pull and the original front mech was a top-normal bottom pull "Spirt"

Rear wheel spacing was also surprising in that the rear wheel fits perfectly, but in the smallest gear the chain binds on the frame.  So this needs fiddling.

Up the front end, I chose to stay with my original drop bars.  The quill stem stays for now too while I fiddle with fit,  but it will likely change to a much shorter one.

You do not need to replace the fork to change the wheels.  However aluminium rims will do a lot both for safety on braking and for overall lightness.  The old Chromed steel rims didn't brake very well, and got worse in the rain.  You can get Quill Stems down to 20mm in length, and it saves the cost of a replacement fork.  Getting a safe 1" threadded fork is going to be hard enough, plus the threadded to threadless adapters are a bit of a bodge.  I'd get a nice used quill stem off ebay,

I intend on running 35mm tyres, mostly because I have them already and they fit fine.

Not sure about the stubby mudguards.  In reality they aren't worth it, but they look so right on the bike.  But mine are completely rusted.

Why am I doing this with a bike that isn't valuable or even nice? In the late 1980s I rode a green version of this bike to high school.  Stupidly I threw the bike out when aged mid 20s, thinking "I have a car, why do I need a bike?"  (yes, really) and I utterly regret this decision now.   This blue Arena was in my neighbour's shed and he gave me a bunch of bikes, so I kept it.  When the donor bike came up, I knew it was time to progress this restoration.

Note this shows the 105 brake calipers which don't reach.  I'm also missing the top nut that your bike has around the quill stem.  Don't loose that!

Here's my home-made dropper which was finished today.  This question provided the motivation to get on with it.

More photos are found at https://criggie.org.nz/pictures/?gallery=bikes/raleigh_arena/rear-brake-mount


Is a long distance ride by an Amateur possible?

Is it very ambitious? Yes! Can it be done? Yes!

To make it work, you are going to have to invest practically all your free time preparing, as you have a lot to do.

Bike Maintenance

You are going to want to learn the basics of bike maintenance.

Fixing punctures
Adjusting gears
Changing brake pads
Repairing a chain

Logistics

You said you want to take just the basics, but do you know what yet?  Can you fit it all in a camelback?  And if so, do you want all that weight to be carried by your body each day?  Would some bikepacking gear (apidura/revelate etc) make your trip more enjoyable?

Spare pair(s) of padded shorts?
Spare cycling jersey?
Spare socks/gloves
Warm layers
Windproof/Waterproof layers
Off the bike clothing?
Repair kit
Basic first aid kit?
Toiletries?

Navigation

How are you planning to navigate?

Maps or a GPS?
If its a GPS, how are you going to charge it?
GPS powered by AA batteries so they can be replaced?
If its maps, where will you store them?

Sleep

Are you going to stop for the night at Hotels/B&B's?
If so are you going to book in advance?
What will you do if you don't book and everywhere is full?
Or will you camp with a lightweight sleeping bag and tent?
If so, where will you put those on the bike?

Training

How much distance/how many hours will you cover each day?
How does how far you can ride now compare?
Can you recover well enough to do it again the next day?
You'll need to put in a few days as long as you are planning on your trip to ensure you are not getting sore neck/shoulders/hands/back/bottom.

Fuel/Nutrition

How are you planning to fuel?  You'll need to figure this out too and incorporate it into your training to find out how your body responds.

On the bike food?
Energy drinks?
Cafe stops?

Once you have answered all these questions, and you have put the hours in on the bike, then you are ready for what will surely be an amazing adventure.


Road tyres vs "Street" tyres for charity ride on MTB Tandem

It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.

If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.

Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.

BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.


Shimano 105 freehub FH-5800 - pawls not engaging, repair or replace?

It should be possible to do one of 1. or 2. but the way Shimano hubs are, the pawls are contained in the freehub body, which is pictured below.

So that means option 2. is that bit more achievable than option 1 (but costs more in parts). You'd take the cassette off with tool and chainwhip, then disassemble the cup and cone hub using a cone spanner and regular 17mm, before the freehub body is removed with a big Allen key. You could always investigate inside the freehub body first and see if it just needs degunking. I doubt that WD40 penetrates all the way inside, it might just need it's overdue 10-year clean (jks that's not a thing).

Here is an image of a random Shimano rear hub exploded diagram, that I stole off of eBay. Part number 15 is a large bolt that you have to access to remove the freehub (Part Y3BL03000 for many hubs incl FH5800). I believe from Q&A on a retailer's website that it is a 10mm hex.

Doing 3. is a possibility, don't be afraid of giving it a go, but that might be 'running' whereas option 2. is 'walking'. Arguably.

Option 4. is buying a new wheel. Doesn't have to be that expensive, but would be more costly than option 2 and less fun.

Your next questions might include:

"how do I turn the 10mm Allen key with force now the long end is in the hub?" (Use a spanner)

"help, I took apart my hub and can't get it back together!" (see diagram, see How do I reassemble this Quando rear hub?)

and, "something, something, Darkside" (see a counsellor).

You should check the rim wear and overall health of the wheel before spending any money on spare parts, or even tools. If the rim is old and worn down near its limits then replacement parts wouldn't be the most economical way to go, you could put that money towards a new wheel. Tools are fun and useful going forwards though.


Convert fixed side of flip flop hub to freewheel

You can just use the freewheel on the large thread on the fixed side. It's the same size, and just as durable as the freewheel side, for normal people.

So just unscrew the lockring and cog, and put on a standard freewheel of your choice. Did it as a bike messenger, and it still holds to this day.

Happy riding!


How to remove a Joytech freehub (5mm allen key version)

To answer the question, I had to give a sturdy tap to the axel from the back-side (though it looks like you could have gone from either end), which then popped out (leaving me able to remove the bearings) and left (what looks like) the 11mm allen key space to remove the freehub.

Update: you actually need a 12mm allen key (no need for the 11mm at all). You need to use the long part of the allen key (preferable keeping the short end in a vice) to loosen the larger interior receptor (12mm as opposed to 11mm, which is accessible from the drive side)


Making panniers out of canvas map bags -- how to seal after the build?

I assuming you are going to put some washers on the inside of the bug so the bolt/net holds well.

I would expect silicone sealant under the washers (on the inside of the bug) and the clips combined with a rubber washers between the head of the bolts and clip and the inside washer and net would do the job.

End of bolt
Rubber Washer
Pannier clip
Silicone Sealant
Bag
Silicon Sealant
Metal Washer
Rubber Washer
Net

However after saying the above, as the clips will be on the inside of the bugs, you will have to be in very strong rain before they leak, you may well find you have other leaks.   A simple small waterproof rucksack liner inside of the bag may be the best option.


The brass rod (I believe its technical name is the "plunger rod") is broken. You can probably find the lower part hanging out in the tube somewhere. Getting it out may be tricky, but you should probably do so before replacing the core.


How is the quality of carbon wheelset from taiwan?

If it is an unbranded wheel from Taiwan, it is one of 2 things:

A quality wheel from a reputable brand being sold grey market.

or

A quick and dirty design Made up so that somebody can make a fast buck on th Internet.

Given the quality of the hubs and spokes referenced, in this case, it is the second option.

I wouldn't buy those wheels. You will likely regret the purchase.


Can i use a thinner standard mtb chain (SRAM 971) or does the chain need to be specific (SRAM PC-1) for coaster brake single speed

Your cog is probably 1/8" like that PC-1 chain, so that 3/32" chain isn't going to work. Let's say you could even get it to fit in the first place, it would probably pop off at the least convenient moment, like when you're trying to stop with that coaster brake.


From the knobs, that looks like a Continental X-King, but not the 'Protection' version as no checker pattern on the sidewall.

What you show in the pictures is quite normal to see on X-Kings (and some other tyres), and its quite safe to ride.  All that has happened is some of the very thin outer coating has worn off, but the structure of the tyre will be intact.

See review from Pro rider for an even more extreme example.


Testicles chafing on legs - are my bibs too loose or too tight?

"we're all adults here..."

In my experience, when riding with bib shorts or cycling shorts, they have to be pulled up, way up.  And they should be a snug fit around your lower body - the shoulder straps are more forgiving.

Ideally your pants cloth should be in contact with your skin all the way up your thighs and right up to where the skin turns around and comes back down as the scrotum.  (sorry I can't find a medical name for this crease in the skin.)

This should leave two layers of cloth between the boys and the thighs.

Chamois cream might help, but you won't know till you try it.  Vaseline / Petroleum Jelly is worth trying if you already have some (most households do) but its not as good as the proper product.


Wilier oversize bottom bracket bearing cups for Shimano crank

You stated that your frame is a Wilier Imperiale. I'm not certain what year this applies to, but it is very likely to have a proprietary bottom bracket standard known as the BB94 or BB93 standard. Per the Cyclingtips link:

Wilier designed its BB94 (later re-named BB93) around Campagolo’s Ultra-Torque cranks. Seats for the bearings were moulded into the frame à la BB90 so there was no longer a need to install cups. Wilier was able to provide two bearings sets, one to suit Shimano’s Hollowtech II cranks, and another for SRAM’s GXP axle, that could be pressed into the seats so that those cranks could be installed. This design was subsequently replaced by BB386EVO.

As you may know, many modern carbon frames have press-fit bottom brackets. With threaded BBs, you would buy the bottom bracket as a unit. That unit has both the cups (metal cups that are threaded, and you screw those into the frame), and the appropriate cartridge bearings are pre-installed into the cups. With press-fit BBs, the cups aren't threaded, they may be made of plastic, and you press them into the frame, but the cups also contain bearings.
However, Wiliers using their BB93 or 94 standard have a different arrangement: the bottom bracket cups are already molded into the frame. You press cartridge bearings directly into the frame. You would buy appropriate bearings directly. You should be able to follow similar extraction and installation procedures as for the Trek BB90 bearings.
Why your crank doesn't fit and what bearings you need
The reason you can't just slot your Shimano crankset into the Wilier is this: Campagnolo Power- and Ultra-Torque cranksets have 25mm diameter spindles, and the bearings have an internal diameter of 25mm. Shimano Hollowtech II cranks have 24mm spindles, and fit too loose in the bearings. Also, SRAM GXP cranksets have 24/22mm spindles. Wheels Manufacturing sells a number of replacement bearings. All you need to do is to select the ones with internal diameters of 24mm. A side note: don't get a crank with a 30mm spindle, as your frame appears to be incompatible.
This isn't a recommendation to use Wheels specifically. Other manufacturers like Enduro may also produce replacement bearings. If you wish to source your own bearings, you'd want an outer diameter of 37mm, an internal diameter of 24mm, and a depth of 7mm. I believe this corresponds to a 2437 bearing. (A previous version wrongly stated that this is a 6805 bearing; that bearing has an internal diameter of 25mm and will accommodate Campagnolo cranks.)
Is it a good idea to seat bearings directly in the frame, rather than in cups?
From what I've read, I don't think it's a good idea to seat the bearings against a carbon surface. Kogel, a manufacturer of bottom brackets and pulleys with ceramic bearings, contends that

Another problem that I have seen is that the BB shell ovalizes over time from repeated compression of the carbon under pedaling forces. Trek’s solution for either problem is to send out a custom sized ‘V2’ bearing, which is a slightly larger version of the 6805 size that should have fit initially.

BBinfinite, which also makes bottom brackets, seems to agree with this, but they think that the issue occurs when the bearing is not installed tightly. If it develops movement, it will gradually enlarge the BB shell by fretting against it. The bearing will thus fit loosely in the shell, and it will creak. BBinfinite advocates applying loctite to the bearings, which stops them from moving. This Slowtwitch thread, contains a report of the BB shell becoming out of spec, likely due to the phenomenon described above.
In most other press fit arrangements, the shell is at least protected from wear like this by the BB cups (which can be plastic or metal). In addition, the Wilier in question may have had an aluminum tube bonded into the frame to serve as the bearing seat (see comment by Robert). That said, even regular press fit systems are notorious for creaking problems. We could revert to threaded BB shells, and Trek appears to be replacing BB90 with the T47 oversized threaded system (note, their 2020 model year Emonda and Madone frames appear to still use BB90, but the Domane and Crocket bikes switched). However, this involves bonding an alloy shell into the carbon bottom bracket. This process can also be imperfect, e.g. the shell might not be bonded properly. It does add weight as well, but the amount of weight actually in play is of little consequence (and it can be safely offset by light parts in other areas, if you must play the weight weenie game).
Miscellaneous comments
One original Wilier owner on Slowtwitch.com reported that they received a bag of hardware with their Wilier. This bag may have contained bearings for the bottom bracket. If you have this bag, it might be worth checking it for the Shimano bearings.
Do recall that you can service your bearings without replacing them. This involves gently prying the seals off, flushing the interior with WD 40, and then re-greasing the bearings. I'd probably recommend this, in fact. It's cheaper than replacing the bearings, and it avoids wearing out the carbon when you press out the old bearings and press new ones in.
Trek does sell BB90 bearings whose outer diameter is oversized by 0.1mm as a fix if the shell becomes slightly enlarged. In principle, if this ever happens to your frame, I believe you could use those bearings. Trek's BB90 specifies a 37mm internal diameter. The dimensions of the BB90 bearings that Wheels Mfg. lists for the BB90 seem identical to the ones listed for Wilier's BB94. The BB90 shell is a couple mm narrower than the BB94 shell, but this appears not to affect the bearing dimensions. If you suspect this, you should measure the diameter of the bearing seats with a pair of calipers  in several places to make very sure that they conform to the specified 37.1mm diameter of this oversized bearing.


Why is it common for cheap bikes to have the frame sawn in half below the saddle?

The seat tube is split because it has rear suspension - the rear of the bike rotates around a pivot located just in front of the bottom bracket.  Several early full-suspension bikes used a similar design for the rear pivot; this design was then knocked off by the lower-end manufacturers looking to cash in on the popularity of mountain bikes.  It's extremely simple and gives the bike the expensive "full-suspension" look.  Unfortunately it mostly just adds weight, pedal bob, and complexity to an already heavy turd of a bike.

Most modern full-suspension bikes use more expensive rear linkages and advanced suspension designs, so this older design has almost entirely been relegated to department store bikes.