All I can tell you is that its a 165mm long crank, and probably uses the ISIS interface to the bottom bracket.

Check your BB and see which one is most like your existing BB.

I know of no 12 spline standard off hand, so either its a miscount of the 10 spline ISIS or you've got some weird standard.  Truvativ was known for weird oddball standards too... good luck!

It appears to date from the mid-late 2000s.

The pictured crankarm is a left hand side.  The right hand side crankarm has an integrated Spider to hold the crank arms, and looks something like this:

    Note this one has a square taper drive.  Yours has a different interface, so need to match the BB on your bike.

This one is a triple, because it has boltholes for more than one chainring.  It will be spaced so the middle chainring is in the middle of the cassette.  If you use this with a double chainring, it will sit a little too far out of line.

Other info: There's a wealth of measurements and data at https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bbsize.html  to help you find what you've got and what it is called.


Dahon Folding bike, seat came right off!

Looks like there's something missing.  The golden piece should go around the top of the black piece of the frame, and should clamp it tight without the two edges touching by the threadded bolt.

The silver piece looks like a shim or a spacer of some sort, and the seat and seatpole/post has not been pictured, but would go inside the silver tube.

Is there a second seat clamp (golden piece) missing, to go around the silver bit to hold it to the seat post proper ?

Edit:-
A google suggests these have telescopic seat posts, so silver piece is not just a static shim.   The other possibility is your seat clamp may have stretched and is no longer providing enough clamping force.


Track frames in general are designed for manouverability, not stability or comfort. This does not make them very good commuter bikes, but if you absolutely need a track frame you know what you are getting into. Extra long stem tones down the twitchiness a bit, but also moves the weight distribution towards front wheel.

Another solution would be buying a road frame with horizontal dropouts and not installing a rear brake. This will get you a top tube that is only moderately short related to your body, but would lose some credibility (if it was 2007, this is 2017 and track bikes are old news anyway).


With what material should I fix a creaking sound on one of the pedals?

Don't ride before servicing thos-e pedals. A poorly greased or loose pedal will ruin the thread of the crank or may even cause breakage of the pedal axle. A correctly tightened but non-greased pedal thread may cause the threads to fuse.

You should remove both pedals, clean the threads and the crank arms, apply grease and thread them back in. In case you own a torque wrench the tightening torque ranges normally from 35-40 Nm.

Remember that the right pedal unscrews counter-clockwise and for the left pedal it is clockwise.

Grease: chain lube isn't adequate because it contains a large proportion of volatile components. WD-40 is an absolute no-go, it isn't grease. White cycle grease is best this case, it is generally available in smaller portions. You should apply the grease to the threads of the pedal and screw them in by hand for the first turns. It should fit in easily without the use of a tool. Tighten and check again after a 10-15km ride.


Bump on tire near valve after tube replacement

Usually this happens when the thick, reinforced part of the tube surrounding the valve is stuck underneath the tire bead rather than the tube being fully enclosed by the tire. The tire then can't seat quite right at that spot and rides high. Usually the fix is to deflate the tire, temporarily remove the Presta nut if present, grab the valve and shove it up into the tire, pull the tire to each side all the way around but especially at the valve to check that you can't see any tube protruding from the tire (you should always do this when changing a tube/tire), and then re-inflate.

Riding a tire like this is pretty dangerous because sudden blowouts can result from the tube not being properly constrained inside the tire.

The rim being deep doesn't cause this per se, but many deep rims are also on the narrow side, which will contribute to it happening.


Do NOT use WD-40 of any kind on your rims if you use rim brakes. WD-40 leaves a residue. If you have contaminated your rims, clean them off with rubbing alchohol. Once you do that, it'll be like starting with new brakes, so they will take a little brake in to get dirt and rubber re-imbedded in your rims. If the pads have been contaminated with WD-40, and it sounds like they have, replace them. Pads are cheap.


Is it advisable to travel 11 miles one way to office every day

This is really only a question you can answer for yourself.

How fit are you? How much do you ride currently, is 11 miles a long way for you? Are you comfortable in London traffic? Is it raining?

These questions, and others, you will need to answer before you get close to an answer. Personally, I'd do it, I chose 2 points on the map in London at random and it shows about an hour by bike, an hour by car and 30 mins by train.

As for clothes, you may find that your office has a shower or changing room and you can change from something in lycra to something more office friendly when you arrive. Failing that, a lot of people recommend baby wipes. There's other questions about commuting with a lot of information on this.


If you can afford it, centerlock hubs are a nice option.  The rotors are easier on/off and have less tendency to go out of true owing to the large stiff carrier (Shimano).

If you don't want to pay for that convenience, I have used many other brands of rotors in the past, and apart for bends and break in periods not had any problems mixing manufacturers.  I've used Avid rotors with Hayes brakes and vice versa and just about every type with Formulas and not had problems.  After bending rotors beyond repair I've often had to buy cheap "in stock" rotors to replace them with and most often been pleasantly surprised when it all works out fine (until the next crash or incident).

In my opinion, the Centerlocks are well worth the upgrade money, but if that's not for you, just about any other brand of reputable rotor should be fine.  You can expect a normal short break in period as the pads wear to the new rotor.


If the bike is used mostly for training, you'll probably want to give high priority to reliability. In general, more spokes is better than fewer both because they're stronger and also because they're easier to true; 2-cross (or 3-cross) spoke patterns will be stronger than radial or "mixed" spoke patterns (for example, radial on one side and 1x on the other); rims with eyelets will be stronger than rims without; clincher rims will give you more choice about heavy-duty or puncture-resistant tires and tubes than tubular rims; aluminium rims will be more cost-effective than carbon; standard round spokes will be easier to find replacements for (should you need them) than bladed spokes.


Schwinn runabout trailer/seatpost attachment

You need a seatpost shim, with an inner diameter that matches your existing seatpost, and an outer diameter that matches the inner diameter of the clamp.  Any decent bike shop will have these.

The measurement of your seatpost should be stamped into the metal - just pull the seatpost out, and it will be written below the minimum-insert line.

There is a shim for every combination of sizes - and you can get them in plastic or aluminium or steel or carbon fibre.  For your situation, a plastic shim would probably be fine, but I'd still prefer a metal one.

Examples (not a recommendation)  https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bicycle-saddles-seatposts/seatpost-shim/


Can't find any replacement original chainrings (SG A-52-42-30) . What can I use instead?

Yes, you don't have to use actual Shimano chainrings, you can use 'third party' brands.

There are a few manufacturers that produce replacement chainrings in a wide range of BCD measurements and tooth counts, so you be able to get exact matches.

If you do decide to change gearing, derailleur position and chain length will need to be changed, but you should probably be replacing the chain at the same time as as rings anyway, and also checking at the cassette for wear and replacing that if necessary.


swap Shimano Alivio gear indicator for cover plate

Nope - there is no cover option. You can live without the indicators - I don't think I have ever looked at mine in earnest. Given the situation you can just tape it up as best you can to make sure none of the internals are exposed to the elements.

There are plenty of other shifter options that all cost money that will be considerable compared to the 'OEM' cost that your cycle manufacturer paid.

If you are willing to spend some money then you can get some very fancy Shimano shifter/brake lever combos that will have the required ergonomics. Or you may want to consider the 'unfashionable' gripshift option. Gripshift are fantastic for everyday riding and compatible with Shimano 8 speed (which I presume your Alivio setup is). People do get rid of the gripshift and put the parts on ebay. They are frequently found on 'affordable' kids bikes and can vary externally in condition, however the internals are invariably sound as there are no moving parts. Give them a go, they are fun!


Quick release wheel is either too tight or not tight enough

Your problem is more likely to be wheel alignment than anything being too tight. The tops of the dropout (with the bike upright) should be sitting on the axle, but it's easy to get a little gap there if you're not careful. When that happens the wheel doesn't sit quite stright in the fork and it will rub on the disk rotor if you have disks. Plus if you're finding that you have to wind the quick release in and out it may be riding up on the wheel retention tabs (lawyer lips). Front dropouts are shown in the lawyer lips link.

The system I use is this:

put the front wheel in loosely, or leave it in if it's in
stand over the bike and reach down to the quick release, holding the bike upright with your body (belly on the handlebars)
release the quick release
wiggle the fork or wheel a little to make sure the wheel is properly seated
do up the quick release

The idea is that because the bike is pushing down on the wheel it will seat properly in the dropouts. Trying to do that while the bike is upside down or you're trying to hold it upright often means one side of the axle is not properly in the dropout, so the wheel sits at an angle when you do up the quick release.


A minimalist yet inventive design by Korean designer Eungi Kim  has caught my eye:

You could use white PVC plumbing pipes and heat bend them.
Accompany it with similarly minimalist fancy dress and you're good to go.


Things to consider when choosing a recumbent

Although this should be a given, ride the bike before you buy it. Not for 5 minutes in a parking lot, but for a real, decent ride. Any shop specializing in 'bents will understand that if you are making your first recumbent purchase, it's a leap of faith, and will be accommodating. That is also a reason to buy your recumbent from a specialty shop.

Credit for the following goes to @Don Kirby above, I'm including it here as well for completeness in one answer. If he wants to edit, and add the above paragraph, or similar, I'll delete this answer.

Think about wheel base and where you want the steering.

Wheelbase:

I hear that long wheel base is more stable and faster, but I chose short wheel base so I could load it on the bus rack sometimes.

Steering:

Above seat steering is more common and I think it's easier to learn, but I chose below seat steering because it seemed like a more relaxed position for my arms.

Bonus:

I found that during a crash, below seat steering means that your completely above the bike and you don't get tangled up with it as you go down. I found myself sliding along the ground, all by myself.


How can one stop brakes from screeching?

I would recommend swizzstop discbrake silencer, and sand the surface if the brake pads with fine sandpaper.


How to find the serial number on a 26 inch Jamas Trail X mountain bike

https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/register.html  says:

Your Jamis serial number is located under the bottom bracket of your Jamis Bicycle.


Why doesn't Shimano use shadow technology on road derailleurs?

Simple answer would be that it's heavier, which is very important in road-bikes.

Regarding the cable friction and smoother shifting, road shifters are going towards electronics


I don't have a way of knowing absolutely this is true, but it sounds like a severe case of the unnamed phenomenon where the shifter gets pushed into its (presumably) last click, and the system is set up such that this position pushes the front derailer to the absolute limit of what the limit screw and the stretchiness of the cable allow. The cable then statically has a very large amount of tension on it (much more than what the FD return spring provides, which is what the shifting mechanism is designed in mind for), and this makes shifting back take a lot of force, or in rare cases not work at all.

If this is what's going on, the main clue would be that cable has an inordinate amount of tension when you pluck it with your finger. The fix is to take a screwdriver and back out the front derailer high limit screw a couple full turns. Then you should be able to downshift as normal. After this you should ideally set the derailer back up again from square one, because if this can happen at all then something isn't quite right. If that's too much you can just reset the high limit back to the normal .5-1mm or so of chain clearance, but you might have to repeat the episode in the future, and this is one of the main contributors to STI levers failing early.


It's unclear how it came to be a JIS (EC29) frame with threadless. That combination is odd. There are some different ways it might have been hacked together, or maybe some small number of bikes were made that way. It doesn't matter. Get the frame reamed to ISO/Campy/EC30 (all names for the same thing) and the crown milled if needed, and then you can install an obtainable new 1" threadless headset on it.
Some manufacturers of basic OEM and repair type headsets use the same cup profile for everything. Taking advantage of that is one way you could in theory combine two headsets to make a good hack solution. But it would be way easier to just machine the frame.
Jamming an EC30 headset in should not be done under any circumstances. The frame will be at risk for cracking now or later.


To my standard, if I kick/push the crank (freewheel direction) as hard as I can and it does not rotate more than 1 rotation after the push, I know that it is time to service. I actually aim for 1.5 to 2 rotations

Usually lubing the chain will do the job. This happens after one winter, and the chain usually shows signs of rust. This is on my Cobra steel dutch bike, with partial chain guard.

It is my winter bike. So I rarely wash it after rides on rainy winter days. A wash every fortnight/winter would suffice. The idea is that winter bike requires less maintenance in tougher weather condition. So if one have to do a lot of maintenance for a bike in one winter, maybe it's not really meant for winter.

Regarding the screws/bolts, I have replaced them all with titanium material. They do corrode, but not as bad. I also put a little lithium grease on them, and by little I mean a very thin coat. The grease never cause me any trouble.

Regarding the spokes/nipples/hub, unfortunately there is not much you can do except replacing them when they fail. I heard a rumour from our local bike club that you could grease the spokes/nipples a little and slow down the corrosion. It sounds tedious so I have never tried out.


Are freewheels and cassettes interchangeable?

No, freewheels are completely different from the cassette / free hub system and are not interchangeable.

A freewheel includes the ratchet mechanism that allows the sprockets to rotate backwards as well as the sprockets themselves, and threads into the hub.

In the cassette / free hub system the ratchet mechanism is built into the hub, and the sprockets slide onto a splined brarrel shaped ‘free hub body’.


I doubt it will make a big difference. A majority of the braking should be coming from the front anyway.  Most MTB's run a smaller rear rotor than front with no problems.

There are a couple of things you can do will help if going to a smaller disc. If brakes are DOT fluid, bleed with a DOT 5.1 to give higher temperature tolerance (although being Shimano I expect the brake are mineral oil) and run metallic pads as these resist brake fade better than organics.

The weight you are taking is not high - many riders of bikes would weight in excess of 100kg. Also when loaded for bike packing I would be surprised if you ride as aggressively as normal.

Ultimately it comes down to you braking style. If you are heavy on you brakes, drag the rear brake and generally have little care for heat management in them, don't do it.  If you have good braking technique and are not riding aggressively you will not have a problem.


What parts do I need to upgrade my drivetrain?

Without knowing the specifics of your setup, you may need to replace:

Chain
Front Shifter
Rear Derailleur
Cassette Hub
Cassette

You may also have to change your dropout spacing, and may need to re-dish the wheel to maintain proper alignment.


Giant Toughroad SLR 2 for 200 miles in two days, will it make it?

First, don't worry about the bike - worry about you.  If you need a different bicycle, you'll figure that out pretty fast while you're training to do your 200-mile ride.

What's the farthest you've ridden on that bike? 30 miles?  Even 50 or 60 miles is only just getting to the edges of what riding 100 miles is like.  Fatigue is cumulative - never mind just running out of intramuscular glycogen - all the microtrauma your muscles endure riding a mile is piled on top of the microtrauma endured in the previous miles.

Ever done 80 miles or close to it?  Because you're going to need to work up to at least that just to be able to do 100 miles in one day without getting surprised by something like debilitating cramps at 94 miles.

Are you guaranteed to have something like that happen to you if you don't work up to the distance?  No.  But if that does happen to you on the first day of a two-day, 200-mile ride, what then?  And issues like that are probably about ten times more likely on the second day.

To be able to do 200 miles in two days, an 80-mile ride in one day is going to have to be fairly easy.

When you first start riding distances like that, the final miles are hard.  You won't just be tired, your leg muscles will feel like they're just about to turn themselves inside out, and they oftentimes will - grabbing at you with cramps that can literally make you fall over off your bike.  Your arms and shoulders and neck can be awfully painful.  Your fingers numb. Your back muscles spasming. You might get saddle sores, or worst-case, bad blisters on your feet.

Even if you work up to that distance slowly, there's simply nothing else that can prepare your muscles for the 6, 7, or 8 hours of continuous effort needed to ride 100 miles or so.  Again - because fatigue is cumulative.

Coming back the next day and doing another 100 miles is going to be even harder.  Your muscles simply will not recover in that short of a time.

So how do riders do it?

By working up to it.  Over time.

So you need to get riding.  Work your distance up over time - you have several months.

Go out this upcoming weekend.  Plan on riding a bit further than your longest-ever ride - you should probably aim for at least 30 miles. Squeeze in 2-3 90-min or longer rides during the week.  Allow for some off-days to recover. Add 5-10 miles per week to your long weekend ride.

After about a month of that - say you're doing 50-60 miles on Saturday - come back on Sunday with a 25- or 30-mile ride, really easy.  Start adding miles to that, too.

Plot out your planned distances.  I'd say you should probably aim for 70/70 back-to-back rides about a week or two before the ride.

Because it's that back-to-back that's going to be the toughest thing to handle.

And don't ride at all for three or four days prior to the 200-mile ride.  By that point, all you can do is fatigue yourself.

And while you're working your distance up, there's a chance you'll discover all kinds of issues - your shoes don't work because when you get to 70 miles you start getting hot spots on your feet.  (You'll know why they're called "hot spots" if you get 'em...)  Your saddle might not work.  Your hands might start going numb after four hours.  Are those guaranteed to happen?  Again, no.  But they're all possibilities.

And note that I didn't mention your bike not being able to handle the distance at all. It won't have a problem at all as long as you do routine maintenance.

If that sounds hard, it is.  But it's better than that 200-mile ride turning into a misadventure you'd rather forget.


Fork boots were used to keep dirt off the stanchions and help keep the wipers clean. Modern quality forks have wipers that clean better and last longer, and more abrasive resistant stanchions, so no need for a boot. Cheap forks don't put boots on because in today's market place, boots scream cheap fork

Dirt always manages to get behind the boot no matter how well sealed it is, this has several detrimental effects. Any dirt trapped between the boot and stanchion stays there and increases rubbing. The boot transfers dirt back to a stanchion wiped clean by the wiper.  To make matters much worse, and probably the reason they have fallen out of favor the most - the better the seal, needed to make them most effective, the harder it was to clean behind them. Few people could be bothered (or never even knew) to clean behind the boot. Given that, for a typical user, dirt trapped behind the boot is far worse than dirt a naked fork is exposed to.  Additionally moisture can be trapped in the boot, increasing the risk of corrosion on the stanchion, defeating the purpose of having the boot.

Boot may have an advantage in extremely muddy conditions provided  they are well sealed and removed for cleaning regularly. However, the effort is probably not worth the reward.


A mountain bike will never really be a road bike. The geometry and construction of the frame is different. Mountain bike frames are designed for a different posture and are often designed for a suspension fork, as well as generally being beefier.

You can set up a mountain bike with slick tires and drop bars if you want. I've tried this before and the ride quality is a bit off compared to a road bike.

If you want to take it all the way, you'll need to swap out the following:

you may need a rigid fork
you'd need to make sure that your frame and fork can accomodate 700c wheels and is drilled for caliper brakes. Many mountain bike frames will fail on at least one of these counts.
You'd also need to replace your crankset. Mountain bikes generally are geared much lower than road bikes.
your brake levers would need to be swapped to short-pull models meant to be mounted on a drop bar.
you'll need different shift levers probably.

All in all it's probably going to be a lot cheaper to get a used road bike and refurbish it than to convert an entire mountain bike.


What tool do I need for this bolt that holds the crank arm on this stationary bike?

That nut was put in the wrong way around.
This is what the nut looks like:

The hex end is what you should tighten with a approriate socket.
This is what it should look like when installed correctly:

If it ever get's super tight as it is now, to get it off, the easiest way is probably to cut it with a tremmel and chisel it out.
Good luck!


I solved a similar problem by dousing the inside of the shifter liberally with WD40 and leaving it overnight, I mean really soak it until it's dripping. I had to do this twice but the shifting was perfect afterwards.


Rear Wheel Jamming on kids bike after Training Wheels

Sounds to me like the bearings in the rear wheel are unhappy.

So normally on a kids bike, they use cheaper cup and cone bearings which have a cone nut and a locknut on each side.

 Note the lock nuts and cone nuts in the above cutaway are merged into one part.

So the locknut and cone nut should be pressed up against each other and therefore unable to move.  I guess that something has caused the locknut and cone nut to be loose against each other, allowing one or both to turn with the wheel.

The Fix  you'll need a normal adjustable spanner, and a specialist spanner called a Cone Spanner which is quite thin, and fits the two flats on the side of the cone nut.

Remove the wheel from the bike, and work on its axle directly.    Its fiddly, but you want the axle to rotate in your fingers without crunching feeling, but without much detectable slop.

To do so, lock one locknut against one cone by tightening them against each other.  Then adjust the cone nut on the other side so it spins right.  Lastly hold that cone nut still and tighten the lock nut against it.

Things will subtly move, and your adjust will likely be wrong. So fiddle it until you have the axle rotating freely with no graunch, but with minimal sideways play.

Lastly, remember this is a kids bike that won't do 10 km in its entire life.  As long as the wheel turns freely and doesn't self-adjust you'll be okay.


How should I deal with bike messengers + others (salmon) riding the wrong way in a bike lane?

I want to just go over to the person and try to give them some common sense.

If I felt like that, I'd have to tell every second cyclist I see at night that they ought to have lights.

  Is it productive to be confrontational in this situation? Has anybody been able to educate them? Should we let the salmon swim upstream unimpeded?

Ring your bell. :-)


New frame bottom bracket and crank compatibility and general stupidity!

Now all sorted and working.

As described above, the pedal crank was removed by sawing of corners/chunks etc.

I then managed to successfully knock out the Shimano press fit BB, this was quite easy with a decent sized screwdriver and hammer.

Then fitted the new SRAM BB86.  I used a headpress tool bought off ebay for around £7 to £8 delivered.  Worked a treat - a simple threaded rod with plates and bolts.  Did one side at a time which seems to be the recommended technique.

New pedal crank also bought and chainset fitted and all nice and solid, no wobbling!


Safest position to ride on roads with cars

The hard and fast rule is to do whatever it takes to keeps you safe.

The first thing is to ride with lights at night and reflective gear.

Generally, what I do is, if theres a wide enough shoulder I will use it. If there isn't, I take the lane. Being in a corner of a lane is a problem since motorists will try to sneak past and can't always judge the room needed to do so safely (at least a 3 foot margin from you). The side of the road is generally bad as debris tends to collect there, so you increase your risk of punctures and what not.

Note that there may be legal things to do -- The Washington state bicycling guide says cyclists must be as far right as it is safe not as far right as is possible (my personal policy also follows this). Check with your local area to see what the legal policy is (if any).

To quote the Washington state bicycling guide:
"Washington State law requires cyclists
to ride as far to the right as is safe,
not as far to the right as is possible.
There is a crucial difference. Assess the
situation to decide how far towards the
center of the lane you need to travel
to be safe versus unduly delaying
motorized traffic. Taking the full lane
is generally safest when traveling for
short stretches on lower speed roads
(20-25mph). On higher speed roads, it
may be safer to reduce your speed and
stay further to the right rather than
compete with faster vehicles for the
full lane.

You may find it necessary to take
the lane in the following kinds of
situations:

•    when traveling at traffic speed and
you need to prevent motorists from
inadvertently cutting you off;

•    when descending a hill and you
need extra space (for reaction time)
due to your speed;

•    when lane width does not permit
a motorized vehicle behind you to
safely pass;

•    when road conditions (potholes,
road debris or parked cars) preclude
you from riding farther to the right.
Be aware that many motorists neither
understand that you have the right to
take the lane in these situations (or at
all), nor may they see road condition
hazards which you are trying to avoid."

Another thing to note is that part of safety (aside from abiding from the law) is dealing with harassment. From the same guide: "Most motorists are courteous and happy to share the road with cyclists, but
unfortunately, the small minority of drivers who are rude or threatening
stand out. Harassment can make a commute unenjoyable or even dangerous.
Fortunately, it rarely occurs. If harassed, try to keep your cool and remember
that your safety is the priority. You will rarely convince an irate motorist to share
the road, and besides, you don’t want to provoke a person unstable enough to
harass you in the first place. Your best bet is to develop your riding skills, know
your rights, ride legally and try to keep calm in the event you are harassed.
Noting a car’s license plate, description and occupants may help when reporting
an incident to the authorities."


Will any Shimano V brake fit any v brake lever and any v brake bike?

Yes, they all work together. Only exception is all mini V-brakes. They are not compatible with standard V-brakes.


How does the SureStop braking system work?

You've got a brake lever and a rear brake both with typical mechanical advantage characteristics. One of the rear pads has a spring-loaded sliding mechanism where forward momentum captured from the back wheel when braking causes it to slide forward and actuate a cable going to the front brake, which is controlled only in this manner. (The head of the cable is in the moving pad, and the stop for its housing is a stationary part of the pad. Movement between the two generates the cable movement, same as a brake lever.) Some assumptions are built-in about weight distribution and total weight on the bike, and the manufacturer chose a distance for the slidey bit that will keep the front brake from ever being able to lock if those assumptions are correct.

Maximum braking power is decreased compared to a normal system owing to the aforementioned one-size-fits-all design assumptions, which have to be conservative for the system to do its thing, which in the scheme of things probably makes them less safe for most people, not more. They are adequately powerful for most purposes when set up correctly. Their marketing/product material touts the line that they're a pure, unequivocal upgrade over conventional systems, which is not correct because they reduce the overall amount of braking power available.

Another safety drawback, especially for novice or fearful users that might be most drawn to the system, is that not adjusting the rear brake's barrel adjuster as the rear pads wear will create a situation where the entire bike has inadequate or no brakes much faster than in a conventional two-lever setup. For a rider that simply will never use their barrel adjusters, SureStop is much more dangerous. Compounding the issue is that the front brake has its own adjuster, but using it properly is a little more complex than normal (see their videos for more explanation.)

Another way of looking at how it works and the effect on power is that you've got a normal rear brake you can set up and use however you want, and for your front brake someone put an arbitrarily sized block of material between the lever and the bar so the lever will always bottom out against it at a certain point in its travel.

Any loss of grip between the rear pads and rim, or any mechanical failure of the rear brake, will keep the front brake from operating, rendering the bike brakeless. In other words, the system eliminates one of the key safety features of other bikes with two brakes: redundancy in case of mechanical issues, especially in emergency braking situations where cable systems in particular are stressed the most.

A theoretical advantage of this kind of system is for one-handed users, especially if the one braking hand available has compromised strength. Unlike split levers, they don't have the drawback that they're dividing one hand's braking force between two different brakes, since they're making use of otherwise-wasted energy to actuate the front brake.