Installing new threadless headset: how to set the crown ring and its rubber ring?

The rubber ring would most likely be a protective seal of some kind, although for which part I am not so sure. I changed my headset earlier last year and don't remember such a part, although my memory isn't great.

Can you not determine the possible location based on the rubber ring's size? Most forks are tapered and are larger at the bottom, so the size might make it self-explanatory. My educated guess is that it will be an additional seal which sits between the cartridge bearing/compression ring (the brass coloured ring on the far right) and the dust cover.

I terms of installation, the second to right part (the crown race) should be fitted first onto your fork first. Ensure that the surface is clean and no corrosion or other dirt is on your fork from the old race as it won't sit properly. It's unlikely that this rubber ring would go underneath the crown race or above as it would prevent the bearings fitting correctly (the space is usually extremely tight to start with).

Although the following image doesn't show the rubber ring, it gives a good indication to the installation order of the rest of the parts. I suggest that the rubber ring goes between the 'dust cover' and 'compression ring' on that photo.

An exploded photograph of a bicycle headset, showing the parts in installation order


should my left shifter be clicking more than twice

The lining up (or not) suggests some tuning is in order, but it is normal to have multiple clicks per shift on many models, to allow fine tuning of the shift while riding (if you count the clicks carefully you may find that the middle chainring is at a different position when approached from the larger compared to the smaller chainring). When you say twist, are you talking about something like revoshift?

The revoshift I'm familiar with certainly does this.

The adjustment of the font mech for not lining up is more likely to be a matter of limit screws than cable tension -- see Sheldon Brown (skip to the limit screws) among many HowTos for this.


Claris front shifter with mtb derailleurs?

I assume you've got the triple version of the Claris FD.

There are no strict standards for chainring spacing so while if the crank you had was too far off what the shifter/derailer "expect" then yes, that could cause bad performance, that part isn't really a mountain vs road thing, and is more about what width chain the crank is intended for. If that was causing the problem, it would probably be pretty clear when trying to adjust the shifting.

To answer your second question, no, a Shimano MTB front derailer will not work well because their road and mountain front shifters pull different amounts of cable. It can be made to work badly and this is enough that some people will tell you it works.

One probable reason it's working badly is because you're going under the minimum mid/top tooth difference spec of your FD-2403 by 1 tooth, which forces the derailer to be mounted higher than it should be and can throw off the chain contact points. That will exacerbate its not quite optimal match with the profile of the rings you have. Both of these tend to cause larger problems than people often expect.

Just using an IRD Alpina may completely solve the problem. It is currently the only STI-compatible FD available optimized for this kind of application. (And the main one ever, the exception being one or two weird old Shimano ones, RSX I think). What I don't know offhand is how well it's going to play with an 8-speed chain. If that proves finicky you can use a 9.


Replacing rear derailleur on Murray 15 speed - Looking for parts

Likely your Murray uses something like a Falcon 5-speed unit:

Here's an image of the derailer properly mounted:


Try sanding the stem and bars because most BMX company's paint there bars and stems all the way so there is no grip. If you sand the inside of the stem and the grippy part of your handlebars it should be fine.


Where Can I Find a Single Right Front Crank Arm for a Tandem?

I know that some BMXs have left side drive. I actually found this out by accidentally ordering a left hand freewheel that was backwards on my single speed!

I don't know if these cranks will work for you but it might be a place to look. Wikipedia describes left side drive here .

JensonUSA have Sugino tandem crank arms sold separately.


You get what you pay for. Cost is going to be dependent on materials, engineering, etc. If you buy a cheap chain ring it may work pretty well if you don't demand a lot out of it. A more expensive chain ring will be made of better materials (will wear longer and be lighter) and be better engineered (usually an issue for shifting; not so much for a fixie).

When it comes to parts or tools I am usually dead set against buying "cheap" since you're not just paying for the materials and engineering but also the service and reputation. If you can get a decent part from a reputable place by all means go for it, but don't buy the cheapest part you can from some shady on-line guy and expect to be able to get any help when the mounting holes don't line up.


What's the idea behind the no-feeding-in-the-last-20-km rule?

If you do not race in a UCI  race you do not care about this rule at all. If you are thirsty, you drink. The end of the trip is where you are at the greatest danger of bonking so if you feel hungry or weak, just eat or get some quick sugar.
Actually, the racers can also do so, but they cannot get new food and new water, they only can use what they have.
UCI Rule 18:
"All feeding (from a car and on foot outside of the feeding zones signposted by the organiser) is strictly forbidden: during the 30 first and last 20 kilometres; ..."
If you are just eating your own food or drinking your own water, you are not acting against any imaginary rule on your trips.
I do not think any of the reasons you list is exactly the right one. The closest one would be number 1, but not literally. They are not in full sprint, but disruptions and distractions have to be prevented at some point. And by default that point is 20 km. Sometimes it is postponed when the weather is hot.

Reaction to the update:
I do not think that passing a bottle from a domestique to the leader is forbidden, but I am not sure. It does not appear to be against the wording. I really do think the rule is to prevent the distractions from team cars and from riders moving to the side of the road in the deciding parts of the race. The wording appears to be clearly against external feeding and not against feeding yourself at all.


What's the wheel size? If it's 700c, then you can get disc road/CX/gravel frame. Do mind type of bottom bracket, hub widths and seatpost diameter, though. You can fit MTB shifters and brake levers to a drop bar, but that would look funky, so probably flat bar only. For proper fit, stem might require replacement too.


Based on the downtube logo this is a "FIX-D" brand of fixed-gear bicycle.
These are low-spec bikes sold through Target and aliexpress.  The frame is Steel.
Someone has removed the front brake and brake lever, and the front wheel's QR lever is in a bad angle.  Can't comment on the rear of the bike.  The saddle on yours is from a Diamondback as well.
The front tyre has been changed at some time, and its possible the front wheel is different from stock too.
The left hand pedal is busted in half - that's not safe to ride and needs to be replaced.  Generally you have to buy pedals in pairs, check elsewhere on this site for how to fit and the pitfalls/gotchas.
I removed the 27-inch tag because this bike has 700c wheels, which are 622mm.

Source: https://www.propertyroom.com/l/magna-fixd-road-bike/10178232


What are the advantages of filling tires with Nitrogen instead of air?

There are some compelling reasons for filling vehicle tires with pure nitrogen in performance situations, but for bike tires it's just snake oil. There aren't substantial enough temperature fluctuations in a bike tire to justify the pressure consistency argument.

It's also worth noting that the air you breathe and fill your tires with is more than three-quarters Nitrogen, so this isn't as special as it may sound.


They're standardized between different types of cranksets.

One piece cranksets use 1/2" x 20 tpi. Three piece cranksets (most bikes) use 9/16" x 20 tpi. Old French things use something else, but these are rare (and instead of being marked with R and L for which pedal is which on the spindle, it will be D and G).

If you want, you can measure it like any other bolt. Or, take the pedals to a bike shop and compare them to another pedal.

You find one piece cranksets on some BSO's (i.e. bikes you get from places like Walmart), children's bikes and very old American bikes. Otherwise, you should have a 3 piece crankset and use a 9/16".


When you replace a wheel the cassette is not guaranteed to be in exactly the same place relative to the frame as it was on the old wheel, so you need to re-adjust the limits and indexing of the derailleur. Park Tool has a great instruction page with videos that use can use to learn how to do this.

Also make sure that you cassette is installed properly. Some cassettes have a spacer that must be installed on the freehub before the cassette sprockets.

As Criggie said in a comment, you should replace the chain when you replace the cassette.


Friction-shift (rear) always changing up the gears

Rode downtube friction shifters bikes for a while.
I can see two possible causes : either the shifter was too lubricated, or the screw isn't tightened enough. Try to tighten it more, but pay attention not to tear the screw.
Usually the lever is pretty rigid when moving. If it's easy to move it to the point it moves alone, it's probably because it wasn't tightened properly.
If this does not work, you'll have to unmount it and delubricate the parts a bit.


Checking 'plumb' when mounting bike on trainer

There are several options, ranging from low tech kludges to actually solving the problem. So, starting from low end:

Loop a string around your top tube and tie so that loop is loose and the string can move. Tie the weight to the other end of the string. Now you have a plumb that hangs at the center of the tube.
Get a spirit level. If the solution needs to be free and you have a smart phone, there are also apps for it.
Higher tech variation: Get a laser spirit level and fix it to the frame so that the line shows at down tube. Now you can check the bike position by just looking down.
Actually solving the problem, option 1: Forget the trainer and use rollers instead. You will now maintain the bike upright automatically.
Actually solving the problem, option 2: It sounds like you thorougly dislike cycling. Try some other kind of exercise.


New to bicycles; Bad setup, bad bike, or too heavy?

I would venture to say (and Blam confirmed with his link to the manual) that you have some excessive slack in that chain, and removing it would help.

In your first picture, where you're holding the chain, it looks like there is a lateral movement available on what appears to be the axle shaft, to the right. I'd loosen those bolts and try to slide the rear axle backwards to tighten up the chain. Since you have a trike, you'll have to move both sides of the axle evenly backwards to keep the wheels parallel to your direction of travel, or you'll end up with the tires scrubbing as you roll forward.

From the scratch marks on the frame, it looks like you may have played with this already, and if the axle is at its furthest rearward setting, you may have to move the intermediate axle (the left one in your two pictures) forward. Of course, doing so will introduce slack in the other chain. Since the other chain is likely connected to the cranks, which won't have any fore-aft adjustment, this may not work for you.

That leaves you with option 3 which would be to remove some links from that intermediate chain (the one you're holding in picture 1), then readjust the rear axle forward to accommodate the now shortened chain. To do this, you'll need a chain tool that will push the link pin out of the chain, then push it back in when you've taken out a couple of links. You can buy one (bring the trike with you, as different chains may need different size tools), borrow one from a friend, or take the trike into a shop which will have a stock of them in their shop. They probably wouldn't charge much to make a small adjustment like this.

After a second look, it looks like the slotted frame that holds the secondary chain is a separate piece that can be pushed backwards to tighten up that chain. Loosen the bolts holding the intermediate axle (on the left), then push that slotted frame backwards to tighten the chain (again, make sure it's even to keep your rear wheels parallel to the direction of travel), then tighten. Confirm this with the link to manual in Blam's answer.


Hoods for 1993 Camapaganolo Chorus levers

The best bet for old Campy Hoods is EBay.

The hoods you are looking for are the EC-R500 Silicone Rubber hoods, I believe.

One set here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Campagnolo-8-9-Speed-Record-Ergo-Shifter-Hoods-pre-1998-EC-RE500-Genuine-/321946601034


How do I move my chainring without moving my crank arm?

If your bike was previously set up with three chainrings, then the new single ring should be placed in the middle chainring location (i.e., on the inside of the four mounting points of the crank).  Assuming that this is a somewhat ordinary mountain bike, the previous middle chainring was likely a 32t, so the new 34t single ring should fit with sufficient clearance between the ring and the chainstay.  This should substantially reduce your cross-chaining issues, although it is worth noting that a 1x setup will never have as straight of a chainline in either the lowest or highest gears as a properly used 3x setup.


What brand / model of brake is this modified U-brake?

I think those are McMahon Racing Components, possibly their "Power-Link" model. See:

http://mombat.org/MOMBAT/BikeHistoryPages/McMahon.html

http://www.blackbirdsf.org/brake_obscura/mtb.html


I would ask myself the question: "Even if it looks like the tyre is ok, do I really want the hassle of the thing blowing 10 miles from home - even if there's only one chance in a hundred - and then having to change the tube, hoping it doesn't re-puncture, all the while freezing your ** off? And probably in the dark too. And even then, when you get home, having to replace the tyre in any case."

Compared to the price of a new tyre I know what my answer would be. (I should probaby add that tyres in general are more susceptible in thev walls, which would sway me even more.)

Congratulations for keeping your cool by the way. Your logic seems totally sound in terms of this guy being a psycho but very often adrenaline wins hands-down over rationality.


Are drop bars suitable for winter commuting?

Drop bars in of themselves are fine for winter riding. However, there are some peripheral issues involved. Your average flat bars will offer a bit more control in slippery conditions because flat bars are much, much wider than drop bars. A bike equipped with drop bars may not be the best bike for winter riding. But properly configured and sized drops can be excellent for winter riding.

Handlebar Width: Drop bars tend to be narrower than flat bars. You can mitigate this by getting wider drop bars; the ones meant for touring are great for winter riding.

Keep in mind that handlebar sizing isn't an exact science, but you generally want them to be as wide as your shoulders. A lot of road bikes won't have anything approaching this kind of width. (Also, there aren't that many wide, stocky roadies.)

Tires: Road bikes--which is where you usually see drop bars--often won't allow for the fitting of appropriate tires for riding on snow and ice. Not the fault of the drop bars!


What should I look for when buying a bike from an auction?

Just like with any other area of expertise, there is no substitute for years of experience. If you need a simple heuristic though, brand recognition in combination with a general knowledge of groupsets and their quality can go a long way.

At the very least, know how to tell forged components from stamped. Learn Shimano's and Suntour's groupset lineups. Groupsets are generally a good indication for the overall quality of the bike.

Know about the different qualities of steel (hi10 < 4130 chromoly < branded {reynolds, columbus}). Learn about the qualities of good steel lugs (some framesets are worth money that won't have any parts on them).

Back all this up with a smartphone and you should be good.


Is it better fitness-wise to ride at the maximum gear?

No - Struggling away in the small rear cog/large front chainring combo is bad.

Fitness is an overall term that has many components, so:

If you want power you need to work on intervals, which is as fast as possible at full power for short burst times, then recovery time at a middling state.
If you want to train for endurance, being at the steady state for as long as possible, but working to nudge the steady state up to a consistently higher average.
If you want to get somewhere and not be too stinky, riding at 10-20% less than your steady state is good.  I (try to) do this on the way to work, but its not easy.  I leave the fast run for the scenic route home.

Simply pushing really hard on your gears means you're exerting a lot of force through your knees, and mine ache just thinking about it.  Instead you want to pick a gear that keeps you around 90 RPM is the common thinking, but personally I pedal faster.  Any lower than 60-70 is going to damage/hurt your knees faster and produce no gain in fitness.


One of my racks has similar oversize holes and just doing the bolt up tight is fine, with a washer under the head. Some clearance in fact is necessary (the typical clearance hole for M5 is 5.5 mm). I've also seen plastic spacers in this role. If you find it needs just a little something to fill most of the gap, heatshrink sleeving might do the trick, again with a washer under the screw head, as the spacer is centring rather than bearing a load. It is possible to find aluminium tube of just the right size whic could easily be cut with an adjustable pipe cutter used gently, or a hacksaw (I assume you don't have access to a lathe or this would be trivial).


The front derailleur height always needs to be adjusted when making this switch. You should assume the front derailleur will need to be completely re-adjusted.
Dropping in a crank for a higher speed generation than the chain you're running usually results in some degree of rub between the chain and the large ring when in some of the small/small combinations. In some cases you might get chainsuck-type issues with the chain riding up on the ramps in these combinations too. The problem can typically be solved with chainring spacers. I do a set of Wheels Mfg 0.6mm spacers preemptively and it usually works.
Hypothetically, going from a 14t gap to 16t you could exceed your rear derailleur total capacity. In practice, the max cog and total capacity numbers of road RDs for some time now have been set up to avoid this possibility.


Almost all saddles will be exchangeable -- there are a few rare (and very expensive ones) you wouldn't encounter unless you were looking for them which can't be exchanged.

So yes, almost surely if you buy a new saddle you can use it on another bike.

Note that some saddles are marketed as "road" or "mtb" - the mtb ones are possibly more durable, but this is a marketing distinction -- they are not separate standards.

That being said, there are a few things to note in your question:

1) Some discomfort when starting to ride road bikes is normal - the saddles are often harder than what most people are used to, so they need to get used to using their sit bones.

2) Some seatposts don't have much adjustability for saddle angle and position. Thus, a poor seatpost in this respect may make a good saddle for you not feel good. Brooks saddles, for example, are somewhat notorious for needing a decent amount of adjustability in the seatpost.

3) Make sure your bike is fit to you - if the saddle is in the wrong place (or other aspects of the fit are wrong), it won't feel good.

4) You may need a different saddle (as you assume).


Orienting Shimano Cup and Cone square-taper bottom bracket spindle

One side of the spindle is a little longer than the other one. The longer side is the drive side. There may be spindles that have arms that are the same length, but I'm not aware of any.


Replacement of cup that holds bearings on huffy beach cruiser

You're looking for a headset. These come in two forms, threaded and threadless, based on whether your fork has a threaded steering tube. Both are available for all budgets.

Headsets come in a couple of sizes, so use a pair of vernier calipers to measure the size you want. Park Tool has a howto on servicing a threaded headset, however assuming you don't have the right tools:

you can remove the old headset using a long flathead screwdriver and a hammer (both the cups and the crown race);
It's best to install the new headset with a headset press, however, you can gently tap the cups in with a dead drop hammer and a piece of wood, but pay attention to the alignment of the cups, they must be aligned else you'll get weird steering effects.
Similarly you can install a new crown race using an old seat tube (etc.) larger than the steerer (but not so large it will damage the race). Again alignment is important.

Make sure everything is installed in the right way. It's an easy part to accidentally install upside down because you've had one too many beers. If your steering feels funny or wonky or is binding up, there's a good chance you've installed a part in backwards.


Can we fit an 11 speed cassette to new Shimano XTR 12 speed hub?

There seems to exist 11-speed microspline cassettes, meaning you can have a 11-speed drivetrain with a silent Shimano microspline hub. For example, here is a description I found at one webshop:

The special version of the XTR cassette is based on the 12-speed version with 10-51 teeth, but comes without the largest sprocket to offer enough space for the Wide Flange Shimano XTR FH-M9125-B rear hub (product code: 2278419) and thus for more stable wheels. <...> You even don’t need a special chain or a special shifting system, as the 9100 series shifters can be easily converted from 11 to 12-speed thanks to the Mode Converter. <...>
Details:
• Hyperglide+ cassette 11-speed
• For singlespeed and double chainring systems
• Can be integrated into a compatible 12-speed XTR system
• For Shimano Micro Spline freehub
• Compatible with Shimano 12-speed HG+ chains, such as Shimano CN-M9100 (product code 2273556)
• Material: steel, titanium, aluminium
• Aluminium spider (anodised)
• Incl. aluminium locknut
• Weight: approx. 299 g
Gear ratio: Shimano XTR 11-speed 10-45: 10-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-33-39-45 teeth
ATTENTION: Even though it is especially developed for the Shimano XTR FH-M9125-B Wide Flange rear hub, the XTR CS-M9110 11-speed cassette can also be mounted on standard XTR 12-speed hubs – losing the advantage of more stable wheels thanks to a wider hub flange.
ATTENTION: Only compatible with Shimano Micro Spline freehub. Not compatible with current M900 components and other Shimano 11-speed groups.

So the answer to your title question is "yes". I am unsure from the description if you'll have to replace the shifter and/or derailleur as well in terms of how much the new cassette is compatible with older XTR derailleur indexing steps.


Can you interchange a FC7710 Octalink drive side crank arm with a FC7701 Octalink crank

The FC7703 triple crankset uses an Octalink 118.5mm bottom bracket
The FC7710 track crankset uses an Octalink 110mm bottom bracket
If you want to use the track crankset, you would need to change the bottom bracket to the correct one.
PDF for triple crankset
PDF for triple bottom bracket


Toe clips come in various lengths, since obviously toe clips sized for a big guy with size 46 shoes (like me) (== US 13) wouldn't work for a petite woman with size 36 shoes (== US women's 6).
The toe clips page on Chain Reaction Cycles shows very poor stock, but I did find this page at a US shop which has medium sized ones in stock.  According to the sizing chart further down that page, they nominally fit men's sizes 5-8, but would almost definitely be shorter than what you have.
Additionally, since they are steel, if you are willing to put some work into it you could probably adjust them somewhat.
Note also that Criggie is correct and you should try adjusting your foot position when you turn.  I used to consciously rotate my pedals so my outside foot was down when going into a turn; now it is a purely automatic action.


Using the smallest chainring with the smallest sprocket or the largest chainring with the largest sprocket should indeed be avoided. It’s called “cross chaining”. It’s less efficient and causes slightly increased wear and noise. On the small-small combination it can cause chain slap (because the chain will be almost slack) and on the large-large combination the chain is almost taught, so getting something like a twig caught in your chain can easily cause the rear derailleur to snap.
However cross-chaining is not very bad and it should work just fine. Just avoid it if you can.
Of course if you only have a single chainring it can’t be avoided and you should just use the gears when you need them.


What is the name of the hex screw that holds the brake cable

Brake cable anchor bolt, cable clamp bolt.

They usually have a special kind of washer that helps grip the cable.


24V Vs 36V Brushless DC HUB Motor For Electric Bike

As far as motors go, usually the higher the voltages the more efficient they run. However there is a trade-off because usually the higher the voltage, the less efficient the battery is! Different systems may balance these factors at different points depending on how they expect the system to be used and what parts they have access too. I don't think you will be able to strictly say one is better than the other, you will need to compare the specs and a whole package and figure out what package suites you best.


I need a Crank Reccomendation. Single Speed, BB30

As mentioned in some comments, many cranks will fit. You need a 30mm width spindle crank. BB30, a cannondale staple crank size, is just this.

You can use a 24mm crank with an adapter. Some cannondale riders I know have all their bikes set up like this. I don't really like it. Extraneous parts and more weight. The advantages are serviceability and possibly less creaking, though I've never had a problem with this. It's more serviceable because you have a threaded bottom bracket that's easier to remove. (Most home mechanics don't have the proper bearing pusher/pullers to remove and reseat BB30 bearings correctly, though I've seen it done).

Sram is what I use in my cannondale and I'd recommend it. I'm sure BB30 cranks from other manufactures are just as good. The bike came with an FSA crank, but I didn't care for it because it is comparatively heavier and less stiff than my Sram Red BB30 crank.

Here are some pics of what it looks like in the frame:


Use a KMC X10 SL chain on an 11 Speed cassette?

They will not work at all. Use an 11-speed chain.

If you use the 10spd chain, there is a good chance that it can:

Jam in the rear derailleur jockey wheels
Increase the friction on the cassette, which will:
Increase wear on the chain's side plates, dramatically increasing the chances that the chain will break right in the middle of you hammering up a hill.
It will also shift quite poorly.


Probably not, depends how careful you are and if they are carbon rims.

I always do a 3cm test to get the best width, then take my time and gracefully cut the width of the entire roll with a cutter.
Now you have a entire roll of the correct width and you just apply what you need.


1970 Schwinn Tandem - How to move rear seat further away from handlebars

Aww man I'm jealous - can you please add a side-photo of the whole bike?

70's tandems were renouned for being quite short, and most of the length is lost in the stoker's area.  Mine's a 80's model and one of the touted features is "2 inches more stoker room!"  So if you want the full 70's look, embrace the aero advantage of being so close.  And don't eat gas-inducing foods before a ride!

So you've done the first thing, of replacing her saddle.  Next is to look for a seat post with a bit more set-back.  Make sure you get the right diameter, it could be a 25.4mm pole or a 26.something odd.  Use a vernier to measure, and read all over it for an engraved measurement.

Handlebar style - I'm not sure what handlebars you have, but it may be possible to rotate them, or replace them.  I'm planning on putting some BMX style bars on my tandem for my 12 year old, because he dislikes the dropbars.

You could also replace the bars with cut-down flats.  The stoker doesn't (shouldn't!) be trying to steer, so the handlebars are as handles only.

As an aside, your stoker doesn't get to see any of the road ahead, so they get all the bumps without being able to anticipate.  So consider a seat post with a bit of built-in suspension.   Your stoker will totally appreciate this.

This style is great, but reasonably pricey.  It induces a setback when still and a little more when compressed.  Photo is a Cane Creek Thudbuster, but there are many others.

This one doesn't have a name, but its the cheaper tube-in-tube sort.  It does take the edge off, but doesn't give you any setback.


Maybe something like this may do the work?

But I couldn't find anything around the stem.


How do I align my front brake disk with the caliper?

It's not that unusual for a front brake to move a bit when taking it off and reattaching it. This is due to the small amount of space between the fork ends, axle, and QR bolts. The fork flexes a bit when you put the wheel back on. That small space that it moves is a lot relative to the clearance that disc brake pads have. That's likely why your brake pads aren't lining up again.

Now, the fix (NB: the following assumes that by "manual Avid disc brakes," what you mean is "mechanical disc brakes."):

It sounds like you're overlooking a couple of points of adjustment. There is a red knob/wheel that adjusts either side of most Avid mechanical disc brakes, one on the inside and one on the outside. There are also caliper positioning bolts (CPS, the "S" is for system) that move the entire caliper perpendicular to and directly above, the bolts that attach the caliper to the frame.

The basic procedure to properly align your brakes is to:

Loosen the bolts perpendicular to the mounting point so that the whole caliper moves easily.
Completely loosen both of the red pad adjustment discs.
Tighten the inboard pad adjustment knob until the rotor is centered in the caliper.
Tighten the outboard pad adjustment knob until the brake is clamped onto the rotor. This ensures that the caliper is centered on the rotor.
Tighten the CPS bolts.
Loosen the pad adjustment discs evenly, one click on one pad, one click on the other until they no longer rub. It may not be perfectly even, one pad may require a bit more loosening than the other. Don't worry about that as long as they don't rub.

Here are the actual owner's manuals for your reference: Avid BB5 and Avid BB7.


How do I remove the front axle from a sealed bearing hub?

The wheel has sealed bearing that are pressed into the hub. Your axle is likely being held in by the bearings. The axle has flanges on the inside that the bearing is resting against. You can try tapping on the end of the axle with a soft faced hammer or even a block of wood. This should dislodge the bearing from the hub. This will also damage the bearing. I would look for a larger box and avoid the hassle of buying new bearings and the tools needed to install them.


How do I tell if a used bike (craigslist) is worth it?

I would say that most people on Craigslist would be willing to let you give it a test ride, I mean it's similar to buying a car. Just, as I always tell people, meet with the person in a very public space. Much safer place.

As for what to look for, I would do a little research into exactly what you are expecting to use the bike for. Figure out the kind of bike you need and do a little research on the kind of mech recommended for what you're doing,(frame, gears, wheels, shifters, brakes, drive train.) Once you figure all that out, you can narrow down your selection on Craigslist. Just like looking at different models in the store, online you will find pictures, descriptions, e.t.c. So you can find the right bike for you.

Once you think you've found one, speak with the seller and find out more about the bike. Research things like the bikes brand, how old it is, e.t.c. Once everything checks out, boom. You have your bike!


You are correct that there should be some space between the lever and handlebar when the brakes are fully applied.

I think I can assume that you have set up the calipers so that the pads are the correct distance from the wheel rim - a few millimeters (or a bit more if your wheels are a little out of true), as you say that adjusting the cable causes the pads to rub on the rim.

If the lever hits the handlebar there must be excess slack in the cable somewhere.

You say that adjusting the cable at the caliper or using the barrel adjuster does not improve the lever travel. If you pull the lever, does the caliper move immediately, or if there cable slack being taken up before the caliper moves?

I'm guessing that something is binding in the cable run somewhere causing the caliper arms to retract to a certain point, but there is still slack cable between the caliper and lever.

You can check the cable run between the lever and caliper, ensure the housing is properly seated, unhook the caliper and check the cable runs smoothly in the housing. Apply tension to the cable by gripping it with some pliers and check the lever pulls it immediately.

You could also choose to replace the cable and housing, which is a common thing to do when tuning up a bike.

You can check if you have set the brakes up properly be checking out some online resources. Park Tool Company has some great brake adjustment videos on their YouTube channel. Here is the V-brake video.

Update based on new info in comments:

The problem seems to be: one caliper arm is retracting less that the other and then rubs on the rim. You then find you need to slacken off the cable to stop that non-retracted arm from rubbing.

The solution is, of course, to fix the non retracting caliper arm. It's a common problem for the V-brake arms to get sticky and not retract symmetrically.

Remove the caliper arms, clean the arm bushings, posts and springs, re-grease and reassemble.
Adjust the spring tension screws on the caliper arms so that the arms retract symmetrically (see picture below).


Any research (or reliable statistics) on benefits of making yourself more visible (blinking light even in daytime, bright colors)?

The following study, carried out in 2009, seems to have attempted to answer the same question:

Kwan I, Mapstone J. Interventions for increasing pedestrian and cyclist visibility for the prevention of death and injuries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003438. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003438.pub2.

This looks like a meta study, the full text of the article contains links to the various sources they examined and the articles they found.  Their conclusion was that the research is inconclusive: "the effect of visibility aids on pedestrian and cyclist safety remains unknown".

If you go beyond visibility and look at changes you can make to your appearance and their effect on driver behaviour then you might like the 2006 research on overtaking by Dr Ian Walker who has sparked some controversy with his research concluding that cars leave cyclists more room if the cyclist does not wear a helmet or if they grow their hair long.


Should I use anti seize for headsets and press fit bottom brackets in a titanium frame?

Generally speaking you shouldn't need either. The tolerances for press fit parts are made to do just that Press Fit! I have seen some mechanics use grease when pressing the headset but that is more so for ease of installation. It takes a lot more pressure to get it out than it does in. Being that you may need to change them at some point I would stay away from loc-tite as that layer will also effect the tolerances for said parts.

The best bet is to always check the manufacturers specifications as well.

In short I would use neither as long as you have the correct press tools.


I've had Mavic rims with Ceramic braking surfaces - They are brilliant, far better braking power - especially when wet and they last forever.
No specific brake blocks are needed - I just used standard Shimano blocks.
Thoroughly recommended.


How to attach maps, etc to handlebars of a Boris Bike? (London bike hire scheme)

Phone Attachment:
I would need to get better views of the front of the bike. Probably fab something starting with an existing mount (looks like you started down that direction).

Map Case:
It looks like you already have a map case, if not, do a search. If you take one that will fit more or less in the gap on the bar and add some lengths of double sided velcro you should be in business. May require a bit of playing around to find the best attachment points.

I'd start with medium loops at the bottom circling the bars about where they attach to the "stem area" (not a real stem on the Boris bikes) and a bigger loop going around the front plate. If this tends to slide, you can add pieces of velcro at the back of the top strap coming down at an angle (think a 'K' rotated 90 degrees to the right) and securing underneath the map case.

Once you have it figured, you can wrap the velcro that is not actively sticking anywhere with some old jeans and run the sewing machine across. This will help keep it all clean and make it so you aren't spending all the time unsticking it from itself.

Searches:
'bike map case'
'velcro cable tie roll, 3/4" x 5 yards"'


Doesn’t look like a crack, looks more like a  surface void that formed during the resin injection molding. These types of imperfections are not uncommon, especially on the inside of the frame where you can’t see them. Less common to see them on the outside as they are usually caught in quality control inspections.  While they are not ideal, as areas with voids will be somewhat weaker than areas without voids (depending on the size and depth of the void), they are not critical like a crack.


Stuck compressed piston on a Clarks Skeletal Hydraulic Brake

Usually something is pretty broken when pistons are this stuck and can't be moved even with the bleed port open.

Taking apart the caliper is probably the next step. Whatever is making it stuck or obstructed, there's probably not another way of getting access to it. Despite the mystique, most calipers are pretty simple inside.


Q1: No, "float" is the amount your feet can rotate (around a vertical axis) while clipped in.

A system/cleat with little or no float keeps your foot in a very rigid position.  You can't freely twist your toe/heel while pedaling.  If you have a textbook pedal stroke, low float will keep your feet in the right place so you can focus on other things.  With more float, your foot has more freedom to rotate.  This can be helpful if your technique is less perfect and your body needs the extra freedom.  I have an old knee injury and need plenty of float -- with less my knee really hurts.  So you want to get enough float to allow you to pedal comfortably, but not so much that you develop a sloppy pedal stroke.

It doesn't really affect how far you need to turn your foot to unclip.  Well, you do have to turn further in a system with more float, but that's not the point of having more float.

Q2: Pedals normally come with a set of cleats and bolts to attach them.  And most shoes are designed to fit a wide range of cleats and offer a fair amount of cleat adjustment.  But if in doubt, check before you buy.  You probably want your LBS to help you get the cleats positioned correctly anyway (I've done it myself but it involves a lot of trial and error).

Q3:  My experience is limited to Crank Brothers and SPDs -- both of these offer different clips for differing amounts of float.  Don't assume that all systems do this, so check them out first.


How tight should brakes and shifters be on the handlebars?

It depends.

On a road bike you'll want them fairly tight to be able to ride on the hoods without the brake levers turning away or moving downward on the bar.

On a mountain bike, at least the brake levers should be able to rotate away in case of a crash. But they still should be relatively tight such that they don't turn away while braking or because of bumps. Depending on where you ride, I'd rather have them a little too tight than lose the ability to brake because the levers are somewhere they're not supposed to be. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn't be able to rotate them without applying some force, similar to opening a pickle jar.


There was a questionnaire on Bikeforums on this topic and here you can see the results: Brifters - how reliable are they?
39 people gave their votes and obviously for most people brifters did not break at all.

The second question is about working optimally. To be honest I am yet to see a brifter which does not work optimally. Brifters have very little to no setting up, so they either work or don't work, no middle line there.
Campagnolo brifters are known to be easily serviceable (assuming you have the parts), but Shimano are serviceable to some extent as well.


Would Lowering my Handlebars Help my Performance?

If you are looking for pedalling performance, adjusting the seatpost (up and down) and the seat (back and front) is the answer. There are literature about adjusting seatpost so you can look them up on the internet; youtube also have many video demonstration.

Adjusting handlebar height is more about efficiency. In general:

the less up-right position, the better the efficiency. This helps a lot when you are riding at high speed (noticeably at speed 20 mph+ or 35 kmph+), or against the wind. However, there is always a compensation for riding aggressively: you tire out quickly
the smaller the handle bar, the better the efficiency. The best efficiency is when the arms are shoulder length apart, just similar to the riding position on aero bar.
arms at some angle also lower your riding position and improves efficiency.

Your bike looks like a hybrid, which gives out that you mostly ride in urban area. Adjusting handlebar height is thus beneficial because you are likely to hit 20 mph+.


why would my chain slip on the road, but not when the bike is on a stand?

You likely have a problem with worn drivetrain components. You only really notice the jumping under load is my experience.

It's either a worn chain or a worn cassette in most cases. If you replace the cassette, replace the chain too.

Surprisingly enough, a worn chain and a worn cassette may work well together till one of the two parts are replaced.


Well, there are a couple of reasons most MTB ebikes are 1x models:

Modern motors on ebikes provide enough of a kick to get you up a steep hill as well as enough speed to go 50kmh on flats. Even a basic 750 watt motor is stronger and faster than almost any rider's legs.  I’m not sure what more gears would give you except more complexity and weight.
A modern wide-range, mountain derailleur gives you more than enough capacity and given the motor assistance, you don’t need to be at the optimal cadence that closer spacing would give you
Many higher end ebikes have bottom bracket motors such as the Bosch or Yamaha systems, which don't allow for front derailleurs (the Bosch for example has internal gearing - a big advantage of which is that the chainwheel is very small and allows for greater clearance with a lower bottom bracket height)
Many battery packs are located behind or near the seat post. This makes the placement of a front derailleur difficult or impossible.
Some ebikes have throttles which makes the placement of shifters on both sides more complex.

Of course, it's really easy for you to add your own rear hub motor to an existing 3x10 MTB if you really want one. But the cheaper vendors are going 1x to save money and the expensive vendors are using bottom bracket motors which aren't FD compatible.

Case studies:

1) Low-end fat ebike (Sondors fatbike, around US$700-1000, rear hubmotor). The battery compartment takes up the entire main triangle, which means you can't fit a front derailleur without some cutting and sawing. Not having a front derailleur also no doubt saves some money. Note that this is the fat Sondors but he regular Sondors has the same design.

2) High-end Specialized MTB (around US$3000; Bosch mid-drive). The Bosch bottom bracket motor means that a front derailleur is impossible to fit as the motor/bottom bracket has internal gearing.


Hollowtech II BB alternative for stripped frame threads

There is no easy or readily available option for this problem.
In my professional opinion, you should consider replacing this frame.
However, there are options if you really want to keep using this frame.

Ditch hollowtech and use a threadless square taper bb.
Bond the shimano hollowtech cup to the frame.
Weld and re-thread

Threadless BB thread to eachother and just press onto the frame. These work well for a while, but if you're not super careful, they can (slowly) further damage your frame until it's completely unusable.
Shimano hollowtech cups have a bearing pressed onto them, you can actually replace the bearings of the cups instead of buying whole new cups. This usually doesn't happen because the bb cups are relatively cheap and it does require some skill and non common tools for the job.
If you bond the cup to the frame (making sure it's aligned properly), theoretically, you will just have a "pressfit" frame. You can then use the cup and replace the bearing when it wears out.
Video demonstrating the bearings inside the cup
Finally, unless you have a welder or know someone with a welder who is willing to help you, it will probably cost more to fix this than to get a new frame. The bb thread cutting tool alone will cost more than the frame, and I would be extremely surpised if a bike mechanic is willing to use theirs for such a job. Also, the heat from welding is very likely to bend the frame and result in misalignment. This option is completely out in my opinion.


Boards are bad because you can't stop quickly.

Skates are bad because they're a pain to put on and take off.

I would go with either a heavy-duty folding scooter or a folding bike. Both are fast and reasonably small.


Tiagra ST-4720 on Trek 920 Disc (2016): front derailleur problems

The derailleur is designed for a FC4700 chainset, which from the specs below (x3-x2) is about 7.8mm. If the SRAM chainset is not wildly different from that then I don't suspect the spacing, and SRAM and Shimano chains and cogs are usually sympathetic.

The range of the front chainrings (42-28) is 14 teeth, within the 16 teeth gap the FD4700 can manage, but the 42 tooth is lower than most road derailleurs are specced for. The old road Tiagra (4600) was specced for 50 tooth minimum, but I can't find spec for 4700. 42 does seem like a bit of a stretch outside the minimum value.

So I don't suspect the gap between the two rings, but I do think the low tooth counts are a potential issue.

Beyond that, the newer Shimano front mechs are more involved in how you set them up, you need to eliminate user error in how you set it up. Particularly the limit screws.

Is the derailleur at the correct height and angle?
Did you set up the support plate?
Did you set up the converter correctly? https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-FD0002-05-ENG.pdf
Did you route the cable correctly?
Cable tension and limit screws? I would back off the limit screws to see if that helps, before setting them up again.


The pressure dial doesn't measure the pressure in the tube - it gives the pressure in the entire system (tube + hose).  When you connect your pump, you need to pressurize the hose to the same level as the tube before it will read anything.  I usually find this takes two or three full pumps, and the resistance jumps up massively once the tube and tire have the same pressure. At that point, the dial will show you the pressure in your tire.


Ay Up lights

I have two sets of these lights, one on my handlebars and one on my helmet. They are:

Amazingly bright, I've never seen a brighter light
Very light - even with the light and battery on my helmet it's not uncomfortably heavy
Long lasting - The battery lasts 3-6 hours on a charge!!
Incredibly rugged - There is a lifetime guarantee on the lights

Also, the company has brilliant customer service. They respond to questions really quickly and often have upgrade programs running where you can send in your lights and get the optics upgraded to the new models at a greatly reduced price.

They're a few $$$ but I am so satisfied with them I've recommended them to everyone I know and everyone else who has bought them has been just as happy.

http://www.ayup-lights.com/


What are some notable differences between a 20'' trial bike and a BMX bike?

Trial bikes more often have flat handlebars rather than the "tall" bars common on BMX bikes.
Trial bikes are more likely to come with "bash guards" around the chainring.
BMX bikes may come with somewhat higher gears than trial bikes (but not always).
Some trial bikes have no seat or seatpost at all, whereas most or all BMX bikes do have a seat.
Trial bikes have two very strong brakes (often disc brakes), while many BMX bikes have no brakes at all or only one for the rear wheel

Here are two bikes that are reasonable examples of each category (notice the handlebars, the different sized chain ring (i.e. gear transmission ratio), the seat post and the brakes).

The riders are doing seemingly the same trick. But the trial bike stands still like a rock and could stay in this position forever (strong brakes, static equilibrium), the BMX rider is on top of this obstacle only for a few seconds, not needing to use his brake (dynamic equilibrium, notice the fast spinning front wheel):

Trial bike

BMX bike

As for which you should choose, well, I guess it depends on how you intend to ride (and whether you think a bike without a seat is ridiculous!).

Source of both pictures: Wikimedia Commons


I have 2 chainrings in the front and I think 3 gears for the LHS shifter. How do I know visually if I'm in the middle gear when looking down?

For someone new to cycling you're doing well with the terminology!

The simple answer is that you only have two chainrings, so there's no "middle". With luck there will be a wee display on the top of the shifter, but that's not always present. And with only two, eventually you'll just remember which you're in (link is to a "how do I know" question).

If you're asking about gear selection, it isn't really about "uphill gears", "middle gears" and "downhill gears", it's about what's comfortable for you. Different people are more comfortable at different pedalling speeds, and as you cycle more you're likely to find that that changes. So the "middle gears" are the gears you feel comfortable in at your "middle speed" :) It's hard to expand on this because it really is as simple as "whatever works for you".

For now, I suggest not worrying about which chainring you're on so much, just focus on getting comfortable changing gears. The next step is trying to avoid cross-chaining (the big chainring with big cogs at the back, or small-small). This question has some tips on that, and this one has a different view. After that people tend to worry less about which gear to be in and more about optimal cadence, muscle efficiency, how fast bike parts wear out and other stuff like that.


What tool is needed to remove a Shimano HG-50 freewheel?

EDIT:

This is an HG 50 Cassette.

This is an exploded view of a Shimano freehub showing the 10mm or 12mm allen key used to remove the freehub from the hub shell. I believe this is the allen you are referencing, but it need not be removed to remove the gear cluster.

Instructions for removing either a cassette or a freewheel can be found here.

If it is truly a freewheel. then this is the appropriate tool, the Park FR-1:

If you need a cassette remover, then this is the appropriate tool, the Park FR-5:

along with this one, or a similar chain whip:

I hope that is helpful.


On a traditional square taper or Octalink (V1/V2) or ISIS system, the two crank arms never touch -- you're free to mix and match the two crank arms so long as they are both compatible with the bottom bracket's standard (e.g. you could have a Shimano right crank arm and a SRAM left crank arm on a standard square taper, if both crank arms are square taper). Note that Octalink V1 is not compatible with V2 and vice versa.

Typically though, you don't just get one crank arm. If you have one thats worn off or damaged some how or whatever, your best bet is to either buy a whole new crankset, or go to a bike shop and see if they have a spare arm in their parts bin.

[Obviously, you need to choose a crankset compatible with your frame/rest of setup to get the correct chainline and teeth counts and stuff, but that's not part of the question]


Inline Barrel Adjusters with Shimano 105 R7020?

If you have the newer FD-5801 you don’t need the dedicated inline barrel adjusters. The derailleur itself has a built-in tension adjustment hex screw. It rotates the cable clamping point around which effectively shortens or lengthens the cable.

See page 18 in the manual: https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-RAFD001-05-ENG.pdf

  Adjust the cable tension with the cable adjustment barrel (C) or cable
  adjuster on the frame so that the bracket indicator (B) or (E) is
  aligned with the input link indicator (A) or (D).

Of course you can still install inline barrel adjusters. They allow for an increased adjustment range, can be adjusted while riding and don’t require a hex key.

The FD-5800 doesn't have the integrated cable tension adjustment.


Older Shimano Road Brake Levers vs Newer Ones Quality (SLR vs Super SLR)

The difference between SLR and Super SLR is mechanical advantage: Super SLR moves the cable for slightly longer distance with slightly less force. In principle, the brakes work best when brakes and levers are designed to match (like the configuration you are asking about), but the difference is so small that mixed setup (like what you have now) does work too.


Front deraileur not shifting to lowest gear. (New bike)

Yes you can, no you should not.
Since it is a new bike assembled by the shop, I strongly recommend you let them fix it. And it must be for free (more correct: you already paid for it, they did not delivery an adequate service).
You are inexperienced. There is a very slim chance the derailleur is defective (for example the chain guides are weirdly bent after a transport accident), a very large chance you do not notice it (if it is the case), almost certain the shop will void the warranty by your tinkering on it (they already demostrated their sloppiness in giving you a bicycle not properly assembled).
If you are ready to take this risk, the defect you describe may be due to the L(ow)-H(igh) screws position.
You should be able to see them on the derailleur, hopefully they are labelled somehow. These screws are giving the boundaries to the derailleur movements.
It is annoying because you have to release the cable, set the L limit so the derailleur sits a bit closer to the frame, hence guiding the chain to the lower cog.
Try to pose the same questions on notorious internet page for searching images videos and you will find plenty of walkthrough.
What can go wrong? worst case, the front derailleur will not move, or the L-screw will come off, leaving the derailleur with no bound to the lower movement, with your chain falling in between the cogs and the frame: are you ready to push the bike to the shop or to a close-by bicycle mechanics?
Ps: thinking twice about your bike assembly, test your brakes, try to simulate an emergency braking action. The bad thing is that the shop may have been sloppy also in that aspect, the good thing is that all these things have always to be sorted out during the first rides, even when the bicycle is set-up by a highly regarded professional.


Do I need to replace hydraulic fluid in my brakes?

Mineral oil based Hydraulic fluid will build up water condensation in the hoses over time. How much time depends on a lot of factors, like humidity, temperature, bike storage conditions, and similar things.

After 5 years, I would expect that the level of contamination would be high enough to be noticeable, and that the fluid should be replaced. The specific instructions for that brake are found here.


I run The Bike Light Database (which started from a series of blog posts on this very Stack Exchange site). The Cygolite Hotshot and the NiteRider Solas are actually two of my top recommended lights, and I specifically recommend a setup similar to what you're describing.

From the recommended taillights page:

  Putting the Cygolite Hotshot on your rack or stay and the NiteRider Solas on your seatpost is a perfect combo. The Solas has better side-visibility, and on the seat post it can be better seen by traffic on your sides. In flashing mode the Solas serves as the attention-grabber and the Hotshot - which has better straight-on, long-distance brightness - is on steady burn.

A steady light is easier to judge distance by, so it's better to have the longer-distance light be the steady one. The more attention-grabbing flash is good to have on the wider angled light, so that you are more likely to catch the eye of drivers who are closer to you at an off-angle.

Here's an image from the page showing one of the recommended configurations, with the Hotshot below on steady and the Solas above flashing.

As an aside, I don't personally believe that laser lanes are effective at increasing safety. They seem like a real gimmick to me. Given the extra cost of the Sentinel taillight, you might be better off returning it (if you can) and just getting the regular Solas taillight, and then spending the money you saved on something different.


Aero Wheels, Velocity Wheels. Does it really matter?

Given graphs like the first one on this page, which show how steeply wind resistance increases with speed, I take it that small changes in shape can be relatively important/effective at high speeds (and not at relatively low speeds).

E.g. my top speed when commuting is about 30 kph; the tour de France speeds on the flat are more like 50 kph. The power required to overcome wind resistance at 50 kph is more than triple that required at 30 kph.

It's also relatively important/effective if and only if you've already improved/maximised everything else (e.g. the rider's position and clothing).


attaching seatpost acessories to rear of racks?

One possibility is to use extra rubber shims to use the seatpost attaching mechanism to attach to the stay of your rack, like so:

You might be able to use something like the Low down light mount bolted through that hole to give you a little bit of post hanging from the hole and use that with the seatpost mount...

You might be able to mount the hardware without the seatpost mechanism to the hole of an L-bracket mounted in that hole...

With racks with a more serious light mounting bracket instead of just a horizontal hole, I've found many light can clip directly to the bracket with no extra hardware at all, like so:


Does inseam of pants convert to stand over height of a bike?

This might not be a very good place to start from when sizing a bicycle.  Your inseam measurement is from the top of the crotch (top inseam point) to the BOTTOM SIDE OF THE ANKLE (lowest inseam point).  Your feet go all the way to the floor.

Inseam is specifically to determine what pants you wear.  I might point out that pants and bicycles are made and sized quite differently.

As @darkcanuck suggested, you're better served to stop by a local bike shop (LBS) and have them size you.  Most LBS sales people will be more than happy to put you on a couple of bikes and let you take a test ride, even if you say, "I don't plan to buy anything today, I'm just starting to shop around."  It won't cost you anything and you'll start to get a feel for how different styles of bikes feel in different sizes.

Note also that standover is not the only measure you need to size your bike.  The TOP TUBE length will also come into play--depending on how long your arms and torso are.  Different manufacturers build different bikes with different ratios of top-tube-to-stand-over.

Depending on the bike, you will also want to consider handle-bar width, crank-arm length, etc.  Don't plan to buy a bike off of the internet because it has the right stand-over!  At least, don't be surprised if you do so and then it doesn't feel right.

Try out several actual bikes--even if they aren't ones you plan to actually buy--so you know how those different geometries feel when you're riding.

AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A USED BIKE... it still pays to try out some new ones and know what geometry suits you.  When you are negotiating with a seller of a used bike, show up with tape measure in hand!


Doubts about Tire compatibility on my wheels?

The amount of gears has no bearing on the type of tyre.

The 26" part refers to the wheel diameter, so this is the most important part.

The 2.1" or 1.95", refer to the width of the tyre. The width of the rim determine which width tyres you should have. If your wheel is ok wth a 2.1 wide tyre, then a 1.95" wide tyre will be absolutely fine.

What you should consider when changing a tyre is the terrain, the puncture protection level, the weight, the durability vs grip and the price. The bike gears alone shouldn't influence the tyre choice.


A crack developing there, is most likely too much seat post out of the frame, or in actual fact, not enough seat post being in the frame.

The biggest problem with a crack in this location, is that it then causes most force to be placed on the join between the top tube and seat tube. You also have to think about what would happen if the frame were to suffer a critical failure in this position - it will most likely be landing from a drop or, more likely, while sitting and hitting a hole/bump; neither great options and the more likely of the two being much more painful!

Drilling a crack is to minimise crack propagation. And there are few repair options with this style of frame (for sensible money).

This can be welded, but you would risk this just getting worse. If I remember correctly 7005 using artificial ageing rather than a traditional heat treatment - a filler material could be used between the post and frame to bond them and strengthen the seat post. The sensible money "option" if you really want to keep the frame is to get a very long seat post (ensure that there is a lot in the frame, around 20cm+) and keep checking for further crack propagation. The best thing to do here would be to contact a specialist aluminium frame builder and ask their opinion.

To answer the question in the title - aluminium work hardens quicker than other materials, and tends to crack due to fatigue much quicker than say carbon, steel or titanium.

Unfortunately I think it could be time to consider a new frame.


Is it possible to fit an internal dropper to 2x bike

Being able to route an internal dropper is nothing to do with 1x/2x, and more to do with if the frame manufacturer has provided the facility to do so.  There will usually be a dedicated port in the seat tube.

As demonstrated by this Canyon Spectral (picture linked from Pinkbike):


Gears reversed (17) after replacing back tire. Why?

It's not possible for the operation of the gears to change just by reinstalling the wheel, so it seems likely that you have just misremembered which way this bike normally operates, which is different to your other bikes.
The derailleur has a strong spring that pulls one way, so the shifter adds cable tension to pull the derailleur sideways, against the spring force. When the shifter releases the cable tension, the spring force returns the derailleur back in the other direction. They come like this from the factory and can not be reversed.
Looking at the photos as you have presented them the harder gears are the lowest numbers and the easy gears are the high numbers, so the derailleur is obviously a 'low-normal' derailleur and has always been. This is different to the majority of derailleurs you'll have experienced before.
I hypothesise that this is not your bike but a child's so your memory of its function is limited and impressionable youngster is not confident in their memory of it either. Or rather, now you have put the idea of it having reversed in their head, they are confidently incorrect.
If it's working then great, successful tyre/tube change. In the photos its not in top gear (1)... If it's not shifting fully into the hardest gear then this would indicate low cable tension (opposite to most DIY guides) or a misalignment of the derailleur, but otherwise functioning normally.


What is this bottom bracket standard called

The bolt in the cranks means you have a 3-piece crank (separate left and right crank arms and cartridge bottom bracket, with a square taper or splined axle-crank interface).

No power meters come in this type of crank because it's old technology that only appears on inexpensive bikes these days.

However 3-piece cranks use a threaded bottom bracket shell, you can replace the bottom bracket with an external bearing one and fit modern 2-piece power meter cranks (axle is permanently joined to drive side crank). There are a few standards: Shimano HollowTech II, SRAM GXP, FSA MegaExo. To reduce cost you could find a lightly used crank on Ebay and a compatible left hand side crank arm power meter.

Another path to go is power meter pedals, which will not require replacing the crank and BB at all of course.

BTW, you don't need a power meter to track improvement. A smartphone or bike computer and Strava is a great tool for that. Power meters are expensive,  given that you likely have a bike on the older or less expensive side you might be better off using the money on some bike upgrades.


Almost all stems  (aside from a few very expensive carbon ones!) are designed to be mounted either way around. The pressures are in the same direction regardless of which way up it is. (they're just reversed)

They are designed to be used either way up, otherwise manufacturers would need to produce double the number of stems to create positive and negatively angled setups.

Out of curiosity I've just looked through a range of carbon stems online, and the vast majority of them are of an identical construction to their less exotic counterparts (complete with writing on both sides) There were a couple of stems that integral mounts for computers that didn't seem to be reversible. But by and large, they all appear to be designed to be used either way around.


Is there anything I can do to prevent snakebites (pinch flats)?

Inflate your tires to a higher pressure. Use a pump with a pressure gauge instead of going by "feel". Check the pressure more often. The max pressure listed on the sidewall is a good starting point, but if you're already inflating to max psi, you may want to exceed it a bit.

It's likely you have a slow leak, and you're at a low inflation pressure by the time you get the snakebite. Check the tires and rims very thoroughly for sharp bits, and use water submersion to check the tube for leaks, including the valve. A fresh tube wouldn't hurt.

If your roadside inflation is with CO2 cartridges, be aware that CO2 leaks out faster, so you'll need to top off with air the next few days.

You may want to seriously consider buying a second wheelset with wider rims for urban riding with wider tires, and keep the narrow rims and tires for races and weekend rides.


Is it more difficult to mount non-tubeless tires on tubeless-ready rims than non-tubeless-ready rims?

There is always the potential for tolerances to make a particular tire, rim, or combination hard to mount.
A rim being tubeless or not per se does not dictate how hard it is to mount a tire on. Tubeless rims aren't made tighter, i.e. their target diameter for the bead is not a larger number than non-tubeless.
There has always been a cat and mouse game in cycling where no manufacturer of tires or rims wants their parts to be subject to tires blowing off. So sometimes they make decisions that nudge things in the tighter direction; ie smaller bead seat diameter for tires and bigger for rims, and truly difficult mounting situations can result. You can find some tubeless parts that show this phenomenon, but it's not categorical to tubeless. It's probably less common if anything if I had to guess.
In practice, almost all problems people have mounting tires on to tubeless rims relate to them not being deliberate enough in getting the beads sunk in the middle well of the rim. Doing this all the way around is how you make the final tight spot easy. This has to be done on purpose with tubeless rims in a way it didn't so much before.
If you gathered data you might find that tubeless rims had a larger BSD on average and are harder to mount by that definition. Or, you might find that the tighter tolerances are working in both directions, and average BSD is the same. That data doesn't exist. Another definition of which is harder to mount is for which type is it more common to encounter a rim with a BSD that's simply too large and has to be brutally fought to get a tire onto. In my experience that would be non-tubeless, presuming one has good technique with tubeless center wells, as above. I very rarely have that struggle with tubeless rims.
You'll read that Conti road tires err tight and there may be some truth in that, but only to a marginal effect compared to the difficulties you'll encounter if you don't do the above.


Can you help identify this road bike frame manufacturer?

@Mike is correct, it's an Oryx. Here's an entry in Velobase headbadge collection.


Can I fix my very small bike with a bike fit?

It does look very small for your length, but getting a longer stem could help. I also suggest you make sure that the seat post is long enough. If you raise the seat to a comfortable height and the seat post is too short, you risk damaging the frame as it concentrates too much stress on the top part of the seat tube.
Try with a longer stem and some other small tweaks. If it doesn’t help, you might want to consider replacing it with a larger size.
Another thing to consider is replacing just the frame; a second hand bike frame need not be all that expensive, and all the other parts are always the same size regardless.


Park  Tool suggests contacting the frame manufacturer for advise,apparently different makers designate different clamping points.


Effect of reducing tire pressure for riding on snow

Lower pressure for a larger contact patch to increase traction is common.  Cyclocross riders (for one) use low pressure.

Weigh that against pinch flats.  As you lower the pressure you increase chance of pinch flats.  In snow the pot holes and bumps are partially hidden.

Tread type and depth will also affect snow traction.


How can I tell if a rack and panniers will work with my bike?

That particular bike looks like it has mounting points for a rear rack, which is the primary issue. In general, what you are looking for are the bolt holes or "braze-ons" usually just a few inches below where the seat stays connect to the seat tube, as well as ones above the rear axle on the dropout. If your bike doesn't have them, there are ways to mount a rack using various after market kits like this.

If you can mount a rear rack you will find that most panniers are "universal" in that they will mount to any tubular rack. There are a few pannier bags that are sold as part of a system and work only with one specific rack, so you will want to watch out for those.

The second issue will be the length of the chain stays. If the frame is somewhat compact, or if you have long feet, you may run into the problem of the back of your feet hitting the front of the bags while you pedal. This is usually only a problem on smaller frames and with larger bags like you would use for self-supported touring.

Because racks and bags change every season or two, you will likely not find a compatibility chart or site. Your best bet is to hit your Local Bike Shop and see what they have available.


Can a threaded headeset be converted to a threadless headset

Not sure why you would attempt to use a threaded headset as a threadless headset - other than trying to save on something which you can't.

The stem and top-cap assembly of a threadless headset are integral to securing the fork into the frame. Whereas a threaded headset secures the to the fork using a large nut.

There is nothing to stop you buying retro one inch fork, threadless headset and stem. That would be the safest way to do it.


Can 'Zefal All in 1' really doall of those: cleaning, degreasing and oiling?

In general, it's better to avoid spray-type lubricants like this one (plus, it won't do any of the functions described well). They have a tendency to go in places you don't want to go. Look for drip bottles, such as this one:

If you're on a budget, good old 3-in-1 multipurpose oil is about 2 dollars (versus bicycle branded ones being about 5-6 for a lot less). It's better than nothing.

If you need to restore things like a rusted chain (and for some reason don't want to spend the 10 dollars to replace it), you can clean the rust off with citrus cleaner or mineral spirits then oil it. Bits of rust on the frame aren't really a big deal unless they're huge amounts bad enough to have structural effects.


Rear wheel at edge of dropouts on a Surly Cross Check

When you have a multi-speed setup, the derailleur handles all responsibility of maintaining chain tension.

The Cross-check frame has the semi-horizontal dropouts so it can be utilized for single speed applications, and it's only for those applications that you control chain tension by wheel spacing.

Where the wheel goes in the dropouts for a multi-speed setup is not super important, so as long as it is completely "in" them, and there is plenty of surface on the dropouts your axel nuts/QR cams ares secured to, you should be fine. Having the wheel nearer the end does make it easier to pull the wheel out without getting too much grease on your hands.


One key factor is your handlebar width. This might seem obvious but I have a friend who recently bought a road bike with drop bars to replace a mountain bike as it has much narrower handler bars.

If you do have mountain bike handle bars I recommend putting your hands right at the edge, that way your brain will best gauge whether your bike will fit through, since your bikes width is also your width, and your brain knows you pretty well! This little trick is what cats use to judge spaces knowing their whiskers are the width of their body.


How to dry out the inside of a bicycle frame?

The most important thing to do to keep the inside dry and prevent excess rust is a proper drain hole on  the underside of the bottom bracket. Outside of issues with heavily salted roads, drain holes are enough to prevent meaningful rust. The next step is something like Weigle framesaver, or just a blast of aerosol lube every couple years in each tube. Framesaver is great against salted roads, but otherwise is usually overkill.


Gap in headset dust cover--what am I missing?

I think the answer is that the Range stem needs spacers with an outside diameter small enough to fit inside the "shelf" ridge inset into the top and bottom of the stem (the depression that Andrew noted in his comment). This shelf is perpendicular to the steerer axis, not sloped, so any spacers properly seated on it will be flat and flush. This also means that at least one spacer is required beneath the stem, as it looks like the headset top on the Rockhopper will not seat properly in that shelf.
Here's a view of the PNW Range stem I found online that clearly shows the shelf:

Just for reference, here's a promo photo of the stock Rockhopper 2020 from Specialized:

If you click to open the image and zoom in, you can see that the headset top is flush with the headtube top, and the spacers above that along with the stem all seem to be flat and flush.
This is consistent with Criggie's observation that the OP's bike photos show a stem with curved bottom and top surfaces, which suggests the root of the problem.


Cyclometer interference from car detection loops?

The car induction loop seems to be the most likely culprit. Their operation rely on an induction coil being buried under the street in front of the lights [1]. When it detects a car, or for that matter your metal bike, as a result its magnetic field is increased. This magnetic field is used for operation of the lights, but its conceivable that the field will affect the operation of your wireless comp. It's questionable if it would affect a wired computer, as it would be shielded with the connecting cable.

When passing through the door in my local bike shop with my bike while having my cyclocomputer fitted I also see the same affect. This time its down to the anti-theft magnetic detection loops fitted at the door. [2]

I suppose the solution is to fit a wired comp instead. Or else make sure you stay well back from/in front of the lights.

[1] http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/question234.htm

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_article_surveillance#Magnetic_systems


Cycling shorts: comfort vs bacteria / fungus?

Normal detergent should be enough even with cold water. I do have sports wash but don't use it every time. Getting stuff properly dry (ideally not machined-dried if you want it to last) is crucial though, and keeping it dry for a while seems to help too. Some sports fabrics can feel dry when they're not completely.  Washing stuff out in the shower is a bit of a last resort - OK when touring but not really enough, and hard to get the pads dry in a reasonable timescale.  I'd rather wait a day until I've got enough stuff to fill the machine.

I didn't bother with padded shorts until I was doing 70km pushing hard, and now up to about 4 hours saddle time even cheap foam-padded ones are adequate.   You seem to be in a similar position, so you could try buying another cheap pair or two, and always thoroughly (machine) washing them and thoroughly drying them.  Store your existing shorts thoroughly washed and dried. If you start pushing the distance further you might find you need (gel) padding after all.


What am I supposed to do when my chain falls off?

A chain tool (aka "chain breaker") for sure. Many multi-tools include one. Depending on the chain, also a quick link (they come by many names) or special pin.

Basic process is use the chain tool to remove a pin or two so that the mangled chain bits can be removed, then reassemble to a shorter chain. Try to leave a pin still in one outer plate; it's a lot easier. When you reassemble it, do it on the bike threaded through all the derailer bits properly.

I've done this roadside before. Took me 5-10 minutes, some cursing, a little fiddling with the tool, and ended with very greasy hands. A few of those minutes were waiting for a crosswalk signal so I could retrieve the chain.

Make sure to avoid the big/big gear combo or even your big chainring entirely, until you've replaced the chain. And replace the chain right away.


How do I gear up a bike for winter riding?

In the winter you will have to contend with:

Ice and snow on the road
Wet
Freezing bike parts
Cold winds
Overheating

1. Ice and snow on the road

This past winter I used the Schwalbe "Marathon Winter" tires for a 3-mile commute along a rural highway and town streets in central Vermont. Our winters are quite a bit more severe than NYC, but if you have ice on the streets that might be unavoidable, studded tires are a must.

(photo from Flickr)

At $74 a piece from Peter White Cycles, they aren't cheap, but they are decent in light/thin snow and fabulous on ice. Each tire has 240 tungsten-carbide studs, whose sharp (cylindrical) tips haven't dulled at all for me. While knobby plain-rubber tires will grip alright in snow-on-dry-pavement, as soon as a thin layer of ice forms on top of the pavement (either due to a melt-freeze cycle or packing by auto-tires) the rubber tires will very quickly loose any ability to grip and will send you down hard. With these tires I've had no problem riding a hundred yards on a large patch of black-ice on a fast downhill.

2. Wet

As freiheit mentions, your other big concern is being wet since even if it isn't raining, puddle-splash and lighter mist from passing vehicles will moisten you up. As well, your own tires will throw off a lot of water from wet roads (fenders are very helpful for this).

You have quite a few options to stay dry. Since my commute is only 3 miles, I wear gore-tex rain pants and jacket over my normal work cloths. I also keep a pair of shoes at work and bike in hiking boots during the wet months of October/November and then switch to snow boots January-March.

3. Freezing bike parts

When the air temperature is below freezing and your bike gets covered in moisture you can expect ice to build up. I keep my bike in my warm office at work (on some mats to catch the drips) and in an unheated shed at home. I haven't had repeated problems with freeze-ups, but did have to melt some ice off of the derailleur with a hair drier at home once. If you can get the bike warm at least once a day and keep it stored under a roof you shouldn't have too much build-up. Just remember to test your brakes frequently in case a layer of ice forms on your rims.

4. Cold winds

Due to the speeds of riding, you will almost always have at least 10mph of very cold wind to contend with. Your rain gear will help with that, but you also need to protect:

Your hands
Your head/ears
Your face

There are many options for gloves and mittens available, just make sure that you choose something wind-proof and waterproof. For the coldest parts of the winter I use a pair of gore-tex mittens marketed for skiing/snowboarding. I don't find the mittens to get in the way of shifting or braking on my commuter bike, but others prefer gloves for more dexterity.

There are many helmet-liners and covers available to keep your head warm under a bicycle helmet, but I just use a ski helmet (the Giro 9) since it has built-in ear protectors, changeable amounts of ventilation, and nicely fits goggles.

For most of the coldest months I ride with ski goggles. These keep the wind off of my eyes (which otherwise water a lot in the cold wind) and keep most of my face warm. They are also great for protecting the face when it is snowing or sleeting. On a few bitter cold days I've also added neck warmers to cover the lower part of my face, but usually the combination of goggles and the neck of my coat are enough.

5. Overheating

Counter-intuitively, my biggest challenge with winter commuting is staying cool. My commute profile is a broad 'w' with downhills at the start each way, a few small hills in the middle, and an uphill at the end. For the first large downhill I try to be a little on the cold side so that I can be comfortable for the rest of the ride. Often though, I bundle up a bit too much and overheat later. The best technique I've found (when riding in work clothes rather than changing) is to layer breathable sweaters or fleece so that I am just short of comfortable out of the wind, then add the wind-proof pants and jacket with the pit-zips and other ventilation open. The wind-proof material will keep most of the wind from cutting through while the ventilation openings will allow enough air circulation to stay cool.


Will microSHIFT ADVENT 9 speed handle 46t, 50t large sprockets?

They do not officially support it.
Even on the long cage version the maximum supported sprocket size is 42t.

https://www.microshift.com/en/product/rd-m6195l/


Tires Not Taking in Air But Will Let Air Out

You may simply not pushing the pump onto the value body enough, and the internal valve is not being opened.

Most pumps have a plastic insert behind the valve hole that is reversible for Schrader or Presta value use.

[Schrader left Presta right.]

This insert may be the wrong way around, or (as has often happened to me) the small peg that opens the Schrader valve has been bent so it no longer pushes on the valve.


How to safely transport a Brompton by air?

Flying with a Brompton [as a carryon] is typically dependent on the airport staff and flight crew, rather than airline policies and procedures. I've had success getting the bike on larger planes no problem, mostly because overhead compartments were very large, or because there was sufficient space to store the folded bike (with seat and pedals removed) with strollers and folded wheelchairs. I'll even refer to it as a "mobility device", which will sometimes spook TSA into thinking that they're denying me accessibility or civil rights.

Again, this is mostly dependent on the gate/flight crew's level of tolerance/patience. The easier you make the process for them, the more likely they are to let you take the bike on the plane.

Here is a good blog post about the process itself.

A second, great blog post with tips as well.

Technically speaking, here are a few tips:

I use "Superior" MKS pedals that are completely removable. Nothing sticking out of the bike; they go into a separate bag in luggage.
I'll typically put a small bungee cord around the bike (inside the bag) to keep the bike from rattling/moving too much. It's also much more stable when being handled by flight crew/TSA.
Remove the seat; put it in your luggage/carry-on.
I also deflate the tires a little. This helps when the luggage compartment is a tight fit, and let's the tire sticking out give a little when the latch is shut.

Generally, the bike has suffered no real damage when I've carried it on or gate-checked it.


Why do some road bikes cost more than motorbikes? Are they grossly overpriced?

While some will say "it's just supply and demand" and companies charge "whatever the market will bear", I'm not convinced that your comparison is fair to try and determine whether bikes are overpriced relative to motorcycles. Using a $4,000+ road bike and comparing it to a $3,000 motorcycle is comparing the upper end of one product to the lower end of another.

For example - you can go to performancebike.com and buy a reasonable entry-level road bike for around $800 ($500 or less if you watch for sales). That bike will have an aluminum frame, low-end carbon fork and a hodge-podge of low-end components.

Similarly, you can buy a low-end 2013 Honda CBR 250R at a list of $4,199. That motorcycle has a relatively small engine and will likely will have heavier components.

Both of those products are consumer focused, recreational products; not high-level competition machines.

If you move to the upper end of the recreational products, you are looking at $2,800 for a full carbon with mid-level components on the bike side, versus, $14,000 for the CBR 1000 on the motorcycle side. Neither of these is anywhere near the upper-end of competition ready products.

If you look at the relative percent difference in price, it about 250% between base and mid-level models of both products. It's up to the individual consumer to decide whether the added benefit of lighter materials, better components on the bike side, and more power, better component on the motorcycle side is really worth a 250% increase in price, but that's why manufacturers release a range of models.

If you want to compare between the products, the base motorcycle is going to cost you a little over 5 times what a base bicycle will cost (not counting add-ons like insurance, gas and maintenance). The prices of the higher level motorcycle and bicycle are at about the same ratio.

Finally, I don't know anything about use of composites in motorcycles, but I think it's debatable that the technology in a motorcycle requires significantly more R&D than for a bicycle. Precision shifting, weight minimization, not to mention the fabrication of carbon frame tubes to be light, strong, and exhibit directional dependent stiffness and flexibility is R & D intensive. This Gizmodo article explains in more detail why carbon fiber products are more expensive (hat-tip to Tom77) As far as I can find there are no stock motorcycles available with carbon frames, and Ducati sold a replica Desmosedici with a carbon seat support for over $70,000.


Can a 13 year old wheelie/bunny hop on a mountain bike?

Wheelies are about legs and technique so if you can reach the pedals and handlebars you can pull a wheelie on a mountain bike.

But bunny hops need weight so that will be an issue for you since it's a matter of using your weight to get the bounce and momentum you need.

Learning to wheelie (lift the front wheel) is fairly simple you get the bike barely rolling, put it in highest gear, and then push down hard on the pedal while pulling up on the handlebars. Keeping it going is a bit more difficult. I taught my 8 year old to wheelie using that technique but on a smaller bike. Be prepared to spin the whole bike upside down a few times when learning. But doing it this way you can't really get hurt since you're not going at any speed.

Safety first! Don't take the picture too seriously, but practising on grass is a good idea for beginners.


Unfortunately, you're probably not going to find a backpack that converts to a pannier in that price range. And most of them kind of suck for all day use anyway, even the high end ones. You can feel the hooks digging into your back so it's not comfortable for much more than carrying it from the bike rack to the office.

Your best option is probably to use a rear rack and a basket. Then you could simply put your backpack into the basket for your commute. You can get a cheap bike rack for about $25 and a basket for about the same price. That particular rack is rated for 55 lbs and while the baskets don't list a weight spec, the Q&A section below says that people easily load 25+ lbs per basket.

There are lots of other companies that manufacture similar racks and baskets, so it would be a good idea to shop around. Those were just the first ones that I stumbled across.

You could also use a front basket as someone else suggested, but those tend to mount up high which affects your steering. And not in a good way.


Chain rubbing on new derailleur and crankset

You can:

lower the front dérailleur, so that the protruding part on the inner side of front dérailleur does not touch the chain.
if the above does not fix, try to re-align the rotation of front derailleur: make it just enough so that it won't rub on the lowest gear
then check if it rubs the chain on the highest gear, i.e. 3 -9 gear. If it does, try to adjust the cable so that it can bring the front dérailleur a bit further away on higest gear.

If all fails, it's now a trial and error from all the steps I have said.


No, mounting different tyres will not affect the frame or bike lifetime.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus are very common tyres on this type of bike. Focus sells the commuter version of the Mares AX even with such tyres (Conti Touring Plus).

However you will experience a different ride. For instance grip, comfort, and rolling resistance suffer a little with tyres with such good puncture protection. The weight is only a minor factor. Reduced suppleness due to the protection layers is the main reason for this.

Still, Marathon Plus are excellent tyres and will serve you very well for the described use cases. For equal puncture protection and a faster ride you would have to pay twice as much. For good roads you might consider a good all-round road tyre in 28-622.

You may check the touring tyres section at https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com for additional info, and an article by Jan Heine for further information on the matter.


Axle - rear hub and washer thing a bit loose

The round washer-like piece that's loose is a metal dust cover. It keeps debris and water out of the bearings. On some hubs they're pressed into the hub shell and on others they're pressed onto the cone, which is what this looks like. Having it be loose is consistent with replacing the cone with one that wasn't quite the right diameter to mate properly with the cover. There's not much leeway there.

The usual procedure for transferring the dust shield is to cradle it with a vise or socket and very gently tap the old cone through and the new one on.

You don't really want it to be loose because they're the hub's main line of defense against contaminants. If it's rotating around freely it may get damaged as well, and be unable to press into place on a new cone.

Replacing cones is a careful business of finding one where the ground part matches the profile of the original one well, making sure the ball track is falling in a good spot on it in practice, in this case ensuring it has the right major diameter for the dust cover, and then making sure the spacing of the hub is right when you're done. There are some in-depth treatments out there of this, Barnett's Manual has a good one, but it's a fairly big topic. Repeat problems with the hub coming loose, rapidly accumulating wear, etc are likely outcomes of the match not being great with the profile of the new cones. The balls may be making contact in an awkward spot of the curve or off of it completely. An extreme case of this may make the wheel not usable. It could be a good idea to look at the cones and see how they're wearing.

It's also possible that the cones were a good match but the cups are damaged and causing repeat loosening. If so that's likely to keep happening but take a long time to be an acute problem.

The chain behavior is probably some dryness or gumminess in the freewheel and not related.


The best time to get a new bike will vary somewhat due to your region's climate and population density. Bike shops in warmer areas and very large cities are going to sell bikes for sticker price pretty much year round. In regions with a cooler off-season, there will likely be bike shops selling bikes at a discounted price, since they don't move as much stock when riding conditions aren't as nice.

But a pretty universal trend is for bike shops to mark down old model year bikes to help get rid of them and make room for new bikes. New models typically come out between September and November, but some will debut as early as late July, depending on the company.

The best time to look into getting a new bike, then, is usually at the end of the cycling season (mid autumn). You might not want to wait until winter because that's when a lot of shops are looking to keep their stock limited to their best-selling, general-purpose and/or entry-level bikes, since most people don't want to buy anything especially exotic right as snow and ice start becoming a factor (they'd have few opportunities to ride).

If you were to expand your search to used bikes, you would be able to find a whole slew of them in springtime when a lot of people are switching up to new bikes to get ready for a new season.

You may occasionally find two or three model year old bikes sitting in the corners of shops marked down to dealer cost just because it was an odd size or unpopular color, but usually shops aren't going to go super deep on their bike discounts since bike profit margins are typically only between 30% and 45%, and they can't burn up too much of their profits trying to move units.

Your LBS informed you correctly -- Fall is the best time to look for a new bike if you're on the hunt for a new deal and not concerned about the newest and coolest tech.


The Park Tool FR-3 should fit that.

https://www.parktool.com/product/freewheel-remover-fr-3


If I can't find the hole causing a flat tire, do I need to replace the tube?

Sometimes it can be hard to find a small hole. Sometimes it helps to mix water and dish soap together and either pour that over the partially inflated tire, scanning for leaks or submerging the tire in a bucket of soapy water.  The soap will bubble and make holes more apparent.  You also probably want to immerse the valve to see if the leak may be originating from there.

If the problem is coming from the valve, then you will want to go ahead and just replace the tube.