I have a Mach One BMX, help me decipher its serial number

Mach One seems to be a model of BMX made by GT.

Their numbering system seems to be

S - Company that made the frame.  K would mean Kinesis, but Robinson, Dyno, Powerlite and Auburn also made GT frames.   Not sure what company is represented by which letters.
I - Site/location that made the frame.  This is an optional field.
C - Third letter of alphabet, so it was made in March
T - 20th letter of the alphabet, so it's year is 1980 +20 == 2000.

Your bike was made in March 2000, and probably took a few months to arrive at the retailer whence you bought it.

From https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/info/122/ and others.

You can see 31 "Mach One" BMXs in this search
https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/search?q=mach&year-start=2000&year-end=2001

Now the bad news - a Mach One has "M1" stamped on the BB by the serial number.   Yours doesn't, so it might not be what you think it is.

You can try registering your GT bike at https://www.gtbicycles.com/can_en/bike-registration  by entering the serial and your email address.   See what they can tell you about it.


Can a long stem be used safely with a short head tube?

If the quill stem is in the steerer tube at or past the minimum insertion length then mechanically this should be safe regardless of the height above head tube. This is assuming that the bike is still running a threaded headset and quill stem and the headset was correctly fitted with the fork.

I can't comment on the effect on handling and how safe the bike is to ride now.

Great bike by the way.


Should I use lights in foggy conditions?

I definitely recommend this. Running lights will make you more readily visible as the light will penetrate the fog to an extent.  Reflectors and high-viz clothing will be somewhat less effective during foggy conditions.  Use caution riding in foggy conditions as drivers may not see you until they are very close.


Crash-proof Laptop bags for MacBook Pro for Bicycle?

I have never seen anything that would do this. I've done a lot of looking over the years because I carry camera gear as well as laptops, and neither like the hammering they get when attached to the bike. My solution is insurance.

Broadly, the problem comes down to suspension. On your back the load gets the benefit of your soft, flexible body and your tendency to lift off the seat before you hit big bumps. That last is key - whatever suspension your pannier offers has to be able to cope with a nice hard thud as you bounce off a kerb or through a pothole.

What I've seen used is the Ortleib backpack, which is nicely waterproof and can use the padded laptop sack that goes inside it. You could use that sack as intended in a pannier on your rack, but even with a solid state drive I expect your laptop to fail within 5Mm if it's in the pannier. On your back it shouldn't be affected. Likewise, a decent courier bag (Ortleib again, Crumpler or other)

What I actually use is a standard pannier with a home-made foam inner to pad the laptop. That gives more padding than anything I've seen commercially available, and it's cheap. Find a shop that sells slabs of foam, buy one the size of your pannier, cut a slot in it to take your laptop. If you buy two panniers inevitably the second one will fill up with stuff, balancing the load. Trust me on this :) Mine has my wallet, puncture kits and multitool, lunch, rain jacket, phone charger, I dunno, suffice to say that it weighs at least as much as a laptop does. And I only carry the one pannier and the offset weight isn't an issue.

A hardcase sheel that will withsand a crash is going to weigh a lot. There's some discussion in this answer: Secure Storage for Running Errands and in this question: Ever seen a locking bag that could be locked to the bike?


The Rohloff shifting mechanism is designed specifically not to include a spring or other mechanism to move one of the directions. Since it pulls so much cable, it would indeed be difficult to do a single friction shifter. The 2-cable system is feature, not a bug, since Rohloff believes the 2-cable system to be more reliable than one cable + spring.

They discuss spring mechanisms as prone to failure. I've had a high-end SRAM x.0 derailleur main spring break on me in the middle of a commute (fixed it with a zip tie in the middle of the cassette so I could at least get home with the 3 rings in front as my gears), so I've seen them go myself. The 2-cable system also makes it pretty simple to keep the bike going should one cable fail, since you can shift the bike with a wrench, something that wouldn't be possible if there were a spring trying to return the hub one direction or another (unless that were accounted for in some design).

That said, there is a trigger shifting option (ed. by cinq5) which is using 2 triggers. It's described in a blog post by Cycle Monkey.

  I love my Rohloff but I'm no fan of the grip shifter, only because it
  slips in my greasy hands. If it just had a different texture, I'd be happier.

Best solution I've seen was to save a few of those giant rubber bands, that are used to tie broccoli in stores, and apply them to the shifter with a cross pattern for an easy friction increase. I need to go visit the produce section myself.


Reuse oversized hardtrail frame to build a commuter bike?

It's a good, cheap way to build a first commuter. Throw on a pair of road slicks and lights and go to work. It will give you a chance to decide what you really want in a commuter bike. It will be able to handle bad roads and pot holes better than a road racing bike. But, it will still be heavier and slower than a bike based on a cyclocross/utility/road frame with 700c wheels.


How do I train to gain Tony Martin/Fabian Cancellara/Bradley Wiggins esq abilities to turn over a big gear 58t, 11t,?

To just turn it over for a short period?  You would just need to have above-average leg strength: the quickest way to gain this strength would just be to do leg strength exercises such as squats, leg presses, etc.  You don't need superhuman levels of leg strength merely to turn over the gear.

The hard thing is to turn it over at a good cadence, for an hour at a time.  If you don't have the cardiovascular capacity, your legs will be burning and you'll be gasping for air in short order.

To actually make use of the gear you need to have the cardiovascular capacity of be a world-class time-trialist.  The first step there is to be one of the few born with sufficient innate ability.  The second step is to do years of intense training building up your cardiovascular fitness.  After that, you would probably need to work out what your preferred cadence is at time-trial speeds.  If your cadence is slow enough to need the bigger gear, then you probably already have the leg strength needed.  If your cadence is fast enough that you don't need a big gear, then why bother?


Is it possible to use a two or three chainring with an internal hub?

From what I've read about the Alfine 11 and 8, the lowest ratio is about the same, but the Alfine 11 has a greater highest ratio.  So you could use an Alfine 11 and a smaller front chainring.  Then your top gear would remain about the same, and your lowest gear would get lower.
Try this site for comparing gear ratios, I have found it to be extremely useful:
http://www.ritzelrechner.de

This link will take you to a comparison of Alfine 8 + 39T and Alfine 11 + 33T:
http://ritzelrechner.de/?GR=SA11&KB=33&RZ=20&UF=2125&TF=90&SL=2.5&UN=KMH&GR2=SNI8&KB2=39&RZ2=18&UF2=2125


Softride is one of the bigger names in this area.  Their main bike design exchanged the top/seat tube and seat stays for a composite materials "beam" that cantilevered back to a saddle in the regular position.  Originally for MTBs, they pivoted to Triathlon bikes in the mid 90s.  The company stopped making frames in 2007 mostly because the design was no-longer UCI legal.  The frames never conformed to the double diamond required of road bikes, but tri bikes had more lenient rules.  While softride still exists, they make tailgate protectors and straps.
By AndrewDressel - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62716747
Notice the chainstays are much more substantial and therefore heavier, to hold the rear wheel.  The stub top tube is also beefy because not-only is it holding much of the rider's weight, it is levering downward also requiring strength in the fastener.    As such there are much smaller weight savings than you might imagine.
Another downside is that the suspension beam is made of slightly flexible material (actual composition is unknown) but imagine that snapping and dropping the rider down.   The beam should be engineered to minimise sideways flex and twisting forces, I don't know how well they succeeded.
More info  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softride

Your idea of a flexible frame will have poor handling characteristics in a corner.  If the effective wheelbase can change, then the bike will get longer and shorter which will make cornering feel weird.
While its a known technique to brake hard on the front going into a corner, to load up front-fork suspension which effectively shortens the bike for the short duration of the turn, having the frame change from long to short to long with every pedal stroke will be disconcerting to the rider.


In general strapping 1.7 kg of mass to a CFC frame is not a problem. CFC frames are actually quite robust. However, I would be concerned about attaching the case to water bottle mounts. Water bottle mounts, brake mounts etc on CFC frames are constructed with an aluminum insert epoxied in a hole in the CFC. These can work loose if subjected to too much cyclic stress.

This Hambini YouTube video explains how the inserts work (and how to fix them.

If the case comes with straps, I'd use those instead. Put tape on the frame where the case and straps touch it to stop paint being worn off by movement of the case.


Why isn't the chain on the rear gear in biggest cog for lowest gear

You rear derailleur is probably just adjusted improperly. The indexing adjustment lines up the derailleur with each sprocket. Your's is so far out that when the shifter shows 1, the chain is on sprocket 2. The grinding noise is because the derailleur is trying to push the chain onto sprocket 1 but cannot move quite far enough.

The Park Tool company has great articles and videos that provide step by step procedures for both rear and front derailleur adjustment. Follow those and see if that fixes the issue.

Some other observations:

Your rear quick release is in backwards. The lever should be on the left side of the bike. If it's on the right side it may interfere with the derailleur. Also you may not be able to close it properly with the derailleur in the way.

You should also trim and re-cap the derailleur cable. The long cable end you have now could catch between the sprockets and chain, or in the derailleur cage which could jam the drivetrain and throw you off the bike.


Why does a tire patch leak near the lip, and how to properly patch the flat?

The edges of patches tend to come unstuck because you are attaching a stiff flat patch to a curved surface. To avoid this, make sure that the vulcanizing solution covers the entire area of the patch, apply pressure to the entire patch while it is curing, and wait a sufficient amount of time before reinflating the tube.
And as others have commented, abrading the tube before patching does also help get a good seal. Sometimes you’ll get a secure patch without it, but your chances are much better if you do it.


What should I be doing a week before a long distance bike ride?

The correct answer is both. You should do a long ride, around 80% of your goal distance 4 days before your actual ride, and then rest off the bike for 3 days.

That gives your body a wake up call that serious exercise is coming, and then a rest period to build up for it.

This answer has some explanation about why, but the only real debate is in the timing of the ride and the length of the rest period.

For most people, 3 days is enough to recover, but not so much as to lose the gains you made.

FWIW, 50 miles is a long ride, but not so long as to need to be excessively concerned with your training schedule, as long as you've been putting miles on the bike, and as long as you pay attention to eating the right food, in enough quantity, both in preparation for the ride, and while doing it.


You may run into issues if you apply radically different lubricants on top of each other.  You won't do any damage to the chain, but you might effectively use one lubricant to repel another.

I would cycle through the various lubes that you have mentioned you would like to experiment with during your normal maintenance window.  Every 1-2 months give the chain a good cleaning with a solid degreaser and then apply a fresh coat of the new lube that you would like to try.  You can then have discrete time periods where you know exactly what has been applied to your chain and a reasonable amount of time to measure the efficacy of the lube in question.

For degreasers you don't need to go crazy with spending a ton of money or time.  Simple green works wonderfully on a budget and there are bike specific ones (i.e. Park Tool Chainbrite) if you want to spend more.


What width tires will fit on a 1999 Trek Postal?

Most likely not.

Most frames with caliper brakes can at a maximum take a 28 or really narrow and slick 30 (assuming a modern short reach caliper). A nobby tire will almost certainly not fit regardless of size. if there's a lot of clearance currently ( > 1cm), I would take it to your lbs and check with them.


Blind rivet nuts for ebike battery on frame: aluminium or steel?

Personally?  For a heavy battery mounted on raised/cantilevered supports, I'd suggest looking at a welded support and forgo rivets completely.
If you do use rivets, I'd match the metal to the frame to eliminate galvanic corrosion issues.   Four rivets might not be enough - depending on how your mounts touch the frame, you might want "foot-like" lugs, with one either side and at least one in the foreward or aft direction.
Or look at mounting rivnuts in the frame instead, and then use decent bolts into those to hold your battery frame.
Batteries are surprisingly heavy - I once made a 3 point bracket for inside a frame's main triangle.  It used the bottle cage mounts, along with metal straps to the top and seat tubes.  It was barely capable of holding the batteries even with a triangle of stability.


How seriously should I take the maximum pressure rating of my cyclocross rims?

DT Swiss publishes the exact document you are looking for:

Manuals page / RIMS / Tire Pressure/Dimension (PDF)

The document specifies the maximum usable tire pressure based on rim and tire width. More narrow tires allow for higher pressures. For example, the rims in the question (XR 400, inner width 18 mm) are compatible with tires ranging from 23 mm width at 9.0 bar to 60 mm at 3.2 bar.


You could most likely also instead do the following: face the frame by 2.5mm... don't install a spacer under either cup.. install them directly into the frame. When installing the left side crank slide a spacer (1 1/8 inch headset spacer for example with on side pressing against left side crank and other side pressing against the rotating ring on the bearing cup) over the axle of the crankset before proceeding to install the left side crank arm. Make sure to choose a spacer with just enough thickness to ensure you can adjust it so there is no play on the bearings/crankset axle. I've done this on one of my mountainbikes and ridden it for well over two year without issue.
Using this method you have the entire bearing cup's thread length engaged in the frame even after facing off 2.5mm (or another amount for that matter).

Your suggestion of facing off only the called aluminium sounds like a good option to me. I believe the amount/total thickness of spacers underneath the bearing cups is limited because there needs to be a certain length of thread engaged to aquire the required strength. This would also explain why it differs between metal and plastic cups (since the latter have much stronger threads). This being said a 2.5mm spacer shouldn't cause any issues based on my experience. Perhaps you could consider tightening the bb cup on the faced side a little less (make sure it's properly snug though otherwise you'll ruin your threads most likely ... As is also the case when not tightening a pedal correctly and using the bike after) and installing (high strength?) Loctite or another thread locker to prevent the cup from loosening. .


Your only alternative is to get a crankset with a different BCD (bolt circle diameter). You have a 110mm bcd, and while it is possible to use a 33t gear on
the front, it won't help much and they are difficult and expensive to find.

IMHO, if 34/32 is not low enough, then by far the most straightforward thing to do is go to a triple.

However, that is not your only choice. You could try using various 2x cranks from the MTB world. The problem there is the large ring size is limited and getting the
shifting working correctly can be tricky. 42/28 is probably the best you can do, although with some searching you might be able to get a big ring up to 48t. Shifting that big a gap will also present problems.

There are these cranks which offer a compromise btw Road and MTB doubles.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/cranksets/grand-cru-50-4bcd-crankset-mkii.html

They have a 50.4 BCD and can use chainrings from 28t to 62t. The problem is they don't shift quite as smoothly as more modern chain rings with ramps.

Middleburn also makes some double cranks with BCD smaller than 110,

http://www.middleburn.co.uk/products/cranks/road-touring-cyclo-x

Surly's Mr Whirly cranksets also come with "spiders" that could be used to
create a smaller crankset up front.

http://surlybikes.com/parts/drivetrain/mr_whirly_crank

Lastly, you could consider expanding the gearing out back. There are Mountain Cassettes that go up to 42t these days. You'd likely need a new rear derailleur, I'm not sure about the shifting.

http://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/Wolf-Tooth/Wolf-Tooth-42T-GC-Cog-for-Shimano.axd?gclid=COvqhoaY9cACFcRbfgodLz0AwQ

All in all, going to a triple is by far the simplest and will actually get the gears you need. All any of these solutions provide is at best 2 more lower gears.

I highly recommend switching to a 110/74 triple with something like a 24/36/48.
If you do get a "road" triple with the standard 30/42/53 gearing, swap the inner 30 for a 26t.


How to deal with motorist's road rage (after prevention has failed)

Pull off the road sooner. Sure, you have a right to be there, but it was quite clear that this creep wasn't prepared to accept that. Your safety is more important than taking the lane.

Noting his license-plate number and car make/model as he vanishes into the distance isn't a bad idea either, in case you see him again.


Other than chain length, what are the limitations to the number of gear teeth?

In the diagram below (from Park Tool) one can notice that if the innermost (lowest) cog grows much larger it will interfere with the top pulley on the rear derailleur. This is the primary limiting factor for the size of cogs.

(source: parktool.com)
For chainwheels, I suspect that the ground would be the physical limit (for a typical diamond frame, anyway).  Of course you'd better eat a good breakfast and have a friend with a shed on his car if you plan to turn a ring that big.


9-speed system to 11-speed drivetrain upgrade?

This page has the best answer I've found so far

http://blog.artscyclery.com/science-behind-the-magic/science-behind-the-magic-drivetrain-compatibility/

Reading between the lines, the cable pulls from 9spd to 11spd are probably close enough, but the derailleur ratios are significantly different. 1.4 vs 1.7. This means
that the 11 spd indexing in your new shifters will not work correctly with your old
derailleur.


Chain really noisy near front derailleur on low gears but doesn't appear to be rubbing.

Ascertain that the chain is not visibly touching the front derailleur.

Check that your rear cassette is fitted correctly; lock-ring is tight and the correct spacers used between sprockets.

Are you using a matching chain, chain rings and rear derailleur? i.e. are they  all 'n' speed; i.e. do not mix and match a 9 speed chain with a 11 speed cassette or derailleur.

Is your rear derailleur vertically aligned correctly, not subject to crash damage.

Assuming you're on Shimano, is the b adjustment screw of your rear shimano derailleur correct such that the rear derailleur does not touch the cassette?

Is you rear derailleur compatible with the large sprockets you have on your cassette?  e.g. a short arm rear derailleur may only support up to 25 tooth sprockets.

Do you have the correct length of chain to support the gear range you have.


Changing cranks from Praxis to Ultegra (BB advice)

If it is an M30 Thru BSA, then the cups will say 'M30 THRU'. As they say M30 and only M30 then they are the M30 BSA version. The latter suits crank spindles which are 30mm drive side, 28mm non-drive side, as the Zayante crank is.

If they say anything else (like press fit) then (future readers) can match that to other models on the Praxis website before proceeding. For example, it's possible to get thread-together units for pressfit frames which don't look that different but have different wording on and are not BSA.

If BSA is confirmed, then the frame is threaded to the BSA standard. As the Shimano spindle is a smaller diameter (24mm) then yes you would need to change the bottom bracket, but this is trivial with a BSA threaded frame. That is to say, yes you unscrew the Praxis and screw in a Shimano.

It does look like the Praxis BB may require a different tool to the Hollowtech II items, but the shop can check this and take care of it, maybe make them aware beforehand to avoid delay if they need to get a tool in. I think having the shop do the whole job is a fair idea, it represents minimal risk to your wallet, even if parts are more expensive at retail.

Happily you can mix and match the Shimano BB, new chainset and 105 LH crank.

I know of no reason to distrust Shimano BBs; the more expensive ones are lighter and smaller items which might make them look less 'rugged' perhaps, but they are tailored to perform a certain way, i.e. light and racy.

If the bottom bracket cups say anything additional to "M30" then it is a different model.  As Weiwen Ng has sleuthed in a comment above, it seems 2018 Roubaixses may have either BSA threaded, or pressfit bottom brackets, so measure twice, order once if reading this in the future.


Charging mobile phone using the battery of a rechargeable bike light?

Answer No, you need an item designed for this purpose.

Whether yours do or not, it totally depends on the product.

Many modern lights are charged by USB, but they can't supply USB to other devices.

There are other products which combine a USB battery with a light, but the batteries inside these are much larger than a plain light.  Notice 80%+ of this item is batteries, and it probably weighs quite a bit.

That claims to be a Rugged 3Watt speaker and hands free kit with 8Ah Power Bank, in-built Charging Cable, LED Flash Torch and Bike Mount.  The price is not small.


Is it safe to ride with one missing chainring bolt?

As long as you don't take your bike on a long strenuous ride or torque the snot out of it, you should be OK. Make sure the remaining 4 are properly tightened. Normal commuting should be fine.


iPhone ANT+ bicycling apps that can import a GPS track?

I use Motion-X as my tracking app and it can certainly import GPX and then navigate from it. It supports some ANT+ (at least HRM).

Additionally the OpenStreetMap wiki has a good list of iOS apps comparing their functionality.


Would a swivel wheel trailer work with a bicycle?

Would it work? Sure, technically. You'd have to fashion one yourself (or have it made for you). If you want the frame to stay fixed and just the wheels to swivel, unlike a chariot, then you'll likely need to weld the frame to your bike, making a strong commitment to winter weather (and permanently increasing its footprint in your garage).

Will it be comfortable or beneficial to your ride? No. In order to turn a bicycle, the vehicle leans. Without leaning, your inertia will play a big part in the direction that you go; i.e. you're going to have to take it slow around corners to avoid falling over. You'll need to slow down to a speed where you'd be unlikely to fall on black ice, provided you have appropriate tires, making your trailer redundant.

In my experience, riding year-round in all weather from freezing rain to a foot of snow to a tornado (oops), well-treaded tires are usually good enough, provided you pay attention to the road conditions. At times, it turns the activity into something more akin to skiing. If you wanted to really make sure you don't get surprised by ice, studded tires are the easiest answer, though if you're cycling in all kinds of weather, it can be a PITA to have to switch between studded tires and treaded tires once the ice clears.

To summarize: yes, you could do it, but it's not worth it.


Layering (lower half) for long chilly rides

For the kind of riding you describe, the best choice are windproof tights. You should look for the kind that has windproof membrane in the front, breathable fabric in the back and most importantly no padding. Underneath them you wear shorts or bib tights with chamois.

These are available from many cycling-specific brands, but the ones intended for nordic skiing work too.

If the membrane gets too warm, the next thing are winter running tights made of brushed lycra. Running-specific because they come without padding.


It looks like what you have is a cartridge bottom bracket with a left hand cup with both Octalink style 8 notches (even though the axle is clearly square taper) and the more common 20 splines

Park tool BBT-18 (Octalink), BBT-22/32 (splines) with work, as will the dual purpose Lezyne tool you linked to.

Yes, you will have to remove the crank to properly tighten the cup. You probably want to do the drive side as well. To get the cranks off you need a crank puller (such as Park CWP-7). To tighten the bottom bracket and re-install the cranks you need a fairly hefty torque wrench as it's critical the cups and crank bolts are tightened to the correct torque.

For infrequent jobs where special tools are needed it's often easier to have a good local bike repair shop do the work.


Chain 'bedding in' is not a thing. Most likely the rear derailleur indexing adjustment is a little off so the chain is not running true on each sprocket. The shift and brake cable do stretch a little, requiring adjustment after a few hours riding.

If you bought the bike at a bicycle store, take it back for a tune up. In the USA this is typically done for free. If you bought it at a department or big-box store, a local bike shop will do a tune up for you.


Can the iBert safe-T-seat be safely mounted behind the seat post?

Wth the childs's legs sticking forward the way the website suggests, you've got no hope.  You could easily check this by fitting the seat and trying to ride without the child -- that way you don't even need to do the clamps up tight.  You're also likely to find that the slumped-foward head rest sticks into your lower back and means that you're badly positioned on the saddle -- just what you don't want when you're controlling a bike with an extra load up high.

It's got more support than most front-mount seats but in general they're designed for you to have your arms round the child and your back behind them.  This one still has a very low back, and if the child falls asleep behind you they'll be flopping around like crazy and you won't know about it (though this happens even on much bigger rear seats as well, at least then their head can't flop backwards going over a bump.)

Most people I see riding with front mount seats have to ride with their knees very wide to avoid the seat -- and this is a wider seat than I've seen on the road.  It seems to me that there's only quite a limited set of bike/rider/conditions combinations for which front seats work: You need to be at the small end of your frame's adjustments, with wide bars, and riding on flat roads where you don't need to work hard to accelerate.


Help identify antique rear steer tandem bike

It didn't leave a factory like that.

From the area around the rear handlebars you can see it's been modified. A head tube (blue rather than the black of the rest of the frame) has been welded to the front seat post, reversed. I suspect the rear top tube has been cut off, weakening the frame a lot, and the steerer parts attached to the stub of that. It looks like the top of a set of forks is still present and used in the linkage. Close-ups of the top of both seat tubes and the areas around them would help be more certain.

It looks like the front bars have turned with the wheel. Is it front and rear steer? It's also interesting that it's got a single brake lever at the front. Disabling one brake on a tandem seems a bad decision, or does the lever operate both (or have I missed something)?

It's a curiosity, but I don't see it being a worthwhile restoration project given the way the modifications affect the safety.


Can I take a bike into central London on the Underground?

You can take your non-foldable bike only as far west as Leyton on the Central Line and only off peak. The map here shows where cycles can travel on the underground. The green lines are the permitted routes. Where a station is on the route it has access for cycles. The Central Line is a very deep line so once underground it wouldn't be possible to get a bike in and out of a station.

It is a 10km cycle from Leyton to Bank, use the Cycle Journey Planner to get the appropriate route.

Another option would be to cycle from Leyton to Maryland (~2km) and then catch a Greater Anglia service to Liverpool Street. Once again nonfolding bikes are restricted during peak hours. This is a National Rail overland service but a tube day pass and oyster card would be valid as long as the stations were in the purchased zones.

There are also plenty of overland options, it may be better to complete the whole journey via the overland if available. Unfortunately maps such as this one show all the overland lines, and is relatively simple to read, but it does not give any indication of geographical distance. Pick up an A to Z street directory (out dated these days!) or do some searches and use the Journey Planner around where you are staying or entering London to see if there are any better or closer options.


Visualize the extremes, i.e. a rim that was "obviously" too narrow for a 2.1". Say 10mm internal. As you get narrower, the handling gets floppier, particularly in aggressive riding. The lie of the contemporary charts is they make this effect look binary where in fact it is progressive.
Mountain bikes started out with fairly rational rim to tire width pairings. In the 90s it got weird and one could in fact assemble a terrible handling rim and tire combination from mainstream product entries that were all nominally compatible and made for the same applications. For all their oversimplifying, the charts helped pull us back. Cyclists need simple.
There is probably a math-driven answer that deals with pressure, casing construction, rider load, and the forces imparted by different styles, situations, and terrain types. It would probably still be a gradient more than a binary, but the person who could really answer that might be able to find some areas where it gets closer to being a binary, i.e. if there are certain proportions in some situations where if moved beyond things get rapidly worse. It's probably one of those seemingly mundane topics in cycling that would actually take something like a graduate level physics class to crack into.


convert 9 speed wheel to 10 speed, won't shift to largest ring

You probably need to adjust the 'top stop' screw on the rear mech, and also tighten the rear gear cable.  The rear mech has two small screws.  One of these adjusts how far up/inward the mech will move and the other screw adjusts how far down/outward it will move.  They are used to prevent the chain dropping off the top and bottom of the cassette.  Work out which one needs adjusted (trial and error should be ok) until the mech has the right range of movement to go from the biggest sprocket to the smallest sprocket (but no more).

Also, you might need to adjust the cable tension, esp if the mech is not moving from the smallest sprocket when you push the shifter.  You can do this normally by simply adjusting the screw mechanism where the cable attaches to the rear mech, and screwing it outward, so as to tighten the cable.  Again trial and error with this should work.  Putting the bike on a work stand where the rear wheel is suspended off the floor, and you can spin the pedals and wheels while shifting the gears makes this job much easier.  Dont be scared to experiment a bit to figure out how things work.


Shimano 105 brifters (5800) and Avid BB5 compatibility

Yes they are. I had Avid BB5 calipers with Ultegra 6800 levers (same cable pull as 105 5800) on a Specialized Tricross and they worked very well together.


Learning how to build a bike: Is it better to buy a used bike and disassemble it?

Messing with a used bike will teach you a lot (mostly through mistakes, but that's how the process works). There definitely is a huge advantage of having hands on experience figuring out how to adjust brakes, derailleurs etc.
The disadvantage of working on an old, cheap bike is that the components will be old designs and standards which does not give you experience with more modern stuff. I think if you combine working on an old bike with watching YouTube videos and reading articles you'll learn about newer standards as well.
The trouble with buying individual components is you have to know what you are doing to make sure you order parts that are compatible with each other, and you can make expensive mistakes. Also, constructing a bike from components is quite expensive relative to buying a pre-built bike.
One thing to consider, if you have a bike for wrenching and learning on, expect it to be out of service some of the time, so you'll have to fall back to rental bikes at times.
Online bike wrenching resources to get you started:
Sheldon Brown Classic source of bike component information, covers older standards comprehensively.
Park Tool Repair Help Very professional, clear and comprehensive guides to [dis]assembly and adjustment
RJ The Bike Guy Just a guy wrenching is his garage, but he knows what he's doing and he tends to get into older bikes and components.
Shimano Product Information Shimano provides extensive and detailed info and specs about their products (including older products going back to 2004). This will look very daunting and first but will begin to make sense as you learn.
And of course https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/ :-)


According to the '86 Peugeot catalog you're dealing with stem shifters. You should have cable stops on the downtube. You will use those. Measure your handlebar inside diameter to ensure you can find barcons that will fit. If it's not standardized, get a new handlebar.


The logo on the hub in the picture matches the logo on the hub of a Premium Products wheel See the middle picture of the three on this page.

This may be an older version of the logo. The current version is similar but rougher looking. It seems to be a face with horns.


Should the hands be used for absorbing the impact after a jump?

Your assumptions are wrong. Yes, riders do extend their hands and feet just before landing, but not to make the bike work more. They do that so they can make room for the inevitable hand and feet compression which will happen when contacting the ground. If you don't extend hands and feet then you only have:

40cm absorbtion of hands and feet compression
15cm absorbtion of fork and rear shock (on a 150mm travel bike)
2cm absorbtion of tyre compression

anything else is pain on the body and bike.

If you do extend the hands and feet just before touching the ground then you have:

80cm absorbtion of hands and feet compression
15cm absorbtion of fork and rear shock (on a 150mm travel bike)
2cm absorbtion of tyre compression

This video shows an extreme landing at 1000fps but it displays the extend-before-land technique very well:


Less than perfect bike grease for bolts and pedals

"I understand that the "perfect" grease for bike bolts is the Parktool grease." Parktool has a great reputation (and often a premium price) but it has no patent that would make every product they make The Best Thing(TM).

There are many good greases for many various manufacturers. There is not much to make wrong with a traditional grease (petroleum jelly), just choose the right viscosity. There are many modern greases with various additives (teflon, ceramic) from many manufacturers.

The main point of a grease is to maintain the surfaces easily separated, screwing and unscrewing possible, prevent rust and bonding of those surfaces. A thread-locker, on the other way mainly joins those surface and will enable firm connection with a smaller torque.

But also, some threads are to be greased and some are to be thread-locked. The manufacturers normally say which is supposed to be used. For example, pedal threads are normally greased, while stem and handlebar bolts are usually thread-locked. Also, bolts on derailleurs are usually thread-locked. Carbon on carbon in seat-tubes usually calls for carbon-paste while metal-on metal seat-tubes normally call for a grease. For shoe cleats you should read the recommendation of your manufacturer. Mine calls for a grease but I would expect a thread-locker to work fine too.

You should use what the manufacturer calls for especially when you are screwing to a certain torque setting. One could over torque the threads when greasing what was supposed to be thread-locked. Or the opposite.


Road bike that is gentle on body, but can go in some dirt

If what you want is a true road bike, but without the pain, consider getting a Specialized Roubaix or a Scott CR1.

These are both excellent road bikes with a slightly more upright riding position, and a carbon fiber frame that is engineered with comfort and distance in mind, while maintaining the speed and agility of a road machine.

This is the nicest (and most expensive) of the Specialized Roubaix line up. I'm pointing out this one in particular, in spite of the cost, because it uses electronic shifting. The battery powered shifters and derailleurs are only currently available on Shimano's highest end group. But that will be changing next year, when they release the Ultegra Di2 kit, and they will remove the pain from shifting for you. A light touch with one finger produces the fastest, smoothest, and crispest shifts I've ever seen, and I think will eliminate the pain of shifting for you.

The Di2 kits also have the unique ability to have 2 sets of shifters operate the same derailleurs. Which means you can put a set of buttons on the flat part of the bar, as well as having the more traditional STI brake lever shaped set, with no loss regardless of the position you are riding in.

The bike is amazingly light, and agile. But the best part is the smooth ride, and the comfort. It is a Centurion's bike.

The Scott CR1 SL is a similar design, my preference, actually. But they don't currently offer it with Di2 Electronic shifting. Again, it's on the horizon for next year.

These bikes are in no way intended for dirt, but no bike which is intended for dirt, even a cyclocross bike, is geared to stay in the pack with a true road machiine. You're better off keeping your current hybrid machine for when you go offroad, and buying a true road bike for the days on pavement with your buddies.


Trouble securly attaching panniers to rear rack

The intention is for the upper clips to do most of the work of holding the bag on while the lower hook is there to prevent it swaying out.
The first step with setting up panniers like this is position the upper clips. Typically one sets them to just clear the heel while also spacing them to prevent any fore and aft movement.
Once that's in place, you adjust the lower hook. It slides fore and aft and appears to be flippable. The intention is to wind up with something where you hook the lower on first, then either drop or angle the clips down onto the top.
It may be necessary to go back and change the fore/aft position of the uppers to make the bags further back than ideal, but usually not.
If the screw is coming loose, that's its own problem. It appears to be a wood screw in plastic type thing. Repeat loosening if both the preload you've been applying is adequate and the threads are in good shape is not likely, but if that is what you think is happening then I wouldn't start with Loctite because it can crack some plastics; trying a longer screw to bite into fresh material if it looks appropriate or using natural threadlocker aka beeswax could both be reasonable to try.


Should I replace the tyre or can I keep going?

It's difficult to tell from this picture, but it looks like the casing—the structural part of the tire—has been damaged, so it's just a matter of time before the tire fails completely.
Look at the inside of the tire. If the damage has penetrated all the way through, I would stop riding on that tire. If it hasn't, you might be able to get away with gluing in a "boot" (a small piece of old tire) to reinforce this spot. But based on this picture, I think replacing this tire is the smart thing to do.


Shimano 105 - double chainring on triple chainset?

According to the service instructions for the Shimano FC-5703, this crank is a 50D/39D/30T tooth pattern.

The 2 upper rings are "double" with only the 30t identified as a triple ring.

This is not the case with all triple cranks, but with yours, that should be the correct chainring.


Is it possible to upgrade a 6 speed mountain bike to 7 or 8 speed?

Yes, you can upgrade your mountain bike.  However its a slippery slope of knock-on upgrades that can cost more than a nice, lightly-used bike.

For starters, you can't generally slap on a cassette or freewheel with more gears, because they're wider.

So the first thing to do is measure the "Over-Locknut Dimension", or OLD.  This is the horizontal distance between the locknuts on the hub, and is equal to the gap between the inside surfaces of the rear dropouts.

  This is measuring a rear hub that has no axle in the way.  This is 130mm

 This is measuring the rear dropouts using a ruler.  Lower tech but just as good.  This one is 126mm

If you have a steel bike frame, is slightly more options than an aluminium or carbon frame, because it can be cold-set (aka slightly widened at the rear dropouts) to fit a wider hub.  Can't do that with aluminium or carbon frames,

If you have a steel bike you can increase about one size, so 126mm to 130mm or 130mm to 135mm.  Then you have to align the rear dropouts again, using alignment tools like these half-axles showing minor tweak required.

If you don't realign the dropouts, the wheel will wander easily, even hard pedal presses can pull the wheel out of alignment.

Once you have a wider hub, you can fit a wider cassette (don't bother buying a hub that takes a freewheel - that way lies bent axles and wallet-tears)

So you need a cassette, which will require a new chain.  Generally speaking 6/7/8 speed chains all use close to the same width, but you want an unworn chain to help prolong the life of your cassette.

Then check out the front chainrings for wear.  They wear slower than the cassette, but if the chain is making bad contact it could be time for new chainrings.

You will very likely need a new right-hand shifter too.  Your six-speed unit will have 6 indents/positions, and it won't handle the extra gears.  If you have a friction shifter it might work, or it might not.

While changing all this stuff you may as well install new cable inner wires and outer tubes too.  A cheap set costs about a happy meal.

Once that's all done, you need to reindex your gears, and might find that the 6 speed rear derailleur doesn't have enough range.  First try backing out the limit screws, but if you still can't get the chain to reach the biggest and smallest cogs then you're up for a new rear mech.

SUMMARY

Minimum

Hub
Cassette
Chain
Shifter
Wires

Maximum

Entire wheel
Rear derailleur mech
Chainring(s)

So yes its possible, but can be financially bad idea.  If you have spare parts from another bike, it becomes more cost-effective.


No locked off youth gearing restriction for road racing British National Series/Championships

A year and a bit on, I'd like to answer my own question. In the UK, I've not seen anyone turned away from National Championship races for having locked off gears, and the ruling that was sent to us, wasn't necessarily implemented at the event we attended.

However, if you are going to race in continental Europe (such as Assen Youth Tour, or any other race for that matter), then you have to ride on a specific chainring and 10 or 11 speed cassette for your category with full range, and this therefore, is not locked off. We therefore had to switch to this format for all our bikes (spare wheels as well, of course), and thus you negate the whole need to lock gears off. As I stated in my original question, the best advice is to fit the bike from the start with the appropriate cassette (you'll have to dig around to source them).


I will use 27" to describe ISO 630 in the remainder.

You need to be able to move your brake pads down by about 4mm. If you can do this, you should be OK. Velo-Orange has a nice page describing the process (if you don't have the sufficient brake adjustment, put in a 700c wheel which has appropriate hub spacing (probably 126 mm - Velo Orange (among others) are also willing to sell you a prebuilt wheel for this purpose), and measure from the center of the caliper bolt hole to the center of the rim, and that is the reach required for a replacement caliper (then, you can buy a cheap replacement caliper) ). If you're spreading the frame to take a 130 mm hub (you shouldn't need to do cold setting for this with a cup-and-cone hub), the angle change is tiny (you can work out the trigonometry for it), so you will need a little less range of adjustment. The QR is irrelevant. The wheel can sit slightly further back in the drop out (maybe about 2-4 mm) to match the angle exactly of the brakes hitting the wheel, but I don't think this is necessary (once again, you can measure the angle from the dropout center line and the brakes with the vertex being center of the axle, and use a little math or adjustment to match it for the brakes with the new wheel, but it should be tiny). In other words, you'll figure it out when you put in the new wheel and adjust the brakes.

For completeness, people using Canti's often have to swap to something else, like PlanetX's Frog Bollox for the additional adjustment range. Velo-Orange does point out that most original brakes for 27" bicycles are not very good even compared to cheap brakes today, so you may want to get new brakes anyway.

Also, note that you can still buy 27" wheels (see here) and tires from brands like continental or whatever, though there is certainly more expense and less selection.


Let's unpack that a bit.

The first consideration is control.

Do wider or narrower bars give better control? Narrow bars mean that small movements cause larger direction changes, wider bars mean you have to move them more to steer. The amount you need to turn depends on your speed. If you're doing 30 kph (~20 mph) then you need only small steering adjustments, but if you're weaving through stationary traffic you could be making much larger turns.

On a road bike where you'd often be riding faster, it turns out that the most comfortable width is around the riders shoulder width. But you'll notice that roadies tend to have less fine control at low speeds. On MTB's, people often want wider bars to get more control in heavy conditions. Wider bars also give better control at low speed. So the minimum width for a MTB has the inner edge of the grips at about armpit width. As a matter of preference you can go wider, but as you do you should shorten your headstem to compensate.

The next consideration is traffic.

Are you the kind of rider (like me) who rides through gaps between things (cars, cyclists, poles)? If so, then narrower is better. (I suggest to never ride close to our between pedestrians, they are too unpredictable).

So, the downsides of wide bars

they upset your bike fit, so you should use a shorter head stem.
they limit the size of gaps you can ride through.


Is it really OK to hang a bicycle by the wheel from a hook?

Many bike shops, collectors, or racers hang their bicycles by the wheels.

The wheels are made to withstand the weight of the rider while going through road bumps. The forces of a hanging bicycle are way less than anything the wheels are designed for.

Some very deep aerodynamic rims (say, Campa Bora) might require some special hook with a wider seat.

Some people say to hang the bike only by the rear wheel to avoid stress on the headset or fork. This might be true for some particularly light built bikes. On a "normal" road bike, I wouldnt worry.

Also, on some aero front wheels with large distances between spokes, I would take care to place the hook near to, or between the spokes.

You have to take care not to scratch your rims. Use protective covers on the hooks, and dont hang a sandy-dirty wheel, or you will get sand on the protective cover, scratching the rims.

If you have to keep several bicycles, this is probably the most space-conserving way to store them. Hang them alternately by the front wheel and back wheel side by side.

If you have to hang only one bike, I propose hanging it by the handlebar, using a forked hook, or two hooks.

Park Tools have a cheap hook: http://www.parktool.com/product/storage-hook-machine-thread-450


Sigma bc 1609 kmh flashing but not counting

update After watching the installation video on the Sigma web-site, understood that the gap was too big between sensor and the magnet. So the sensor shouldn't parallel to the wheel, but pointing towards it -


Does weight and climbing cause strain on bike?

The spokes and gears are likely unrelated issues.
You have done 2000km on the bike - have you replaced the chain and rear cluster yet? At you weight and those hill climbs, I would not be surprised if they are just worn out. It is also possible that at your weight and that distance the spokes have come out of adjustment, and/or now have fatiguied to the point of breaking or stripping threads on the nipples. I would also be checking for a broken axle and the bearings not being adjusted properly.

The bike shops should have picked up all these issues, however, are they aware of the distance you are riding? Many such bikes do 50 miles a year and they may be servicing it based on that assumption. It is a mistake to presume that any LBS is competant, servicing is and art and a passion, and (putting it politely) some mechanics are better than others.

What to do - ask around for recommendations on bike shop. If you are comfortable, take it back to one you have used, but make sure you let them know how much use the bike has had. Talk to the mechanic directly, don't be fobbed off by front counter salesmen (And walk out if you cannot get access to the mechanic). Ask him to measure the chain and check the cluster and chain rings. Check the spokes/bearings and axle. Be prepared to replace parts.


Pros and cons of progressive suspension?

The idea makes some sense: progressive springs being softer for smaller bumps and preventing bottoming out by becoming firmer as they compress.

However, that is the main downside. The spring is too easily compressed at first, making the bike front (or rear) go down more easily, returning back more slowly in the "top" range of shock absorber movement.

As the shocks compress further, they become noticeably stiffer, compressing less and rebounding back faster.

It is clear that such springs make it impossible to set up an optimal compression and rebound for any riding terrain/style/preferences.

Compared to optimal rate linear springs, the small bumps will feel a tad smaller - since the springs will work in their lower rate range. But the bumps are small to start with. As you get to the "rougher bumps", you end up with shocks that are "harder" than optimal - compressing harder, rebounding quicker.

It boils down to personal preference: do you want even softer "small bump ride" at the cost of a bit rougher "big bump ride", with somewhat worse control/handling (compared to linear rate springs)? Progressive springs provide that.


Is the second decimal important in the ring/cog ratio?

48 x 17 = 2.82: 2.7% difference

50 x 18 = 2.78: 1.0% difference

49 x 18 = 2.72: -1.0% difference

I guess you might notice the almost 3% difference of the 48 x 17, but not the +/- 1%.


How to attach mini-pump to valve on kids' bike with no space to manoeuver?

Angled valve-pump adapters help in those cases. Google them, or ask at local bicycle shops.

As an example, something like Topeak's "Pressure-Rite" Schrader adaptor.


Those strings are quite common with continental tires and seem to be a part of their manufacturing process. Every continental tire I have owned seem to have some of those threads, even ones that mounted relatively easily. I just cut them off and have never had an issue with them. Continental tires are also well known for their tight beads.

The high-pressure technique is a common technique to get a bead to seat. To speed it up you can also put the tire in a vice and pull on the top of the wheel to try and force the bead to seat.

As an aside, many recommend against running fenders with  knobby tires, as the knobs can pick up debris (e.g., small sticks) that can jam in the fenders causing a crash.


What can cause the front wheel to lock up when going over a small bump?

If you have quick-release or bolt-up front axle that is not properly tightened, then going over a bump could cause it to come out of the fork dropouts. Normally dropouts are equipped with lawyer tabs to prevent this, but they aren't 100% effective or your bike may not even have them. Once it drops out of the dropout, the fork would then no longer be supported and would drop onto the tyre brining it to an abrupt stop, likely catapulting the rider over the bars.


Inner tubes - if two tubes match the tire, is bigger or smaller better for durability?

Really good question. It's hard to answer because manufacturers play games with how far in either direction they decide they can get away with stretching those numbers. Sometimes what they're basing those decisions on might be something rational and expertise-driven that has to do with wall thickness or seam construction or whatever, and other times it's two brands calling the same tube 700x18-23 versus 700x18-25 because the latter knew they could get away with it and wanted to have one less tube SKU to worry about.

In general you're safer choosing the tube where the upper end of the printed range matches the printed size of the tire. This tends to give a result where the tube, when inflated just enough to give it shape but not stretch it, fills out the tire nicely give or take a negligible amount of stretch, and is easy to install. That last point should not be underestimated; damage or blowouts from difficulty installing the tube is one of the major ways things can go wrong here, and it happens more when the tire is in the smaller end of the tube's range than the larger. Once it's in there, tubes really don't care that much about being a little stretched or a little large. It's true that the distinction is non-zero, and stretched is probably worse for durability in that sense, but it really is pretty close to zero as long as it's within the printed range, and meanwhile the extra rubber is extra weight and extra hassle/risk during installation. Having extra rubber per se really doesn't add durability and shouldn't be aspired to.

So the literal answer is probably that, given exact perfection is impossible, erring on the larger side is marginally more durable, but in practice it's more complicated than that because some much more meaningful percent of tube issues happen as a result of difficulty cramming in a bigger tube, which isn't likely to be an issue in the case of putting, say, a 23-25 tube in a 23, but can come into play in a more major way in some instances. And likewise, in actual practice, having a tube that tops out at the tire size you've got will virtually never cause issues, and has other advantages.

Manufacturers/brands tend to make more falsely optimistic choices when it comes to choosing what to print for the lower end of the range. A tube box that says "2.1-3.0" is a code from the manufacturer to the retailer for, "This may physically work in a 2.1 once you finally get it crammed in there, but it's going to be inconvenient and heavy, and we basically only did this to have fewer SKUs, plus 2.1 is way out of fashion and only needs to be catered to as an afterthought so who cares." Or they may have just put 2.1 on there instead of 2.5 because they thought the appearance of stocking versatility would give them an edge over the competition and they didn't care about damaging their credibility because everyone in the bike industry is always going broke, which encourages short-term thinking. That 2.1-3 is a huge range. If it's going to be an optimal fit for a 3.0, or even if it's optimal in a 2.8 and can be stretched to a 3.0, you're safe inferring they only got the other end of the range down to 2.1 by straight fudging the numbers.


What physically makes chainrings have a specific speed compatibility?

The internal width is obviously one important feature.  But for indexed shifting the ring has a pattern embossed on the side facing the smaller ring that catches the pins of the chain when shifting.  The combo of the embossing depth/pattern and the ring-to-ring spacing affects what width chain (and brand chain) will work best with the ring.

I've no idea what combos can be expected to work with what, though.  I lost track when they went to 8 speeds, and now it's a total free-for-all.


For someone who hasn't been riding much, this climb will be brutal. But you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll make progress. Even though you might fail the first time you go up, this ride seems like a great challenge.

Last year I coaxed a friend to start riding again. After a half dozen easier rides, we attempted a mountain climb similar to the ride you're describing. On his first attempt, he only made it about a mile up. On his second attempt, he made it to the top, and on the third attempt, he made it up without weaving all over the road. When you think about it, it's amazing how quickly you can rise to the challenge.

It's probably impossible to adequately prepare on a stationary bike because the feeling of a real climb is different. It will definitely help if your aerobic fitness is already pretty good, but a stationary bike can't really prepare you for the feeling that you're about to start rolling backwards even though you're pushing as hard as you can. :)

By the way, the gearing on your bike will make a big difference. If you can find a bike with a "compact double" or triple crankset, then you'll have an easier low gear available to you, which will make for a more enjoyable ride. A low gear will let you pedal at a faster rate which will avoid wearing out your knees or leg muscles.


Can i convert my Road bike to a Fixed Gear bike?

Yes. The best way to do it is to use a White Industries ENO Eccentric Hub (I don't care that I'm giving a product recommendation here because this is the only product that's ever done what it does), the alternative being using a magic ratio setup. The other part of it is getting set up with the proper chainline up front.


What tools on a multi-tool do I actually need?

Minimally, you want to be able to tighten all of the bolts on your bike (likely a few hex keys will do this) and an appropriate screwdriver for adjusting derailer & brake pulls.  Separate from a multi-tool, a pair of tire levers are the other tool you should carry with you.

I would add a chain tool to the above list after being left in a state where I would have been much happier were I so equipped.  For that reason, I bought a Crank Brothers Multi Tool 17 which features the requisite hex keys, screwdrivers, and a chain tool, in package that is smaller & lighter than most Leatherman tools.  Some of the hex key sizes don't fit anything on my bike, but it's nice to have a set that can help most other riders.


You're not a total noob, you have ridden the first bike and know what you like and don't like about it.

I'm unfamiliar with the weather in Finland, but I guess winter means snow.  How deep a snow would you ride through before its too much ?

Your budget will determine whether new or used - anything new with a price tag under ~$500-600 USD will be a BSO, and while that might be okay, they're not built for lots of riding.

If your budget was $500, I'd spend $100-$250 on a nice tidy used bike, and use the rest for lights, helmet, vest, etc.  Save any leftover for repairs.

If your budget was $1000 I'd go for a new commuter bike (a rigid MTB with no suspension) with bigger wide tyres for $600-$900.  If snow and ice is a significant part of winter, then consider spending some of the difference on some studded snow tyres, and keep your smoother commuter road tyres for summer.  Also, you'll need a helmet vest and lights.

A Yowie is also good for cold weather riding, as are gloves and overshoes.  You may have some of this already.


The derailleur wheels are small and light weight, so have very small moment of angular inertia. The bearings they run on need to withstand a significant force due to the action of the chain, not just the weight of the wheel. So the bearings are fairly robust and lubricated. As a result there is a little "greasy sliding resistance friction" (for want of a better word) in the bearing. The resistance is small and its effect on riding resistance virtually imperceptible, but as the wheel's angular momentum is also very small, it spins down rapidly if spun by hand.

If the wheel was engineered like a fidgit spinner then it would spin for ages, but its bearings would fail within minutes.


what does "pre-bled" mean in the context of a cable-actuated hydraulic disc brake

It means the brake caliper/housing/lever are supplied connected and ready to fit to your bike.  Additionally, the brake fluid is installed, and all the air bubbles have been removed.
So if you install without shortening the hose or running the hose internally through your frame, then its a mess-free task.
If you need to shorten a hose or run inside your frame for any distance, then there's a chance of introducing air bubbles inside the line which decreases brake effectiveness, and needs bleeding to get the air out.  Not a big deal, but its a process with steps plus you'll need some additional fluid and tools.

Your cable-actuated hydraulics are just hydraulic brakes with some additional cable between the lever and the cylinder.   So the pre-bled bit is the hydraulic part, however small the hose and fluid section might be, it comes filled with fluid and without bubbles inside.


Alternatives to shorter cranks for knee pain

Product options

You can purchase a bolt-on plate for either side that will give more pedal positions.

Any competent machine shop should be able to make you something like this, given the cranks to work from and test-fit.

Downside, this will increase your Q-factor by at least 10 mm, which could be uncomfortable.  Adds weight and surface area,and leaves end of crank arm poking well below your pedal.

On the positive side, it doesn't change your bike and can be removed in the future.  Can be fitted to hollow crank arms that can't be drilled.

Link: https://tadpolerider2.wordpress.com/2015/05/11/short-cranksetscrankarms/

Another similar option is a swing-arm pedal.  Its very similar to the plate above but includes a hinge/swivel.

Perhaps best-explained by an animation:

From https://highpath.co.uk/pulse-swing-cranks/

Downsides, they add double the Q factor change of the plain bolt-on plate.   Significant cost, and there's now another moving part in your transmisison.

Upsides, you can shrink your pedal circle, and you can also lower your pedalling circle if that's what you need.


Can early 2000 era frame use the latest group sets

Yes, you should be able to run the current range of groupsets. All the mount points are the same as 20 years ago, except for 11/12 speed freehub body, so you might need to change the rear hub or wheel. Your BB shell is a regular threaded 68mm, should be absolutely no trouble to find suitable BB cups.


Why do folding bikes usually have MTB components?

Great question!

I think the market drives this -- not necessarily just the folding bike market, but the component market.

Mountain bikes have been the predominant type of bicycle for the past thirty years. This has meant that every manufacturer has a line for very, very inexpensive mountain bike componentry. If you want to build up a bike on the cheap, you use mtb hardware.

Finally, related  is that most adolescent-size BSOs are also mountainbikes - which further drives down price on those components with the added benefit that they fit folding bikes better.

tldr: Most folding bikes are not sold by virtue of their component line (unlike road bikes) but on the basis of their folding mechanism. Most buyers will see "Shimano" gears and be happy -- not knowing it's the bottom end plastic Shimano for a BSO mtb.

 There is also some physical factors that also play a role, notably the  brakes. Most folding bikes have 20" or smaller wheels. Because the wheels are smaller, the tires have to be wider to provide resilience and suspension. The brakes also have to be stronger and "grabbier" because the smaller wheel torques on the brakes more. So you want cantilever or V-brakes for the reach around the fat tire -- or disc-brakes.  Final nail in the casket, you have to consider which brake handle styles have the right pull ratio given that folders don't have drops. One of the few folding bikes that has road-style caliper brakes is the Brompton  - and it has custom brake levers and has been heavily criticized for its poor braking. One of the few folding bikes with drops and calipers is the Tern Verge X18 below, which is a niche-niche bike.  So in general, considering cost and effectiveness, you end up with mtb style brakes and brake levers.   Christian Lindig has also mentioned the derailleur but there are some considerations there (long-cage mountain derailleurs don't work on stubby wheels) that complicate a response.


You can follow the advice of Chris H : Change bicycle.

But, if you have access to cheap-already-used-spare-parts you could try to change the seat tube and the stem.
Though, it will probably never be as comfortable as the good frame size.


How does hub diameter affect aerodynamics?

The key factor here is that the air at the hub is dirty - it's been disturbed by passing through the spokes and around the rim, so it's moving faster than the still air at the rim (slower relative to the bike), and it's turbulent. That makes improving aerodynamics both harder, and less important. The damage has already been done. Having a smooth outer surface is more important, since that's in cleaner air, and keeping it as small as possible since bladed spokes almost certainly have lower air resistance than the solid hub.

Mechanically a rim brake hub is a pair of flanges and a spacer. Since with bikes the goal is "everything as light as it can be", making that spacer smaller is a win. It needs to be big enough to enclose the axle, and strong enough to hold the flanges apart, but the job is not much more complex than that. So it can be very small and light.

With a disk brake the hub needs to be stronger since there's a torque between the disk rotor and the flanges. For the same reason it's rare to see a multi-part hub. That braking torque means a larger centre section allows thinner walls. Some mountain bikes also have thicker axles than road bikes, and obviously with those the minimum hub core diameter has to be larger to enclose the larger axle.

What definitely does improve the aerodynamics is making the hub much bigger, eliminating the spokes altogether. Which is why the UCI does not allow it :)


The SPD cleat/shoe interface design is inherently "flawed" in the regard that there is a tiny gap and/or sideways movement between the cleat and the pedal's spring. The gap may increase as the shoe wear. So creaking/squeaking sound is quite possible.

Given that SPD is meant to be used for mountain biking, where there are many other bike-related sounds happening all the time (chain slapping the chainstay, rock strikes, brakes squealing, tires eating the dirt etc.), it is not the worst sound possible. It is usually masked by other events.

On a smooth asphalt road where riding is basically silent creaking SPD shoes are indeed quite annoying. But for road applications, SPD-SL (among others) is a type of a clipless interface with tighter tolerances and less chances for squeaking.

I do not think that holes in the sole contribute anything to the sound. You mention it yourself in your question, in fact. There are usually two or four holes found on the shoe's sole. Two of them are used to mount the cleat. The remaining two holes are then not involved in shoe's operation, they only provide an alternative mounting position.

Sealing the shoe with a silicone sealant to prevent squeaking is not as bad idea as you would think. For many people, cleats, once installed, serve as long as the shoes they are attached to. So you are unlikely to ever need to reinstall cleats; even if you do, it will happen once per maybe five years. Five years of silent operation and peace of mind is worth the trouble of removing the sealant during the maintenance.


remove "wrench force" floor bike pump from the schrader valve

As you discovered (see comments), your chuck was defective/broken.

(Please consider closing this question.)


Shimano Mountain Bike Cassette Comparison

The cassettes you listed are Tourney (9 speed), Altos (8) and Alivio (9) respectively.

At this component level there will be little practical difference between them.  A skilled rider might notice better shifting, and there might be a weight advantage on the higher spec cassettes, but the difference will most likely be swamped by everything else that makes up a bicycle.

Durability might be marginally different but irrelevant. Durability is determined more by maintenance and tolerance of the rider for poor performance than parts quality, and is affected by chain wear more than any other aspect.

As far as value for money - the discount off RRP you get will be the determining factor. If looking for this quality range cassette, I would go to my favorite online parts site, filter on the speed and cassette size I need, sort by discount and scan though for something in my price bracket.


Yeah, in theory you should ride near the left edge of the right lane (if multi-lane) until you get near your exit point, at which time you mosey to the right -- "own your lane".  This is basically the same way you should ride on a road with shoulder when the shoulder converts to a turn lane.

In practice, I suspect I'd be tempted to stop, dismantle my bike, and mail it to the other side at many of the rotaries I've seen.

Keep in mind that folks in the US are largely unfamiliar with these beasts, and are often seriously confused by them.  They can easily miss seeing a bike in the confusion.


Assuming Shimano components.... You shouldn't have any difficulty with compatibility.  However, as noted above, you need to find out if you have a cassette/freehub or a freewheel.
At 20 years old I imagine you're looking at a freehub...
And likely 7 speeds.   If you want to go to a more-modern 8-speed cassette, the spacing should be the same but you'd need new shifters.
The crank may or may not have replaceable chainrings, and if it does they may not be easy to find.  Nashbar used to sell a wide variety of chainring sizes and bolt-patterns, but current catalogues do not show these.
Likely available from outlets like Loose Screws.
Note that some cranks may appear to have replaceable chainrings but they are in fact permanently attached and you have to replace the whole crank.


Found this chart, of various models of bike stack height vs reach; this pretty much tells me what I should go look for, and which manufacturers - if any - have a probable fit.

http://cyclingabout.com/list-of-xxl-xxxl-bikes-for-tall-cyclists-62-63-64cm/


Wheel bust after 10 months, is this normal / usually covered by warranty?

1) It's hard to say what's normal - what sort of riding have you been doing on it, as in, have you been going over a lot of curbs and potholes? The more you bounce on it, the more strain it'll have.  Have you hit one particular pothole hard recently?  How heavy are you? The heavier you are, the more likely you are to damage the wheel.

2) You should take it to your LBS, they'll be able to tell you the answer to this, but most likely they'll be able to repair it and re-true the wheel.

3) Depends on who you got it from.. and what warrantee you have I guess.  Probably going to be a general wear though I'd suspect.


It looks to me like one of the better Raleigh bikes from maybe the 80's.
The component group on it is not likely to be original at all, I would guess it was Campy, and someone "upgraded" to Shimano.

A note, there is no "correct" way, I am sure I'll be told, but on the rear wheel, having the skewer lever on the derailleur/hanger side would be something I would avoid.  I would recommend it go on the other side, and either "point" back or down.  ( many like to put it next to the seat stay, but I find it troublesome to use there, esp when it is cold and raining and such, unobstructed access is good ).


Does the age of brake pads make any difference?

Almost any rubber product will degrade over time, loosing its properties. Different rubber compounds will degrade differently, depending on the formula and method of fabrication and, of course, environmental factors. This applies to brake pads, tires, grips, valve seals, inner tubes and more.

Usually brake pads tend to "dry" over time, turning less flexible and prone to cracks. A less flexible pad is less capable of creating friction. I know of some rubber (or rubber-like) products that when degraded turn to a thick paste that will stain fabrics, skin, etc. but never seen a brake pad degrade this way, if that where the case, it would not last eve one braking.

To test a V-Brake pad press hard with your fingernail on its working surface. You should be able to sink the fingernail just a little bit, leaving a pressure mark that will shortly disappear. If it feels hard, wood-like, almost sure you are better discarding it.

However, pad age is not the only factor that can degrade braking performance. Dirt and grease on pad or rim for example. I recommend washing them with liquid dish washing soap. Another factor is calibration. Brake pads not properly aligned may will not perform as designed.

Finally, there are different rubber formulas for aluminum or steel rims, (And for carbon fiber I guess) and I have tested pads that work wonders on steel are worthless on aluminum. Also have observed that the same pad can perform differently on aluminum rims made of different alloys.

<< End of answer and begin of anecdote >>

Recently I committed the mistake of trying to slowly descend a long pronounciated slope with a road bike from 1984 that still had the original pads (The ones it was originally sold with). The result was the friction generated was so poor that they only caused the rims to heat up to the point that both inner tubes were blown out. One rim was steel and the other a single wall aluminum.


How can I mount a 25.4 mm seat-post on a frame that needs a 27.2 mm seat-post

There are seatpost shims available for a few dollars. You should get them easily in your local shop or online.

I use an aluminum shim in one of my bikes with exactly the dimensions you need, it works flawlessly and looks very clean. I got it for about 3.50 € (5$).


How do you bicycle the most efficiently on a road bicycle?

The first answer is: you bike most efficiently inside a peloton (where air resistance is lowest)
The second answer (in a GCN video of a sprinter): you do a lot or close to no effort in order to stay at a certain speed (stay on the average). Any increase of speed means you lose a lot more to aerodynamic effect. This usually means you give everything on uphills and recover on downhills (assuming sprint-type uphills and downhills, i.e. 5% or so).

The general idea is that the average speed is much more affected by slow segments than by fast segments, so you want to increase as much as possible the speed on the slow segments, even with a significant decrease on the fast segments (if you drive 99km at 99 km/h and 1km at 1 km/h, the average speed over those 100km is about 50 km/h - one percent of the length at a very low speed just about halves the average on the rest)


An up-down movement is perfectly fine – that's what suspension seat posts are designed for!

For the side movement it's a bit more complicated. A suspension seat post is basically two tubes sliding into each other with some suspension mechanism. This requires two things: the tubes need a little clearance to move within each other and they need a mechanism that prevents the tubes from rotating towards each other – let's call it anti-rotation machanism. The latter can be for example something like a bolt sliding in a notch or tubes with a non-circular cross-section.

The bad thing is, those two elements are somewhat conflicting. An effective  anti-rotation mechanism requires the least possible clearance, which may inhibit the original purpose of the suspension seat post, which is to allow for up-down motion of the tubes. Therefore, the manufacturers have to find a trade-off between suspension performance and precision. Such precision is expensive and would quite surely also make the seat post heavier. Especially the products from the lower end of the price range might quite surely sacrifice some of the precision for a more "reliable" suspension performance.

So to answer the question: yes, some side rotation or wiggle (something like +-2-3 degrees) should be quite common.


changing 26 to 700 wheels on mountain bike?

So long as you can get the wheels in the frame with enough clearance and have the brakes work, you're OK.

Note that your proposed wheel swap may not give a significantly larger outer diameter of the wheel+tire (which if increased would make the bike a bit taller riding).

Now to what I think is the answer to your real question:
If the bike is feeling small, the wheel size is one (minor) portion of it; the rest of the geometry (top tube length, seat tube length, stem length, etc.) have a far larger effect than the wheel size has. So, you may need to switch frames.


Can replacing the bearings on a hub untrue a wheel?

No you can't affect true.

The hard part of doing cone and cup loose bearings is setting the cones just right - not loose - not tight. Usually takes a couple of tries.

There are a few things you (or the guy before you, or the factory) can get wrong.

wrong number of bearings
different number each side
wrong size

There seem to be some people/bike mechanics who believe fewer bearings =  less friction, and the deliberately leave one or two balls out. Personally I think it is total voodoo b.s. , but surprisingly common in these parts.

I put the wheel over a shallow tin/box when I open up the bearings to catch them as they come out so I know how many there were, and what condition (pitting)

I recommend replacing ALL the balls any time you clean them, as they are just so cheap. When you pass a bearing shop get a bagful of 1/4" (rear) and 3/16" (front) balls.

Balls fail first, then the cone, and rarely the cups.


What is going on with your wheels is known as being out of true, or in its extreme form (like the photo that you provided), taco-ed. This is not all that uncommon on entry level bikes like the Giant you have.

This can be caused by several different things - the most common is just general wear on the wheel. Over time, small changes in pressure on the spokes cause the tension around the wheel to become uneven, which causes the rim to warp. Other causes include poor construction of the wheel, cheap parts, or abuse.

If you have fixed your wheel several times, and it still happens, then it is likely a defect - I would take it to the shop you bought it from and ask to see if they can look into a warranty for you. I don't know Giant's warranty policy off the top of my head, but I have worked at a shop that sold Giants, and IIRC, they were generally accepting of defective stuff. Some bike shops will do everything in their power to not take in your wheel and attempt to get a warranty for it, but if you persist long enough, they will probably make a phone call or two.


What brands of repair stands are sturdy?

I have a Velomann V2500.  They are made in Italy.  The stand is great overall.  Very stable.

My only complaint is that the clamp is a little bit fussy.  Getting the bike into the stand is a bit of a pain.  (Once it is in no problems though).  If you where working on 20 bikes/day this would cost you endless annoyance however if it is just for your personal use I would defiantly say get it.

I think that a Parks Tools Stand would definatly be better quality but I only paid $109 (Canadian) for this stand.

In Canada you can buy it from MEC (they will ship internationally but it is probably cheaper to order it from somewhere else).


Can I put drop handlebars on my commuter bike?

It's very unlikely that your brake levers can be modified to increase the diameter enough to handle the change from 22.2mm to 23.8mm.  The brake clamps just aren't adjustable like that, typically.

Where on the handlebars were you thinking to mount the brake levers? If you were thinking at the middle (next to the stem), then you're likely in the area where the handlebar is wider (the "clamp diameter") which is even worse.

One option is going with "trekking" (aka "butterfly") handlebars. These are typically the same diameter as straight bars and can easily accomodate the same brake/shift levers.  They look a little funny, but do give you more handlebar positions similar to what drop bars do.

Or just add bar ends to your existing bars. The right bar ends can give you a comfortable sideways hand position similar to the main hand position people use on drop bars.

Another thing to consider is handlebar positions on the drop bars.  Typically the position people use most often is on the brake hoods. Brake levers made for drop bars tend to have comfortably shaped hoods with a little bit of give in them. Brake levers made for flat handlebars don't generally have a comfortable place to rest your hand.

If you do decide to switch your brake levers, be aware that the amount of pull is likely different so you'll either have to be careful with which brakes you get or do something to accomodate the difference.

Here's a nice article that includes more details about changing to drop bars: http://sheldonbrown.com/deakins/handlebars.html


Square taper bottom bracket tool doesn't always fit

I bought one of these tools.

The problem with it is 'cheap and nasty rubbish'.
The tool does not fit into the plastic cup (which in my case was an Octalink, not a square taper, not that it matters too much) on the NDS at all, but as you say fits into the metal drive side ok(ish).
I looked on Amazon and found many similar complaints for these cheap, poorly made tools.
I replaced it with a Park Tool BBT-3.2, which fit perfectly on both sides, and the plastic cup came out easily.
Shimano have two tools, the longer TL-UN66

and the shorter TL-UN74-S

Park Tool's BBT-22 & BBT-32 are respectively based on these.
There are many reports on the poor quality of generic BB tools on Amazon, which allows any random rubbish with little or no quality control to be sold (as do Ebay and AliExpress), e.g.:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Malayas%C2%AE-Bracket-Removal-Bicycle-Extractor/dp/B01HUOFXFA
There are lots of brands selling 'ISIS' BB tools, and any brand which is big enough to have a website, e.g.. IceToolz, FSA, Topeak, Unior, Weldite, is likely to care enough to make a tool that actually fits into the thing it's supposed to be fitting. My eyes suggest that the cheapo tool has splines that are wider than they should be to fit in the cup, but the real answer is 'it's poorly made rubbish'.
Photo for comparison:

Suggest to replace with any branded (real brand, not fake from some Chinese dropshipper on Amazon) BB tool
As it turned out my BB was rusted very hard into the bottom bracket shell. I eventually found a local mechanic (I am in Indonesia) who mostly works on cars, and he had a tool very similar to my cheapo one. I did not examine it closely, because I had already removed the NDS cup. However it is likely it is the same - it could be that it was a better version (perhaps not every such tool is as poorly made each other, even coming from the same factory). But I don't know, since we only were working on the DS. After pressing very hard against an unsecured BBT-32 I managed to damage the teeth as it slipped repeatedly. I would not recommend using any such tool without first fully securing the tool against the bottom bracket, as even a quality tool can be damaged in this fashion.
The cheapo type tool we secured using a long bolt through the bottom bracket spindle and washers. Since the BBT-32 has a wide opening, you need a larger diameter washer than you would for BBT-22 or similar.


Can I use a cyclocross bike for regular road-biking purposes?

You can absolutely ride road on a cx bike. Many of the components are actually road components, including the wheels, so slap a pair of 700x23's on the stock wheelset and off you go.
Things to consider: 1)Cross bikes are going to be a little heavier than a road bike in the same price range- probably a couple to a few pounds. Ultimately not that big of a deal if you're not riding road competitively. 2)Some may argue, but it's ok to be wrong... cantilever brakes are inferior to road calipers, at least on the road. I wont get into why cx bikes use cantis as there are plenty of explanations across the interwebs, but you won't get the same control out of a pair of cantis (or v's/mini-v's) that you'll get from road brakes. There's a reason that they're different. The best substitute, and they're getting much easier to get your hands on now since discs recently became UCI legal for cx, is frame/fork combo built to accept disc brake calipers. Again, they're slightly heavier than canti's or v's, but the overall feel is worth it, both on and off the road (and especially in the mud!)
3)This is probably the biggest one in my opinion...
Though they are similar, ultimately the feel between a road bike and a cx bike is noticeably different. Among more subtle differences, Cx bikes have longer wheelbases, higher bottom brackets, longer chainstays, and slacker headtube angles than road bikes do. These are all good things when riding off the road and in the mud because they lend to the bike's stability. On the road however, these geometry differences translate into a slower steering, more sluggish feeling bike. Once again, there's a reason that they're different.

That said, my cx bike probably sees the same amount of mileage as my road bike does. I ride it on the road regularly even for longer rides and it is a great commuter. If you need one bike to do it all and you don't plan on hitting seriously gnarly mtb trails (they can handle light to moderate singletrack duty), a cx bike is the most versatile machine you can own.
To answer the next part of your question, you 99.99% of the time you are going to come out on top financially by purchasing a complete bike as opposed to piecing it together by buying parts separately. Building a bike from scratch is fun and you get exactly the build out that you want, but in my experience with many bikes it has never once been cheaper
Finally, to find the right bike, go to several of the reputable bike shops around you and try out what they have. Due to geometry differences you may like one bike better than the next or one may fit you better than the rest. Test rides are key. There are a ton of great bike brands out there and a lot of your choice may come down to personal preference. Find a shop with a good fitter. Bike fit is important for all styles of bikes, but it's crucial if you're going to be spending a bunch of time on the road. Some shops will throw a professional fitting in with the purchase of a new bike. Be sure to ask.
Good luck!


My key jammed in my U-lock. How can I unlock/break it?

It seems like you have 2 basic choices: (1) remove the key from the lock and unlock it with a backup copy of the key, (2) defeat the lock.  Option #2 is an awful lot like asking how to steal a bike...   Also, option #2 really depends a lot on the specifics of your lock.

Lubricate the lock
If there's anything sticking out, try grasping it with needlenose pliers, nail clippers or something like that
If there's nothing sticking out, you can try a thin bit of metal along the side of the key with the teeth.  Or a couple sewing needles, or maybe a pair of thin tweezers.
Also worth trying giving the lubricant a little bit of time, then bang the lock against something, trying to get the key to fall out.
May be worth heating the lock; it may expand enough to release the key
A locksmith might be able to get the broken key out.  No idea if that would be more or less than the bike shop cutting it off.

If none of those things work to get the key out, you have to really defeat the lock.  There are leverage attacks, but those are likely to break the bike.

An angle grinder will get through it in seconds.  If it's a really good lock you might have to make two cuts.  Got any friends into power tools?  Someplace else you can rent or borrow power tools from? You'd need to use a vice to secure the lock so it doesn't move, and be careful not to hit the bike.  And all the other appropriate safety measures...
An electric hacksaw would, I think, take a bit longer but still not tire your arm out.
A hacksaw should work, but it's slow. It's likely that the price of a new hacksaw with the right kind of blade could be as much as taking it to a bike shop...  Might need a second blade...
If it was possible to close the lock without the key inserted, it should be possible to defeat it with a shim: cut away any rubber from the locking end of the U, cut a wide strip of aluminum from an aluminum soda can, wrap the strip around the U, slide it into the lock
If you can get a car jack inside the lock without hurting the bike, you can spread the lock open.  Most U-locks only lock on one side, the other side is an L joint, so if you spread it far enough the L will release. Or it might just break the U.  Be very careful with your bike doing this, of course.

Disclaimer: I've never done any of these. I'm mostly only aware of those techniques in order to know what to look for when buying a bike lock. Only lock I've ever defeated was a simple combination lock back in the 80s that you could pull on and slowly spin the dials to feel what the combination was.


Presumably you drove the connection pin (the one with a snap-off leader section if its a Shimano chain) in with a chain tool, then found that pin was tight so prised it apart with a screwdriver? Just FYI the proper thing to do is flex the link until it loosens up.

The link does not seem too bent and it may run through the drivetrain and shift OK. I'd be worried about having weakened the interference fit between the bent plate and the pin.

One easy solution is to get a quick link type connecter which replaces one outer plate link. You MUST get the correct connector for the brand and speed of chain you have, SRAM, KMC, Shimano etc use slightly different links.

If you had a Shimano chain (I know you don't from comments, but this is for future readers) another solution would be to get two new connector pins, remove the bent outer plate and the two inner ones either side and splice in three new links from the bit of chain you have leftover from cutting the chain to size.


How should I train for a hilly ride while living in a flat country?

Intervals. Lots of intervals. I had a similar problem when training for the Seattle-To-Vancouver ride while living in southern Michigan. We have hills up north and I took a few trips there before the ride, but it really wasn't enough to reduce the suck. This year, I've taken to doing tons of intervals with a regimented training program. In order to keep myself honest, I've been using my bike in a trainer with trainerroad. The measurable progress is rewarding and knowing when I am slacking off is incredibly motivating.


Is the Shimano TX-505-8 rear hub compatible with 11-speed cassettes?

Shimano says the Tourney level TX-505-8 hub is compatible with 8-10 speed cassettes.
Mountain bike 11 speed cassettes fit in on a '10 speed' freehub, because the larger inner sprockets can extend off the inner end of the freehub and not interfere with the hub and spokes. On road bikes where cassettes have narrower ranges and smaller inner sprockets the freehub has to be wider (although some wider range road cassettes do fit on 10 speed freehubs).
So, an 11 speed cassette should fit on this hub. It may be installed incorrectly. Did you put any kind of spacer on the freehub with the cassette?


Should tyre sidewalls appear cracked so quickly?

This doesn't seem like a terrible issue. You should be able to ride on these tires for awhile longer. I've seen people with super cracked tires ride for multiple months without issue.

Oftentimes, cracks like this happen because of over inflation and exposure to the elements. To keep the tires viable for as long as possible, I would recommend keeping the bike inside when you're not using it, and leaving the pressure between 60 and 80 psi.


It really depends how deep the scratch is.  If it's deep enough, then a new CSU (crown-steerer unit) is the only sure-fire fix.

However, here are some steps I've taken in the past, which have given me some success:

Sand the scratch down to remove the burrs.  You can use super-fine wet & dry paper for this; something like 2000 grit should do the job without damaging the rest of the surface.
Clean the scratch and the surrounding area thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, removing any debris from the scratch itself.
Fill the scratch with some high-quality epoxy.  I've used J-B Weld in the past with some success.  Some people have reported success with super glue or nail varnish, too.
Wet a razor blade (or something similar) with water and use it to scrape off the excess.  You want it to be as smooth and flat as possible.

Your mileage may vary here; if the filling comes off after riding, you might be looking at a new CSU if you want a complete fix.  The fork will still work, of course, but a gap will allow dirt into the lower legs, which will effectively shorten the service interval on the fork.

I've successfully repaired a nick in a Fox RP2 rear shock like this, and it's still going strong today.  However, it didn't work so well on the stanchions of my TALAS 32, since the filling wouldn't stick for more than a couple of rides.


Creaking from cranks/spindle. How to fix?

There are many possible causes of creaking. But Deemar has the most likely reason in this case - the cranks are loose on the axle. Think about how a creak is produced. It's one item sliding over another. But instead of sliding it's repeatedly sticking then jumping. The amount of movement might only be a fraction of a millimetre. The OP would have noticed if the cranks were really loose. But in this case the looseness may be at the microscopic scale.

You can easily test this without having to run alongside the bike. Get on the bike with the brakes on and your shoulder against a wall. Rotate the pedals so the cranks are horizontal and bounce up and down with your weight equally on both pedals. This twists the cranks and axle as far as possible in one direction. Then rotate the pedals to a position 180 degrees from that (the other foot forward) and do the same. This twists the assembly as far as possible the other way. Repeat the procedure listening all the while for creaks. Testing in this way avoids many other sources of noise such as wheels, chain, seat, etc. Take care. If something breaks or your foot slips off the pedal you'll hurt yourself.

When new the cranks have a square tapered hole which fits exactly onto the tapered square on the axle. As Deemar says, if it has been wobbling for a while the hole will be damaged and you may never get a satisfactory fit. On my bike I fixed it (at least for now) by carefully reshaping the inside of the square holes with a file and cleaning the square shaft on the axle. Then I assembled it with grease. To get the parts to bed in together I applied the following procedure repeatedly. Bash the crank a few times with a soft hammer. Bounce up and down on the pedals as above. Retighten the bolt. Eventually the soft aluminium crank took up the shape of the hard axle and the creaking was completely eliminated. You will probably need to do this for both cranks.

Remember that the amount of movement between the crank and axle may be so small it's imperceptible. You may not see it moving. But you will be hear the result when you do the pedal bouncing test. On my bike the noise was really loud and infuriating and now it's completely silent. I will re-tighten the bolt periodically. If it loosens again I may have to replace the cranks and bottom bracket.


I have a foreign bike, and don't know what pressure to pump it to

25-622 and 700C are both ways of stating the size of the wheel, not the pressure.
25-622 is an ISO size: the tyre is 25 mm rim-to-rim, and 622 mm in diameter. 700C is a more traditional name for the diameter, which is more often known as 28 inch. ISO sizes are somewhat out of fashion these days, as there's less variation in wheel size. See the late Sheldon Brown's excellent tyre size guide for more information if you're interested.

According to VeloBase, Michelin Elan tyres are "rated to 100 psi" but shouldn't be inflated to more than 90.