How do I stop my rim brakes making a squeaking/squealing sound?

V-brakes can be hateful and make a lot of sound if they're improperly adjusted- sometimes they're noisy even when they're properly adjusted, especially on braking surfaces that are not machined. You can usually alleviate this with one or more of the following methods.

First and foremost, make sure your pads are properly adjusted. This is better demonstrated than described, so check out this youtube video to save yourself a lot of reading. If the link goes down, just google v-brake adjustment.
Make sure the braking surface of the rim is clean. Use rubbing alcohol and a green scrub pad to scrub off any crud, and then wipe the braking surface off with a clean towel with a dab of alcohol on it. Using anything besides rubbing alcohol may leave a residue and make the problem worse.
Toe in the brakes. I found this image which not only illustrates what "toeing in" your brakes is, but shows a nifty little trick to set the gap appropriately:

You may need to toe them in more that what this picture is showing if they continue to squeal on you.


Does it takes longer to cycle a route with a mountain on it comparing to the same distance without a mountain? What is the cause of that?

Say you can keep a 30 kph pace on a flat straightaway. On a hill, that can drop to 10 kph or even less depending on the grade you have to climb. Call it 1/3 of your flat pace. Say that half your run is uphill and the other half downhill, and let's also say that the total run is 30 km.

If you run on the flat at your regular pace, it takes one hour to do that run. But if you do 15 km of the run at 10 kph, you'll spend 1.5 hours just going uphill. There's no way you can make up the time, because you're already over by half an hour.

Now let's say you go uphill for only 10 km and downhill for 20. You still have only reached the summit when the hour's up.

There's a point at which you can do a short climb and still compensate by speeding downhill, but often you would have to attempt dangerous downhill speeds to make up your lost time. It's just not worth it. What is the obsession with time, anyway? In a race, everyone runs the same course.

Take comfort in the fact that the climbs you do are working your body much harder than running on the flats (or, obviously, downhill).


Is the Suunto Ambit compatible with the Bontrager DuoTrap Digital Speed/Cadence Sensor?

Definitely YES.

It works both with speed and cadence!
I paired the "bike pod" and got both the two measurement. At first I tried to pair also the "cadence pod" without success and I thought it wasn't working but then I took a ride and found out that the cadence was showing!


Lock have typically two kinds of problems. How far can you push the key in? Does it go in only partly, or does it go in fully but then you can't turn it? Often the disks inside have rotated so that you can't get the key in completely. Then it helps if you take a stiff wire or thin screwdriver and wiggle it up and down in the keyhole, and then try again with the key. But if the key goes in but doesn't turn, then it might be clogged up with dirt, in this case degreaser might help. Make sure you dry the lock carefully afterwards and don't use oil or grease to lubricate, they will just attract dirt and clog it up again. If you want to lubricate, use dry lubricant like graphite.


What causes frames to break at the (rear) dropouts?

You already more or less answered your own question.

The reason is that in a freewheel hub the drive side bearing is close to the center of the axle. This gives the forces from your weight and pedaling much more leverage to bend the axle than on a Shimano-style freehub where the drive side bearing is located at the end of the axle. When the axle bends, it twists the dropout, which can also break.

Some other brands of freehubs solve the axle bending problem with a thick oversized axle. This could work with a freewheel hub too, but I am not aware of anyone who makes that kind of hub.


Not answering your actual question, but this might be useful to you.

To get a bike through narrow or awkward spaces, hold the handlebars and pull it up onto its rear wheel so it is pointing straight up. It relatively easy to balance a bike like this and push it around on its rear wheel while holding the handlebars. In this orientation it's about as wide as a person and can be turned in place. It's easy to go down stairs and it's even possible to go up stairs by walking backwards with it. The rear brake can be used to stop it slipping backwards.

If you use this technique you may find you are able to more easily get the bike into your apartment, which will be much preferable to locking it up on the street, with respect to both theft or vandalism and the effects of weather.


What features does a mountain bike need to be converted to an ebike?

The cassette and hub will depend entirely on the conversion kit - is it a front wheel, rear wheel or center drive? If rear wheel, you probably will replace the whole wheel with a choice of swaping the cassette over or buying a new cassette.

It might not be possible to install a 40 tooth chain ring on some modern mountain bikes. While the 3x bikes of yesteryear regularly ran 44, its rare for a MTB today to run bigger than 38, and 32 or 34 is most common. The frame designers are probably not considering large chain rings as an important feature in the difficult and crowded area around the BB (on Soft tails).  You would need to check the frame to be sure.

To me, the main consideration is the ability to put an interrupter on the brakes, that cuts the engines when the brakes are applied. This means you will need E-Bike specific hydraulic brakes (Most E-Bike kits have levers for cable brakes with a switch built in). There are after market adapters for hydraulic brakes, but they reply on a stick on magnet and switch.

Knobbly MTB tires work best on soft conditions, slicks on smooth pavement. The E-Bike aspect changes nothing. (Keep in mind an elite rider can probably output more power than a weekend warrior with a 500W motor). Install the tires that suit the trails you ride.


We try to avoid specific product recommendations here.
Looking at the specs, the things that jump out at me are:

The weight. Even for a touring bike, this is pretty heavy. It does include kickstand, rack, and lights, which makes up for that somewhat.
The gear range: this has a planetary gear with a 307% range. That's OK for in-town riding and riding over fairly flat terrain, but if you're going to be doing any serious climbing, you'll want a wider gear range than that.
Flat bars: they give you only one hand position. I prefer drop bars, but this is a matter of personal preference.

The most obvious tradeoff with size is that a smaller frame will pull your torso down more (which can be fatiguing if you're not used to it), a bigger frame will have less clearance when you're standing over it. Pick your poison.


Any advice for wobbly/slightly bent bicycle rims on older bicycle?

ISO 590 is indeed an older wheel rim size, also known as '650A' in the French system of wheel sizes (See this page for more details). I did some quick internet searching and found that 590 rims are available in the US at least. If you need new wheels you can have them built up, possibly using the existing hubs.
If you want to check yourself if the rims are out of true (or how bad they are) that's easy. Hold the bike off the ground, spin a wheel, watch the rim where it passes a brake pad. If the rim appears to move side to side or up and down as it passes the pad more than a few millimetres the rim is out of true.
Depending on how bad the apparent movement is the spokes may simply be adjusted, or you may need to have the wheel re-built with new spokes, or you may need new rims. What you  should do is look for a local bike repair shop that offers wheel rebuilding and have them evaluate the wheels and make a recommendation.
An additional complication is that your hub bearings may be worn out or badly adjusted. Hold the bike off the ground, grab a wheel by the rim and try to push it side to side. If you can feel the wheel moving more than just a tiny bit there is an issue with the bearings (I suspect this is contributing to the 'wobbly' feel of the bike. With old wheels there is a significant chance the bearing surfaces inside the rims are worn out which will mean you need new hubs. Chances are your bike need hubs for an obsolete rear triangle and fork width, but these are available if not common. Again, have a bike repair shop evaluate the hubs to see if they can be re-used.
Depending on what you determine about the state of the wheels you'll have to make some decisions about how much money you want to spend on new ones.


Is there a way to remember pedal, crank position before taking sharp turns

Outside pedal down and your weight on the outside foot, that 's how we were taught at the cycling school of the cycling club. You may angle the inside leg more or less away from the bike if you want to turn faster (cf. moto GP racers).


Specialized frame warranty - cracked Alu seat tube

Reading the current Specialized warranty policy I'd say you are covered.

Only one way to find out for sure though - contact Specialized and ask to make a warranty claim. You will find out if they will cover it soon enough.

Unless someone here has been through the same process recently it's hard to say how long it would take.


Some of the confusion relates to the fact that there are different but equivalent ways to measure tire sizes. The first tire measurement you mentioned 44 622 refers to the tire width of 44 mm and rim bead seat diameter of 622 mm respectively. The second measurement type (700x45c) is a 45 mm wide tire that also fits on a rim with a 622 mm bead seat diameter, the 700c is an old French sizing nomenclature based on the final external diameter being 700 mm for width class of tire (e.g., a, b, c widths). (The final outside diameter is affected by the widths, so the three widths would have different bead seat diameters in order to get a final diameter of 700 mm).

The differences in tire widths you are seeing (i.e., 42, 44, 45, 47) likely corresponds to the fact the final tire diameter depends on the combination of tire and rim widths (i.e., the same tire can have different final widths depending on the rim width it is mounted to). One standard may assume one rim width, while another standard likely assumes a different rim width.

In the end none of these nuances matter much as a frame that can clear a 700x42 tire will also likely clear a slightly wider tire (e.g., 700x47).  What really matters is that all of these must be fitted to a wheel with a bead seat diameter of 622 mm, which is the diameter used on your bike.


Counterintuitively, one pump of air in the tube may help separate the two beads of the tyre, allowing you to grab just one with the tip of your tyre lever.
I have a bunch of tyre levers, and some are good while others are dreadful.    See if you have one with a flattish front, not a spoon or bill shape.
It can help to use some cable ties or velcro straps to squash the tyre into the rim's internal valley.  Then work your way around the tyre pushing the whole thing into the rim whilst moving the excess around the circumference to the opposite side.  This is generally how one would fit a new tight tyre like a Marathon.  You're doing the same process in the same order but aiming to get the bead off.
Last resort, if the tyre's dead you can cut it off but this means the tyre can't be reused,


Most speedometers are accurate as long as you input/set the right wheel size!

I have used very cheap ones, and they allow me to set the wheel size in milimeters, and after checking the same path with two different cars, the difference is minimal compared to what I had with the bicycle (in a 25Km ride the difference was only 10 meters compared to the cars).

As for the wired and wireless, my opinion:

Wireless:

Advantages:

Less wires;
Portability (I can put it into another bicycle very
easily, no wires to worry about).

Disadvantages:

The wireless that I've used (cheap ones) normally have interference caused by the road "radars" (I don't really know the proper name), or even my mobile phone (if I put it close to the receiver);
More batteries needed! (since the emmiter is not connected and needs to send the signal via radio, it needs another battery, so two in total).

Wired:

Advantages:

No interference
Less batteries needed

Disadvantages:

More wires (most are very long and I have to make a small "pack" with the remainder)
Less portable (I need to take all the wires and refit them into the new bike)

I prefer the wireless due to the less wires.


Whats the best advice to progress onto TT bars?

I followed a similar path.  I was road riding then entered into a couple of TT's.  I soon thereafter bought aerobars off of Ebay.  Riding at that angle is different and takes a little getting used to.  I then decided to get a TT bike, but instead of just buying one, I bought a frame and all parts on line, mostly from Ebay, scouring for the best prices on what I wanted that were either slightly used (mostly) or new.  I ended up saving almost $4,000 doing it this way instead of buying a ready to go bike and I learned a lot in the process.  I did have my local bike shop put it all together for around $100.
Good luck.


I have not used the tire / rim combination you specify.
The DT Swiss website has information on recommended tire pressure and dimensions that include information for a tubeless setup indicating that tubeless is manufacturer supported (with caveats) for the R 500 rim.
Tire Pressure and Dimension PDF
Rims - User Manual

3.1 FITTING THE TIRES WITHOUT A TUBE
DT Swiss recommends the use of the separately available DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape and DT Swiss tubeless valves. The DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape must be used in the
width appropriate to the rim. For further information visit
www.dtswiss.com.
DT Swiss offers no functional guarantee for the
tubeless system since we are unable to exert any influence on the
tires and sealant used.
NOTE Potential damage to the rim from
unsuitable sealant fluid!
• DT Swiss recommends sealant fluid not
containing materials which increase corrosion. If in doubt, you must
contact the manufacturer.
• The rim base must be inspected regularly
for corrosion damage. If there is visible corrosion, the rim must not
be used further.
• In the case of corrosion clearly caused by the use
of unsuitable sealant fluid, DT Swiss declines any liability and
warranty whatsoever.

Make sure that DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape and a DT Swiss tubeless valve are mounted.
Put sealant fluid into the tires. Comply with the instructions of the sealant manufacturer.
Assemble the wheels according to the manufacturer's specifications. → We recommend using soapy water or installation fluid.
Pump the tires up to their maximum approved pressure. → The lower of the pressures specified for the rim (see table at start of this
user manual) or tire applies.
Check the tire bead seat. → The tire bead must contact the rim evenly around its entire circumference. → Have the tire bead seat
checked by a professional if in any doubt.
If necessary, reduce the tire pressure to the desired operating pressure.


Picking a crankset for a 107mm BB on a downhill bike

According to the tech sheet at http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=12450127 you need a Press-fit BB.

PF107 should have 41mm diameter cups, have the same overall width as an External-bearing BB in an 83mm shell, and be compatible with the same cranks as "normal" external-83mm BBs.

SM-BB71 should work in your frame, and allow you to fit FC-M815 cranks. The cups will be the same as the "73mm" pressfit BBs, but the inner cover (aka spacer tube) is longer for "83mm".


What are the alternatives to SwissStop Blue v-brake pads

Kool stop R9 Magura HS33 Pads are made to work with Rigida CSS rims.

Also  V-Brake inserts  by kool stop for Rigida CSS rims.


Really, the only way to make sure you get a good fit is to sit on and test ride some bikes. There are many variables that sizing guides can't take into account, such as proportions of the rider's arms legs and torsos, and preferred riding position. Additionally, the common seat tube measurement isn't very standardized across manufacturers and frame styles

Getting the right size bike is worth putting some effort into. Presumably you want an bike you can enjoy riding, You won't enjoy riding an incorrectly sized bike. Even if you can manage one visit to a good bike shop to try a couple bikes would probably be worth it.

All of that said, if you really need to buy online, you definitely need at least a 'small' size. Look for manufacturer's size guides of bikes you are considering and for good return policies in case your estimate is off.


A recovery ride is a ride where you go at a very easy pace for 90-120 minutes.

The idea of it is to give all those over-worked muscles some gentle exercise so that they don't tighten up, while flooding them with nutrients to help them repair.

For people in training, it's a day off to just enjoy riding.

I ride with a friend on his recovery ride because I'm the only rider he knows who won't half-wheel him. We go for a nice easy (for him) 50km, and talk about anything except his training.

See recovery ride.


I've got a 2nd hand Hercules too and I've done this exact thing. Get a quality chain tool and look up some videos on Youtube about how to remove and re-link a bike chain. I pretty much winged it as I had no clue what I was doing. It took a bit of work and a lot of frustration to get the chain length right. I probably did it wrong, but it works.

EDIT: Argenti Apparatus mentioned the dropouts.. One thing i did to get the chain tight was loosen the rear wheel from the frame, and pull it back as far as i could pull it.


What can I do to pedals to help kids or smaller riders use the bike

There are always options.
 From OP's link, showing boom and bolts.

Shorten the boom, if you can.  There are two pinch bolts in the main frame, under the boom  Back them both off and see how much can be inserted into the frame.  You probably already did this, but revisit it and see if there's extra length to be saved.  Perhaps the inner tube bottoms out, and you can get some distance back by trimming the end that is inside the frame.
Downside Its really hard to extend again in the future, so be miserly at cutting.  Or try the other options before whipping out the grinder.
from https://tadpolerider2.wordpress.com/tag/tadpole-trike-boom-adjustment/

Block the pedals with wood.  This will get you closer, but the full distance would need 4 inches / 100mm of wood on each side.  Example:

Shuffle the seat forward even more.  Hard to be detailed without knowing how your seat is mounted.  The backrest can often be adjusted for tilt but that doesn't move the hips forward which is required.  You might find that reclining the back counterintuitively helps push the hips forward.

Thicker cushion - Adding a "tailbone cushion" between the hard and soft layers of seat might buy you another half-inch or 12mm perhaps.

Crank shorteners - the cranks are not the problem, its the distance to your bottom bracket (front bracket?)  and therefore the pedal the farthest away from the rider.  There exist bolt-on crank shorteners which will move the pedals closer to the BB axle line, effectively bringing the frontmost pedal back a bit.
Shorter cranks are common on recumbents.

You can also drill and tap cranks to make them shorter permanently, though this is risky and requires some excellent machine shop skills to get the hole angle right, and the threads tapped in straight.  My adult sized `bent has 160 mm cranks, which were professionally shortened by a previous owner and you have to look hard to tell.  Depends on having enough metal in the right place too.
Most pedals are 9/16" thread with 20tpi which is weird (18tpi is common but incompatible)  and only common on bikes, and the left pedal is left-hand thread, ie backward.  So its not a home-shop job.
Given this is a kids bike, it may also have 1/2" pedal threads, though your specs link doesn't say.

More info at https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/64370/19705

You don't want to use swinging crank adjusters like the Pulse Swing Cranks; they will do the opposite of what you want.


Difficulties changing from a folding bike to a full sized MTB - why?

I'm going to assume you have been riding a 16" or 20" folding bike that looks like this Dahon:

and that you're trying either a hybrid-commuter style like this rapide

or a suspension MTB something like this KTM

Steering
Generally the differences are that folders are very "responsive" in their steering. You turn the bars and the front wheel turns very quickly.

By comparison, a MTB has much larger wheels, being 26" to 29" plus they often have larger tyres, also adding weight at the rim.  The upshot of this is that it takes more effort to turn the bars on a MTB.  This is slightly offset by having longer bars - some are as much as 500mm wide but this means more movement of the hands is required for the same steering change.

Body Position

In a folder its a relatively upright position.  They tend to not ride hands-free very well so you need a hand on the bars at all time.  But your back can be upright.

A MTB position is more leaning-forward too, although not as much as a drop-bar.  So you have a little more weight on your hands than on a folder.  This may create steering inputs until you learn to put more weight on your feet.

Wheelbase the distance between front and rear wheel contact points.

A 20" folder has a wheelbase of about 102 cm, and a 16" is about 97 cm.  Compared to a MTB at 110 cm to 120 cm.  Short wheelbases are inherently twitchier, and long wheelbases are more stable at speed while cutting a longer curve.

16" vs 20" wheelbase

Suspension

Your folder will have no or almost no suspension.  So its firmly in contact with the road.  A MTB with front suspension will feel strange if you're used to braking and turning, and in extreme cases can throw you off the bike when the suspension loads up and then releases.  If you buy a bike with suspension, look for a lockout for road usage.  Makes the ride less "wallowy"

Rear suspension also sucks your power.  If you're average weight the bike will probably be about right for setup, but light and heavy people need the rebound and sag set properly.  Many rear suspensions suck your power while pedalling too - so rear suspension lockout is handy on the road.  Or don't get suspension at all.

Note this won't apply to the rigid commuter frame.

Motor/pedal assist

Not mentioned in your question but added for completeness, pedal assist is frightening if you've never used it before.  This is when a bike has a motor that "multiplies" your pedal input using electric power.  So when you push the pedals to take off, Pedal Assist kicks in and gives you your own personal tailwind.  This can be highly disconcerting.

The only fix is to lower the pedal assist input to zero or to its lowest assist value while testing a bike.  Only increase PA percentage as you become used to the bike and the motor's functions.

Practice

Here's the big one....

You spend under a minute riding this MTB.  It could take anything up to 30 minutes to get "dialed in" to the various inputs required.

Changing between significantly different bikes can be hard

  I tried a SWB recumbent recently, and it felt like being a noobie all over again.  Took a good 30 minutes to get up to speed and I could feel myself going through the plateaus of "this is horrible" then "its not so bad"  backwards through "ouch ouch ouch" then over the ridge of "Yay I got it!" only to drop down the other side of "No I don't got it?!"  After 15 minutes I was good for a ride around the block, but in no way was I ready for a century, and I probably would not react correctly in a crisis or accident.  That comes with many hours on that bike (or a lot of innate talent)

The odd thing is folders are considered hard to ride and the fact you're comfortable on one shows that you possibly need to "unlearn" some riding behaviours.  See What makes a folding bicycle so difficult to ride?  for info on folders.

Things for you to try

Spend 30 minutes practising in a safe space with no cars and minimal obstacles.   Take your time.
Press harder on the pedals to take weight off your other contact points
Commit to turns - don't vacillate.  Know how much lean is required for a specific angle of turn at different speeds.
Start by scootering around, and get used to the turning before you start worrying about pedalling.  A small slope can be helpful.  If this sounds like "how to get a kid riding a 2 wheeler" its pretty much identical.


Left crank has become loose and no longer stays on the bike

Do you need a 10 speed triple? Any more recent replacement of M622 shoud work (Hollowtech II bottom bracket). FC-M6000 should be absolutely fine. You just need to choose a double or a triple, just choose the appropriate variant (M6000-2 vs. M6000-3).


What's the width of the rim? (Measure it.) So long as the trainer tire is roughly the same width as the rim, or wider, you'll be just fine. You don't have to worry about hitting the rim or pinch flats as you do outside.


How to tell if a bike is good before purchasing?

New bikes are usually good to go. The LBS (local bike shop) will usually allow you to bring it back after a months time in order to readjust and tighten things that may have come lose. Ask about whether this is supported or not. Also ask about the guarantee and its exact details.

Also you could ask for a test ride (even in the parking lot) to make sure that the bike works.

Generally the bike should:

have inflated tyres
have no loose parts (grips, bars, saddle, cranks, pedals, wheels)
have working brakes
be able to shift gears smoothly


Differences between male and female road bikes?

The term you may be looking for is "unisex" bike - although you're right that if a bike manufacturer is lazy, "unisex" will basically mean made for men.

One major element of bike fit is the position of the handlebars. Basically, you want to select the frame that will enable you to put your handlebars in a comfortable position where you can generate enough power. The image below from road.cc depicts frame stack (how tall the front end is) and reach (how long the bike is). Frame stack and reach influence where you can put the handlebars. Riders can further modify their handlebar position by putting spacers under the stem, and by selecting stem length. Secondarily, they can select handlebars that have a different amount of reach and drop as well.

Now, all humans have different ratios of leg length to torso length. Two of us linked previous answers about WSD bikes in the comments. Some of those answers showed that controlling for height, the average woman may have longer legs and a shorter torso than the average man. That's based on (I believe) some anthropometric data gathered by the US Army (see my answer in the Q&A I linked). If that assumption is true, a WSD bike is slightly more likely to fit your girlfriend than a unisex bike. Based on her personal preferences, there are other aspects of WSD design that may appeal to her more; e.g. a less aggressive position, different tubing to accommodate relatively lighter female riders, pastel colors. Some of these are substantive changes, and some are not - in fact, "shrink it and pink it" describes the a superficial approach to design for women that some bike companies have used; it very likely under-served competitive female athletes.

Some other companies dispute the paradigm above. They feel that they can meet the needs of both female and male riders with unisex sizing, although they change the bike's contact points (different saddle, narrower handlebars) for female riders.

In both design paradigms, it's important to offer small sizes to accommodate women. When I first got into road cycling in 2001, I got a 48cm Specialized Allez. I believe this was the smallest size of that bike at the time, and it was a unisex design. I'm a 5' 5" with a relatively long torso. If I had a short torso, that bike may not have fit well. If I were shorter and I had a short torso, I would have needed a smaller bike, and I believe there were very few bikes smaller than that. This cut off a lot of women (and some men!) from easy access to good bikes.

To your question, bike fit depends on your girlfriend's leg and torso length. At 5'9", she's well within the range of heights served by unisex bikes. Actually, she might be at the upper end of the height ranges served by some companies using the traditional WSD paradigm. There's no intrinsic reason a unisex bike can't fit her, unless she has unusually long legs, an unusually long torso, or some other unusual attribute (just spitballing, but maybe unusually short or long arms). Even if it's true that the average women has longer legs than the average man of the same height, there will be many women who have long torsos and many men who have short torsos. It all depends on the individual.


Do crank arm pullers vary in sizes or there is just one size?

The main distinction is whether the puller is for square taper (and Powerspline) versus Octalink/ISIS. Among square taper crank pullers, there are some older ones made with nutted spindles in mind that don't play nice with the now more common bolt-style ones because their tips are too narrow and can jam into the bolt hole and damage the threads. A couple companies now have good all-in-one tools with switchable tips that work on both square taper and Octalink/ISIS.

There is no road versus mountain distinction with crank pullers.

One size of extractor thread has been used on the vast majority of cranks for a long time, M22x1. There are several older sizes on cranks made by T/A, Stronglight, and possibly some more obscure ones, all of which need their own extractors. There's also some more contemporary brand/model specific designs such as the Profile ones and Cannondale SI.

Within BMX, there's now about a million model-specific crank removal tools, and a whole other discussion of cross-compatibility.


what should ibe the first thing i upgrade on my bike?

I just happen to be a self serviced mechanic who is used to the budget limited upgrading process.

I start assembling bikes from the frame up, so the first thing I get is anything that is able to roll and is pedalable.

From that point, use it as much as you can, (this is where you are now) and start evaluating with parts are you pushing harder toward its limits. While you ride, pay particular attention to how often you bottom the fork, how often you find yourself out of gears (either high or low), if you make too much effort while braking or whether flexing of some component is too annoying.

Before deciding to replace some part of your bike, be sure that it can not be serviced or adjusted. For example some forks can improve performance changing internal springs or elastomers, changing the oil grade or moving spacers to change travel. All of these are operations better performed together with deep maintenance. Also, be sure to readjust anything that is adjustable, (preload, rebound or others) as your body changes (get heavier/lighter, stronger) and your technique evolves.

Also be sure to re true your rims and check if all spokes are in good condition. Check adjustment and condition of bottom bracket, headset and pedal bearings and cleats (if applicable). Make sure brake pads are also in good condition. Check rotors and cables or hoses as needed.

When you perform the appropriate maintenance you can optimize your bike's performance, so you can better decide where to invest. Also you eliminate the possibility that something that can be solved with a simple, inexpensive exchange makes you spend your money on a less necessary or less wanted feature. (Good brakes are an example: my LBS is crying to me to upgrade to hydraulic disc brakes, but I'm just as happy with mechanical brakes in one bike, and v-brakes in another, I just have to clean the pads and rotors/rims periodically, with the savings I bought a fork, which I really needed and really enjoy.)

Personally I think the fork is one component that can change the bike handling radically, any other component will have a more modest impact in riding (Assuming they all are performing correctly). A good fork will enable you to descend faster, with more precision and confidence, but also won't steal your energy when pumping up a hill.

Any of the major bearings (hubs and the bottom bracket) is also a good upgrade. If yours are really cheap or are really beaten up, you can get a significant improvement. Basically you'll be faster while exerting the same force or you'll end up less tired at the end of a ride. However, if you are already on mid-range hubs or BB, and yours can be serviced, just do so. Upgrading will be expensive but not as significative (you won't feel that much of an improvement).

Drivetrain is a delicate topic. It can be a huge advantage, but it can also be very expensive. Going from a 8 speed setup to a 9 speed one is very expensive as the price gap is significative and you usually have to change several components at a time. Be sure first if rear derailleur can be serviced, for example, can you buy new pulleys for it at a reasonable price? Before deciding to upgrade, be sure your problem can not be solved by a similar  component. For example you need more climbing gears and have an 11-28 8 speed cassette, chances are you can get away with a 11-32 8 speed cassette, but your LBS may say you "have" to upgrade to 9 spd.

My final advice regarding upgrades on a budget is: since you have a rideable bike, your upgrade is not an emergency, so, plan to upgrade something, make a list of brands/models that fit your application and if none of them is a bargain, wait for one that is (I'm not saying you wait forever). Usually you can get really good prices during inventory clearances, or you can buy OEM parts (they were part of a complete bike, but were removed in the store because the client upgraded with the purchase, or the store decided to sell the bike by components). With OEM components you get lower price because you get an item that may have installation marks and almost sure you won't get packaging or manuals.

While you wait, save money to increase your budget. And also, talk to friends and acquaintances, you may get lucky (A friend once just gave me a fork, it was dented and the LBS advised him to replace it).


Are there geometrical differences between framesets optimised for flats vs drops, other than top tube length?

If the effective top tube (horizontal measurement) is OK for you - then the only other things I can think of might be the head tube angle & chainstay length. A road bike may have a steeper head angle & also have shorter chainstays. Which quickens the handling & steering.
Mind you, at the smaller end of the road bike sizing - the head angles tend to be a little slacker which helps with toe overlap. So head angle also depends on size.

Best thing to do is a compare a few geometries from a manufacturer for hybrid and road. There isn't a hard and fast rule for geometries.

Also consider spacers as an alternative to a riser stem - might save you a few pennies.


There are a few possible issues. First of all remember to unscrew the pump head carefully, but that you are probably doing already.

Also in case you have Lezyne pump you should use the Air bleed button to release air before removing the pump head. For other models see the pump's manual.

You should also note the following:

1) The pumps pressure gauges are far from accurate. Try to check the tires pressure with your fingers (in case of road tires with your both thumbs next to each other)

2) The hissing sound you hear when releasing the pump head is not the tire deflating, but air released from the pump.

3) With presta valve (if they have replaceable core) you need to be extra careful not to unscrew the valve core when unscrewing the pump head. If that is a problem you can use glue with the valve core to prevent unscrewing it.


I cannot change my pedals because of a plastic cap

Not all pedals have hex-socket insets on them.  This is especially true for cheap pedals that come on some bikes.
You should invest in a proper pedal tool, which is a 15 mm wrench with a narrow profile, widely available from tool manufacturers. If you look closely at the area between the pedal itself and the crank you will see two small "flats" or "lands".  This is where the pedal tool fits and you can then tighten or loosen it.


What is the proper way to paint a bicycle?

If you're going to use paint, I have had some success with the following:

Bead-blast (or sandblast) the old-paint completely off the frame. Sandpaper just isn't as good. You can rent a bead-blaster.
Clean thoroughly with ethanol and rags. A white rag should stay clean if you rub it on the frame by the time you're done.
Prepare a clean environment for painting. Get a roll of plastic tarp and literally make "a tent" in which you hang your bike. Cut slots in the wall so you can stick your hand in and apply the paint.
Apply the appropriate primer coat (critical for success)
Apply layers of the spray-paint color (this is where experience makes a difference, I tried really hard to get it uniform but only pros can really get it right).
Apply clear coat.

As an alternative to paint, you can have your bike professionally powder-coated. This will give really beautiful results. I have had this done, but had problems with a lugged frame. After a few years, I can see that the powder coat has started to admit rust in the edges of the lugs. It is probably better to reserve powder coat for fillet-brazed (tig-welded) bikes. I am not sure if there are special preparations needed to powder-coat lugged frames.


What can I use for interior helmet padding?

I have used some half-inch thick strips of foam to help raise the helmet

You need to add the foam where there is a void between your scalp and the helmet.   It should not be added where the helmet presses on your head.

Small amount should not mess up how the helmet works.  Its no different to going from a long haircut to a short haircut.

In winter I wear a thin beanie under my helmet.  Some people wear bandannas or cycling caps.

If its a really bad fit you might want to replace it.   Why did you buy it if its a bad fit?   Do not mail-order helmets site-unseen!!!


Use Brompton BWR 3-speed hub to create a full 700c wheel?

A Brompton rear hub has a non-standard over-locknut distance of 111 mm, I think. A single-speed bike probably has 120 mm. So you'd need to cold-set the frame.

Sturmey-Archer (which I believe makes the Brompton hub) also makes a 5-speed hub that has about the range you want, although from what I can tell, the OLD on that is longer than your rear triangle's spacing. So again, you'd need to cold-set the frame, although less violently. Their other 3-speeds should fit 120-mm rear spacing.


I'd guess late 90s for this bike.  Reasoning:

The overall look of the frame is small diameter tubes, which implies steel.  You can check this with a magnet.  Aluminium frames of the day were rather oversized by comparison.  It appears to have aluminium rims though, which is good, better for braking than steel rims.

Its a rigid fork so was never intended as a hard-core MTB.  The fork doesn't have a crown as such, instead the tines (legs) are welded straight to the steerer, giving it a curvy-hips look just below the headset.

I can just make out mudguard/carrier mounts at the rear dropout (fender and rack) so it has commuter features.

There's a quill stem, which is perfectly functional, but these days only low-end bikes have quill stems.  Most have moved to threadless.

The cantilever brakes will be fine once adjusted.  Given the age, you'll want to consider new pads, and possibly replace the inners and outers.  Canti brakes have a straddle cable which should also be replaced.

Its got a wide-range triple crankset on it, where the granny chainring is about half the tooth count of the big chainring.  Not a bad thing.

To make it a commuter - first size it to the rider.  That may mean replacing the seat post because it looks awful short to me.

Do put some air in the tyres - that back one looks quite devoid of atmosphere!

Consider removing the barends - they are known for catching things and stopping the bike in a hurry.  Vines/branches, people, cars, other bike's cabling or bars and it can all lead to a quick accident.

Lastly, a commuter should have decent mudguards/fenders in any climate that experiences rain.  Consider fitting some, as well as lights and reflectors.


TL:DR Get the CX Bike, you'll love it! You get three bikes in one, without trading in any noticeable performance on the road. This answer is subjective and based on personal experience, you have been warned:

I have a CX bike that is used as a do-it-all bike, and I love it.  For almost all aspects that concern any non-professional cyclist a CX is as good, or even better when compared to a "true" road bike, with some nice added benefits. Here's why:

I use it to commute because:

It is fast. It is light. And robust. You can get a second hand one (or similar) for 400$.
It has enough space for comfortable road tires (28 wide fits with ease)
Offroad performance is still great without the use of noisy/bouncy knobby cross tires (I use 700c x 28 Schwalbe Delta Cruisers, a perfect allround tire with enough grip on gravel while still fast and comfortable on the road. 25% of commuting is on gravel/ hardpack sand. In 3000km on these tires not a single flat, plus they are quite affordable!)
Enough room for mudguards in rainy weather, due to the frame spacing and the cantilever brakes.
In rainy weather, the brakes are designed to keep functioning and not clog up with mud, leaves etc. It is true that canti's are slightly less powerful in dry conditions compared to modern road brakes. But they have proven very reliable under all conditions.  Discs would be even nicer.

I use it for long vacation trips

again because of the comfortable tires
The possiblity to carry quite some stuff on a seat post mounted rack, without worrying about damaging the bike or cracking the frame, since CX bikes are built for strength and durability.

I use it for riding with my friends (who all ride very expensive shiny carbon bikes) because:

We are not pro's, we ride fast, but always for fun. The 700g weight difference (if that) between my bike and theirs does not matter to me. How much beer we had last night has a much bigger impact on how fast I am.

I even use it for light MTB duty because:

I have a set of old pretty beat up off-road only wheels for the bike with CX tires, swapping wheels takes only 1 min. thanks to the canti brakes.
The bike is very fast on grassy/forest singletracks, as long as there are not too many braches, steep climbs or large drops you can easily keep ahead of most "real" MTB's. Of course this is only within reasonable limits, I am not saying a CX bike can do any seriously challenging terrain.
In deep mud, the thinner CX tires cut through the mud and ride on the solid surface beneath the mud, where the MTB's float and lose traction. Up to about 3 inches of watery mud on top of a more solid surface a CX bike will be faster than wide MTB tires.

On top of all this, here in Europe CX is pretty much a niche market. Most road bikers won't touch a CX bike, because they think they are slow (not true, as long as you don't race for a living). High end new CX bikes are all that leave the shops, those bikes then end up on the second hand market after a few years, where nobody seems to want them, thus you can get a much nicer bike for your $.
All parts are interchangeable with road bikes too, apart from the brakes, so upgrading is always an option.

All in all, CX bikes are just more rugged road bikes that seem to get very little attention by the mainstream road crowd. Too bad for CX manufacturers, but good for us no-nonsense bikers who are looking for a 3-in-1 bike solution.


Try removing the black finish with a small wire brush. It may be anondized and difficult to remove. Regrease both sets of threads. I always start by giving the tool a quarter turn or so to the left before proceeding to the right. Seems to line the threads up and helps prevent cross threading.
In this area of the bike (cranks, bottom bracket) it's best practice to at first hand thread the tool, bottom bracket cup, crank fixing bolt, etc as a measure to prevent cross threading.  Regarding the crank puller: the outer nut needs to be threaded fully into the crank arm good and tight before you attempt to wind in  the center bolt that pulls the crank arm. You risk damaging the crank arm threads if the tool isn't fully engaged with the crank arm. Thus "hand tight" as you described would be risky.  A common error related to this is not having that center bolt of the crank puller backed out enough and so it bottoms out on the square taper before the outer nut is fully engaged in the crank arm.  Same deal: the crank arm threads strip or become damaged making subsequent removal difficult or impossible without ruining the crank arm


The first question you should ask yourself is are you going to do this project is for fun and experience or for money? There is surely money to be made, otherwise the workshops like Steel Vintage Bikes from Berlin would not exist.

As I can see you have been donated a (pardon my judgement) rather a generic frame and you won't be looking for substantial value of the finished product. Still in for fun and experience? Welcome to the enthusiasts world and read on.

Inspect and catalogue your item
Carefully inspect all the parts that you have, that are in reasonable condition for reuse and that you want to reuse
Decide what style you want the build to be done
It can be full restoration to original, you can improve/upgrade sticking to the era of the bike or go for full modification keeping the vintage frame and putting modern components (Campagnolo offers some groupsets in silver making them suitable for this retro-look)
Strip the frame
After disassembling all the parts look again what can be reused
Paint the frame if desired (or have it painted)
Depending on the condition of the paint of the frameset and the desired effect you can paint the frame yourself, have it painted or go for so called "rustoration" (clear coating the frame as is keeping paint chips and rust)
Collect all necessary parts
Some components can be reused, clean them, polish, grease, make them great again. The missing parts need to be acquired externally. Depending on the type of build you either have to source those second-hand (internet, local flea markets, dedicated events, etc.) or buy them new.
In my opinion the components such as:

brake pads and brake cables should always be placed brand new (your own safety).
derailleur cables should be placed new for reliability and convenience.
bar tape goes new - hygienic and aesthetics. There is wide variety of retro and vintage style of the bar tapes available on the market, pick your favourite.
for the leather, Brooks-style saddles, it's a lottery. It will either fit you or not. I haven't heard of successful refits of the leather.

Assemble, adjust and enjoy

And that's pretty much it. If you have more questions, please ask. I'd be more than glad to share my experience in restoring bikes.


How to remove rear wheel of old school Brompton 3-speed

Just press the metal clip and you can simply pull them apart (with very little force). Tipp: attach some tape to where the plastic part engages the threaded rod so you don't have to readjust the shifting when reassembling.


Front shifter has three positions, but front chainring is only double. Is this a problem?

I think it's the trimming function on STI shifter as you have a Tiagra shifter set (at least in the UK)

You can adjust the front derailleur's adjusting barrel and move the derailleur a little bit to Low, so that it wouldn't rub on the chain when it's at trim level.

Then you adjust the Low limit screw to make sure it wouldn't swing the chain off the small chainring.

Usually you can shift straight to large chainring if you swing the shifter far enough (2 clicks instead of 1)

You can read more on here: http://coachlevi.com/cycling/how-to-shift-shimano-sti-levers/


Name for bracket used for holding shift cables in place on down tube

Several on line searches for "cable stops" have yielded numerous results so I guess the term is universal. They are available in single, double and triple cable models. Another variation is a "cable clamp", it function is to attach the cable housing to the frame. You will need to measure the frame tube diameter to get a clamp that will fit the frame.


How can non index shifters be limited to a specific range of gears?

The main limiting factor is probably total cable pull. Moving between the largest and smallest gears requires pulling a certain amount of cable, which is determined by the design of the derailleur. It's possible that Shimano's 8-and-more-speed derailleurs require more cable pull than the lever can manage.

Also, more gears means a smaller movement of the lever to change gear. With five gears, the lever moves about 36° per gear but with, say, ten gears, there would have to be only 18° of lever movement per gear. At some point, the lever movement will become too small to perform accurately.


How do I translate this tire description into English?

700x25c is the diameter x width (in millimeters) of the tire, and 25-622 (ISO) and 28x1.00 (decimal) refer to the size in two different systems (see Sheldon Brown's Tire Sizing Systems page for more detail). Buy tubes to fit as close to this size as possible. I sometimes have to use 25c on my 23c bike when I'm in an area with limited cycling supplies.

6.8-8.0 Bar is the recommended air pressure range, same as the 85-115 psi.
Bar is a metric measure for pressure, while psi is pounds per square inch. PSI is more common in the US.


Convert road bike mechanical disc brakes to hydraulic

It is possible using special convertors that have a hydraulic fluid reservoir that is controled by the cable from your brifters. Giant makes such an upgrade kit https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/conduct-hydraulic-disc-brake-upgrade-kit There are also brakes that have hydraylic fluid only in the caliper itself such as TRP HY/RD.
Otherwise, the same limitations I discussed at https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/72522/21133 apply. Shimano only.makes brifters from 10 speed above and those different cable pull ratio for shifting.


Android tracking app that only periodically uses GPS

Locus Maps allows you to configure GPS auto-off times, but I haven't tried it yet. However in my experience that's not even necessary unless you go on very long rides (or have a very old phone).


Shock absorbing handlebar tape - recommendations?

Try adjusting the angle of your seat, so that the front of your saddle is level to the back of the saddle. This will change your riding position and encourage you to lean forward less.


Bleed port repair on Shimano road brake lever?

I would re-tighten the bleed port screw and watch for leaks. If you get no leakage and the screw does not loosen then you are fine.

A partially damaged thread should not be a problem as the bleed port screw does not have any load on it. (There should not even be any fluid pressure on it during braking as the reservoir is cut off from the line by the piston when the lever is pulled.)


Good beginner workouts on stationary bike

How long do you have?  How strong is your motivation?  How good are the bikes?

Unfortunately, most exercise bikes have a very poor "simulated feel", and a real cyclist tires of them pretty quickly.  This is especially true of the old friction bikes and many of the wind and magnetic trainers.  A few (Expresso bikes, and some of the newer Le Monde bikes that I've tried) do have a halfway passable "feel", though, since they have a modicum of momentum (which is the main thing missing in the others).

You can use the bike for several things -- short bursts, to raise your HR and short-term aerobic capacity, long sessions (at LEAST 30 minutes, preferably longer) to tax your glucagon storage just a hair and build endurance, and brief "climbs" to strengthen your muscles.

But, given access to a reasonably well-equipped gym, you probably should throw in some strength training as well, with leg presses, extensions, and curls.  And, believe it or not, simply being conscious to doing more squats through the day (eg, when reaching down to open a file drawer) can produce significant improvement.

And you really need longer sessions -- at least two hours at a crack -- to build your long-term endurance.  These are probably best done on a real bike, though, if at all possible.

I'm not convinced cadence is that important, but as a rough guide I'd say about 110 minus 65% of your age should be the upper limit, and 75% of that number would be the lower limit.  (Unfortunately, many exercise bikes only work smoothly at high cadence.)  My general rule for cadence lower limit is to never pedal slower than you're breathing, and that covers virtually all situations other than a brief climb.

Heart rate is also a guide, but there is much individual variation in rate, so it's hard to give numbers.


Mountain vs. Road 10 Speed Drivetrain Compatibility

The distinction is gearing and a weight/durability tradeoff. Spacing and cable pull is the same within brands + speed groupings (eg 10 speed SRAM). You can even mix and match your cassettes, cranksets, and chains between SRAM and Shimano within a speed grouping- just make sure you don't mix and match derailleurs and shifters as the cable pull is different. Note that I left Campagnolo out of the mix- just don't go there.


The description is of the chain width. There's quite a lot of history, but the short answer is "they make chains narrower to fit more gears in".

In order to fit more rear sprockets in without making the rear wheel ludicrously wide manufacturers have crammed them closer together. To make that work they've made the chain narrower, limited mostly by material strength (for a given cost and manufacturing complexity, anyway). One consequence of this is that front chainrings also have to be narrower, but there's enough tolerance there that you can usually run a chainring one step wider than ideal and get away with it. Running a narrower chainring than you need will almost always work, but since they're usually more expensive that's not often done (except for people running 7 speed setups where the cheap chainrings are 8/9 speed these days)

Most chains are the same length when sold, with extra links discarded when the chain is fitted. Most bike shops have a bin of those offcuts and use them to replace broken links or if someone is especially poor they can stitch together a full chain out of the bits (it's very slow and many modern chains are not designed to be assembled without special joining pins). The problem is for people with folding bikes that often have longer than usual chains, as the standard size is frequently a few links sort of what they need. Recumbents obviously suffer from this to an even greater degree, taking between 2.5 and 3.5 chains. SRAM and others sell chain in rolls which mitigates this problem, but obviously you'd need to be using a lot of chain to justify buying it 100m at a time.

Wikipedia has a useful description and link to more detail. Key info:

6 speed - 7.8mm (all brands)
7 speed - 7.3mm (all brands)
8 speed - 7.1mm (all brands)
9 speed - 6.6 to 6.8mm (all brands)
10 speed - 6.2mm (Shimano, Campagnolo)
10 speed(Narrow) - 5.88mm (Campagnolo, KMC)
10 speed(Narrow, Direction) - 5.88mm (Shimano CN-5700,CN-6700,CN-7900)
11 speed - 5.5mm (Campagnolo, KMC, Shimano CN-9000)


I had the same issue and was just about to give up...I don't imagine this is the best way, but it is what worked for me.

Take the bottom covers off.

Take the caps off the top and spraying brake cleaner inside the tube to melt the old elastomers down. I let that sit for a couple hours and then sprayed some Simple Green down in there and let that sit for a couple more hours. Flipped the bike over and tapped (banged on out of frustration) the plastic tubes coming out of the bottom until the springs and old elastomer and all the filth of the last 20 years came out.

Be sure, if you decide to do this, to cover any painted surfaces. You don't want to get brake cleaner on there as it will eat the paint right off.

Good Luck!


Rubber washer in camelback Antidote Reservoir 1.5L

There's nothing complicated about how it fits. Here's my cap seal for reference.


You've lost the derailleur hanger mounting nut. Don't worry, they're dead cheap. Without it the hanger won't stay in place without the wheel nuts done up tight. You can get away without one (see matt's answer), but it's not ideal. It's better and less fiddly to use a proper mounting nut:

The way you've set it up now is totally wrong - the triangle-shaped hole is just a cutout in the rear dropout - it isn't designed to have anything mounted to it. I presume the other hole of which you speak is a mudguard or rack mounting eye.


Rear V-brake pivots (cantilever studs) asymmetrical on Specialized Hardrock XC 2004 - how to fix?

Thanks for the help. Finally what I needed to do was to screw the stud further in. The previous owner apparently had screwed it 2 mm out because in their wisdom they put a different V brake lever on the left hand side - which fitted better if the stud was protruding. Actually a guy from the local bike workshop did the screwing part for me, since I was afraid that I might damage the frame if I do it incorrectly.

Front brake studs were totally absent from the fork, so I got 10 mm diameter studs - similar to ones in the picture above from e-bay for 8 £. Happily bicycling now. :) - there is something very satisfying about getting a used bike with a good frame and fixing it up, learning as you go.


Does tightening a QR skewer in different ways affect wheel alignment?

It is possible that when you put in your wheel into the drops you are not seating it all the way before tightening the QR.
This can lead to the wheel being slightly off angle that would lead to rubbing.
The fix for this is some people will install wheels when the bike is on the ground to prevent this or alternatively you need to apply pressure into the drops as you close the quick release when the bike is firmly in a stand.
I tend to use the second approach as often when I remove the wheel the bike is in a work stand. I have found that once I reach the normal tension prior to closing the QR usually snug and such that when I close the QR it leaves an impression in my palm, that any alignment issues usually have to do with not getting the wheel all the way into the drops.
Another possibility, which I do not think is the case is your wheels could be out of true and that is fixed by adjusting spoke tension.


Leaving out the back story - which is emotional - here is how I got an alloy seatpost out of a Columbus SLX (steel) frame.

I got a bunch of optimistic advice and it all failed me.

I tried:

Penetrating oil such as WD-40, Hard core penetrators like PBlaster and Kroil, Freeze spray, Hammers, and giant levers.

I was down to the last resort - sodium hydroxide, aka lye, aka drain cleaner.

I melted the seatpost out with drain cleaner. If you are going to do this you can't just buy drain cleaner. A lot of drain cleaners are not 100% sodium hydroxide. Get the pure stuff. This stuff is dangerous - use precautions. I wore safety glasses and huge gloves everytime I handled this stuff and I handled it a lot. This process takes time but if you persist you will get results with little more effort that the effort of mixing the lye and pouring the mixture.

What you are going to do is flip the bike upside down and pour lye down the seat tube so that it hits the seatpost and melts it from the inside. Lye is corrosive to aluminum, it does not affect steel. I cut the head off of my seatpost which in hindsight I would not do again. Seatposts are usually hollow and cutting the head off reveals an open hole which the lye runs out of. I plugged the hole with plumbers putty of all things. I also spring some leaks near the binder bolt so I plugged those with plumber putty also. Also my frame had holes in the top tube for cable routing so I plugged those also. I recommend experimenting with water to check for leaks! The water-test is also helpful to determine the volume that you want to use.

I pulled the wheels and fork off of my bike when I did  mine because I did not want anything flopping around and also I wanted all aluminum away from the lye. You need to pull the bottom bracket because that is where you pour the lye. So with the bike upside down bike such that the seatpost is the furthest down, big gloves and eye protection donned, and your lye mixed according to instructions you pour the lye into the bottom bracket filling up the seatpost. Rinse out the container with water many many times and rinse your gloves many many times. At this point you can put your ear to the bottom bracket and you can hear the chemical sizzling. After a while - day or days - you will pour the lye out and pour some more in. I am not a chemist and I do not know how lye works, maybe if you agitate the stuff every few hours it works better. I just made sure to leave it in for at least a day and I never left it in for more than a few days.

Pour the old stuff out and pour some new stuff in.

Wait.

Repeat.

So about that hole which is revealed when you cut the head off of the seatpost. On the one hand this is something you need to plug constantly. Because of this you might not want the hole. On the other hand it makes draining easy. I got to where I would pull the plug over the slop sink, replug the hole, and pour in the fresh stuff.

The hole is also nice to access because you can see if the stuff is working - the hole gets bigger, gets jagged, etc. So you might want access to the hole during the melting.

Eventually you will get a nicely corroded seatpost which is still stuck in the frame. Now it is hacksaw blade time.

Take a hacksaw blade, just the blade, and stick it into the seatpost hole and start cutting the seat post. These are long vertical cuts that run the length of the seatpost. You are basically cutting the round seatpost into pieces of pie. This is extremely tedious work and you will second guess yourself, thinking that you are sawing into the frame but eventually you will get a complete cut and you will realize that cutting the aluminum seatpost is very different than cutting steel.

Now you are making the vertical slices when you have time, and then plugging everything and using lye over the course of days and in between cutting sessions. The more mangled things get the more difficult it will be to keep the lye in the tube. Eventually pieces of the seatpost will come loose and you can pull them out with pliers. Keep going until everything is either corroded away or yanked out. What is left will be very rough. I recommend some files and then something attached to a drill, like a cylinder hone or perhaps a barrel hone:

You use that to clean up the inside of the seatpost.

When you are done give your frame a good shake to make sure that all of the bits are out, then rinse again with water. You might take this opportunity to apply framesaver. You are ready to put everything back on, using grease liberally.


It means height variation, and it is a non-idiomatic translation.

Edit: As pointed out in comments, the translation is from "Höhenschlag", where "höhe" means height and "schlag" translates to blow, slap or stroke. It means specifically bicycle tire or rim that is out of round vertically. Lateral out of round is Seitenschlag.

My original guess: There are many German words that translate into "stroke", and one of them is "Hub". It translates to stroke in the same sense as "stroke" in  four-stroke engine. Other possible translations are "travel [of piston etc.]" or "(vertical) lift", and it is used in phrase "Hub- und Senkbewegungen" meaning "up and down movements".

Even though the company behing Bicycle Rolling Resistance is located in Netherlands, the name Jarno Bierman sounds German (well, Jarno is Finnish name but there are people named after motorcyclist Jarno Saarinen all over Europe), and Dutch language is closely related.


What's the difference between road bike disc brake wheels /cyclosross wheels?

Cyclocoss will tend to be wider to accommodate the wider tires used in cyclocross.  And tend to be sturdier.  Are you buying the wheels for a road or cyclocross?


The problem here seems quite obvious, you have to tweak the H screw on the back of the derailleur. You have to unscrew it just until you are able to shift down to the last gear. Don't unscrew too much, because the chain will escape out the last gear, since the shifter rely on that stop screw.


Gap between internal cartridge headset and fork

Some forks have an integrated crown race, and yours is one of them.

When you get a new headset for use with such a fork, you leave the crown race out.

Some sources imply the existence of 36° integrated crown races, but all the ones I've ever seen are the common IS 45°. As long as you've chosen a non-weird headset, it should just work.

Do not ride it like you have it pictured. The crown race that's jammed against your fork could damage it. (It probably wouldn't, but don't risk it.)


Is a 51cm frame road bike the correct size for someone almost 6ft?

From the website:

  Large bottom bracket to top tube = 51cm which is equivalent to our standard 58cm frame

51cm sounds too small for you; 58cm might be ok or it could be too big.  But there is no substitute for actually trying out the bike, or at least something similar to it.  Your leg, arm and torso lengths all have an effect on how well any bike will fit you and it's based on more than just the seat tube length.

Remember that a bike that's comfortable and fits you well will be more fun to ride.  Good fit is more important than weight or colour -- or even price -- so choose wisely.


There are a few different hand signals to use depending on what the situation is.

In general, making a fist behind your back or with your elbow out and bent downward signals to other riders that you are planning on making a stop, potentially a very sudden stop for unexpected reasons; When closing in on road hazards, pointing them out is extremely helpful to the riders behind you, who in all likelihood can't see the hazard directly in front of you and could be caught off guard by it.

When I see glass (/sharp stuff), I usually relay it to the group by pointing my hand at the ground and wiggling my fingers, indicating something sharp is scattered on the ground.

http://www.active.com/cycling/articles/8-cycling-hand-signals-for-your-next-group-ride

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/09/verbal-and-non-verbal-communication/


Is this crank usable or should it be replaced?

It's hard to tell if it will be OK, and it will depend on how heavy you are and how much pedaling torque you can produce.

The main problem you are going to face is not the reduction in area of the taper surface, but that the puller will have pushed the edges of the gouged area up, so that the crank will not fit quite properly on the spindle taper. Because of this you may find that you have problems with the crank staying on the spindle.

If you feel inside the taper with a finger tip (my pinkie fits inside a crank taper, and I have fairly big hands) you will feel an raised edge or 'burr' of material around the gouged area. You will want to very carefully file that off with a fine, flat needle file. It will only take a few light strokes to remove it.

When you re-install the crank, torque the retaining bolt up to the maximum allowed. Do a test ride and check that the crank is staying in place. Check the crank regularly when you ride after that. Hopefully it will stay in place.


Rear axle for Alexrims DC 4.5 Disc 26" MTB wheels w/ Formula hubs

If the hub has a smooth, straight-walled 12mm diameter hole through it, yes it's for a 12mm through axle. (A 'through axle' isn't really the axle of course, it's a fastener that goes through the hollow axle in the hub.)

If this is the case, there are through-axle to quick release adapters available that you can use.

BTW, have you checked that the hub width is correct for your frame?

UPDATE: Nope not through-axle. Just missing axle and bearings.


New Chain and Cassette - If I am not racing does it matter?

Why would you need chains and cassettes that cost in excess of 300 dollars?

Several reasons:

You're a professionally sponsored racer, money is no object and you want to cut every gram of weight possible.
You have way too much money (generally, people who buy top end equipment fall into this group).
It looks cool among a certain crowd.

In picking your cassette, I'm assuming that (a) it is the right number of speeds for your shifter and (b) your derailleur has enough capacity to use lowest gear. If this is the same sized cassette as you had before, this should be satisfied.

The PG-1070 is a 10 speed cassette, so you just need a SRAM 10 speed chain (PC 1031, PC 1051, PC 1071, PC 1091, PC 1091R) [KMC also makes some SRAM compatible 10 speed chains if you choose to go that route, but the SRAM chains are reasonably priced and might work a bit more smoothly, so I don't see a point in going non-SRAM.]

The differences in chains are highlighted on their product pages, usually some of the metals used on some of the plates or a bit of weight. They may also shape the plates slightly differently to aide shifting performance. SRAM recommends the PC 1091 or PC 1091R for Red group use, but you can use the others as well.

Generally the differences are minor if existing other than a bit of weight in the cassettes and chains, but manufacturers suppose that people who buy expensive parts in the beginning will replace them with just as expensive parts further down the line (see the "looks cool" point above).


"Le vélo de Tati” - Jacques Tati by Robert Doisneau

This is a bad answer, but its been six months and noone else has a better one.

For personal use only AND given there appears to be no other way, you could either

1)  recreate it for yourself and take your own photograph,

2)  Scale this one as big as you reasonably can and then manually retouch it.     https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c5/2a/42/c52a428f7765eaaaa7ccbc1151b2f4f5.jpg

Both would probably be derivative works, and as long as you're not claiming it as your own original work, then there's little chance of someone accusing you of stealing the image.

Remember to give credit to the original artist.


Cheap bike tools or can I just use generic hardware store tools instead?

You are in luck! There are tons of threads on many forums talking about this very thing. However, I'll give you a head start.

You can use a vice-grip type wrench, but try to get something in between the wrench and the BB cup otherwise you risk damaging the exterior of the cup. I recommend ponying up the cash for a BB wrench, it's worth it.
While cone wrenches are nice because of how narrow they are, you can usually get away with any type of open-ended wrench. I've used an adjustable crescent wrench to great success.
This depends on the type of the headset, as noted in the comments. However, if you're looking to just pull bearings that's not too bad and you can probably tap them out with a screw driver, tire lever, etc. To pull the cups you can make your own tool from a piece of pipe by cutting some slits and bending it out. Might not be pretty, but it works.
Chain tools are cheap, buy one. You could try to clamp the chain and drive out the rivet with an awl or punch but you probably risk damaging the chain enough to need to replace it.
Here's where some searching will net you more. Check out BikeRadar, PinkBike, mtbforums, etc. for a lot of insight into homemade tools or alternatives. That's how I found out how to make my own headset press (granted I bent all the washers, but it worked and $15 of hardware is better than a $70 press).

It really comes down to your own cost/payoff evaluation. If you thought $7 for a lockring tool was expensive, you're probably not going to buy any bike specific tools. But you're also going to spend a lot more time cursing and nursing sore knuckles from having wrenches slip or tools break. Some tools will last a long time and won't need replacing (chain tool, wrenches) while some are only-if-you-want-it like a torque wrench.


Correctly sized chain with impossible too loose B-screw adjustment?

According to Shimano, the RD-6800 GS is designed for 28-32T largest cog, where the SS is designed for 23-28.
http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/ultegra1/rd-6800-gs.html
http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/ultegra1/rd-6800-ss.html
They may have actually done something different to the body of the derailleur instead of just putting a longer cage on it. I don't know that for sure though.
Of course, that doesn't mean the GS can't work with 25.
Your chain length shouldn't affect the B position at all. It will only affect the rotation of the cage around the upper pulley.


Why are there so many types of mech hanger?

Some designs are patented, therefore cannot be shared among different manufacturers.

Within the catalog of a single manufacturer I don't know, maybe a mix of keeping compatibility with previous models but also pushing people to "upgrade" and buy more expensive parts.


How to build surge brakes on bike trailer?

The simple answer to your question is yes, people have built surge brakes and they do work. Specifically, I have built one, but I called it an inertia brake.

This page has some notes and photos. The mechanism was fairly simple and robust, a telescoping towing arm with a couple of standard brake cables leading to V brakes on the front wheels of the trailer.

The major caveat in my opinion is that by the time the trailer is heavy enough to need these brakes it's too heavy to be towed safely behind a two wheeled bicycle. I say 'two wheeled' because in many countries legally speaking a bicycle has "two or more wheels" - so to a lawyer my quad bike is a bicycle. I built that trailer for the quad and would not suggest towing it behind a two wheeler. Mostly because if you fall off the bicycle the trailer brakes will not be applied so the trailer will roll straight over the top of you.

You may also find "does anyone sell bicycle trailers with brakes?" useful


The ones I've seen shouldn't wear any faster than the rest of the chain because the wear surfaces are the same - what's different are the side plates (and the notch around the end of the pin). If you look closely at how the powerlink is built it has the same elements as the rest of the chain, they're just held in place differently. The only time I've had problems with them was the old 8 speed ones when I used to regularly reopen them and they've become steadily easier to open until they were useless.

I found one report of faster wear here and a discussion here where Sheldon Brown actually measured things and concluded it wouldn't be a problem. The latter also features some good advice:

  Don't worry about it. Just enjoy riding your bike. Too many people get
  caught up in the most minute of details and for some reason I tend to
  think they spend more time thinking about what's wrong (or what could
  go wrong) with their bike than they do enjoying it.


The helmet itself will work fine.

On a road bike like the one you posted a photo of, your head and shoulders are usually a lot lower than on a mountain bike.  The visor on the helmet may block your forward vision because of that.  Or you may wind up having to force yourself to hold your head higher than is natural, which might be very tiring on your neck.  If so, just take the visor off.  It looks to have bolts/screws holding it on, so it's probably designed to be removed.

One comment:  that helmet doesn't appear to be very well ventilated.  If you do long rides when it's hot, that may be bothersome.  Then again, if you commute year-round, that may be very useful when it's cold.


What should I factor in when moving from a 50/34T to a 53/39T

Changing from a 34 to a 39 chainring is roughly the same as changing from a 32 to a 28 max rear sprocket.  In other words, you'd lose your lowest gear.


Did you replace the housing as well? It sounds like the derailleur is working fine and the problem is somewhere in between the shifter and the derailleur in the housing.

To fully diagnose the problem, you'll need to start at the shifter and work through each section.

First test just the shifter, disconnect the cable and remove the cable from the housing. Does the shifter move easily now? You'll need to pull a bit on the cable to simulate the spring tension from the derailleur.

If that is smooth, repeat the test with the cable in the next section of cable housing. Eventually you'll find where the friction is happening.


What are the reasons for and against wearing a bicycle helmet?

For: If you fall on top of your head, it will protect it (also side impacts if wearing a full-face helmet while riding downhill mountain bike)

No, this is not an overly simple reply. It's what it's designed for, it's what it does well and it's why you should wear one.

Feel free to edit with documentation about head protection, but I think the number of people on here (myself first) who can say "I fell and my helmet saved my head" are worth any research.


How can I measure what is a relaxed geometry frame?

Stack and reach are consumer-friendly ways of doing what you're looking for, but are limited both by how widely adopted they are and to an extent how universally defined they are. A more foolproof way is to use any 2d CAD software. Model the bikes you know are working or not working for you. If you lack a record, or a record you trust, of any of the geometry, take a photo and get angle numbers that way, and just use a tape measure for lengths. Then you'll be able to model other frames/bikes and see if the position options they offer will work.
One of the tricks to doing this is answering the question of whether you can recreate your saddle setback but without having, or needing to create, an accurate model of your saddle and seatpost. Everything else is easier to express as a bunch of lines, but knowing whether you're going to be able to get the exact fore/aft position you want relative to the BB center when you're looking at bikes with different seattube angles in practice sometimes requires a measured guess of whether there's a post out there that does what you need, and then a willingness to buy that post. This comes up with Brooks a lot, where getting them far back enough can be difficult.
Use a very basic CAD software. It's easy to find one where the learning curve is steeper than necessary for this purpose. You just need some angles, lines, and circles.


From what can be seen in the picture it looks like the damage to paint only. The top layer has been chipped cleanly off, and there are no carbon fibers exposed from the epoxy visible.

That said, I'd have a bike shop look at it in person.

As far as I know, no manufacturer will replace or repair a frame that has sustained damage from the chain or a crash.


Towing with a Recumbent Trike, Tadpole or Delta?

Before you buy one, ride a couple of different trikes. It's worth spending $500 doing that before spending $5000 on buying one. You might be able to find a local recumbent group, or a retailer with demo units. The IHPVA is a good start for the former, or the usual social media.

  half as much load per tire...

Trike weight distribution and handling is something that varies a lot. Most of the delta trikes are rear-heavy, tadpoles range from equal to rear-heavy, with extra rear weight more common when they're loaded up. Rear biased does tend to encourage understeer, but for the most part those trikes are the less sporty ones (and for heavily loaded tadpoles the rear wheel will probably fail catastrophically before losing traction... I think, I've never actually seen it happen).

  I primarily ride on 'rails to trails'...  my trailer is around 100 pounds (45 KG) ...

It sounds as though you already have the trailer, so that just becomes part of your filter criteria. You have to decide whether the total cost of "trike + trailer adapter + shipping" is worth it to you. Obviously if they don't have the adapter or can't ship to you there's a bunch more cost and thinking involved. But Hase and Greenspeed delta trikes both come with trailer hitches, so it's not unusual.

  For towing is a Tadpole or Delta the best option?

For lightweight loads like the ones you're talking about it doesn't matter. That's well within the design limits of all the commercial trikes I'm aware of, and it's quite reasonable if you're building your own. You're better to focus on a trike that works for you in other respects, I think.


Learning some better shifting technique may solve this. It also could be that, despite your best efforts, the derailers are out of alignment.
Two questions:

Is the chain falling off on the front chainring or on the rear cogs? If so, is it happening on the inside or outside? (If it's happening in the rear and the chain is hitting the spokes, this can be an extremely serious problem that can be a danger to the rider. Other scenarios are not as serious.)
Can you tell us more about the bike? You mention a Shimano drivetrain; Shimano makes differing levels of components, and even top-level components won't work very well if a bike is assembled poorly. Is this a reputable brand of bike purchased at a bike shop, or is this a big box bike?

Shifting technique
This is particularly a problem with bikes that have twist-grip, bar-end, downtube, or other shifters that allow the user to shift through many gears all at once--or at least allow them to try; this will often pull the chain off the gears. The solution to this problem--aside from designing the bike to not do this in the first place, or having it adjusted more regularly--is to shift gears slowly, preferably one at a time. If you must shift quickly, at least slow down near the end of the shift!
You mentioned that the chain is coming off when shifting under load. On derailer bikes, you really are meant to shift while continuing to pedal but letting up a bit on the pedals. Shifting under load is not advised. I can't stress this enough.
A big part of proper climbing technique is getting into the habit of shifting in advance to avoid having to shift under load. (If you're stuck in a difficult gear, sometimes you can coast for just a second while you shift. You'll lose a little momentum, but you'll avoid walking the hill.)
Mechanical causes
If none of these solve the problem, you may need to face that your derailer adjustments may not have done the trick. I'd bring the bike into a shop and have a pro wrencher adjust the derailers.
Cable stretch tends to come about with use more than time, but it could be a contributing factor. A derailer service will include adjusting the cables.
There are other possible causes, although they're less likely than shifting technique problems or derailer maladjustment:
Chain stretch is actually the wearing away of the insides of the metal links, and it only happens with use. While a stretched chain can increase problems like this, I suspect that chain stretch isn't an issue. However, it's at least possible that the bike came with an older chain, and it's so easy to check for chain stretch that it can't hurt to do so.
Similarly, worn gear teeth can also cause this, but this is extremely unlikely to be the cause. (Checking for those is a little more involved than checking the chain.)
It's also possible that the bike has the wrong size of chain on it, or that the chain is too tight (or too loose).


Is it possible to fit twist grip gears on vintage drop down handlebars?

Most drop bars have a different diameter than flat bars, and therefore cannot fit a twist grip (which is designed for flat bars).

Moreover, you have to get the twist grip to an appropriate position on the bar so you can shift easily. Some BSO's have drop bars with twist grips, but these allegedly have been sawed in half to get the twist shifters on from the center and are being held together by the stem. This is not a good idea.

The easiest way to get twist shifters on a drop bar is a HubBub drop bar adapter, which plugs in as a bar end for the twist shifter to be attached to. Though, it will likely be easier and better to just switch to bar end shifters or some other type of shifter (stem shifters, downtube shifters, brifters, etc.) As DRH said in the comments, you may end up shifting accidentally when using the drops.


Rear rack or similar storage options for child's bike (16" wheels)

A "doll seat" might be one solution. They're a little cheaper than a decent rack and won't need modification to fit. You might need to work to find one without excessively pink-girl decorations, but I found this one:


Are cranksets generally interchangeable?

No, cranks are not generally always interchangeable, but you probably can transplant the crank from the broken bike.

First, do both bikes have 6, 7  or 8 sprockets in the rear cluster? If so, they use the same chain width and the spacing between the chainrings will be the same. Same deal if they both have 9 sprockets. (As you mention the chainrings are riveted to the crank I think you probably have a lower number of sprockets).

The cranks need to have the same chainline, but MTB triple cranks almost always used 47.5-50mm so they should be compatible in that regard.

Older or lower end 'three-piece' cranks use a bottom bracket that includes the axle and are threaded into the frame, the crank arms fit into a square or splined taper on the end of the axle. Newer 'two-piece' cranks incorporate the axle into the drive side crank and fit into bearing cups either threaded or pressed into the frame.

As you mention your crank has fixed chainrings it's certainly of the three-piece type. I assume the donor bike is the same. If you tried swapping the cranks only you may run into trouble with the axle interface being different. Also different model cranks generally require a different length axle to get the correct chainline, so the bottom bracket axles may be different lengths. You can get around this by swapping the crank and the bottom bracket together

The only other stumbling block is if the bottom bracket shells are different widths, On older MTBs 68 and 73mm wide shells were both used.

Check that the donor bottom bracket bearings are not worn out of course. Note that special tools are needed to pull the cranks off the axle tapers and to unthread the bottom bracket cartridge.

Here are a couple of Park Tool videos that include removing and installing 3 piece cranks and bottom brackets.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/how-to-remove-and-install-a-crank

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-removal-installation-threaded


Schwalbe Marathon Plus recurring puncture - options?

If I understand correctly, you continued to get punctures until you found the embedded object which you dug out with a knife and tweezers.

I have been in a similar situation many times and I suggest you try again. Punctures 1-4 where likely caused by the same object, which you hopefully removed this last time.  Does the tire have a small weakness at that hole, yes. But, the casing on these types of tires is incredibly tough. That is why they roll like bricks.  The tough casings however let you continue riding with small weaknesses without issue.

Just inspect it after inflating, and for a while afterwards, to see if the hole gets larger or the tube starts to breach (you usually need a larger hole for that to happen).  I personally haven't had any problems with these small holes enlarging or new debris entering the hole.  That said, there is a non-zero probability than an object could pass through the whole and cause more problems.  If you know the tire contact patch size and you measure the area of the hole you could even compute that probability for bravado.

My only other advice is getting more practiced at finding and removing debris. I usually keep the tire oriented so the tire label is over the valve stem.  That way when dealing with a flat I can track the tube flat back to the tire location quickly.  Then I running my bare hands around the inside found tire until I find the sharp that penetrated the tube.  Once you find it flexing the tire casing can often be enough to help loosen an embedded object so you can pull it out with your fingers, avoiding other tools such as pliers, tweezers, and knives.

Finally, stop riding over the sea of broken glass and all will be well!


Should I change my Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre?

There's a good thread already on wear of this model of tire here: When does a Marathon Plus tire (not) need replacing?.

I'll repeat a shorter version of my answer from there:

The Schwalbe Smart Guard is an extra layer of rubber between the road side and tube side of the tire, and depending on tire model it is one of a few non-black colors. Check if you can see the colored middle layer anywhere, if so , replace the tire since you've broken through to the middle layer and the road side of the tire could start delaminating.
If you want to keep using your tire but are getting lots of flats, check for small embedded puncturing agents e.g. small pieces of glass or radial belt wires from transport truck tire blowouts.
If the rear is very worn and front looks good, resist the temptation to swap them between front and rear wheels (AKA rotating the tires). A worn tire is a greater candidate for blowouts, which are more likely to cause injury when they happen on the front wheel. If you don't want to replace both tires, then chuck the worn rear tire, move the partially worn front tire to the rear, and put a nice new tire on the front. More info on this from Sheldon Brown here.

FYI, I finished an 8,200km tour on these tires with no punctures, and a decent but not complete level of wear on the rear. I would not have started another long tour with the same tires.

IMO, your tire probably has 5,000km left in it, but you should suck it up and buy a new tire before your next tour so you're less likely to need to replace mid-tour with the challenges that come along with that (Where to buy replacement? Do you need to get them shipped to a hotel? Etc.). When you're finished your second tour, you'll probably have 4 Marathon tires that all have a decent bit of life left in them and you can run them into the ground commuting around town or Randoneurring, situations in which it's not a big deal to have a tire wear out (just replace it at home at the end of the day). That way, you've got plenty of tread for your upcoming tour, and no tires are going to waste long term.


Old Shimano Altus Hub disassembly. Clockwise or counter clockwise?

The part with the two notches is left-threaded, so clockwise to loosen from the perspective of your picture.

It should be noted that these are quite the can of worms once apart, and cleaning/lubrication can be done pretty effectively by taking the whole freehub body off using the 10mm internal Allen wrench flats (poke a 10mm Allen into the hole in the center of the freehub; that part is normal threaded). Then on the back you'll find a rubber seal. Carefully pry that out and keep track of its orientation. Then you can easily blow or drip air or whatever lubes/cleaners you want into the mechanism.

The one thing that can't be done this way is take advantage of the seldom-discussed cassette play adjustment that Shimano freehub bodies have. To do that you remove one of the thin shim washers you find inside the freehub internals.

If you do take it apart you must answer the question of what you're going to use to keep the ball bearings in place when putting it back together that's also not too thick for the purpose. You don't want regular bearing grease in there because it can gum up the mechanism. The main thing I know that works is a thin layer of Slick Honey or similar very light grease.


what is the biggest chainring I can put on my mountain bike?

Do you have a crank that's easy to replace, like Shimano Hollowtech 2? It's actually easier to exchange those than chainrings. I usually ride a road-compact (50,34), but for long tours around the alps I exchange them for a MTB one (44,34,24). I have a non-indexed front-shifter, so I don't need to change settings. Triple crankset axis seem to be some 3mm longer than double road cranksets, don't know about double MTB - double road difference.

Anyway, beware that you might need to change the derailleur distance to bottom bracket - 44 chainrings are quite a big larger than 36 ones. With that comes readjusting the cable.

However, do you really need a bigger ring to keep up? I don't know your exact wheel size, but with 2m circumference at 36/11, 90 rpm you do about 35km/h


Ultegra R8000 groupset want to convert to flat bar shifter

I didn't know that Shimano made 105 flat bar shifters and brake levers. Interesting.

Shimano road 11 speed groupsets use the same shift cable pull increment and derailleur actuation ratio, so the SL-RS700 shifters will work with Ultegra derailleurs.

The BL-R550 brake levers are obviously made to work with road caliper brakes. (Different brake systems have different cable pull and caliper leverage ratios. A set of levers for V-brakes for instance would not work with road calipers.)

One thing to be aware of is that replacing drop bars with flat bars is going to significantly reduce the reach geometry. If that is one of your goals that's fine, but if you have a good position when on the hoods of the drop bars your will probably find the flat bars cramped. You may need a long stem to get a good position.

frames for drop bars are generally have a shorter reach measured to the head tube than frames for flat bars. This is because drop bars add more reach than flat bars.


The 500W bike will be able to go faster than the 250W one (unless the bikes assistance is speed limited). Note that it will not go twice as fast as the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag is proportional to velocity to the third power.

Higher power motor and battery combinations are not intrinsically  less efficient than lower power ones, so the bike with the higher battery capacity would have greater range, if both bike were ridden on the same route at equal speed (and have the same mass, drag coefficient, frontal area etc.)


It sounds like you over-exerted yourself and "bonked" – your body ran out of sugar so you fainted. In that case, you reduce the risk by eating more while you ride* and by listening to your body more and backing off when it's getting too much.

It may also be blood-pressure related: people with low blood pressure are (as I understand it) more susceptible to fainting. Since you're on blood pressure medication, you should talk to your doctor.

I don't think bike fit is really a contributor but, of course, improving that would make you a happier, more comfortable cyclist so you should do something about it even if it doesn't help the problem you most want to fix.

* In this context, snacks are not evil and you should eat them. Or, if your username indicates that you are the snack, consider eating yourself. However, this probably isn't a long-term strategy.


How do I stop my clipless shoes and pedals from squeaking?

Rather than use grease, you can try using a 'dry' or wax based chain lube.

Apply the lube to the flat clips on each pedal - hit both sides if they are double sided mtb pedals.
If you think the squeak may be coming from the pedal itself, rather than the friction between the pedal and the clip, apply some lube to the spindle attachment points where the pedal rotates around the shaft.
Wipe away any excess.
Hold onto a wall or go for a ride and and clip in and out of the bicycle pedals until the lube is adequately distributed and worked in.
Repeat all steps if still squeaking.

If you carefully wipe off the excess from your shoes/cleats and the pedals, you won't be tracking anything around your house after your ride.

If after a second application the squeak remains it may be a problem with the bearings in the pedals - some can be overhauled, but others it makes more sense just to replace.


Controlling the state of bicycle components

For most of your ?s, I would use visual inspection.

If you always check your chain for wear, the chain rings and cassette will last a long time.

Some brake pads, rotors and rims have waer indicator guides built into them.

Fork is greased, not oiled. Fork is inspected for cracking, a weak point is below the crown.

Frame should also be inspected for cracks.


do I need to change my disc if the brake pads got oil on them

First of all you need to tell the LBS (local bike shop) that the disk can be "fixed". Then you need to find another LBS because they are either amateurs or are simply trying to make you buy stuff that you don't need.

You need to remove the oily disk from the bike and use a bike degreaser or alcohol on it to remove all oil. Rub with a clean dry cloth or kitchen paper and repeat. While finishing the process avoid touching the disk with bare hands on the face where the pads contact it because fingers leave grease as well.

Regarding your pads, these can be "fixed" as well in case they are sintered. You'll clean them using a degreaser or alcohol and slightly grind them (let's say remove ~0.2 mm of surface) with a thin sand paper. This will make sure that the pads are like new. Then you'll do whatever you do when using new pads (bed them in).

If the pads are not sintered but are organic then the above process may not do the work because organic pads can suck some oil inside (like sponges but not that much). I've heard of people boiling the pads in a frying pan with tap water and a bit of dishwasher soap but I don't know whether this will work. If you do that make sure you don't inhale any of the steam and also use an old pan which you'll never ever going to use again for cooking.