Is it common for the left side spokes of a front disc wheel to have more tension than the right side spokes?

The side with the disc is dished in more than the other (that is, the spoke flange is closer to the hub's centerline), so yes, I would expect it to have higher tension.


Get a tougher gear on Shimano GRX, 11-34T, 2x11

You cannot get a higher gear ratio by replacing the cassette. The 11 tooth sprocket is the smallest you can get on a compatible cassette. (Systems with 10 tooth sprockets exist but use a different freehub design).
The issue is that you have 46/30 tooth sub-compact chainrings (I looked up specs here). Which are giving you the low ratios. This is common on gravel bikes as they have larger diameter tires run at lower pressures and are designed to negotiate rougher surfaces. A road bike typically has 50/34 or 52/36 tooth chainrings.
If you want higher gear ratios you have to get larger chainrings. GRX 2x11 cranks only come in the 46/30 size. You may be able to find larger rings made by another manufacturer that fit the GRX crank, or you get a whole replacement crank with larger rings.
If you still want to know how cassettes fit on hubs see this Park Tool video. There are a few standards for the freehub that the cassette fits on. Shimano's HyperGlide II is dominant and also used by SRAM. Campagnolo has their own standard. Systems that permit 10 tooth sprockets like SRAM XD and XDR are becoming more popular. In addition to the freehub attachment the cassette sprocket tooth range has to fit inside what the rear derailleur can handle. This includes the max sprocket size and 'total capacity' (difference between chainring tooth counts plus difference between largest and smallest sprocket tooth counts).


First, a city bike is a style of bicycle with sit up and beg styling, generally a single gear or internal gear hub with chainguard (although derailleurs do exist), full fenders, and a step through design. They are also often very solidly built which is a euphemism for heavy.

An electric assist can be added to any style of bicycle: city, folding, mtb, road, touring, etc.

So if you like the city bike styling, you should be able to find an electric assist city bike. Or road ebike. Whatever you like. Note that Europe restricts motor output and top speeds, so it's really best to think of it as electric assist.

Second, you should be able to add a trailer to most electric bikes but you might need the bike shop's help. For example, I have an electric assist folding bike and drag a trailer that is the same design as child trailers and uses the same hub-mounted hookup mechanism. Unfortunately, the rear hub axle of my electric assist is much thicker (12mm) than the hub axle of standard bikes so I had the option of either:

drilling out the trailer mount adapter with a bigger hole so it could fit the larger ebike axle
using an alternate chainstay / seat stay style mount
using one of the pannier / rack holes  on the rear dropout

I ended up with the third option as it was the easiest. All these should be doable in conversation with your bike shop. Also, since you are likely buying a new child carrier, you have two other options:

Bicycle mounted child seat - either in front of you or behind you
trailer that attaches to the seat stem (thx Willeke)


At what point does a road become too busy/fast to ride on safely?

Determining an acceptable risk level is really a subjective personal assessment, no one can tell you whether or not something is of an acceptable level of risk.  As such I will give you my judgement criteria for riding on roads shared with automobiles.

I avoid roads without a large shoulder or bike lane.  While many still advocate for taking a lane, the failure mode (e.g., a rear collision) presents too much of a risk in my opinion.
I avoid large speed differentials, I would qualify vehicles traveling over 50 kph as having a large speed differential.  This reduces reaction times as the closing velocity is quite high, which can lead to accidents.  I don't trust that most drivers are doing an effective job of scanning the road ahead of them.
I also try to avoid roads with much traffic, either by riding in off-times (e.g., 5 am) or sticking to largely unused roads. This further reduces the risk.
Finally, roads with good sight lines and acceptable closing speeds are preferred over roads with bad sight lines and higher closing speeds. (Thank you to @gerrit for the suggestion.)

I also ride away from traffic whenever I can so I tend to mix in a lot of dirt and asphalt.  For very quiet rural roads with low speed limits I am happy to forgo criteria (1) because there are fewer interactions with vehicles and you tend to stick out like a sore thumb in that scenario. But I also mitigate this further by only using these roads in good weather conditions (e.g., not at night in the rain).

In terms of line of clear sight I feel this only provides some safety as it still requires drivers to scan ahead and recognize objects.  Many do a poor job of this, or the search images they are looking for do not include cyclists so they can miss an utterly obvious rider at the side of the road.  This is why I put line of sight last.

From my criteria I don't think you need a critical assessment of your photo.  I would suggest looking at alternate routes (perhaps ones that are less direct) or look on sources such as Open Street Maps, as they have a good cycling path maps including off-road/dirt paths  that can be used to tie together routes so that busy and dangerous roads can be circumvented.

At least where I live, this has been a good strategy.


A cobbler (i.e. a shoe repairman) can glue a new layer of sole (e.g a non-slip rubber sole that's suitable for winter) onto a pair of shoes' existing soles: so perhaps ask a cobbler.


How to verify bicycle by frame serial number

Basically, the answer to the title question is "You can't." There's no global database and each manufacturer just uses whatever scheme they want. Unless you've already narrowed it down to a couple of candidate manufacturers, the serial number won't help you.


Rear derailleur not in line with cassette

Often a bent derailleur will kick the bottom of the cage inwards. In your case the derailleur is twisted around the vertical axis so the 'front' edge of the cage is pointing outwards.
The first thing I'd check is that you do not have the mounting bolt cross-threaded.
I'd also take the derailleur of the frame and check that that it is not bent.
The hanger may not have been properly straightened, and it might still have a  vertical axis twist. Did the shop use a proper hanger alignment tool? Using a proper tool with ensure the threaded bolt hold is parallel to the wheel axle.


Dictionary of regional vocabulary differences (US vs UK)

I think we can safely ignore trivial spelling differences like tire/tyre and curb/kerb, and concentrate on differences in terminology that tend to confuse people.
Roads and surfaces

US: pavement: concrete or any hard surface used for vehicles or pedestrians. Suggest using "road" instead.
UK: pavement: a walkway for pedestrians, especially a sidewalk. Suggest using "walkway" instead.
UK: tarmac: road surface, same as US asphalt. (In full, tarmacadam (itself short for tar-bound macadam) but asphalt (bitumen) has replaced tar as a binder.)
US: asphalt: road surface, especially a tar-binder concrete
US: cement: commonly mis-used in US to mean concrete, especially for structures

Components

UK: block, US/rest of world: Cassette, though this is becoming rare.
UK: "mech" short for mechanism, US/Europe/ROW: Derailleur
US/CA: fenders: Devices that fit over the wheels to keep things from splashing onto the rider or the bike, called "mudguards" in the UK.
UK: mudguards: fenders
US/CA: Crankset / UK: Chainset (though crankset is also used in the UK)
UK: Seat Pin (but "seat post" is normal UK usage) / US/CA: Seat Post
Short form for Campagnolo (an Italian component manufacturer); US: Campy, UK: Campag

Tools

US/CA: Wrench / UK: Spanner -- grabs the outside of a bolt head
US Crescent wrench -- Crescent is a branch name, known for adjustable wrench/spanners, but not in the UK.
UK Mole grips/Mole wrench / US Vise-Grips -- Locking pliers (brand names which are used generically, but not across US/UK)
US: Channellocks -- Channellock is a brand best known for their multi-position slip-joint pliers.  Always plural:  "Pass me the Channellocks."
US: Hex Wrench / Hex Key / Allen Wrench / UK/CA: Allen Key -- a hexagonal tool inserted into a bolt head, often L-shaped
UK: track pump / US: floor pump -- In the US, "track pump" is usually only used for a specific style of pump seen at a track, while in the UK it's commonly used to refer to any kind of floor pump.  In Canada both are commonly used, although floor pump may be more familiar to those new to cycling.

Clothing

US/CA: Spandex = UK: Lycra -- They're different brand-names for the same fibre (elastane)
US: wind vest or vest / UK: gilet (said "jee-lay")  These are generally armless.

Accessories

US: water bottle / UK: bidon (said "bee-don").

Other

US/CA: public transit / UK: public transport. Suggest using "public transportation".
US/CA: Yield / UK: Give Way
US/CA: Flat / UK: Puncture -- In the US "puncture" refers only to tire/tube damage from piercing, such as a nail. In the UK "puncture" is also used for pinch flats, valve failures, etc.


How close do riders follow their wheel/attack

How close do peloton riders typically and strategically follow each other's wheel/attack?

At the higher levels of racing you are often try to tuck your wheel as close as you you can stand, usually within about 2 inches of the rider in front, depending on how much you trust the rider in front. If you know they are  sketchy you will allow more room to compensate for their instability.

How tightly you draft also depends on where you are in the peloton. The front of the peloton is always the most stable, making it easier to draft tightly, while in the latter half of the peloton you suffer from things such as the  accordion effect where changes in speed at the front of the peloton become amplified as it propagates backwards in peloton. This can make it harder to draft closer, but you also have a much bigger draft effect (see details below) so you  don't need to draft as tightly as in the front of the peloton.

  Also, how is this distance manipulated in order to allow for strategic movements or a more aerodynamic ride.

Strategic movements are often trying to break the draft, see How to prevent drafting?

Getting more aerodynamic means either getting tighter to the rider in front or ensuring you have a number of riders in front and to the sides of you to maximize your draft.  A recent study showed that the draft in the belly of the peloton can be enormous, below is an excerpt from their results section discussing of their wind tunnel testing of quarter scale models with force transducers. They estimated cyclists in the belly of the peloton experience a 90% reduction in drag (i.e., 10% of the drag as a solo cyclist)

  Fig. 13 shows the measurement results for the nine cyclists in terms of percentage drag of that of an isolated rider at the same speed, i.e. the quarter-scale wind tunnel model tested at 26.7 m/s. It is shown that all nine cyclists benefit from riding in the peloton, even the leading rider (R1), who experiences a drag reduction down to 84% that of the isolated rider. This is caused by the subsonic upstream disturbance by the 120 cyclists drafting in his/her wake. When moving downstream in the peloton, the drag rapidly decreases. Rider R3 only has 35% of the drag of the isolated rider. This value corresponds quite well to that of the trailing rider in Fig. 9b considering that (i) rider R3 has an additional benefit by the 116 riders drafting behind him/her and (ii) the diamond configuration has a larger spacing between the rows than Peloton A. The last four riders, R11 to R17, have a drag force that is below 10% that of the isolated rider.

  Figure. 13. Results from wind tunnel measurements: drag of the nine cyclists in the vertical centerplane as a percentage of the drag of an isolated cyclist riding at the same speed.

  -- Aerodynamic drag in cycling pelotons: New insights by CFD simulation and wind tunnel testing

While you can get a massive draft in the belly of the peloton, the drawback is that you will not be able to respond quickly to attacks due to there being layers of several riders between you and the open road.  As such, a breakaway group could easily form while you are stuck back in the peloton.  If the break turns out to be the decisive race maneuver, then it didn't matter how much energy you were saving as you missed the critical opportunity.

Strong riders therefore will often sacrifice a bit of energy savings to ride near the front of the peloton so that they can control the race and respond to attacks.  While minimizing energy expenditure can be important, it is one of may factors that need to be optimize simultaneously. A racer just need enough reserves to cross the finish line, anything extra was wasted!


A polite nod, wave or smile usually suffices.

It doesn't need to be much, where I live in the UK raising one or two fingers from the steering wheel is plenty when driving. Not sure about down south, I've heard it's a fairly local thing, but I don't imagine it being too different.


Positioning of mobile phone on handlebar

I use osmand for navigation and much prefer the portrait orientation. Can’t really say why since I always have the map aligned northwards, so it’s not about being able to look farther ahead. I guess it’s just because I’m used to it and all apps work in portrait mode but some do not work in landscape mode.

The Topeak Ridecase Mount (+Omni Ridecase silicon straps to attach the phone) I use can easily be turned 180° though. I can highly recommend osmand and the Topeak mount.


First, one small point. The two pictures show different types of extensions, not bars. Bars are still what the extensions attach to (Commonly called either aerobars or bullhorns).

Extensions come in various types, including (but not necessarily limited to) S bend, F bend, straight, skip tip. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. Most wind tunnel tests have shown that the hands angled slightly down so the line is straight along the tops of the wrist arms is faster. However, this may not be comfortable for some people depending on distance and position.

Of just as much if not more important is the shape of the base bar, and the extensions/pad system being used. The entire aerobar/extension setup (Commonly referred to as the cockpit) is also highly dependent on rider position, and often the canard used in the TT/triathlon world is that you almost determine your cockpit first, and then your frame.

For the second point, the photo being shown of Matt Goss is a bike that is set up according to UCI rules. These are very stringent, and regulate such things as the angle of the forearms according to the ground, the position of the seat front to back in relation to the BB, etc. If you remember the Levi Leipheimer praying mantis position, that would now be illegal according to UCI rules. They also dictate the shape of the aerobars and other factors (Such as a water bottle cage mounted between the arms. Wind tunnel tests have shown this is one of the best options, but is illegal according to UCI rules).

Caveat- One of the last Tours that Levi did, his bike was set up according to UCI rules, but he had it at the limits and was still able to approximate his praying mantis position. I remember Liggett commenting on it at the time.

However, unless you are competing in a specific National level time trial or higher where UCI rules apply, you can safely ignore the UCI guidelines.

As it is a huge impact both in comfort and performance, I highly suggest you get with an experienced fitter. Time trial/triathlon frames and setups are vastly different, as are the measurements and frame designations. (A 54cm is not necessarily a 54 cm, etc.)


New chain - problems getting into low gears

First check the chain length. Do you still have the old chain? If so, count the links, then count the links in the new chain. If you have a quick link find it and use it as a reference point, otherwise wipe off a link and mark it with a permanent marker pen.

Get the bike in a workstand, trainer or somewhere you can turn the pedals manually with the back wheel off the ground and inspect the drivetrain. As you carefully change gear to larger sprockets does the derailleur look over-extended? Is the derailleur unable to extend enough to allow the chain to move to a larger sprocket. Be really careful doing this. If the chain manages to catch on a larger sprocket than the derailleur allows damage may occur.

If the chain is too short get an extra quick link and splice in a inner link from the leftover chain links and the quick link.

If the chain length is OK, something is binding up which is preventing the shifter from pulling the derailleur inwards to engage the larger sprockets. What you need to do is isolate the derailleur, shifter and cable and find out where the issue lies. First inspect the cable run and looks for anything out of place, make sure the housing is inserted in frame stops, shifter, and derailleur etc.

Detach the cable from the derailleur, put a little tension on the cable (you may need to grip it carefully with a pair of pliers), work the shifter and make sure it can pull the cable freely from highest to lowest gears, If you can feel the cable jamming up as it's pulled in you need to search for where that is happening.

If the cable is OK, make sure the derailleur can move throughout its range, as you pedal the cranks by hand you should be able to push the derailleur in (be very careful doing this and don't get fingers caught in the chain). Make sure it can move from smallest to largest sprocket.

If that all checks out, reattach the cable and work through a derailleur setup procedure to make the limits and indexing are set correctly. This Park Tool article and video is easy to follow and comprehensive.


I use a trailer that was for moving one or two small children.  As such it came with a third front wheel, and the drawbar folds underneath.

Not mine, but similar design.

So you could ride to the shop, park and lock your bike in the stand, fit the trailer's front wheel to make it a triangle, and fold up the towbar if required.  Now its a Pram/Pushchair/Stroller

Then do your shop, and after checkout put your stuff back in your stroller.  When you get to your bike, store the front wheel and deploy the towbar.  Hitch to your bike then ride off home.

The only gotcha for me is that stowing the drawbar requires tipping the trailer back a long way, so to deploy the towbar, the groceries have to be well-packed.

Also, the stroller is a little wider than a shopping cart/trolley.  It can store about the same amount.  Mine's got a slab of customwood as a floor.  Its possible the market may object to a non-shop trolley, but that's a remote chance.


Can I replace a 135mm/5mm QR hub with a 10mm-diameter IGH?

With a quick release system there are two potential width measurements: the inner width of the axel (which a skewer fits into) and the outer width of the hollow axle.  The "quick-release 5 x 135mm" likely refers to the width of the quick release skewer diameter/width and the "Length 135 mm, Axis diameter 10 mm" is referring to outer diameter of the axel which fits into the frame.

For your hub swap, the outer diameter of the axel is matters as this is what fits into your frame.  As rear quick release systems used a 10 mm rear axel, the hub should fit.

Finally, if your frame is a quick release frame, you likely have vertical dropouts.  These are not always compatible with internally geared hubs.  You should ensure your frame is compatible with your internally geared hub.


Mystery puncture -- caused by inner end of ice spike?

The conclusion from the comments was that this is possible -- possibly the threads abrading the tube.  To be on the safe side I'll cover that point with a patch or liner next winter.


Dynamo hub lighting system recommendation

I suspect you'll find that removable dynamo lights are uncommon. I have not seen any that I can recall. I think it kind of defeats the purpose - dyno lights are always there and always work.

If you can afford it IMO the Schmidt are the way to go. That's what I have. They fulfil the "it just works" requirement very well. Or at least, I haven't heard of any failures other than the "I took it apart and now it doesn't go" ones. I have not seen any Shimano or Sanyo lights that are 10 years/20Mm old, so I can't comment on their longevity, but I own a Schmidt that old and have seen others. It would be annoying to have a dyno hub fail and discover that I had to build a new wheel because I can't get parts for it (Shimano generally support their products for at most five years).

Flickering is addressed in two ways. One is lots of poles in the dynamo, so that even at low speeds the flickering is quite fast (technically an LED light can flicker at any speed you travel at). The other is a small capacitor in the light (or dynamo), so that the flickering is reduced at any speed. My Schmidt/B&M combo flickers at walking speed but once I'm moving I don't notice it. Even riding up hills. I have the standlight B&M, which may make a difference.

The other thing is, don't get hung up about having a switch on the light(s). I don't think it's worth the hassle when the hub dyno drag is so small. I can't tell whether the light is on or not without looking, so when I got offered a better light cheap because the switch didn't work I took it. Now my lights are always on, and have been for over a year now. I still don't notice the extra drag.

FWIW I think the ReelLights are a cool idea and great as extra lights, but I wouldn't have them as my only lights. They are too low and flash too slowly (and they're not bright enough). But then I have a superflash light on the back of my helmet as well as the dynamo lights on my commuter bike. And another battery light under my seat. And reflective tape on the frame and mudguards. So perhaps I'm not the best one to comment on that issue.


How to disassemble a Topeak JoeBlow Sport II

Well...  I tinkered carefully and was able to remove the top cap without breaking anything.

1) There are 2 small holes on the sides, right above the hose holder clip.  You must push in the tab that keeps the top cap secure using a pointy tool and turn the cap slowly clockwise. Here you see it with the tabs disengaged and showing the holes the tabs click into.

2) In the second image, you can see the tabs that hold the cap secure.

3) Then I was able to clean the the inside and clean/relube the O-ring (I used Slickoleum because  it's O-ring friendly... I use it to service my front suspension).

I think this pump is taken apart pretty much like any other cheap to midrange floor pump after all.

I hope this can help someone.


Is it possible and safe to attach this type of seat to suspension seatpost?

Looks like the new one has the same kind of saddle rails so you can remove the attachment from it and try the bare saddle rails in the suspension seatpost. It should work!

Undo the two big black nuts and it should all fall off.

Edit (Grigory, Criggie): The extra bits are just the clamp from an older design of seat post. So they’re not needed, but might be useful back on the seat post they came from. The common interface on the saddles is/are the two parallel rails.


Lock nuts on new hubs seem strangely tight, but can't seem to loosen them. Any advice?

Those counterlocked axle nuts are binding together more tightly than the threads are on each individual nut, and thus staying counterlocked against one another. Usually this isn't the case and when you put a wrench on the outside nut on either side of the hub, one of the outer nuts will break free. As you're seeing now, not always the case.

You need a box wrench and a cone wrench (or two cone wrenches) to break the inside and outside axle nuts on one side free from each other. Then get the bearings properly preloaded and counterlock them again. This process can be tricky as the preload on the bearings will change as you counterlock the two nuts back together. It usually takes a few tries to get the preload set right and the nuts counterlocked firmly. Too tight? back them both off 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn and try again. Too loose? Do just the opposite.


If I change my cassette, should I also change the chain?

Depends on how worn the chain is. If it's relatively new go ahead and use it. If it's at or approaching 0.5% stretch, just get a new one.


Why do my brakes squeak? Do I have an incorrect distance between brake pads and rims?

I'm not aware of any established best practices other than "as close as possible, without any rubbing through a full revolution of the wheel".


This is really a personal preference. Usually people will grease the skewer threads and sometimes the skewer shaft as a way to help prevent seizing and corrosion. This can be especially useful if the skewer is made from cheap steel and/or the bike is frequently ridden or lives in wet conditions.

Sometimes skewer shafts are chromed, in this case I wouldn't bother to grease if the chrome is intact as it will prevent corrosion.

If the bike rarely sees inclement weather (e.g., fair weather and stored indoors) then I wouldn't bother at all.

If you do want to grease the skewer, standard lithium grease should be fine.


Don't think I've seen quick release on kids bikes, you could always use a wing-nut to make them quicker to remove.

Have you looked at the racks that just clip onto the back of the car (trunk/boot)  - a lot quicker and easier than getting bikes into the back of the car.


Mainly it doesn't matter.  Usually two bikes are front-first (because it "just seems right"), but once you go beyond two bikes the directions alternate.  True, if you don't have the bike properly fastened then, on a fork-mount carrier, it can blow loose a hair easier in the reverse orientation, but it can also come loose going around a curve or going over a bump, so you need to be sure it's well-fastened in all cases.

Note that you may find, based on whether you're right-handed or left handed (or maybe you have a bad shoulder or such), that it's easier to lift the bike onto the roof one way vs the other.  In that case it makes sense to have the bikes front-facing on one side and rear-facing on the other.  OTOH, the shape of the vehicle, position of the doors, etc, may factor into your orientation decision.


You will need a new rear hub that can fit a modern cassette, and to spread the rear fork for the wider hub to fit.

Also, you need cable stops that fit at the place of down tube shifters. They may be included in the groupset, but if not you need to buy them separately.


Can I buy a Locking Thru Axle for extra security?

Looks like Pinhead and others are selling through-axle kits. Do a web search on "anti-theft through axle."


Anything that will "bunch up" as Mathew suggests should work.  You can slip a piece of tubing over the end of the U, or some O rings, or wrap with electrical tape.  The object is not to have material actually go into the hole where the U fits, but to "bunch up" at the hole.

Otherwise, you could probably run a bungie from the loose piece to some frame member to keep it in tension.


How to measure which sized bicycle can a toddler ride?

I found A definitive guide to sizing a child's bike and Children: Choosing A Bike / Buying a Bike using a search for "size child's bike".

Bike fit for young kids, especially kids who are about to learn to ride, is quite different than for older kids and adults. Rather than being about comfort while riding, it's more about lack of pain when falling off.

The two things I think matter are stand-over height which also matters for adults, and how high your child can lift their feet without falling over.

Stand-over height is basically how high their crotch is when they're standing up. Normally for adults we'd say "a little daylight between crotch and top tube of bike", but for kids I feel at least 5cm is needed, and ideally they'll be able to lift themselves off the bike seat with both feet on the ground. This is about feeling safe on a new toy rather than having an efficient riding position for longer distances.
Foot-lifting height is because kids rarely start by doing the "swing leg over back of seat" mount that adult men do, they lift their foot over the top tube of the bike. Or they try to, and fall over if it's too high.

Other major considerations are budget and community, because they determine how long you're likely to keep the bike before swapping to a bigger one. If this is your one bike until your child is riding to school then training wheels will probably be better than a balance bike. A 5 year old can ride a bike that used to have training wheels, where a big kid on a little balance bike won't work. But if you're in a position to buy a balance bike and a bigger bike, the balance bike will work better. Likewise, if you can pass a balance bike around friends or family and get a second hand bike the same way, it's much cheaper and easier to do that than buy anything.

This was superseded in many ways by a later question about balance bikes but it's worth answering anyway.


MTB front and rear shimano derailleur: which shifters for drop bars?

I think it's silly and you should get a touring bike. However, if you run Dura Ace with those derailleurs, the front derailleur will work like normal. For the rear derailleur, you'll have to give a little slack and instead of pulling it straight out to pinch, you have to bend the line to a 90 degree angle and then pinch. If you have more questions, check out Sheldon Brown's website. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/


Braking one-handed to signal down steep traffic-heavy slope

As an confident road rider I'd do two major things.

I'd turn my head, look backward and make eye contact with the driver(s) just behind me to show intention, and maybe signal at this point.  Or I might not signal at all.  Then
take the lane.  You will be moving fast enough to slot-in with the cars because of the downhill.  I'd avoid being sidelined on the side of the road.  I'd also do this well-before the intersection; hard to say how far but even 50-100 metres out.

If I'm needing to brake hard, I'll use both hands, and leave signalling/indicating out of it completely.  You've already shown your intent by taking the lane and moving closer to the center-line.

Since your experience is lesser, feel free to not do any of that.  You have to be comfortable with your intent and actions.  So instead you could:

Get off and walk this bit.  Brake early, loose speed from the downhill, and simply walk across the roads before the intersection.
If permitted, you could ride on the footpath, though the UK doesn't allow this unless it's a specific shared path.
Find another route to work.  There's a fair assumption that the best route for a car is also the best route for a bike, when frequently there are alternatives only available to bikes.

Also, if other cyclists traverse this intersection then watch and observe their methods.  If it makes sense then emulate them, and if not, then don't.


Should I leave the water bottle tip open or shut while in the cage?

To quote David Richerby: You're over-thinking this.

Most people close their bottles most of the time.

I'm not one to worry about a little "gunk", but I close my bottle more than half the time. I almost never wipe it (heh, I almost never wash it :-)

Not fanatical about it though. If I'm taking a quick swig before a corner then I'll just jamb the bottle back, whether the top's open or closed, before I get to the corner.

That can happen a lot, because I drink a little, often.


How to keep a huge cargo bike safe in the city?

I'm answering my own question because I took a combination of the steps above, plus some other steps.

I took steps to make getting it back in event of theft more likely:

registered the bike with the Chicago police: https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/Online%20Services/Bike%20Registration
I plan to register it with https://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/ as well
Made sure the store I got it from keeps bike serial numbers on file
Rolled up an extra copy of the receipt, with my name and phone number on it, and put it inside the seat tube
Made sure it was covered on my renter's insurance

I figured out a hardware setup

Heavy chain (the Fuggedaboutit lock+chain) for locking the frame to a post, instead of the flimsy cable.
Tethered the seat to the frame with a small cable
Normal U-lock for locking the front wheel to the frame.

I'm hoping to deter based on looks also

Covering up brand-name info with a unique combination of stickers
Chose a bright, unusual color when I bought it


What are the values of Average Power Phase in the .FIT file?

Looking at the ANT+ Power profile from this page.  'Power phase' and 'power phase peak' are different.
'Power phase' is where the positive contribution starts and ends.
'Power phase peak' are the start and end of peak power is being produced.  Peak power is potentially a configurable amount but defaults to 50% of the total power.
Angles are measured clockwise from vertical.

The 4 number you have are Start angle, End angle, Arc length and Center.  This is from looking at the FIT SDK.  The arc length and center look sensible given your numbers.


I've got the regular Freeride shoes and love how sticky they are. Haven't tried the new VXi ones, but I think the spot with no tread pattern would be a little nicer since you don't have to lift your foot to reposition. I'd recommend reading Pinkbike's review as they cover most of the relevant points.


what is the correct chain size for my bike

You need an 8 speed chain that is 3/32" wide.  This is a "normal" bicycle chain.  Often sold as a 6/7/8 speed.  This chain will be somewhere between 112 and 118 links long.

You also need the old chain to figure out how many links it had.  Lay them out side by side, and notice the old chain will appear to have longer links due to wear.  Figure out which pin on the new chain lines up with the **same-number* of links on the old chain.  Then use a chain breaker tool to mostly-remove a pin and take off the excess links.

You might prefer to use a quicklink to rejoin the chain, or refit the pin that is mostly-out.

Do not bother getting a 9, 10 or 11 speed chain.  Its a waste of money for an 8 speed bike cassette.

However depending on the wear of your cassette, it may be worth replacing that too.  Old chains and old cassette wear together, and just replacing the chain may give you chainskip.  If that happens, time for a new 8 speed cassette.


Can I just change straightforward wheel axles to QR skewers?

I'm not sure if you intend to replace the axles themselves, but AFAIK, most nutted axles are not hollow, which means they can't accommodate QR skewers. If this is true in your case, you will need to replace the axles outright in order to use QR skewers.

QR axles for modern hubs do come in a few "standard" sizes, but you will nevertheless want to measure the dimensions of your frame and hubs anyway, in case they are not standard. You mentioned your bike is second-hand, which indicates it might be older, in which case this is doubly so.

There are three dimensions to check:

Hub spacing - This is the distance from the inside of one dropout to the other. You can measure this by removing the wheels from the frame and sticking a ruler in the dropouts. To replace the axles, you will need to find QR axles and skewers to match your hub spacing.

Otherwise, the QR may be too short or too long for the hub. With non-QR axles, an axle that is too long is not a problem (the nuts will still go on fine, and if you need to, you can cut the excess axle), but with a QR axle, you can't really trim the axle, because the QR skewer can't be trimmed.

Typically, hub spacing on modern bikes is 100 mm (front) and between 120 and 130 mm (rear). Again, you should measure this yourself-- I'm just giving you an idea of what these numbers should be.
Axle diameter - The QR axles you get should match the diameter of the existing axles so you can re-use the existing cups and locknuts (unless you were planning on replacing those, too).

Common axle diameters are between 8 to 10 mm, or 5/16", or 3/8".
Thread pitch - This is basically the angle of the threads on the axle. Like the diameter, this will need to match the existing axle if you want to re-use the cups. According to The Sheldon, thread pitch is measured in either threads per inch or millimeters per thread, with a 1 mm/thread pitch being equivalent to 25.4 TPI.

Common thread pitches include 1 mm/thread, 26 TPI, and (rarely) 24 TPI.


My personal preference goes out to MTB Flat-pedals because they offer good grip and a large platform for the foot (which is more comfortable for the foot in my experience). Make sure to get them with metal (replaceable if possible) pins if possible, some cheaper models have plastic 'pins' which are part of the pedal's plastic body (so they are non replaceable) and they wear really fast compared to their metal counterparts.

This is what they look like (mtb flat pedals):

When getting metal pins it is best to get the pins which have the screw head (the head used to unscrew the pins from the pedal) on the bottom side of the pins (the side of the pins facing the middle of the pedal) such that the head does not get damaged when scraping the pins against concrete and such, if the head is on the 'wrong' side this is not such a big issue though since the pins can still be removed with pliers in almost all cases. If you want cheap replacement pins you could consider getting some threaded rod in the correct size and cutting it to length/using it as pedal pins but it's probably not worth the effort since the pins are not that expensive to begin with.

I would definitely recommend aluminium body pedals over plastic pedals, the plastic variant tends to break (around the axle in general since it's the weakest there) when you strike the pedal against something (a curb, bollard etc.). Similar to photo below. This is quite an extreme case usually a crack forms along where the axle is located and you can use the pedal for some time after but eventually it will fall off and you'll have only the axle left.

There are versions of flat pedals which only have a bearing on one side but I would strongly recommend getting the 'regular' version which has a bearing on both sides since it will last longer and is stronger and also cheaper in most cases.

Make sure the pedal is 'servicable' as in you can remove the pedal body/bearings from the axle to lubricate/service/replace the bearings. Some cheaper models cannot be disassembled and need to be replaced entirely when the bearings are at the end of their life.

My personal preference goes out to cartridge style bearings since they require no maintenance, are relatively cheap and easy to replace. But cage/ball bearings are not so bad either, if you have a relatively common ball size (sounds weird :P ) the replacements should be easy to find and cheap.


It's different insofar as walking on ice is different from walking on concrete. Traction is reduced anywhere from somewhat to greatly. It takes a much smaller change in direction, much smaller amount of braking, and much shallower lean angle in a turn to cause you to break traction. In terms of the physics and techniques involved, they're the same, though mountain bike techniques come in handy as you are likely to spend much more of your time without traction compared to typical riding on paved surfaces.


Professional bike mechanics & maintenance training courses

Since you’ve stated in a comment that you live in Austria, I think the only specialised education for bicycle mechanics in Austria is an apprenticeship: https://www.berufslexikon.at/berufe/2898-FahrradmechanikerIn/ (Austrian job encyclopaedia)
In practice I think what matters most is experience (and of course taking your time, checking things, following proper procedures etc.). An education in mechanics, engineering or even physics helps a bit for basic understanding, but in the end there is no way around experience. You could get that by either owning and maintaining a lot of bicycles, working at a bicycle shop or volunteering at free bike repair events (here in Linz there is one in a week).
A bicycle is a very simple machine but there are tons of different components and compatibility is always a problem. Having all the right tools can also be difficult.


KNOG BLINDER ARC 5.5 battery replacement

A quick google search turns up this forum entry by user “RNAV”:
https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/1085170-knog-arc-5-5-battery-replacement.html

  Remove the trim that surrounds the lens. There are four phillips
  screws holding the lens in place -- Knog fills these in with epoxy so
  you can't use them. I dug out the epoxy with a razor blade. Unscrew
  and remove the lens, and you'll see the LED circuit board. There are
  three black 1.5mm allen bolts; unscrew these. This loosens the heat
  shield from the body of the light that holds the battery. Gently slide
  the heat shield (with the circuit board still attached) forward, and
  it will reveal the 18650 battery compartment (spring loaded on
  negative end). Remove / replace battery, and perform steps in reverse
  to reassemble.

As you can tell, it’s hard to get apart (not intended by the manufacturer) but at least it uses a standard 18650 Li-Ion battery.


How to proceed when pedestrians occupy the dedicated bike path?

Whatever you do, don't be a jerk.  Noone likes a cyclist who reinforces the bad stereotypes.
Do Share The Road  Even though you're in the right, there's no need to be offensive.
Personally I find bells lazy, most cyclists have a good loud voice and a "Hi there, just gonna pass on your left" is far nicer than "ringring"
Absolutely never try to scare someone with speed or proximity.  Think how bad you'd look if it went wrong and you couldn't stop or swerve in time.  You would be at fault even though they were in the wrong.
Conversation and lecturing has no effect, and is more likely to make people defensive and negative toward you and all cyclists.  A rhetorical question like "Where's your bike?" is about as much as you could say safely, and even that much might get you into a physical altercation.
My solution is to anticipate the up-coming blockage, look behind over the shoulder at driver of oncoming traffic, speed up and take the road lane.   Give the obstruction a wide berth.   Making eye contact with the following driver helps them anticipate your action.  The driver can see exactly what you can see and won't get mad because you telegraphed the intent by looking.
Of course this assumes you can ride fast enough to "merge" with the traffic for a moment.


What are the differences between new Nexus 7 speed hub (SG-C3001-7), versus old (SG-C3000-7)?

I don't know what the actual changes are, but the newer C3001 hubs are now listed by Shimano as being e-bike approved, which implies a ratcheting/drive mechanism that's more suited to the higher force inputs of a mid-drive assist system.


How to set up bike so that back-pedalling stops the rear wheel?

This is called a coaster brake. To install one of these, you'd need to replace the rear hub, and remove the existing rear brakes, which sometimes means replacing the rear wheel, and there may be other complications. I recommend retaining your current front brake as a backup; if the chain snaps, you lose your rear brake. (That's happened to me exactly once over the years, and that bike had handbrakes, not a coaster brake.)

While Shimano makes an internal hub with seven speeds and a coaster brake, I'm not sure if their 8-speed hub has one.

Can you tell us more about your current bike? Does it currently have gears in an internal hub on the rear wheel, or is the gearing via conventional derailer gears?


Campagnolo Ultrashift, Escape, Powershift Identification

They're second generation Ergopowers. I don't know the name for the mechanism, or even if there is one, but it seems similar to current UltraShift. For original spare part codes, look up Chorus 10S in spare parts catalog. Looks like UltraShift cables have the same dimensions.

I have been using third party Campagnolo-compatible wires and Shimano outer cables with success, the original ones didn't seem to like low temperatures.


How to significantly lower HR[avg] while improving performance output

First off, understand that HR drops as you age, even if you stay in good physical shape.  Older riders will tend to have a lower HR.

In addition, HR drops as you become better conditioned to high-output activity.  Basically, as you suggest, the capacity of the heart and circulatory system increases so that sufficient oxygenated blood can be delivered to the muscles at a lower HR.

Also, as one trains, the muscles develop more anaerobic capacity, so they need less oxygen, and they develop more glycogen storage capacity, so they need less blood sugar.

Others probably have more specific suggestions based on research, but basically to train the circulatory system (and muscles) you keep repeating the conditions where you want it to perform.  Some accommodation occurs within a few days (mainly in the form of hormone levels and blood volume), while full accommodation probably takes 6 months or so of every-other-day full-out rides.


Replacement timing: bottom bracket after gear and chain

There are good reasons to avoid using a very worn chain for to long as it can wear the cassette requiring both to be replaced.

I doubt that a small amount of play in the bottom bracket would move the chain enough to cause unusual wear to the chain, rings or sprockets. There may be more chance of a problem on a single speed or fixed gear bike where the chain has less give.

There's a small risk of poor shifting with a wobbly bottom bracket, so perhaps take care and avoid any gears which rub.

Otherwise, as long as the shop replaces like for like, you shouldn't have a problem. Likewise, worn gears should not adversely affect your bottom bracket.


By the 1950s, this type of braking system was becoming obsolete, so it's no later than that.

I found a few pictures on the net that look like your bike. They're all British, and all from the 1930s: Mercury, BSA, Raleigh. In those days, the British companies all basically made the same bikes, so it's hard to tell them apart. Look more closely at the front of the head tube - there might be a badge there.

Is it a good price? You'll probably spend way more than $70 to restore it, so it really doesn't matter.


Yes - I have done this using a SP PD-8 and a Sinewave Reactor .  However, it's easier if you use the Reactor to charge a cache battery, and then charge the Garmin from that.  This is because the Garmin will try to switch off whenever you stop if it's running directly off the USB out of the Reactor.


OnGuard U-Lock key mechanism partially activated

You can rotate the key back and forth while you insert it, That should help realign the cylinders. This actually a common problem and doesn't mean that the lock is broken.

Take it to your bike shop if you continue to have problems. They are experts at the jiggle-dance sometimes necessary to get the key in.


Do aluminium chainrings/cassettes contribute to chain wear?

Interesting question.  Real world conditions are messy with multiple factors impacting any analysis, as such my answer will be speculative, but based on a number of sensible working assumptions.

Chainring degradation as a source

First lets consider how much material comes off a chainring. Generally speaking, if you replace your chain regularly before it stretches, it should be quite easy to  get 10,000km+ out of a set of chain rings before needing to replace them.  This indicates a slow rate of wear, and therefore a small amount of contaminating/abrasive material.  Furthermore the chain ring touches the rollers of the chain, not the whole chain width.  As such, the small amount of material that does get deposited gets deposited on the roller.  It still needs to make its way to the edge of the roller and then down the side of the roller and into the contact area between the roller and the "bushing-inner plate" before it will start contributing to chain wear.  Given the location of the abrasive material and the limited and slow movement of the rollers (this of course depends on your gearing - e.g., Big-big will have slower roller movement than Big-small), I suspect this is a very slow and low volume process.

Road debris as a source

Now contrast this to road debris.  Even when riding on pristine roads your frame will often get covered in a fine layer of dust.  This dust is being kicked up primarily from the front wheel. Next look at the proximity of the chainring to the front wheel.  It is unfortunately located in very close proximity to the dust plume kicked up by the front wheel.  This will cover the chain with a lot more debris.  It will also force debris into the gap between the roller and the inner plate, which will make it easier for the debris to make its way down into the deep recesses of the chain roller / bushing-inner plate assembly.  Given the volume of debris this will likely be the predominant source of abrasive material and therefore wear.

Lubes

I noticed you mentioned choice of lube

  Obviously this brings up questions as to the lubricant used (as a sticky lube will attract dirt) and riding conditions

This is the common wisdom, but I personally question it.  Over the last 3 years I have been carefully recording chain longevity under different lubes and conditions. Under the same conditions (brand/model of chain and season) a thicker wet lube resulted in longer chain life. Sometimes the difference relative to a light or dry lube was startlingly (e.g., 1000 km more life on an Ultegra chain).  I suspect the thicker/stickier lube remains in place better (some sort of hydrodyamic property that I can't remember the technical term). As for debris, it does have an effect, but I suspect it is somewhat over-rated as I only see a small drop (e.g., ~300-500 km) during the winter under the same lube chain combo and in some pretty nasty muddy conditions as I keep off the main roads and ride on more gravel during the winter.

In the end I suspect choice and frequency and quality of lubing may actually play the biggest role!


What is the cheapest option to fetch a person over a long-distance with bicycles?

When I drop my wife off at the train station, we use a folding bike and a trailer. She rides the folding bike there, and her suitcase rides in the trailer behind my bike. However, while inexpensive used folding bikes can be found, getting a trailer may be too expensive.

You'll either need to carry someone on your bike, or find a way to bring along another bike.

You can hold onto another bike while you're riding, wheeling it along next to you, but that's not very safe (especially for rides of any distance). Since you've indicated you don't want to carry someone on your rack, I would consider buying an inexpensive beater bike and a truck bed mount, attaching the mount to a bike's rack to receive the front fork of the bike you're pulling. (Here are instructions to make one of those inexpensively, scroll down a bit on the page and you'll see a commercially produced version of the same device.)

You take the front wheel off the towed bike and the bolt shown goes where the axle of the front wheel used to. Works like this:

You can ride with one bike behind the other, strapping the front wheel of the bike you're towing to the side of your rack, or just carry it. You'll also have the empty rack for the trip back.


Chain on singlespeed tight, pedals won't turn backwards very freely - is this an issue?

Yes, overly tight chain does accelerate wear on other parts of the drivetrain. The rear hub bearings are not designed to work under the load described here and if ridden like that for extended periods, it will likely show significant wear.

Chain wear would (and will) cause your chain to gain that desired slack again, but I wouldn't rely on it happening soon enough. Your mechanic supposedly does this to avoid situations where their customers start dropping their chains after their chains have elongated significantly, but from your perspective the trade-off is pointless: setting the correct chain tension is fairly trivial job that needs to be done again anyways if you are to remove the rear wheel for any reason, such as fixing a flat tire or packing the bike up for transportation.

I suggest you ask the mechanic to set the chain to appropriate tightness, or learn how to do it yourself.


Any time that different materials are joined together, there is a small potential for failure. I emphasize that if the manufacturer knows what they’re doing, the probability is small. However, if I understand the OP correctly, they may be one of the unlucky few.

The arrow in the photo on the original question seems to point to an aluminum structure that contains the clamping mechanism. Most likely, this structure was bonded (I.e. attached with industrial strength glue) to the rest of the carbon seatpost. Other methods of construction exist for carbon posts that don’t rely on that large an aluminum structure being bonded to a carbon tube. However, carbon to metal bonds or metal to different metal bonds are pretty commonplace. For example, many current generation cranksets have a steel or aluminum spindle bonded to aluminum or carbon crankarms. Carbon frames sometimes have aluminum bottom bracket inserts bonded to them. The list could probably go on, and I’m not a bike engineer (or any sort of engineer), so I’ve probably left a few off.

Nevertheless, if I understood the question correctly, the OP probably has a seatpost where an aluminum insert has un-bonded from a carbon tube. This was probably glued together. However, it’s almost surely not with glue you can just buy from Home Depot, Lowes, or another home repair store. This would be a warranty issue. If the OP isn’t the original owner, they should just buy another seatpost. To emphasize, the aluminum part was originally bonded with industrial-strength glue. Not consumer-strength glue. Remember that the person sitting on top almost always has at least 100lbs (45kg) of weight, plus this is a mountain bike that is being operated on rough terrain. The glue needs to be very, very strong. This is almost surely beyond the average consumer’s capability to repair. If any bicycle engineers want to correct me, please do so.


10 speed works with 10 speed. You will be fine with the chain you have. The major difference being that the one that is made for 3x10 will be a couple links longer generally. Usually this is designated by a number such as 116L where the L stands for links.

Width wise you should be fine with any 10 speed chain. 10sp chains are slightly more narrow than a 9sp so that they could pack that extra cog on the cassette. Although when you look at the difference it is minuscule.


How do I fix a left crank that has come off of my Pro Form 4.0 RT Stationary Bike?

As mentioned in comments the crank arm is wrecked and needs to be replaced. Once the square taper hole in the crank starts to deform (and yours is quite bad) it's impossible to get them to stay on tight and the problem gets progressively worse.
If the axle square taper is undamaged you should be able to simply purchase replacement crank arms. The square taper interface is standardized. There are a a few complications for someone not used or equipped for working on bikes.

There are two similar square taper interface standards JIS and ISO. The angle is the same but JIS is slightly longer. The vast majority of bike components use JIS, but it's worth checking. A JIS crank will bottom out on an ISO taper.

The Pro Form 4.0 RT stationary bike has all the drive stuff hidden away internally and used two 'left hand' cranks. If you wanted matching cranks you have to buy two left hand ones.

To get the right hand crank off off you need a special crank puller tool. Video shows how they work but there are various types available.

The retailing bolts need to be tightened quite hard (~30NM). You really need a torque wrench to make sure you get them done up tight enough and avoid repeating the problem.


This is going to be a 1973-1975 Bianchi 10 sp. I am able to choose the dates based off the logo used. To me it looks like a Special. However it seems you do not have a lot of the original parts, as this would have come with Campagnolo parts, and unless you are lucky,I am going to guess, those still aren't on this bike.

This is the 1973 Bianchi catalog. I choose the model over any other that look similar because of your "rack attachment" this is the only model sold in celeste that had a fender mount. I am also going to say it isnt 1973, because the fork crowns were all chrome in 73, so most likely a 1975, or you have a non original fork.


We can't recommend a specific tire, also there are very similar questions already on this site but i will do my best to answer your questions.

First: it is indeed inches, although not all tire are measured that way, it is rather common for MTB tires to be listed as such. Other tires, say road tires are listed in a millimeter* sizing such as 700 x 40*

Secondly: Clearance measurement will be inside the fork/frame triangle, both on the side and the top near the crown of the fork, and between the stays on the rear. It's hard to say from the image but it looks like 2.25" tires would be doable but not much larger, one issue to keep in mind is that if the tire is extremely close to the fork but doesn't rub, it may do so under a big hit or heavy load.

Third: The size limit is decided by two things, inner rim width and frame clearance. It is likely that 2.25" would be acceptable as a 2.1" tire is compatible with inner rim widths from 19 to about 28mm widths. 2.25" falls very near to this, and i would imagine the rims that came on that bike are right around 19mm inner width.

So i wouldn't go any larger than a 2.25" i think it would likely work, but cant tell you for sure without seeing more or knowing more.

Tire choice should be based on you budget, and the type of conditions you most often ride in, whether it be on a trail or tarmac.

I tried to keep this answer short, but their are a lot of more in depth explanations available if you search the site.

Hope this helps


What should I look for when buying a new road group set?

You need a rim brake group set with a comparable brake reach as before, which will happen automatically if the new one is also Campy because convetional Campy calipers have only come in one reach in the past decades.

If the new group is Campy then you can use a 12 or 11 speed cassette on your existing wheel without issue. If you switch to Shimano or SRAM you need a different freehub body, which may or may not be available to retrofit your existing wheel. Most third party Campy-compatible hubs that receive such long term parts support at all do have these available. The idea is also out there that 11 and 12 speed cog spacing respectively are close enough between SRAM/Shimano and Campy that it doesn't matter. I'm personally down on the idea of setting up a high-end bike like that and expecting optimal performance, but it does function.

All groupsets have ISO bottom bracket shell compatible cranks of one spindle type or another available, but some (SRAM) also have BB30/PF30 ones that won't fit your shell, so you'd need to choose the compatible BB/crank option in some cases.


Any countries where there's a general speed limit for bicycles?

Many countries have some sort of road rule that says "drive to the conditions"  so you use common sense and best judgement, ie don't drive 100 km/h in fog just because that's what the posted sign says.
I'm not aware of any location in the world that legislates that bicycles must have a speedometer compulsory.
In the UK you can be charged with wanton and furious cycling

Laws that apply to motorists but NOT cyclists…
Speeding offences Because bikes aren’t fitted with speedometers, cyclists can’t be charged with speeding offences. HOWEVER, if they are considered to be going too fast for the conditions, they could be charges with ‘wanton or furious cycling’ which is a criminal offence under section 35 of the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 (as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1948 s1(2))

From https://www.roadlawbarristers.co.uk/wanton-and-furious-cycling-a-guide-to-the-road-traffic-laws-that-apply-to-cyclists/
(this is a short but interesting read too)


What is this part that came with my eggbeater pedals?

Without a picture it sounds like the grease port tool

This picture was found in this article on rebuilding eggbeater pedals.

The Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals, however, require periodic lubrication. A maintenance interval of once per season seems to be the general consensus.
As the Eggbeaters come with a grease port attachment, I purchased a grease gun

Evidently Eggbeater supplies the fitting but someone there does not recommend using it.

It seems like a painless, 5-minute job: remove dust cap; install grease port attachment; squirt in new grease, wipe off the old grease (pushed out from the seals on the inboard side); reinstall dust cap; and you are done.
Call me anal, but I decided to double-check with the manufacturer — and I am glad I did:

Hello,
Thank you for your e-mail.
...we would suggest not using the grease port. We would rather you take the spindle out and  grease it like that. Just unscrew the endcap and take the nut  off -  then pull the spindle out and re-grease.
Hopefully this helps,
Thanks
Anka Martin
anka@crankbrothers.com
Customer Service
www.crankbrothers.com

Here is another article with slightly better pictures.


Mountain bike tires for rocky, steep, dirt trails?

It has been a while since I have been to Breckenridge, however, from what I remember of the terrain and trails it is 'rocky'. I am not sure that I would like to get caught out on punctures there - this will matter whether you are going into true back-country or finding your way around on resort cycle paths.

My recommendation is for the Specialized 'lightweight' 'Armadillo' tyres 'Captain Elite' - dual compound, nice and nobbly, good TPI casing, foldable - the wishlist boxes get ticked for where you are riding and what you plan to be doing (that'll mean no mud, then).

For the front you can put the 2.2" and on the back the 2.0", and in 29-er.

Anyway, I am quite envious - I wish I had got my act together and had the dream to head off to Colorado for cycling this summer! Enjoy, I am sure you will.


Protect chipping frame from metal bike lock with Sugru

Any protection must be applied to the bike, as dirt between the lock and bike will abrade both, but the bike is more fragile and valuable.

The only way to avoid dirt is to not use the bike. Stickers are good but have to be replaced fairly often. Cable ties and clear repair tape are also useful. I've used reflective tape on the seat stay of one bike where the D lock abrades the paint.

An old fashioned solution that works very well is to use an old inner tube on the bike, strapped or knotted in place


Clean everything up and lubricate your chain. Wash the suspension and make sure the seals are fine. If you have a rear suspension pay attention to the pivots. For the rest it will pretty much be covered in a pre-ride check.

Check out the questions tagged cleaning here on Bicycles SE to read some interesting information on how to clean different parts of the bike.


Why are my handlebars difficult to turn in one direction but not the other?

There are a couple possible causes. Proceed with caution.

One cause of this is if a ball bearing, or a broken piece of one, has
gotten out of place and is now grinding between the steerer and the
headset cup or frame. This could happen either due to extreme wear or
someone opening up the headset and not being careful enough when
putting it back together. This can wear a groove in the steerer that
can lead to failure, and it's also imaginable that it could lock up
the fork's turning while riding in a dangerous way.
It's possible that simple wear could wind up causing this, but only
if someone then adjusted the headset with the goal of taking out all
the play, and then it caused it to stiffen up elsewhere. If you
slowly acquired this problem without anyone putting their hands on
the headset, simple wear probably isn't what happening, although
extreme wear (balls and retainers tearing themselves apart, etc) could cause it.
A bent steerer causes this. So if the bike's been crashed or smashed
into something, that's important to look at.
Poor headtube facing causes this, although typically you wouldn't
experience that as an acquired problem. I could imagine a situation
where acquired headtube ovalization causes it too.
Incomplete cup insertion always causes this, but again that's not an acquired problem.
If the steerer is bulging, as in an overtightened quill stem wedge, or has any other irregularities that could affect the alignment of the headset, that can cause it.
It's uncommon, but threadless stems with poor facing (uneven surfaces) can cause this.


If you buy and install a brand-new chain, but never clean or lubricate it, what will happen?

Higher friction (comparing to properly lubricated chain) between chain pin and inner plate will make groove in pin surface faster, resulting in chain prolongation (a.k.a. chain "stretching").
Non-lubricated chain will be more exposed to corrosion.
Higher friction between the chain rollers and the chainrings will make the chainrings wear down faster.
Higher friction between all chain components will add avoidable resistance.
People on the street will look at you with embarrassment and compassion because of noise.


What you want for road use is slick tires -- tread and knobs are bad for road use. You have 26" (ISO 559) rims, so you need 26 x (something) tires where (something) is a number in decimal form (e.g. 1.75).

Going for smaller tires will lower the bike a bit, and smaller tires have to be run at higher pressure (so you'll get less cushioning). There will also be changes in rolling resistance (You may want to read the whole "Tech Info" column on the right side of the Schwalbe page).

As for how small you can go, technically you can mount pretty much any 26x(something in decimal) tire on, but the rim width should ideally be of the right width so the tire doesn't roll off or increase the risk of flats or rim damage.

I'd probably look at something with a puncture protection belt, like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus (26 x 2.00 will likely be one of the larger slicks they sell, and you can likely go narrower depending on the rim width).


Bike with coaster brake and gears for teenager with disabilities

If I understood your question, you may want to look into internally geared hubs, it seems they are exactly what you are looking for.
I thought they were fairly popular, so I would be surprised if you really have not come across these - so I am sorry if I missed the point.
A landmark feature of gear hubs is that you can change gear while stationary - it sounds like this could be beneficial to you too.
Have you spoken to someone in a good bike shop? I would imagine it should be easy to find one where you can test ride a bike with a gear hub.
Alternatively, you could google something like "bike with sturmey archer gears". You mentioned "cruiser bike" - this seems to be a fairly broad term, if you can add the brand and model of the current bike (or a photo of it), people on here may be able to suggest similar alternatives, and I think it would be within the stack exchange rules about product recommendation.
If all else fails, you could probably get in touch with a bike manufacturer that sells bikes with these, to see if they can assist with getting a test ride? This almost sounds like a perfect story for a bike maker's Public Relations. Good luck and I'd love to hear how you got on with this!
Daniel R Hicks commented that gear hubs with a coaster brake are rare. Sturmey Archer website lists a few, you can't filter but you can search it for "coaster". I believe the company had some difficulty but seems to still be in business.


SRAM 11 speed Apex derailleur w/ SRAM GX 10-42t cassette

I think you have two options:

According to Zinn, you can use an Exact Actuation (not X-actuation) Rear Derailleur with the shifter, but I don't think there are any that take such a big cassette. So, you'd probably have to get a new cassette too.
Use a JTEK Shiftmate 9. A Shiftmate is basically a pulley that you shove into the derailleur or shifter which adjusts the cable pull between two systems. The Shiftmate 9 takes a SRAM 11 speed road shifter and a SRAM 11 speed mountain derailleur and a Shimano/SRAM/Campagnolo cassette and makes them work together when you hook up the Shiftmate into the derailleur. Note that this is likely going to be a special order item made by a small company in the UK, and not cheap (looks to be ~41 USD on SJS Cycles; there are other retailers world wide, though).


Alternative options for Trek FX 7.1 brakes

The trek FX 7.1 is more of a hybrid/road bike than your supercycle. When you use it on roads your ride should be a lot faster and easier than on your old bike. However, your new bike will have the issues you describe:

It is less comfortable on bumpy roads.
You can't just race it onto a curb or over similar steep ridges without a good chance of bursting a tire.
The brakes are less heavy duty, and (on roads anyway) your speed will be higher, this will lead to a longer stopping distance.
It doesn't deal very well with gravel/loose sand.

Some things you can do:

I think your bike has caliper brakes they are light, and usually enough for road bikes. If you need more stopping power you could see if you can fit v-brakes or another cantilever-type brake
Perhaps counterintuitively, if you want to prevent your tires from bursting or springing a leak when you hit a ridge at speed, your best bet is to keep them inflated at the optimal pressure or a bit higher.
You could fit your bikes with stiffer leak-proof tires. Those are mainly meant to reduce the risk of puncture leaks, but will help a bit with the impact-leaks you describe.
Try to lower the impact of ridges on your tires when you hit them at speed. Stand up on your pedals when you are about to hit them, bend your knees so that the flexing of your knees absorbs some of the impact. The weight of your body represents most of the impact force that your tire has to absorb when you hit that ridge. If you bend your knees they function like the springs did on your supercycle.
Your new bike has road tires, they have less profile (to reduce rolling resistance) and hence less grip on wet roads or roads with some gravel or dust on them. You can get tires with a flat rolling surface in the middle, and deeper profile or even knobs to the sides. That way you have low rolling resistance when going straight but better grip when cornering.

One thing to keep in mind is that your new bike is more a road bike than your old one. You will go faster overall because it is a lot lighter than your supercycle, it has narrower and larger tires which have lower rolling resistance, and less profile on the tires which also greatly reduces rolling resistance. It is not a drop-in replacement for your supercycle. It is not really meant to go over ridges at speed, and it is not meant to deal with gravel roads (though with good tires a road with some gravel on it should present no issue) let alone go off-road. If you still have your supercycle you should consider keeping that for when you want to go off-road and enjoy your new bike for when you want to go on the road.


There's a few reasons you could have a rear wheel sliding around. I'll go through them briefly:

Traction: This sums up several different issues, but basically it means the rear tire is no longer gripping the surface you're riding on.

Tires: Moving a certain speed will cause the tire to break loose, no matter how much grip it has. The tire profile also has a strong impact on how it will react. Some tires have large knobs to assist with cornering, or small knobs to reduce rolling resistance. This goes for center tread as well, with some tires having an aggressive pattern to increase traction. Of course, smaller details like tire material can influence this as well (durometer of the rubber, mixed tread compounds, etc.).
Surface: You know a car can slide around in the snow? The same can happen to a bike and not just on ice/snow. Mud, water, leaves, and sand can all cause the same thing. Tire choice can help to reduce the effects of different surface qualities, but eventually you're going to have one surface that acts differently than another.
Weight: Push down on something enough and it becomes hard to move, even if the bottom is slippery. Similar theory can be applied to biking. This is most noticeable when climbing hills. As you shift your weight forward in the saddle (or further when standing) you take weight off the rear wheel which reduces the ability of the tire to remain in contact with the ground.

Spin-out: If your getting the occasional time when the rear wheel seems to just spin in place on the ground you might be putting down too much power and exceeding the grip of the tires. This can happen on loose climbs, flats, or elsewhere. Try lowering the gear to one you can spin in (but not too low).

After all that, there's also the practice of skidding/drifting by purposefully locking up the rear wheel and letting it break free. Sometimes it looks cool, sometimes it allows you to go faster around a corner, but doing it consistently requires you to know how your bike and tires will handle at different speed and varying terrain.


Are today's bikes "better" than a few decades ago?

The last major technological improvement in standard bicycles was indexed shifting.  The indexing part of this isn't that big a deal, but the feature also gives you the ability to shift under load (which is a big deal).  I'm thinking this change occurred in the late 80s, but my memory for chronology is poor.

Yes, since then we've gotten V-brakes, carbon frames, "compact" cranksets and a few other things, but they're not fundamental changes, just minor refinements (if that).

Re "non-standard" bikes, the biggest change has likely been the improvements in geared hubs.  These have gone from 3-speed, don't-dare-shift-under-load-or-you'll-wreck-it models to multi-speed or continuous models that encourage you to shift under load.

There has also been progress in recumbent technology, but I don't think there've been any game-changers (though I'm not up on this).

The main problem with a bike more than 15-20 years old is that replacement parts get harder to find.  In particular, if you buy an older bike you might want to buy a spare rear cluster right off, to have on hand.  And I wouldn't recommend buying a road bike with 27" tires, since replacement tires (of the narrow "racing" variety) will be hard to find.


What is the best way to calculate my maximum heart rate?

I think on a bike it would be harder to reach max HR, but in running it is easy.  Find a hill (say 1/2 KM long) that is reasonably steep.  Warm up for 20 minutes of running, and start doing hill repeats.  Aim for a pace where you can do about 6 repeats.

Do the first three at increasing paces, and then for 4 and 5 start pushing to the max you can handle.  As jensgram said in his answer, push till you are about to faint, or vomit, or whatever your body uses to tell you to stop.

This is pretty darn close to your max HR.  At least functionally, before your body ups and quits on you.


Can I use Avid olive and connector insert in a Shimano brake?

No you cannot.  They are not cross compatible.  Shimano Olives, hose and inserts only work with Shimano components. The same is true for Avid brake equipment.

Beyond not being designed to work together you void any warranty claim by not using compatible equipment.  You also give up any legal approach to the manufacturer if you use other company's parts.  So if you crash because the brakes failed and want to say that's Shimano's fault and it actually was.  They will say it had Avid olives and inserts on it.


What kind of bottom bracket fixing is this?

That's the chain guard bracket and it would likely come off with a bottom bracket lockring tool. The fixed cup of the bottom bracket should be behind it.


It's totally fine to use smooth tires on a mountain bike, if you use it as you describe. You will find it even more comfortable, just be a bit more cautious whenever it rains.

As @MikeBaranczak points, be careful with the size, 27, 29 are nowadays quite common. BUT ALSO have a look:

how fat they are and if they fit with your actual wheel.
valve type, again check it fits with your actual wheel.

Best and easiest way is to check what you have now and order the same size, valve and thickness but in flat.

About having to change them each 3 months, I would say is not normal (of course depends on km) but the first new-bike tires are usually a bit soft/not-good-quiality and they get flat very fast... maybe if you don't change them in 3 more months you have them already flat and you don't need to change them :)


Crankshaft snags and loses resistance while cycling

It's not the cranks or bottom bracket (though it sounds like the BB might need replacing anyway) if the chain is moving normally.  The crank is fixed to the chain rings with bolts, so that can't slip.

It's much more likely that the ratchet mechanism in the rear hub is broken.  Older ones work on 2-4 small spring loaded "palls" that engage a ramped gear.  If the springs or the palls themselves rust and break, then the hub will no longer engage and you'll get that "no resistance" feeling.  The grinding you are feeling is probably bits of pall, spring, freehub body and possibly bearing moving around in the rear hub.  The lack of "tick-tick-tick" is because those palls are not being clicked into the gear by their springs.

Unfortunately, this probably means a new rear wheel.  The freehub body is probably ground down into pieces, and those pieces will have damaged the inside of the hub itself.   Technically, you could buy a new hub, and get your bike shop to lace that onto the existing rim, but it will probably be cheaper to just buy a whole rear wheel.


Ordering in the right size, and making sure it fits

The answer for a rider who's capable of doing the math themselves is use either the bikes that are available to you or help from a pro with a fit machine to establish these numbers:

Target bar height relative to saddle
Target saddle to bar horizontal distance
Target saddle setback (relative to cranks)
Saddle height

There are somewhat more granular approaches and many more parameters on top of these, but these are the big ones to pay attention to know you're getting into the right ballpark, and will in almost all cases be enough to get you to the right size in a given model's size run.

Once you have a good idea of your target numbers, or the range of each parameter that you want to have access to in getting the fit dialed in, you can model each size of each bike you're looking at in a simple 2d CAD program. I use QCad, which is free, and getting the frame geometry of a bike into it from a manufacturer's specs only takes maybe 2-3 minutes once you know your way around.

To emulate what a touring bike would give you using more test-rideable road bikes, you will have to fiddle with swapping stems and potentially even adding a riser for the purpose of a test ride. Some shops would happily do that for the sake of a sale, and many would not.

A bike fitter with a proper fit machine who has some sensitivity and awareness to riding styles other than racing is also an easy path to handling this. Then you're just dialing the geometries of whatever bikes and sizes you're looking at into the machine and test riding to your heart's content. There is a lot you won't learn about the bikes from doing this, but it is a very good way to learn about one's fit needs, and again it's a reliable way of knowing you're getting the right size of a given model.

One of the stumbling blocks with this on touring bikes in particular is whether the steerer comes chopped or not. The norm in the industry is for all steerers to come cut to size to minimize assembly time. On touring bikes where it's more common for people to want high positions, that causes a lot of problems. Some companies, Surly and Salsa for example, who send out a higher than normal proportion of special ordered bikes, send uncut forks with all or almost all their bikes. The important point here is that, especially being tall, you have to know how much steerer you have to work with to get your target bar height. This is true even if you were willing to put a steerer extender on your new bike, which is unfortunate when it winds up being necessary.


Your braking technique is probably bad with respect to overheating. Continuing to ride could help, but only if you do periodic breaking, i.e. you don't break at all until you reach max safe speed, then you brake hard to slow maybe by 10km/h, repeat. How much speed to lose depends on slope (how fast you gain speed again) and load (how much energy is dumped into your brakes to slow the same amount). If you brake more in one go, then your brakes have more time to cool in between but your average speed is also slower. In the absolute worst case (heavily overloaded/bad brakes/too steep) you stop almost all the way and your max safe speed is also pretty low. Make sure the periods of braking are much shorter than the periods of free-rolling.

If your rim brakes become too hot you risk melting the tube (or otherwise damaging the rim, but I suspect first to go would be the tube) and at least disc brakes also just stop braking at all once they are properly overheated (I can tell you from experience, this is no fun).

If the above technique doesn't suffice, then it's too steep and/or there is too much load on your bike for this gradient and you must periodically stop and let the brakes cool or just walk your bike down the hill.


Indoor bicycle tray to preclude the rug from getting wet

Try a Garden Centre, they usually sell a range of trays and they should have something suitable.

An example would be this "Giant Plus Garden Tray" which at 120cm x 55cm should be big enough to place a bike on.


Can tricep pain be cause by having a smaller bike frame?

NOTE that this answer is looking at the OP's question of fit (bike sizing, frame geometry and body proportions.

  Other answers already exist that look just at tricep pain: Symptoms of handlebars that are too narrow? Triceps pain?

Fit is really hard to diagnose without directly observing.  On paper a 55 cm is about the right size for someone who is 178 cm. This is of course on average (average bike, average person).

Unfortunately, no bike or person is this mythical average.  Some bikes are more racy and will have a longer reach and lower stack height for a "55 cm". Others could be the opposite (taller stack, shorter reach) if they are targeted at more endurance riding.

People differ as well.  For someone with long legs and a short torso fit can be harder, you generally need a taller stack and a shorter reach, as your long legs put the saddle up higher (relative to someone with shorter legs) and therefore your handle bars tend to be relatively lower and longer away for any given frame geometry. The Kestrel Talon is a Triathalon bike with a frame geometry emphasizing a shorter stack and long reach (i.e., race position). This is probably one of the worst frame geometries for someone with long legs, a short torso, and poor flexibility.  If you boyfriend is quite limited in his flexibility, it is possible that no Kestrel Talon frame sizing would provide a good fit (e.g., you could go a size up to get a higher stack height, but this also adds to the reach, which can be problematic for someone with a short torso).

Assuming we don't have an extreme fit mismatch, there are things that can be done to modify the fit.  Start by putting all the spacers under the stem and even flipping the stem up so that it becomes a riser stem. There are also a lot of aftermarket stems available that can further accentuate the effect. Stem length can be used to dial in the fit, as well as the handle bars which also have different reaches.

Saddle setup can also impact tricep use, if the saddle is tilted nose down the rider may continually slide forward, using their arms and tricepts to push themselves back into position on the saddle.

Handlebar width can also affect tricep fatigue:

  It's important to get this measurement correct as too wide a hand placement leads to fatigue and numbness in the hands, due to their [sic] being splayed out.  This also affects handling, making turning the bike slower. Having too narrow a hand placement can be tiring for the triceps which have to bear a greater load, and will affect the handling by making the steering quicker and the bike 'twitcher'.

  -- Bike Fit by Phil Burton

Finally, flexibility and core strength also has a huge impact on road bike fit. You need good flexibility in your hamstrings, hips and mid back if you want to comfortably get long and low (i.e., a more "race" position like the Kestrel Talon). If you lack flexibility or strength you will find that your body is forced to compensate in different ways.  Because the body is very dynamic, different people will often compensate in different ways, resulting in different symptoms.  Tired triceps could be one sign that the handle bars are too low, or that your boyfriend cannot sufficiently support his upper body weight with is core muscles.  Riding low and long (which the Kestrel Talon geometry generally enforces) requires good core strength and more intense pacing. If you lack any of the three (core strength, flexibility, and intensity) you will need to find a handle bar position that is higher and closer to find that same balanced position. Ideally, when you hit the right fit for your intensity, flexibility and strength you should feel that your hands are lightly touching the handle bars under power.


Upgrading Joytech hub from 8 speed to 10 speed

Provided the hub has a Shimano/SRAM compatible cassette body you should be able to upgrade to 10 speed with your existing hub.  Campagnolo 8 speed cassette bodies are incompatible with Campy 10 speed cassettes so if you are running Campy you will need a new hub.


If your cassette is 10 speed, you need a 10 speed chain. The derailleur will be fine.


Did I pay too much for repairs on road bike? Should I have bought new?

Bicycles cost money to maintain.  Even if you do all your own mechanic work, you still need to purchase parts.  That being said, more expensive bikes are generally more expensive to maintain at the level you bought them at.

By this I mean you can purchase a replacement derailleur (of roughly the same quality) for a $250 for perhaps $10 to $20.  If you had purchased a $2000 bike, that "same quality" derailleur may run you $100. The point being, if you had purchased a $700 bicycle up front and done no maintenance, you likely would have spent roughly the same amount of money or slightly more on repairs (based on your description).  More expensive bicycles and parts do not require less maintenance.

In your case, if you were happy with the performance of your $250 bicycle for five years before you needed to spend money on it, you may have been better off buying a new $250 bike.  ~$50/year for a bicycle that you are happy with seems like a good return.


Why has the Centeron pulley disappeared on many Shimano rear derailleurs?

For anything over 6/7/8-speed the chain and cassette are now so narrow that any amount of side to side float from the sliding Centeron pulley would not allow indexed shifting to change gears.

In my experience newer generations of chain and cassette seem to be better at holding in one gear under pedaling load with the derailleur visibly misaligned too, with just a little noise but no slipping, where older and low-end systems would grate and skip teeth.

As mentioned in a joking-but-not-really-joking comment the bearings in the jockey wheels will become pseudo-Centeron sliding bearings as they wear. When this happens it makes single gear shifts impossible with a single indexed click - you then have to double-click the shifters to change one gear, or triple-click for two gears as the slack is taken up.   (this also happens with other bits of the drivetrain worn)


Shimano 105 brifters - rear shift jumps multiple gears

Often, this is a problem with derailleur adjustment, so I'd double check and triple check that first.

The first thing to do is check if the rear derailleur is bent. If it is, get it un-bent - it is near impossible to adjust a rear derailleur which is bent adequately. The second thing to make sure you have adequate cable tension, proper cable installation and your derailleur is adjusted properly. Here are some good directions on doing that (as well as here).

Assuming your cables are installed properly and you've adjusted your derailleur correctly (and as correctly as possible) and your chain+cassette aren't worn, then I'd start by replacing the rear derailleur (you may have developed a lot of play in it, and it is significantly cheaper than a shifter) and then look into replacing the shifters.

IIRC, the Shimano 105 shifters from about 10 years ago were shoddily built, so it may be the shifters after all.


There's a variety of touring styles to consider. There are people who plot every single metre of the journey and then there are people who just ride until they run out of time or money. I assume there are people who do whatever seems interesting on the day or who just obey whatever directions they get from whoever they meet. I've kinda done all of those.

In outback Australia direction-finding is often very easy: there's one road, you follow it. After a few hundred kilometres you might reach a T intersection and have to make a decision (at Newman in WA, for instance). At the other extreme is navigating the old medieval parts of European cities where there's a maze of little corridor-sized streets.

My preference is to plan a route based on roughly 50km a day through an area with a reasonable density of interesting things. So if I fly into Christchurch, NZ (don't do that right now, ok) with a month to spend I might plan on riding down through Tekapo, out to the coast at Moeraki then back, for a nominal distance of about 1000km (30km/day). But when I actually ride I expect to find diversions - ride up to the Hermitage (Aoraki), through the Otago Rail Trail, and so on, probably riding more like 1500-2000km. My goal is that if I see a sign saying "historic dam 5km" I can ride up to see what that is. Or if someone says "you have to see the eccentric monolith" I can ride that way. It's a balance between planning and aimless wandering that suits me.

For CANC2 we spent a couple of months planning out where we'd ride, how long it will take (roughly) for each stage and what food and so on we'd need posted to each drop point. We also started contacting communities along the way to set up media and school visits, but that's pretty much what you expect for a political ride. I've never done a solo or friend-group ride with that level of planning.

The intense planning usually means looking not just at distance, but conditions - gradients, expected weather, road conditions and so on. Read tour reports from other people, look at nearby tourist attractions (for whatever type of tourist you are), work out where you want to stop each day. Often you start with the list of attractions and work from there. Friends of mine who've done that often start with an event (like PBP, SPEZI) or some other reason to travel, then work out how long they can afford to tour for and buy air tickets accordingly.


An "open tubular" is basically a tubular tire with clincher beads instead of being sewn. They use the same materials as the sewups, so in theory should offer some of the same advantages as tubular tires.

However, most of the pro's of a tubular (lighter weight, less rolling resistance, tire will stay on when flat) are voided because they've turned a tubular into a clincher. Plus, there are many modern clincher tires that have just as little or even less rolling resistance than a tubular (in some specific cases).


If you are riding on the road, you don't need treads. Even with mud. Even with sand, or gravel. Unless you are riding on the street in the middle of a volcanic mudslide or torrential rain washing out the road, it won't matter. The curved cross section of your tires coupled with your mass will instantly cut right through any patches of water or mud as you ride through. A bicycle under human power won't "rarely" hydroplane, it will never hydroplane.

You can slide if you ride over sand or fine gravel. The gravel can get between the rubber and road, and cause you to lose traction. However, having treaded tires will not save you. The layer of sand or gravel will be just as slippery to the treads. The treads can't cut through the sand or gravel, because the underlying road cannot deform. The treaded tires will just slide along the pavement, lubricated by the sand or gravel, just like a slick.

A behavior you didn't ask about, but you can encounter, is a squirming feeling, that you get if you ride an aggressively treaded tire on the road. This won't happen riding on dirt or sand, because the ground can deform. This squirming and deformation becomes especially troubling when cornering. The sudden transition from smooth to treaded in those silly combination tires, right during a hard corner, is especially nasty.

The reason companies make treads on pure road tires, like Blam suspects, is simply because the majority of bicycling customers don't think about these things in great detail, and think that their bike is just like a car with 2 wheels, and since their car tires have tread, so should their bike tires.

The takeaway principle is that conditions that will result in a loss of traction on the road, will do so regardless whether you have treads or not. Treads reduce the consistency of your tires surface, and in doing so, makes for a worse road tire.


Bracket Bottom type and how to remove it?

This looks like a standard British bottom bracket with a fixed cup and adjustable cup.
This article gives a good overview of how to service. It looks like your lockring is missing. Also, it doesn't look like you'll be able to use a pin spanner on the adjustable cup. Not clear from the photo what kind of wrenching affordance the cup has, but it should have some kind of wrench flats, so possibly this kind of tool is what you need. Also note that the fixed cup can be extremely difficult to remove.


Which threaded fasteners on a bike should not be lubricated?

Basically every metal-in-metal thread on a bike should get some kind of treatment, because at the very least none of them are perfectly corrosion resistant, and as you say, thread lubrication helps with tightening. What it really does is greatly reduce all the many factors that create friction in threads, usually into the negligible range, so that a given amount of torque applied to the fastener gives a more controlled amount of thread preload.

Most manufacturers say to install plastic bottom bracket cups dry.

Many have observed that over time, medium Loctite does a better job preventing loosening on M5 rack and fender bolts than grease.

Disc caliper and adapter mounting bolts are usually Loctited, or left with their pre-applied threadlocker. Probably the big reason is to ward off grease contamination.

Cantilever brake mounting bolts on brakes without an integral pivot are kind of an oddball, because tightening them in the 8-10 Nm or thereabouts range that applies to most other M6 bolts can result in the tip of the boss getting deformed. They should have medium threadlocker applied to the internal thread and then be very lightly torqued, around 3Nm. Because of the low torque, there's little thread preload and grease may make it loosen. But only plain pivot types - brakes with integral pivots, where the bolt shoulder or washer is contacting the brake and not the post, need a more normal amount of torque.

It's good to use anti seize instead of grease on all titanium threads, to prevent thread galling and seizing. I also use it on track cogs and singlespeed freewheels, because it helps ensure they can come off easily again after a hard life of constant torque. You can use it in a pinch on any thread you want to lubricate, the downside being it's messy.

Bearing grease is the normal practice for all threads on a bike you want to lubricate, because it's cheap, does the job well, and you need it anyway.


Which dual-platform clipless pedals allow for the least amount of movement between the pedal and sneaker

I have a Set of PD-M324's in my box of bits. Plenty grippy, to the point unless you are extreme down-hilling or free riding I doubt you need better. I have double sided caged SPD's with a cage similar to the look of the A530, also in my box of bits - no where near grippy enough, especially when wet. They are good for MTBing when you are unclipped alot - when learning SPDs or technical ground and lack of confidence, but now I am riding less technical XC I do not need them.

Its not possible to make a grippy pedal that also has an SPD - how would you rotate to  release the clip?  Single sided pedals are a great idea that does not work very well most of the time for most people. Inevitably the side you want is facing down when you put your foot on the pedal. You cannot be certain, without looking, which way it is, so you cannot rely on the pedal when you need it quickly. They are OK for casual riders and might work acceptably for roadies who are not stopping a lot for traffic, but for me, and others I have spoken to who have tried them, they are just frustrating.

I now always ride with my SPD's. If I was to start riding sneakers/street shoes, I would go to a caged SPD, and wear the slippages, but those rides would be down to the local store with the family. If you are not prepared to wear the slippages, go to proper platforms and discard the SPD's altogether, or swap pedals when you want to change styles.

How badly do you want SPD's? Have you considered getting some SPD compatable sneakers/street shoes?

If you do go ahead with the single sided pedals, I recommend the PD-M324, but consider something like the M647 (Clips both sides with cages).