UCI time trials are a class race contested in the tiny fractions of a percent, tiny differences in equipment become very important. Riders practice in wind tunnels to tweak everything from clothing to pedalling style, because a shift that gives an overall gain of 0.01% in speed can result in a win.

Considering more than just the top gear, the jump from 50/11 - 50/12 (the two highest gears) and 54/12 - 54/13 is noticeably bigger (9% vs 8%). That may well explain the change, even if it results is slightly lower peak speed, since it means that on slight slopes the rider has better gear options available. Note that on downhill sections the 54/12 rider has the 54/11 ratio available, where the 50/11 rider has no choice but to spin faster.

The difference between gearing 50/11 and 54/12 is about 1% (4.545454... vs 4.5). The larger chainring is bigger and heavier so it has more aero drag but lower mechanical losses (especially the loss difference between 11T and 12T is significant... but that loss should be less than 2% of the total power output). I suspect the human power output difference between those two at a given speed is less important than the comfort factor of being able to choose a gear that feels right.

It does not even have to translate directly into better average or total power output from the rider, as long as it gives a better time. Also possible is that it makes the rider feel faster, and that directly affects performance.

edit in response to imel96's question in comments: explain more about gear ratio selection (sorry, can't do tables here so you're seeing a spreadsheet turned into preformatted text)

When riding people care about pedal rpm, which is determined by gearing. Humans have a power/speed curve. The further from their optimum cadence they are, the less efficient they are (and in a time trial efficiency is what matters). The closer the gear ratios are, the closer to the right gear they can get so the closer to their peak efficiency point they can stay.

This wee table shows what's likely to be the next 4 cogs lower than the original question on the two cassettes we're discussing. The question I'm looking at here is "going up a slight rise, what gear options are available".

54/12 top gear
cassette cogs   ratio to next gear  Development (m)
12          9.05
13  92.31%  8.35
14  92.86%  7.76
15  93.33%  7.24
16  93.75%  6.79
average 93.06%

50/11 top gear
11          9.14
12  91.67%  8.38
13  92.31%  7.73
14  92.86%  7.18
15  93.33%  6.70
average 92.54%

The immediate answer is that the 54T rider can make a slightly smaller shift. Ratios let us ignore the actual gear and focus on the size of the shift. The 54T rider shifts to a gear 92.3% of their current one, the 50T rider drops to 91.67%. And that happens every time - on average the next lower gear is 93% for the 54T rider, and 92.54% for the 50T.

(it's possible that the 54/12 rider will keep the 11T small cog so they have a downhill gear, but we can ignore that for this comparison because in that case the 50/11 rider is out of options).

That sounds really minor, but remember that those riders are fighting it out in the fractions of a percentage point.


MTB Weekend rider: step up to carbon worth it?

You can drop 2.2kg easily with upgrades to your current bike that would probably be less expensive than purchasing a new bike. Much of that weight could be dropped where it matters the most and where you will notice it first; the wheels and tires.

Find a lighter weight wheelset with tubeless tires and sealant and I would almost guarantee you will drop over 1kg from the bike. Upgrading the components where your body makes contact to the bike will also drop some weight and make the ride more comfortable. Carbon fiber handlebars designed to flex slightly, dropper seatpost to get it out of the way when moving the bike around, and good grips go a long way to aid in comfort and confidence. The other place where you can lose some weight is by swapping out the stock fork for a lighter and better performing one that has a more secure lockout feature.

FWIW; my steel singlespeed 29er is an XC racer, weighs in at 11kg, and has secured numerous podium spots in regional races.


Next time you get a flat, take the tube out but keep track of which is side is left and which is right relative to the bike (and mark it).  Inflate the tube, outside of the tire, to about 1.5 or 2x its normal diameter, then immerse it in a basin of water and find the leak.

A leak on the inner diameter indicates a missing/defective rim strip, or a spoke that has been dislodged and is poking the tube.  A leak around the valve is likely due to under-inflation or lack of care mounting the tire.  Two leaks closely spaced together near one side of the tube is "snakebite" and indicates hitting curbs, etc, while the tire is insufficiently inflated.  And of course, a leak from the valve itself is due to a defective valve or one where the core is not tightly screwed in.

You may also find leaks where you damaged the tube during installation -- especially likely if you used screwdrivers to mount the tire.

After you find the leak (and the cause is not obvious), place the tube, with the hole marked, alongside the tire and find the corresponding point in the tire.  Check from the inside (both look and feel it with your hand) for any piece of wire or glass or whatever that might be stuck in the tire tread and poking through.


Compatibility of pressure gauge with valve

There are Presta, and Schrader valves. There are also dunlop valves but they are far less common these days, especially in the US/UK.

Schrader and Presta are two different diameters and valve types. There are pumps that will inflate either, there are also pumps that only inflate one or the other. Many people use a pump with a built in gauge rather than carrying an independent gauge. There are however gauges that will also read both valve type, they generally have two different heads, one for each type of valve.

Such as this one:

One side is for Presta and one is for Schrader. A presta will not work on a schrader and vise versa.


The key measurement you need is the axle to crown length required. It's the distance from the center of the axle to the bottom of the frame head tube. The axle to crown length takes into account both wheel diameter and suspension compression distance.

Axle to crown length is easy enough to measure with a fork installed in the frame.

Don't forget to also look at the axle offset - how far in front of a straight line drawn through the headtube the axle sits.


Brake response is spongey post-brake lever upgrade

You get more sponginess for one of two reasons:  More mechanical advantage (meaning the lever must move farther to move the pads a given amount) or more flex somewhere -- either in the levers/pivots, or in the cable and it's mounting.

(The cable mounting can be an unsuspected source of flex if the cable doesn't approach the mount squarely and the first bit of lever motion is "spent" just forcing the cable to line up.)

There's also a psychological factor -- activating a lever in a different direction or with different parts of your fingers can seem to have more/less flex.


Pushing down on the pedals is a natural thing. So to improve the "roundness" of your pedal stroke, completely ignore the down-stroke, instead focus on the following:

Continuing the pedal stroke "across the bottom". This will probably feel something like trying to scrape mud off the bottom of your shoe.
On the up-stroke, focus on driving your knee upwards toward the handlebar.
At the top of the up-stroke, focus on sliding your foot over and down into the down-stroke.

Focusing on the non-instinctive 3/4 of the pedal stroke has really helped me improve form.  Using a fixed gear (or staying in a low-ish gear), find someplace where you can spin out your cadence (a slight down-hill but not too steep).

Focusing on the 3/4 of the stroke that isn't pushing straight down, pedal as fast as you can until you find yourself starting to bounce. Keep doing this, and as you get better at the non-down-stroke, you'll find that the pedaling cadence at which you start bouncing will get higher and higher, as your pedal stroke gets more round.


How do I adjust my handlebars to allow me to ride hands free?

Stability of a bicycle is mostly determined by its geometry: primarily the wheel diameter, wheelbase and front fork geometry. If the rider is not touching the handlebar it has very little effect (its mass and rotational inertia do have some effect).

When a bicycle is moving there is a force trying to align the front wheel with the direction of travel. This is because the contact point of the wheel with the road is behind the axis of rotation of the fork. However, this also means that if the bike is leant to one side slightly, the fork turns in the same direction.

So, to answer the question in the title 'What is the key factor for stable handlebar?', the answer is 'the bike underneath it'.

You cannot adjust your handlebar to make the bike more inherently stable - and you would not want to. The bar should be adjusted for proper riding position. The headtube bearings also cannot be adjusted to make rotation of the fork stiffer and hence hold the bars steady - that would potentially make the bicycle impossible to steer at speed. The bicycle is steered by making is lean slightly, which due to  the steering geometry rotates the fork slightly. If the fork is inhibited from rotating the bicycle will not steer properly.

That said, the length of the stem and width of a bar does have an effect on the steering of a bicycle when the riders hand are on the bars. The further the hand positions are away from the axis of rotation of the fork, the more leverage the rider has and therefore more control, at the expense of slower steering.


Since no-one has written an answerr for this yet, I will have a go, but be warned I've never done any cyclocross so I'm no expert. So a lot of this is based on gut feel.

The main difference between road and cx are the tyres, in particular their width. Typically on the road you'll ride 23 or 25mm slick tyres, for cyclocross, you're looking more at 35mm or so, with a tread pattern on them.

This can have a knock-on effect with the width of your rim, as a rim will have a range of compatible tyre widths.

So, first thing, decide what tyres you want to run, and choose your rim accordingly.

You'll need to take account of possible clearance issues between frame/brakes/wheel also - it might well be that the frame you have restricts what tyres you can use, so bear this in mind.

Aside from this, on road wheels you frequently find deep rims, which help with aerodynamics (in particularly for things like time trials). I'm guessing that such rims would be no use whatsoever when you're riding cyclocross, in fact I'd go so far as to say that shallow rims would likely be an advantage. (You can also ride on the road with shallow rims, and in fact they offer better stability in crosswinds, so they are a lowest common denominator,m if you like.)

Does a wheel designed for cx need to be stronger than a wheel designed for the road? I'm not sure about this, but I'd certainly have thought that riding through a field would be more stressful on the wheel than riding on a road. In general, at least. So you might want to look at "sturdier" wheels, for example something with lots of spokes and a strong tangential lacing. I'd certainly be wary of wheels with fancy radial patterns.

You can get bladed spokes on high-end road wheels, the thinking being that the blade faces forward and gives you lower wind resistance. Again, when you come to talk about cx, I can't see how you'd get any gain from this approach, and again I'd be tempted to go for strength over performance.

Lastly, I very much doubt that your choice of hub would make any difference between road and cx.


Take the tube out and find out why its leaking. A picture or description of the tube damage may help diagnosis.

A variety of things could have caused this:

Something else stuck in the tire which damaged the tube
Pinching the tube between the rim and the tire
Damage at the valve
A bad tube
A spoke coming through and punching the tube
Damaged Rim Tape
Etc.

If there is an appreciable hole or damage in the tire, it won't protect the tube and you need a new tire.

Recommended reading: Sheldon Brown


Tried to replace bicycle brake housing. Broken cable?

There are two types of brake anchor (one is plum-shaped, the other is barrel-shaped or cylindrical). If you have the wrong one at the brake end, it won't fit properly and will slide around.
To solve this, some brake cable vendors sell their cables with both types of end anchors attached. You just use the end that you need and cut off (with a proper brake line cutter, not a pair of pliers) the end you don't need:

Be sure to put a ferrule on the cut end of the cable because it will unravel. DIY options include shrink wrap, a cork, an electrical crimp connector, tape (not personally recommended), string, wire, hot glue, etc.


Upgrade from 7-speed SunRace to 10 speed Deore: can I use the same wheel?

You'll need to:

Maybe respace the rear dropouts, depending on the age of the frame. Modern wheels are wider than older wheels. For reference, 7 speed road is 126 mm, 7 speed mountain is 130 mm, 10 speed road is 130 mm and 10 speed mountain is 135 mm. Note that your frame needs to be steel for respacing to work -- if it isn't steel, you risk frame failure.
Get a new wheel -- something which has a Shimano-compatible 10/11 speed freehub (11 speed will also work with 10 speed). You could just buy the hub and rebuild your existing wheel with it, but you need a hub designed for the same number of spokes, likely all new spokes of the new correct lengths, and someone whose got experience doing it. Overall, in cost and reliability, getting a new wheel is probably a better bet.


Learning to ride fixed gear: Clipless or not?

Here's my experience:

The biggest problem in starting to ride fixed is that my brain would forget I was riding fixed, I'd come across a decent stretch of road (or a corner), and would attempt to coast. All totally subconsciously.

With flat pedals, provided I was doing a decent enough speed/cadence, I'd end up having to take my feet off the pedals until such time as I'd slowed the bike enough to get my feet back on and essentially regain control of the bike. Timeframe possibly 10 seconds during which the only real control I had was to steer and brake.

In clipless pedals, however, because my feet are attached to the pedals, as soon as my brain says "coast", my feet say "whoaaaaa". My brain then kicks back in and because I am still attached to the pedals I can just recover, easy as. And the timeframe here is just a fraction of a second.

So for my money, and assuming you do have a traffic-free environment in which to hone your skills, I'd go clipless straight away.

In traffic, I prefer flat pedals, just because I might want to put my foot down, like, now. But this of course is a preference thing rather than a technique thing.

btw, even though I've had a fixie for a couple of years now I still fall into this trap. Right now I'm probably only getting the fixie out once a month (compared to riding geared bikes several times per week), so there's an element of readjustment every time I take it out.


What does usually worn first, the chain or the cog?

Tricky one.

You will go through several chains before going through a cassette.

A worn chain can be measured quite easily with a gauge.

Measuring wear on a cassette is more difficult. It is usually the middle set of sprockets which wear first - due to their more frequent use. If examined carefully - you may notice the teeth on them thinning.


Bikepacking tends to be more lightweight and generally doesn't involve panniers or racks. Just look at the rigs used by tour divide riders (http://bikepacker.com/2016-tour-divide-rigs/). If you think you need pannniers, then perhaps you are talking about touring rather than bikepacking.

Bikepacking luggage will typically require one or more of the following:

handlebar harness
seatpost pack
framebag

This sort of setup is especially useful for off road/trail riding as weight is kept to a minimum and storing your heaviest items stored at the bottom of your frame bag will keep your centre of gravity low and improve handling. Something not so important in touring


Your bike is a JC Higgins sold at Sears stores. Not exactly sure of the year but I think most Komet hubs were used in the late 50's into the 60's. Just Google JC Higgins bicycle and I'm sure you'll find a picture of one just like yours.
Good luck and don't give up on it. When she sees it looking like it did when she was a kid, it will bring back many childhood memories. That is priceless.


My interpretation: dots indicate availability. Bars under the cassette sizes indicate compatibility with medium and short cage derailleurs.

I assume in previous years SRAM made a 11-28 PG 1130 cassette.


Does the front derailleur limit chain ring size?

As Criggie says front derailleurs have a maximum chainring difference and min and max tooth counts. the more modern a derailleur and shifter is the more important this is. With an old friction shifter you can probably push this quite a lot.

The bigger issue is the 'bolt circle diameter' on the chainrings and crank. It's probably wide enough to preclude a ring much smaller than 40 teeth, if you want a smaller ring you'll need to find an alternative crank.


One problem that leads to this exact symptom is if someone installed V-brakes along with cantilever/caliper brake levers, or in the case of a multi-setting brake lever, has it set to the "short pull" mode.

You can get more detail on how to tell the difference from this question.

If it's an incompatibility between levers and brakes, it's usually going to be cheaper parts-wise to replace the levers. There's not really another fix.


If the AC/DC convert is a simple rectifying bridge plus filter and voltage stabilizer, it should work with a direct current source as well. The only question is how many batteries connected serially you will need to reach the minimum acceptable voltage. Given that specifications for your lamp say to use 6 V A/C you can go with four AA batteries or two 18650 accumulators.


Disk brake has never worked properly from new, pads replaced - still rubbish!

I suggest first checking that everything is assembled correctly. Make sure the rotor is on the wheel the right way round (it should have arrows in the centre). Download the instructions from Shimano's website and check that everything is in the right place and done up tight (but not too tight!) Or tell us what model you have and ideally post a picture.

Look down at the pads and make sure that they clear the rotor on both sides and that they're parallel to the rotor. Squeeze the lever and make sure they squeeze fairly evenly and with no obvious stiction. If the pads aren't parallelreset the capiler - these directions look fairly useful to me and there's a video (that I haven't watched). Basically, loosen the mounting bolts, squeeze the brake lever, tighten the bolts.


That may very well be Chicago.  Here is a guide to the different badges they used:

http://re-cycle.com/History/Schwinn/SwnC_Badges.aspx

As I remember, the biggest giveaway was if the badge was affixed with machine screws, it was from Chicago.  If it uses rivets, it's overseas.

Oh, and 1982 was the last Chicago Schwinn.  So if that one is 1983, you missed it by a year.


Yes, it works. I ran a Campy hub and cassette with Shimano DuraAce shifters and derailleurs with no problem. Chain was usually SRAM or Shimano. 9 speed is wonderfully versatile in this regard! Just make sure your rear derailleur hanger is straight. That tends to exaggerate tolerance discrepancies more than anything else.


Help with replacement tire and tube for little girls bike

For a four-year old, who will be riding around your backyard or at the park, any tire that holds air will be fine.  There's no MTB-specific tyres that small.

Those tires will be totally fine on pavement and will work well enough on dry grass too.

The tyre specs in your link are for an 18" tyre (that's the measurement across the whole wheel) which is 1.95" in width, which is the horizontal width of the tread approximately.

  18" is unusual - is it possible that it reads  16" ?

Most tires have a ETRTO code - I suspect your current tyres will say something like 47-305 on the sidewall (or possibly 305-47 which is the same thing just reversed.) It means 47mm wide tyre, and 305mm across.

The bigger number has to match your replacement tyre, but the width has some leeway.

Could you please check your old tyres for the ETRTO code, and once you have that,  the replacement must match.   Your Amazon link doesn't show a ETRTO code sadly, but there will be many others that do.

Your other option is to simply inflate the existing tyres and see if they hold air.  Depends if they're just faded, or rotted to useless.   If there are bits of rubber falling off, they're definitely in need of replacement.

As for inner tubes, the ones on your bike now may be okay even if the tyres are rotted.  You will need to add some air and see if they hold overnight.

If you do choose to buy tubes as well, there are similar numbers to match in terms of size, but the tolerances are larger.

You'll need to get two tubes of course, but the box will cover a larger range of possible sizes.  See the front of this one which covers 340,349 and 355 sizes with the same tube.

Lastly you need to have the same type of valve as the old tubes - its 99% likely you will need a Schrader valve, same as on a car tyre.


What is the meaning of 11-32 cassette and 12-25 cassette?

If you imagine a cassette, will have a bunch of sprockets on it. The current 105 range (which came out last year) will have 11 sprockets, the earlier 105 had 10 sprockets.

The notation you've noticed simply means that for one of these cassettes, the smallest sprocket has 11 teeth, the largest has 32 teeth. And the second cassette has smallest sprocket 12 teeth, largest sprocket 25 teeth.

So these numbers are basically the "range" of gears covered by a cassette.

You might imagine that a large range (e.g. 11-32) is good, as it would give you lots of teeth to climb steep hills, but also a small cog which you can use to power downhill. And this is correct, but there is also a flip-side. A larger range of sprockets means that there can sometimes be a jump of a few teeth between each sprocket, which can be less smooth when changing gear. Hence, if you don't actually need the large range, a smaller range would give you a smoother ride.

As regards which one you should choose, it's not really down to whether you're a beginner or not, more to do with how good a climber you are. If you feel you might struggle going uphill, a 32-tooth sprocket is probably going to be a good choice for you.

The other thing to remember is that, when you're thinking about gears, the cassette is only half of the story, the other half being the cranks. The number of chainrings, and the number of teeth on each chainring, will also affect the gear range and smoothness. But that's probably a different question...


Feasibility of coupling internal hub gear and derailleur

Given that most contemporary internal gear hubs are designed to take up the entire width of a normal rear hub (135mm), there isn't space to add a rear derailleur cassette unless you have an abnormally wide rear frame. Perhaps you could try it with a fat tire bike but most regular bikes don't have the hub spacing to do this with regular IGHs.

And would it make sense? Not normally. Most contemporary internal-gear hubs have a wide-enough range (Shimano 7 speed has 245%; Shimano 8 speed has 307%; Rohloff 526%) and enough 'steps' to satisfy most of what you'd want with a derailleur. Bicyclists tend to be conservative and want to reduce the number of moving parts (and thus breakage points) to a minimum: having both IGH and a rear derailleur increases friction and doubles your maintenance and repair profile.

That being said, Brompton 6-speed bikes combine a 3-speed internal gear with a 2-speed rear mini-derailleur. This is in part to make up with the wide spacing of the 3-speed internal-gear hub. It wouldn't have been necessary if you had a 7- or 9-speed Shimano or 14-speed Rohloff, but the Brompton has a very narrow rear frame and only a custom 3-speed IGH fits. The Brompton IGH was initially made by Sturmey-Archer, then they switched to SRAM.

And as @armb has so cogently noted, SRAM does have a "Dual Drive" line that has a three-speed IGH combined with a rear derailleur.  It's unclear if any bike manufacturers in the USA have adopted the DD-3, although @gschenk noted in chat that:

  three speed hubs with seven speed cassettes are/were fairly common here in Germany. It's an old Sachs thing. Advantage: Without a front derailleur a chain guard may be mounted. While it still offers 3x7 gears.
  That dates back at least to the eighties (maybe but seven then). It is rare now, most bikes appear to be seven speed IGH.

Finally, with all that being said, you could use a front derailleur with an IGH rear hub if you wanted extra mountain climbing gearing (there's also front internal-hub cranks). Some people put schlumpf mountain drives on their Bromptons so that they have a 3-speed IGH, a 2-speed rear derailleur, and 2-speed IG front crank.


I tried a number of front loading setups for an AWOL with a 15 inch laptop (same model).  I could only ever get the laptop to fit in front Ortlieb rollers only with minimal protection on the laptop (e.g., wrapped in a towel). Even then I couldn't roll the top sufficiently to seal for anything other than a very light misting of rain.

I ended up stabilizing on Ortlieb rear rollers and using either a Tubus Duo lowrider rack (as the lower brace is low enough to support a large pannier [unlike the tara], but requires inner and outer mid-leg attachment points [which the AWOL has]) or a Specialized Pizza rack with the same panniers (pictured below).  Most other front racks do not extend down enough to support large ortlieb panniers. You also might be able to mount the computer on the top of a Pizza rack, however I wasn't able to get Ortlieb front rollers to fit well on the pizza rack (the lower support bar is too low for the lower pannier hooks).

Another option is keeping your setup and mounting the computer on the rear of the bike. I found the AWOL quite handled well putting the 15 inch laptop in a rear pannier while keeping food and cloths up front (this setup actually handled better than front loading everything). You could keep your current front setup and look at running a single rear pannier to house the computer. (Probably your best option, but unfortunately requires buying more stuff.)

Some final notes. The Salsa low riders put the panniers a fair bit forward of the front axle which will make the steering feel heavier initially, but will interact with the wheel flop to turn the bike in harder when leaned over (in my estimation). Also avoid running all the weight on the rear of the AWOL, as this makes it handle like an unhinged squirrel mad for nuts.

Example AWOL setup with 15 inch laptop in Ortlieb Rear Roller panniers


Worn derailleur pulleys (also known as "jockey wheels") will not cause excessive wear on a chain because they aren't made of metal.

Eventually, though, the bushings inside will become worn and the outer teeth will wear down.  Park illustrates the latter progression in their article on rear derailleur overhaul.

As with many things in bicycle maintenance the only objective metric for replacing something is that it no longer works satisfactorily.  Their failure mode might best be described as gradual rather than catastrophic.  If the pulley bushing doesn't have much slop in it and the teeth are still capable of guiding the chain effectively it's almost certainly fine. If the rest of the drivetrain is in new condition and there are still issues with shifting it's probably worth giving them a look.

As far as the practical matter of replacing them goes, in my experience for the most part you need to find the manufacturer specification to track down compatible replacements.


Are you sure you have a drum brake? A "drum brake" is external to the rear hub and would normally be actuated by a hand-lever (rather than pedaling backwards).

Drum brakes (hand actuated types) themselves don't need grease. If there's contaminants on the drum or shoe, you should just get some "drum brake cleaner" from your auto supply shop. However, more than likely the 'noise' you're experience may be from the wear indicator on your drum brake, indicating you need a new brake shoe. Given that you don't know the manufacturer of your brake, this replacement may be hard to obtain but a new drum brake itself is cheap.

I wouldn't use any 'grease' on a hand-actuated drum brake unless I saw something from the manufacturer. Instead, for noise I'd first try drum brake cleaner from the auto-shop -- and if that doesn't work, maybe use some sandpaper on the drum shoes to deglaze them and take off any leading edges.

Related: When do I know the drum brake is at the end of life and needs replacement?

Coaster brakes on the other hand are actuated by pedaling backwards.  You'll note that the mechanism is internal to the hub.  Some use a variant of a drum and shoe; some use roller clutches - but even the ones that use drums aren't called "drum brakes" by most folks as that refers to the external drum-brake design above. In either case, Sheldon Brown notes:

  Single-speed coaster brakes are intended to be pretty much packed with grease. There is no part of a coaster brake that can be harmed by grease, so be generous in applying it. You should use a grease with tolerance for high temperatures, such as automotive brake grease, but even so, coaster brakes used in mountainous terrain can "cook" any common grease.

  An internal-gear hub with a coaster brake may need more than one type
  of lubricant. Follow manufacturer's recommendations.


Can a (relative) beginner adjust spacing on a 501 cromo road frame?

If you're going to be respacing, I'd suggest an alternative method from sheldon's 2x4 method. Use a threaded rod with washers and nuts. It's far more controlled and easier to keep your frame aligned, plus you can keep it in the stand as you work.

See here

If you need to adjust the dropout alignment, you can adjust thusly


From http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

  In Scotland the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives everybody the
  right to non motorised access to most land in Scotland, including
  roads, tracks, and paths. So, apart from trampling over gardens or
  disturbing working farm-yards, you can walk, ride your bike, or ride a
  horse on any path, road or field margin.

But even in the rest of the UK you are often within your rights to cycle on the pavement:

  Minister for Cycling Robert Goodwill has reiterated that the official
  line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride
  on the footway – more commonly referred to as pavements – provided
  they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise
  discretion.

This reiterates advice that Paul Boateng, Home Office Minister at the time, gave to police in 1999. At this time a new law was introduced allowing cyclists to be issued with a fixed penalty notice for cycling on pavements. However Mr Boateng gave advice on how this should be applied and recommended that it be used only when the cyclist is riding in a manner that "may endanger others":

  “The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible
  cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of
  traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing
  so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement,
  acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young
  people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use
  of police discretion is required.”


The lugs don't look familiar. It has horizontal dropouts and full length brake cable housing so that dates it to sometime prior to the mid-80s. The fork is 100% not original to the frame. It has bottle braze-ons so it's likely made sometime after the mid-70s. The one peculiar thing is that it has bottle braze-ons but not shift lever braze-ons (and this bike most definitely predates integrated brake/shift levers such as STI or Ergo) It also has brazed on cable guides for the derailleur cables. I'm guessing the dropouts are 126mm spacing?

It could well have been made for a 26.8 post. That rattle can paint job could be compromising the fit and it's also not unusual to have the seat tube become slightly ovalized due to over heating the seat lug during assembly.


Shimano Bottom Bracket LHS cup - splines all worn off. Removal tips?

Q1 - Removing the damaged left cup: I think I'd do this by first removing the crank arms and the right hand cup. Then, I'd remove the axle. Once you have it all apart you can work on removing the left hand cup. Since it has a right hand thread what I think I'd do is to get an screw extractor (aka an EasyOut). You can find sets online fairly inexpensively, Harbor Freight also carries them, and your local hardware or plumbing supply store will also have them. If you're going someplace local, take the right hand cup to make sure you get the right size. With the EasyOut you'll be able to back the cup out using the hole for the axle.

Q2 - Can you buy just the left cup: I'd be surprised if you could, but bottom brackets are relatively inexpensive. A descent conventional bottom bracket lists for US $30 and you can find them pretty easily discounted to about half of that. It seems likely that enough parts of that bottom bracket are damaged that it would be worth replacing the whole thing.

Q3 - Should you use a thread locking compound: You could, but it's probably unnecessary. The left hand thread is self-tightening as long as the bearings are doing their job. It's a bit counterintuitive at first, but think about how the bottom bracket works. From the right hand side the crank is turning clockwise. This causes the ball bearings to turn counter clockwise, so the motion of the bearings on the outside – against the bottom bracket cup – is working on tightening the left hand thread.


Performance difference between Shimano SPD and SPD SL

There likely isn't much difference in performance. Some people do find that SPD cleats lead to "hot spots" (painful spots) on the balls of the feet; that's why I went to SPD-SLs.

You might find a difference in platform height; IIRC the height of the SPD cleats + pedals is shorter than the SPD-SL. You'd want to adjust your seat height to deal with that.


smallest cog of cassette rubbing on seatstay

Add a spacer and re-dish. Or move some spacers from the non drive side over the the drive side (if they exist) if you don't want to open up the frame (that will require opening up the hub likely). 1mm is not a big deal. You will also have to fiddle with the limits on your derailleur and adjust shifting accordingly.

Or get a different cogset with something smaller like 11. There are lots of options for cogsets... unless you are being really perticular about the groupo. I don't know Campy stuff that well but on Shimano the smallest cog is always seperate. You could simply swap that... the jumb might reduce shifting performance but you'll get more function than you currently have.

Last option (maybe should be first) is simply to move the wheel up or down if it has dropouts that accomodate that. You'd have to adjust brake pads if you did that but that would be the simplest.


Is anyone really convinced of ANT + technology/benefits?

Definitely go for ANT+. If a sensor packs up, it's much easier to replace it if it uses ANT+ rather than a proprietary protocol. If you want to upgrade anytime soon (to get GPS etc) you only have to replace the head unit. If decide you want to track your rides on Strava/ridewithGPS etc you can connect to many new phones (mainly Samsung and Sony). Well worth it.

You can get something like the Cateye Stealth 50 for not much more than any other wireless computer.


Typically when hot paraffin waxing I dip the chain for 15 min, then remove and hang. I typically hang the chain very very gentle as I don’t want to dislodge the liquefied wax from the rollers/bushing interface. I don’t wait for the pot of wax to cool. When hanging the excess wax immediately drips off, and rarely do I have  more than a thin coating between the link plates. Only the last link has excessive wax which is quick to clean out manually, once the chain has cooled back to room temperature.

While excess wax does drains off, enough remains in the bushings and rollers as I typically get hundreds of KM before the chain makes the painful “no lube” sound. Chain longevity has also been good using this approach, about twice the mileage I get from running the same brand/model of chain with chain lubes.

About the only issue I find is breaking the frozen links after the chain has cooled as the solidified wax sticks the inner/outer link plates together. To get the links pivoting again I manually run the chain over a small diameter metal shaft. This forces the links to bend and quickly gets the links free so that the chain runs properly when I put it on the bike.

I would suggest the way you let the chain cool off, after being waxed, is contributing to the links becoming filled with wax.


Restoring BSA bike - replacing rear wheel and freewheel

Getting the freewheel off:

You need a special tool that fits in the notches in the threaded part of the freewheel, which you may or may not be able to find. In any case, the freewheel is likely worn and it will definitely need servicing so you are not going to want to re-use it. Just get a new one.

A note on wheels:

Older bikes often had rim diameters that are not the same as commonly available modern wheels, you'll need to be careful about rim sizes. A slightly different size may fit the frame but you have to make sure the brakes can be adjusted to reach the rims.

Beware that the 'size' commonly given for a wheel is not the actual rim diameter. See this Sheldon Brown page for details: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rim-sizing.html

You'll also want to be similarly careful about the frame dropout spacing and axle length. See this SB page: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html.

On retro-fitting a derailleur system:

Almost certainly not possible as your frame has too-narrow dropout spacing to take a wheel with a multi sprocket freewheel. Also, it will be expensive and a huge pain to do. better to just buy a cheap used geared bike.

On retro fitting an internally geared hub:

Technical possibility. I believe Shimano and Sturmey Archer make internally geared hubs for a range of frame dropout widths. You'll obviously have to consider whether the cost is worth it for you.


Can I install an 8 speed sturmey archer hub on a dahon folding bike

I'm not sure whether there are any challenges specific to a dahon bike, but here's a summary of the challenges you'll face converting any derailleur style bike to an internal gear hub:

Hub width - You'll need to find an internal gear hub with the same width as the spacing between the dropouts.
Chain tensioning - Derailleurs provide chain tensioning and with vertical dropouts you won't be able to adjust the tension with your IGH. You will probably need to install a chain tensioner.
Replacing cable and shifter - You'll most likely need to replace the cable and the shifter.

Other than this there shouldn't be any reason you can't do this. Note that an internal gear hub will be heavier than your existing derailleur setup.

Given Dahon make other bikes with internal gear hubs it might be worth considering purchasing one with all the gear already sorted.


XTR Shadow Plus derailleur soft setting?

The switch disengages the clutch mechanism and releases the spring tension to allow for easy wheel changes. Technically this is the sole purpose of the lever and Shimano designed it simply as engage/ disengage switch and that the clutch cover had to be removed to adjust tension.

In reality riders have discovered the lever works for simple tension tuning. You can set the switch any where between soft and hard, it isn't an on and off, so you can make small adjustments to the tightness for smooth changes using the lever. If you want to increase the tension past the tightest point on the lever you need to adjust the clutch inside the clutch housing.


Wheel building - ever encountered nipples that are screwdriver-only?

I'm not sure about building a wheel using just the screw slot – I think you could probably do it, but I suspect that it would be a painful process. If you tried it, you'd want to be sure that the spoke lengths were exactly right. Much of the strength of the spoke comes from engaging with the threads in the wider section of the nipple that is on the inside of the rim.

Hi-E used to make nipples that were driven from the inside with a hex head. I built a number of wheels with them, they were easy to work with – the only downside is that you have to remove the tire to true the wheel. But for you, that would be a feature, you don't want somebody messing up your beautiful wheel with a spoke wrench. I think that would be the way to go. Hi-E is gone, but you can still get them from Sapim. They make alloy nipples in a number of colors including black and orange.

You could also consider using "inverted" nipples which are installed on the inside of the rim (only the spoke shows) if you can't get the right orange.


Is there a way I can record the rides I do on a Tacx Flow T1682 turbo?

Garmin's website (here) leads me to believe it should work through bluetooth or ANT+.

Garmin are referring to fully smart trainers, unfortunately the trainer you have is only semi smart.
Although your trainer will be able to send speed and power to apps like Zwift it is limited so power will not be that accurate, IIRC Zwift have non smart (or wheel on trainers) set at a limit of 3 to give a rough power guide.
Garmin 520 units will also only connect directly with a fully smart trainer.
Unfortunately you wont be able to directly link your trainer with your Garmin 520 but you do have some options.
Use a 3rd party app like Zwift, Rouvy, RGT, BKOOL (others do exist but these are the most popular) - You may find BKOOL the better option if you have saved routes you wanted to ride, you can upload them and ride them through the BKOOL app.
Any of the above apps have the ability to send recorded activities straight to Strava after you have finished the ride, if you have your Garmin Connect account linked to Strava you should see the finished ride available in both Strava and Garmin.
All the above is based on the fact you have access to a PC or Laptop, BKOOL and Zwift can be used with a smartphone or tablet.


Timothy, I am not a frame specialist but I am an aerospace engineer with some knowledge of Carbon Fibre (CF). My advice would be to wait for the Canyon response, they may tell you that you have caused the damage through negligence but they should also be able to tell you the significance of the damage. Canyon are a premium supplier so I would expect them to make high quality light weight frames using the minimum amount of material through good design. During development, designers look to provide strength only where it is needed. Poorer quality producers will compensate for poor design by using extra CF and hence more weight. The drop out area is a high load area but some of the material may be to create an aerofoil form - you may be lucky. The damage should be repaired in any case, it will only get worse if left.  My concern in your case is that Canyon know that interference may occur (see Dan K link) but they have not changed the design, indicating it may be a very necessary part of the load path. Have a look here to see how a frame is made. It shows how the strength is only in tension and how the lay up process gives you strength in all directions.


Can pedal-based power meters be used as flat pedals?

All road clipless pedal designed for shoes with cleats cannot be ridden with normal walking shoes - they don't have a flat platform for a shoe's sole to rest on.

Power meter pedals are probably all clipless. You might find some MTB pedals that have both a SPD cleat systems and flat platforms.

The easiest route is to get a left crank arm meter which woudl allow you to use whatever pedals you like.


Depending on the urban-ness of your area, there may be local "bike swap" events once or twice a year. If you really have a lot to get rid of, this could be one way to get it in front of the right people.


I need an StVZO compliant bike light. Any recommendations?

If you live in UK, you should have no problem ordering from Germany. The mail order houses there sell mostly lights that are street legal in their home country, and label non-compliant lights as off road only.

EDIT: The above goes for bike-mounted lights. Helmet-mounted lights do not seem to be under the same regulation.

If you absolutely must buy from UK, you can look up models on German sites and see if they are available in UK. Although, UK and continental Europe seem to be strangely separate markets even if they are in the same customs union.


Possibly your position on the bike is putting too much weight on your hands, or making you lean a little too far forward than you want. Moving the handlebar up and back may help. You may want to check that your saddle is placed correctly. If it's too far forward it reduces your ability to support you body with your legs as much which places more weight on your arms and hands.

You can also try moving your hands into different positions while riding to avoid aches from staying in one position for a long time.

You can try neck and upper body stretching exercises, they might help and it's unlikely they'll do you any harm.


Easiest fix for this transmission problem?

If you mean that that the cassette can turn both forward and backwards without engaging the rear wheel hub; the freewheel or freehub is broken.

Whether the freehub/wheel can be repaired, or whether the hub or possibly the whole wheel would need to be replaced depends on a number of things. Suggest you the bike to bike repair shop.


How to avoid running over animals whilst cycling on a canal at night?

My commute brings me through a park with a lot of rabbits (or similar animals, not a zoologist here) and it has been rather close a few times ...

I use a head lamp when driving there at night for two reasons:

It allows me to see through turns much better
The eyes of animals reflect directly back at you, which helps to see them a little earlier

All that does not help when they jump out of the shrubs directly in front of you. It doesn't happen a lot, but I have seen dead rabbits on the path a few times. (No dead cyclists yet)


It's not the gears that are rattling.
It's your chain!
I suspect your chain is lubricated, not by a proper thixotropic motorcycle chain lubricant, but rather by a snake oil obtained from a rattlesnake.
It isn't hard to deduce that the rattlesnake oil is causing your chain to rattle.


By "gears" I assume you're talking about the rear sprockets, or perhaps the smallest front sprocket, since they're about the only "gears" that are made of steel.  And they shouldn't get rusty if properly oiled.

A little rust won't hurt the sprockets.  Just oil the chain with good chain oil and it will transfer to the sprockets fairly readily -- the rust will wear off with a little use.  More worrisome is the chain itself, since a little rust can hurt a chain, causing "frozen links" and accelerating wear.  Again, oil it with proper bike chain oil.


Shimano Alivio M4000 vs Altus M370 shifters

When you upgrade shifters (provided you have the right compatibility), you're paying for (or trading off between):

Lower weight
More strength/durability
Reliability

In the sense that Alivio > Altus, you should be getting some of these.

However, if your shifters and what not are in good condition (i.e. good cable runs, shifters in good condition, derailleur in good condition), I don't think you'll notice (much).


Rear Derailleur - getting stuck in largest rear cog

On my bike I need to be on one of the smaller front cogs for lower gears to work correctly. If I'm on the large sprocket lower gears are unreliable due to the bend in the chain. My owners manuel said not to use extreme combos eg large front to large rear


Handlebar stolen along with gear shifter and brake triggers. What to do how much am i looking to spend?

I don’t know about Australia but here in Austria a cheap 9/3 speed Shimano Alivio combined brake lever + shifter can be had for 18.95€. Add another 20€ or so for the handlebar and you end up around 60€ for the repair.

This assumes your bike uses mechanical brakes and 9-speed MTB gears. 10 speed will be more expensive. Hydraulic equipment and refilling hydraulic brakes will be more expensive as well.


There's no fundamental reason why not but it would be an unusual combination. Through-axle fork with QR rear is much more common.

Bear in mind though that there are good reasons why through-axle designs have replaced QRs over the last 5-10 years. It helps make the fork stiffer and it prevents any chance of the front wheel being ejected from the dropouts under disk braking forces. You might also find it harder to find a suitable quality front wheel these days if you're restricted to QR compatible hubs.


I need to replace a cassette for CS-HG500-10 but want to go XT

A Shimano 10-speed MTB cassette is a 10-speed Shimano MTB cassette. There is no functional difference.
The differences will be only in the weight or the durability (the rate of wear) due to different materials.
And some possibly very minor differences in the construction like whether the sprockets are rivetted together or not. Mostly irrelevant to most users.
You can use whichever version you like.

There are many Q/As about changing a cassette here. You need a cassette tool with a wrench and a chain whip. It is pretty simple.
A torque wrench would be a bonus, the required torque range (say 30-50 N.m) is pretty large so can be guessed by feel. It must be pretty tight.


The eyelets on this bike are not made for pannier racks. Their intended use is to mount fenders, so they are probably not built to withstand the loads of a full rack. So unfortunately I suspect that the answer to your question is: "there is none".
But you can go with bikepacking-style seatpost bags if they fit your use-case (which is what I do).

Source: I own almost the same bike (different model year and higher-level components, but same frame).


V-brake arm not returning to "open" position

There are a few possibilities but its fairly easy to isolate the likely problem.

Unclip the noodle (where the cable comes out) and check if the problem is in the V brakes or the cable.

If its the V brakes, it could be a broken spring, or the brakes need oiling.

If the brakes are free to move and spring back firmly, its likely a problem with the cable or the brake lever. Without pulling the cable out of the housings, slide the cable back and forward - it should be free to move. If not, check the brake lever is free, or it could be a corroded or kinked cable. If its the cable, a replace is only a few dollars and is the best option (I almost always put in new outers as well). You can try adding some lube to the cable  and working it, its usually successful but never as good as new cables. If the cable is kinked, you may have luck straightening it, but again, a new cable is always a better option.


Are 29" and 26" bikes come with different size frames?

When 29ers first became popular many buyers found that many manufacturers did not adjust their size charts to allow for the increased standover height. Whether this is the case for the models you are looking at is impossible to tell without more information. With identical main frame geometry, a 29er will be taller than its' 26" counterpart. You really have to test ride or test fit each to determine which size is correct for you. If you are comparing sizes between different brands there may also be a size differences. Brand "A" may require a size 20", Brand "B" may require a different size.


For flat pedals, here's my suggested preference order of shoe type:

A skateboarding shoe. They have flat grippy soles with more stiffness than most shoes.
A traditional bicycling shoe (intended for use with clips and straps).
A shoe made for any indoor sport. Indoor soccer shoes (like John Zwinck linked to in a comment), basketball shoes, etc. These will have a flat grippy sole intended for hardwood, that any flat pedal will grip quite nicely. Probably avoid anything "high top".
A shoe made for athletic activities on pavement. Walking shoes, running shoes, etc. These won't be as flat or as grippy as the indoor sport shoes, but will still be quite good.
Any athletic shoe. A shoe made for trail running will tend to have a fairly lumpy sole, but that may still work just fine on your flat pedals.
Any shoe. Face it, flat pedals work with any shoe you can walk in. Preferably something with a secured heel and toe coverage. I don't recommend it, but I've even done it in flip-flops with no problems.

Categories 2 through 5 all have available models that have that sort of futuristic aerodynamic look favored by clipless cycling shoes.

If you're doing long distance riding with flexible shoes and small pedals, you may find you get a bit of a "hot spot" where your foot pushes on the pedal. Stiffer soles and a larger flatter pedal platform can both help with this.

A high-end "BMX" or "mountain biking" flat pedal is much kinder to your foot than the traditional cage pedals that often come free with the bike. To me, the ideal is a thin pedal, just as wide as your shoe at the ball of your foot, with replaceable pins. Those cage pedals have small platforms with a sort of serrated knife edge rim.


Is there a type of bottle cage that doesn't scratch bottles?

I think that's a generic chinese bottle holder cage with the word "Bontrager" printed on it.   The price alone implies its not "authentic".

Any cage that employs friction as a retaining mechanism will scratch up bottles/bidons after a while.

limit the scratching, using a layer around the bottle (a clean sock soaked in water used to be a pro thing to keep the bottle cooler)
buy a bottle like this - it clips onto two bosses.  keyword: "cageless"

buy a bottle like this - it uses magnets in the mount to attract the steel ring on the bottle.   Keyword "koala bottle"

Hydration backpack.  Had to put it in as an option, and the roadies are all thinking "hellno!"
Buy an adapter like this - removes the need to slide bottle in/out while riding.  Downsides, looks a bit weird, and you still have to take the bottle out to fill and wash.  Keyword "h2bike"

buy a bottle "system" like this:   Just don't loose the bottle cos nothing else will fit the clips.  keyword "elite cronos"

Apply rule #5.  My bottles last about 3 years on average before cracking or the thread goes wonky, or they vanish down a hillside after a crash.  I get a couple bottles a year from events that I go in, so there's always some around.  Last resort is to use 500-750 mL drink bottles, like flavoured milk or various carbonated beverages.  They may not have a sippy lid but work well enough as the second bottle.


Tyres wear a heap faster when they're not square to the road surface.  For example, tadpole recumbents wear out front wheels very fast.

Also, those riding bikes while towing trailers are going relatively slow.  I've managed to roll a kiddies trailer that was loaded with two landrover road wheels weighing 68 kilos, but that took a speed of around 22 km/h on a fairly tight roundabout.

Certainly it could work - you'd want wheelchair stub axles and mount the receiver tubes at a slight angle.

Downsides, your wheels would suffer from sideways stress toward the middle when travelling straight and standing still.

Also, the wheel bearings are going to be under more stress all the time too.

Racecars and race wheelchairs are about performance, not longevity, so a different set of requirements.


Is this level of rusting removable by sandblasting?

Any amount of rust is removable by sandblasting or chemical means. That's not the problem here though, the real concern is how much frame material have you got left after the rust is removed. The top tube walls may be too thin for the frame to have structural integrity. Remember the steel may be rusted on the inside too, and there may be rust 'pits' that go all the way through.

If enough frame material remains, it looks like you'll have to fill and sand the top tube smooth  otherwise it will look horrible when painted

I think at this stage you have to ask yourself if all this work is worth the time and money. If the frame is a rare, classic or means a lot to you it may be worth restoring,  but would it cost less to just by another used bike?


Replacing FSA Mega Exo with Shimano RS500 crankset

Road cranks have spindles long enough for 68mm BB shells plus external Hollowtech bearings. The Jamis has a 68mm bottom bracket shell, so the RS500 crank will fit the frame.

Make sure you get a 'road' BB for 68mm shells not an 'MTB' BB for 73mm shells, or 68mm shells with spacers. Those are too wide for the crank spindle.

Presumably the RS500 crank has the same chainring sizes and crank arm length as the FSA, so there are no problems there.


Minimal Low-Rider Touring Front Rack Recommendations

I've got the Blackburn CL1 you picture or one almost identical.  I bought it for my hybrid and only ever used one side (D lock the other side) and I only got it to fit by cutting off the bar to the inner screw hole.  Now I've put it on a tourer that does have the right screw insert, but none of my panniers fit with that inner bar, so I've cut it off on that one too.  This of course weakens it in the lateral direction, but that's something I accept given that I intend to load it lightly and only use it occasionally.

Getting the P clips on the diagonal bar to align and grip properly has also been a challenge (not helped by disc brakes and full mudguards).  The bar for the lower pannier clip (anti-sway) isn't very versatile, but I want to put my Altura Morph backpack pannier on there, which is really meant to go on the back.

Overall I only recommend this design if you're prepared to accept a lot of fiddling and modification, but it is light.  If/when I get something new I may well go for one like your top picture for serious heavy duty, or that Tubus at the bottom.


Yes, stronger wheels will be more resistant to damage and going out of true.

Wheel strength is a combination and balance of of rim strength, number and gauge of spokes, spoke tension and the quality of the build (spoke tension evenness etc.)

If you are denting your rims on bumps, or they are going out of true there are some things you should do before considering new wheels:

Avoid hitting bumps, and use good technique of you have to ride over them. See recent question about this Is it a good idea to lift the front wheel to go through small bumps?.
Tire pressure should be enough so that the rim edges are not hitting the road surface.
Consider running larger tires, if you bike can accommodate them.


Before you replace the components, I would try fixing them up.

First, identify where the problem is:
1) disconnect the brake cable from the brakes. Do they spring back now? If so, the resistance is in the cable and housing. Figure out which part of the housing is causing the resistance and lube it. If the cable is rusted or frayed at all, replace it. That's much cheaper than replacing the brakes, which look fine in the photos

2) If it's not the cable, remove the wheel and see if the brakes spring back in the absence of the wheel. In the photo, it looks like the pads might be set high enough that they are catching on the edge of the tire. If they spring fine without the wheel in place, try setting the pad just a tiny bit lower so as to not catch on the tire.(You can probably tell whether it's catching on the tire without actually removing the wheel, but you can tell for certain by taking the wheel off.)

3) Pretty much the same logic applies to the derailleur. It looks fine, so try cleaning/replacing the cable and housing first, then adjust it properly, and I expect it will work fine.

On the other hand, replacing the chain and sprockets might be a good idea if they are worn. But first I'd lube the chain and check it for "stretch" and also whether it slips at all on the cogs, which would be an indication of wear. If not, you might be able to ride it for awhile before you invest in the new chain and cogs.


Can a 11-speed derailleur be used with a 9-speed shifter?

With Shimano, no. The cable pulls are different. You might be able to futz with a JTek Shiftmate to get something working, but the cost would be way higher than just buying a 7-9 speed rear derailleur.


What brand is this (maybe Eastern) frame? Is it good for a first bike?

Based on the frame it looks to be a flatland styled BMX. The actual model or brand is hard to say, can you provide any additional pictures of what the decals say or the head badge?
Assuming that you are an average sized adult that is not planning to take up flatland or BMX riding it would not be ideal. You would be best suited finding something that will be more comfortable over an extended amount of time and fit your body a little better. It will save your knees and back.
If you are going to be trying your hand at BMX then sure give it a whirl. It appears to have a gyro (meaning you can spin the bars all the way around without tangling cables) And a sturdy BMX 3 piece crank. The only kicker is that if it is an department store bike aka a BSO, then it was probably intended for a young person and not designed to take the weight of an adult beating on it, so you may want to invest in one that is made for an adult.
A bike is a bike, if you end up loving it and breaking the bike, that tells you that it would be worth getting a little more serious with your next purchase.
EDIT: here is the bicycle blue book on that bike, looks to be a 2010 Eastern Shock. Bicycle Blue Book
Notice the excellent price is about 100 bucks, if it's not pristine i would shoot for less.


How much flexibility is normal for steel frames?

It's hard to tell how much flexing is happening when you're on the bike due to your movement when pedaling, particularly if you're not smooth.

The answer is "some" (all frames will flex a bit when you ride), but putting a number or picture to it would depend to some extent on how much weight and force you have on the bike and the frame type and stuff too. For example, a 300 pound rider can probably get the same frame to flex a lot more easily than a 100 pound rider (assuming they fit, etc.)

I'd also check is if the frame has any damage (e.g. cracks, dents, etc.) that is causing it to flex more than normal.


Theoretical question about double drivetrain (both-sides drive)

After thinking about this for awhile, I think this would work, albeit somewhat clumsily. It would operate similar to a retro-direct, except with no reversing for the second freewheel. You would have to use good quality freewheels to avoid having both of them engaging together and binding.

To answer a commenter Blam:

  Just how would you expect it to magically shift grears? The are both attached to the same axle.

The two freewheels being engaged in opposite directions would result in only a single freewheel being engaged at a time. He wouldn't be able to 'change' gears, going forward, but would see a different torque profile when slowing down compared to when going forward.


That is a tire liner.

I think http://sheldonbrown.com/flats.html is good reading on the topic of liners / flats in general - in particular, he generally doesn't recommend them (and I don't either). He also claims that if they're improperly installed, they can increase the frequency of flats. If you are prone to flats and you've eliminated improper installation, maintenance and riding (pinching the tube, improper inflation, bad rim tape, going down curbs the wrong way, etc.) - by this, I mean the environment forces the flats (such as certain types of thorns, etc.), you may want to invest in a tire with additional puncture protection (like the Bontrager hard-case tires) which eliminates the improper installation issue or thornproof tubes (these are thicker tubes, so thorns only go in partway, and you can pluck them out of the tires), but these all add unnecessary weight (and a bit of expense, and often some more noise) for most people (i.e. people who live outside areas such road hazards exist in reasonable frequency). Otherwise, just get a normal tire and tube and maintain it properly (install rim tape properly, inflate properly). And you should always have a patch kit on hand anyway (and/or a way to get home).

There are also products like Slime - a sealant that goes in your tube and is supposed to patch up punctures. Some mountain bikers swear by it, I think it just causes a mess.


I'm about 95% sure that is a proprietary part for this frame, not a Mafac part. Mafac adapter plates exist for standard orientation holes.

It appears that at some point someone added a wood screw in place of a proper bolt. I imagine the original intention was for this to be installed with a concave washer hugging either side of the bridge.

For what it's worth, RAIDs are a vastly better brake than R559s. If you're in a situation where a framebuilder level solution is needed to address the weirdness of the original mounting, rounding of the hole, etc, there's little point in adapting it to a modern caliper and buying a whole other brake when you could just get centerpull direct pivots added. You've already got the Herse/Compass tires, why go halfway?


Does Shimano cassette tool work on Campy cassette?

For the record, I just got the cassette, and the Shimano tool definitely does not fit.


Installation of round bike cadence sensor - in the end of crank screw?

Looking at the video (the English version I linked in the comments), there are several options for installation.  The sensor can act as a replacement for the dust cap found on many cranksets (methods 1 and 2). The dust cap sometime screws in.
This doesn't work if the dust cap and crank bolt are combined (as on Octalink, and similar to what you describe).  I don't think the sensor is designed to replace the crank bolt in that case, but even if it is, I'd be very cautious.  Instead the 3rd option (cable-tied to the inside of the crank arm) is probably the best bet


Rear shifting - Unable to shift to toughest gear

The first thing to do with any rear derailleur problem is to check if its bent. If it is bent, go to your LBS and see if it can be unbent (there is a special tool for checking unbent-ness, Park Tool DAG-2 or similar) -- bent derailleurs cannot be adjusted properly in most cases (and even a minor spill can cause a bent derailleur). If its not bent, then try adjusting it.

If you can't reach the smallest cog with the cable released (assuming a typical non-rapid rise derailleur, i.e. one which goes to the smallest with no cable tension), it likely means your high limit screw is mis-adjusted (too tight). [Typically, the problem upshifting into the smallest cog is usually a bent derailleur/cable friction, but you should have eliminated those two options before you got to this].

Some good tutorials for adjusting derailleurs are Sheldon Brown and Park tool.


How comfortable would my 57cm circumference head fit in a 59cm - 62cm helmet?

I'd strongly advise against buying used helmets because you just don't know how well they've been looked after. If it's been dropped, it might be structurally compromised without your being able to see any damage. And, if you think about it, why would anybody sell a cycling helmet? I guess maybe if they've upgraded to something lighter and/or more aero but, in most cases, people will wear a helmet until they think it's worn enough that it needs to be replaced. If it's worn enough that the original owner doesn't want to wear it, you don't want to wear it either.

In any case, this one is too big for you. A circle with circumference 62cm has radius 9.9 cm and a circle with circumference 57cm has radius 9.1 cm. So, with the helmet centred on your head, you'd be able to move it roughly a centimetre in any direction.


How do I get a cleat that's stuck in a pedal, detached from the shoe, out?

Your goal is to apply torque to the cleat as you would with your foot in a shoe.  So essentially you need something like a gigantic flat screwdriver.   I have a mini crowbar that would do the job, for example, but if you have any metal tyre levers they might be big enough.

Slacken off any tension adjusting screw first


Are you sure the cable is clamped correctly? Having that wrong can change the amount the derailleur moves for a given amount of pull (in fact it's sometimes done deliberately to use mismatched components - http://sheldonbrown.com/drivetrain-mixing.shtml#alternate).
Otherwise, make sure the cable moves smoothly through the housing and that the hanger isn't bent, then work through:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur and/or
http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html


Crank fell off square taper BB. Should I replace bottom bracket

Without seeing any pictures, I think you'll likely want to replace both, but you can figure it out easily enough.

Usually, the bottom bracket will be fine after a crank improperly coming loose. The bottom bracket spindle is typically made out of a hard steel and only the most miserable metal cranks are made from anything other than aluminum, so when the crank gets loose, the aluminum gets wrecked and the steel axle stays ok.

However it sounds like you've caused this to happen several times, so you may have managed to round the axle as well.

If you have had many years of use of this bike so far, I think it would be worth it to just cough up 15-25 bucks for a new square taper BB in addition to a new crank and not have to think about it anymore. Your existing BB might be getting worn out already and so you can kill two birds with one stone. You can read the Park Tool guide to cartridge BB servicing. If the bearings are getting worn with age, then it makes this whole ordeal a no-brainer.

Otherwise, if you put your new cranks on your existing bottom bracket, and you pay very close attention to whether it's getting loose or not, you'd probably be fine in determining if the existing bottom is fine, and if it does get a little bit loose, replace the BB immediately and your new cranks should be fine. Do be careful because if they get so loose they come off, you could possibly damage your new cranks.

Ultimately it boils down to whether to pay 15-25 bucks up front, or gamble the price of your replacement cranks that they won't come loose. Only you can decide that.


Can Presta valves suddenly lose pressure?

Possibly the valve was contaminated with a particle or dirt and was not sealing properly leading to quick but not instantaneous loss of pressure. When re-inflated the contamination was dislodged and the tube holds pressure once again.


Quick release prevents wheel spinning freely

As you correctly observed, quick release tension affects hub preload.
To fix this, adjust the bearings of the hubs so that they are correctly adjusted with the desired quick release skewer tension. You need cone wrenches for this adjustment.
From the bible:

Although small, axle compression on QR hubs is large enough to alter bearing clearance and should be considered when adjusting bearings. Bearings should be adjusted just loose enough so that closing the QR leaves the bearing with a slight preload. Excessive preload from QR closure is the cause of most wheel-bearing failures not caused by water intrusion. Clearance, in contrast, can be felt as disconcerting rattle when encountering road roughness.

If the wheels are new and are supposed to be working fine, you could consider sending them back and demanding a correctly adjusted hub.


Changing 700c x 28mm wheel/tire to 650c?

If this is your bike then no.  It has rim brakes, and they won't line up properly if you try to install smaller wheels.
You say that you are short; the only thing that smaller wheels will change is the standover height (height of the top tube).  All the rest of the bike's geometry will be the same, including distance to the cranks and distance to the handlebars.  It might actually cause problems because smaller wheels will put your bottom bracket closer to the road, increasing the chance of a pedal strike.  (Unless you also change your cranks.)
Perhaps you simply need to buy a smaller bike?


Newer Shimano R7000 pedals having smaller contact area than older R5800?

The metal plates are only part of the contact area. In my opinion the 5700 pedals are SO good, you can’t go wrong with either model.   If cost is a factor you will get years of excellent performance and durability from both.

There is a smaller rectangular raised section between the metal contact plates that also contacts the cleats.


XTR Di2 front derailleur mount for Cannondale Scalpel 29r

Done a bit of looking about and it looks like your frame takes an E-Type direct mount. Since the new XTR Di2 front mech uses a modular mounting system you'd simply buy the E-Type mount, bolt it to the frame and attach the FD to this.

I've gone off the photo above to determine FD mount type. Looks like the E-Type to me, so the mount here should be all you need. The picture on Chain Reaction Cycles doesn't show the correct mount. It should look like the image below!


Lowering the gearing on a Shimano biopace double

I don't know of a crankset that has one 130 mm bcd chainring and one 74 mm bcd chainring.  However most Shimano triples have two 130 and one 74 chainring.  So you can use this and only populate the inner and middle chainring positions.  A used one shouldn't cost much.

There's a couple of quirks about using only the inner and middle chainring position.  You may need a longer bottom bracket to get the chain-line correct.  Also, you'll need either single speed chainring bolts for the 42t ring or some spacers (the standard chainring bolts assume you have two chainrings).  Your local bike shop should be able to supply you with all of these.

This will work, I've done this on several bikes.

As an alternative you could ditch the Biopace rings and get a 110 mm bcd triple.  (Sugino makes a nice one for about $80 US with 26-36-46 rings).  The 110 bcd will give you a wider range of chainrings you can install.


How do you estimate the speed of Tour de France riders on tv?

This is not that hard for someone with a lot of riding experience. Often times you can tell the gear a rider is in from the TV. Then you can see the rider's cadence, and the road grade is often given. So it's fairly easy to guess the speed to +-2 mph. Plus, on a mostly flat road, the peleton will be riding at somewhere between 24-27mph, unless they are trying to chase down the lead group. If the lead group is gaining on the peleton, you know they are riding somewhere north of 24-27. And the opposite would be true. At the end of the sprint, the lead riders will be somewhere between 30-35. Given all this, it's not hard to fairly accurately guess the pace of any individual rider, at any given time.


Can I replace the eccentric bottom bracket in my Salsa El Mariachi with standard BB?

I've never seen something like that, an eccentric to concentric conversion BB. Even if it existed it would have all the issues of an eccentric, so the only benefit would be if you really wanted that otherwise unattainable chainstay length. If you really, really wanted this, just having one made would be pretty easy. If you're having creak troubles you could try a Niner eccentric, which has been known to solve the problem.


How to improve one's bike handling skills?

In rapidly descending order of importance ...
(see Why I chose these priorities below)

Practice track stands. See How to do a track stand?
This teaches balance and slow bike handling skills. Also practice riding in confined spaces (the last time I fell off was trying to do a U turn on a path that was 4 ft (1.2m) wide :-)
Learn to jump both wheels off the ground at the same time. This is usually called a Bunny Hop. Apply to jumping objects.
You probably already do simple bunny hops to get up kerbs. See our bunny hop database https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/search?q=bunny+hop
Learn to pick objects up from the ground with your hands (on both sides).
Have you or a friend ever dropped something on the road and had to circle back, stop, and pick it up? With this skill you learn to control the bike while hanging off the side, with your knuckles dragging ...
Start by placing a drink bottle on some level ground, and ride slowly past it and pick it up with one hand. When you can do it with one hand, use the other. Then go for smaller objects. Last week I picked a pump a guy ahead of me in the bunch had dropped. Be very careful with long objects; if they get in your spokes you'll never even know what happened :-)
Learn to mono. Ok, so I still haven't grown up.
Learn stoppies (mono on front wheel). Just how much can your front brakes cope with?

The first two have obvious utility, the third is useful (but 99.9% of cyclists live without it) and the last two are more for fun. But they will all teach you balance and control.

But probably number zero should be learn to ride with no hands. Of course, this is illegal to do on the road, and of course every kid does it. Once you can do it well, you can put on and take off jerseys, rain tops, etc. Being winter here now, this one gets used every week.

After a bit more thought, I would add a couple of easy skills that teach a lot

Learn to initiate a turn using only your body weight. Most people turn by countersteering a tiny amount to initiate the turn. This skill teaches you how the geometry of your bike works, and links in with balance skills.
Practice riding along the painted road lines and see how far you do it. The further you can go the more balanced and fine tuned you are.

And seeing the answer by dlu reminded me to add

On fast sections, where the surface is unknown (or known to be bumpy), get your bottom off the seat so that the bike can pivot under you.

Why I chose these priorities

Items 1 to 5 are ordered as a combination of potential frequency of use and difficulty / danger involved in learning. Certainly @mattnz is correct that stoppies are valuable in emergencies (being able to do one saved me from a HUGE T-bone once).


Problem with chain `skipping` (but not trying to shift)

It turns out that it was a stiff link, stripping the chain off the bike, dousing it in brake cleaner, then oil and leaving it to bathe a few minutes, then repeating the process left the chain rust and dirt free, looking like new.

When I took off the chain, I broke it at the stuck link (which was clearly evident going through the derailleur when pedalling the bike backwards) -- cleaned everythingh whilst I had the opportunity and reassembled.

Whilst the chain was off, I did measure it, and things were within tolerance, although (I assume naturally) a little stretched.

Thanks for the help, I now have again a reliable bike!


Any issues with wearing leg warmers over tights?

I've worn my knee warmers under my tights, it worked well to keep me warm and they stayed in place well.  However, the tights were the kind that went over top of my standard bib shorts, not the kind of tights with integrated chamois.

If you want to try and wear them over your tights, you might need to get a larger size kneee warmer, depending on the thickness of our tights. You might also have trouble with them staying put, since they tend to be held up partially by the bottom of your cycling shorts.

Personally, If it's colder than my comfort zone with just tights, I'll usually wear a pair of stretchy synthetic knickers on warmer days (like chrome telegraph knickers) or some breathable shell pants (north face resolve) on colder days over top of my tights to help kill the wind and retain more heat.


What replaces Shimano Deore LX rear derailleur RD-M570?

Ignoring number of speed for a moment, derailleur rear specs are:

Total capacity
Max front ring difference
Max/min largest sprocket size
Min/max smallest sprocket size

All measured in numbers of teeth.

Total capacity is (diff in cassette smallest-largest sprocket teeth) + (diff in chainring smallest-largest sprocket teeth), it's basically a measure of how much chain slack a derailleur can take up. A longer cage means bigger total capacity, but also less chain tension and control.

Shimano very kindly publishes all their specifications here. Note there is a link to archive PDF docs on that page which go back to 2004 so you can look up the RD-M570. Looks like it only came in an SGS (long) cage version.

Total cap: 43
Max front diff: 22
Large sprocket max: 34
Small sprocket min: 11

Putatively you need a Shimano 9 speed MTB derailleur, but in fact you could use an 8 or 9 speed derailleur that has the required capacity. The reason for this is that 8, 9 and 10 speed cassettes are all the same width and Shimano used the same derailleur actuation ratio for 7, 8 and 9 speed MTB systems (the ratio of length cable pulled to derailleur cage movement).

If you want a new derailleur, you pretty much want to go for the highest spec 8 speed available, which at the moment is Alivio RD-M4000.

Total cap: 45
Max front diff: 22
Large sprocket: 36-32
Small sprocket: 11-12

That will actually enable you to run a slightly bigger cassette.

You could get an older but higher level model on Amazon or Ebay, say if you wanted to get something that has the same look at the rest of groupset components on the  bike. The Shimano Wikipedia page has a nice summary table of Shimano MTB groupsets where you can look up what groupsets were 8 or 9 speeds.


Rear hub assembly becoming loose, not allowing backward spinning

Question 1: I believe the question is how to tighten the lock nuts against the cones so that they do not loosen up.
The key to correct adjustment is a thin wrench - a cone wrench - that allows you to firmly hold the cone while tightening the lock nut against it. This question has an answer with a nice video from Park Tool showing how to work on a hub similar to yours.
Here's a picture of a mechanic holding the cone with one cone wrench while tightening the lock nut with another.

Question 2: What parts are missing that could be causing problems?
Swifty has identified that the pawls are missing from the picture and you have noted that you do have them along with the retaining wire. It sounds like your key problem is not having a cone wrench to get the cone/lock nut combination good and tight. It is difficult for me to know what might be missing without a diagram of what that hub should look like. Off brand hubs often don't publish diagrams. I couldn't find a diagram for the "KLS Stormer" hub (according to the linked catalog) that is on your bike.
Question 3: Is it possible to replace the cup and cone with sealed bearings?
It is possible but not easy. You would have to replace the hub with a different one (unspoke the hub, find a hub that works with your spokes or get new spokes and build the wheel) or use a different wheel.


What is the stem/seatpost thing on the Bicymple?

It's a stem, which has had the bar mount replaced with  a seatpost clamp.  It is a custom part for this frame design, only.  They are having it fabbed.


Why no wheels with rope instead of spokes?

Mavic has made some wheels like you describe, more or less.  They're called "R-Sys" and they have aramid (Kevlar) spokes surrounded by carbon fiber sheaths.  Here's an exploded view:

For more details about that, see the page the image is from: http://www.pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/FAIL-105.html

More seriously, yes, you could make wheels with "rope" spokes only.  Why do the Mavic ones have the carbon sheaths then?  I would speculate that the carbon acts as armor for the aramid fibers, which must never be nicked or they will fail.  The carbon also stabilizes the whole arrangement, reducing lateral flex.

As for your notion that spoke tension would always be even if continuous fibers were used, I'm not so sure.  The problem is that to achieve self-evening tension you would need to allow the fibers to run freely through some turning points.  And if they run freely they will abrade rather quickly if they actually move at all.  So you're at an impasse: either the fibers move and wear out prematurely (and perhaps lead to collapse of the wheel even sooner because of unstable geometry), or the fibers in fact do not move and you have the same tensioning concerns as with conventional wheels.

Finally, consider that spokes are thin and behave not like rods or struts so much as wire.  So in a way we are already riding your wheels of the future today.


Disk brakes severely reduced in power after replacing bearings

If the brakes appear to be engaging fully then it sounds like you have some contamination on the rotors/pads.  I would clean the rotors throughly and replace the pads.  I have heard it is possible to bake contaminants off pads in the oven, and if you want to give that a shot google for it.


Shift lever tight when cable clamped in derailleur, adjustments seem futile

It sounds like the cable is not routed correctly, putting force on the cable where it was not intended and thus adding more friction than normal.  This would explain why the cable moves freely when there is no tension on it, and why it gets harder when you shift to bigger cogs.
Run down the cable from the shifter to the derailleur to see if the routing is wrong along the frame (or inside the frame).  Then check in more detail the routing of the cable from the last outer towards the cable clamp on the derailleur.
I can imagine that the routing towards the cable clamp is the most likely problem, as it's often not obvious what the correct routing needs to be.  Download the manual of the rear derailleur and double check your installation.
-- Edit below
I can't be sure which model derailleur you have, but the relevant manual should show how to route it correctly.  As an example I have included an image from a Shimano derailleur dealer manual.  Purely as an illustration you might note that the routing is different depending on the model.


Should brake fluid come out of a misaligned disc caliper piston?

That is normal behaviour. You pushed the piston way out, so oil from behind it found a way out.

General actions suitable for your case as well:

remove wheel
remove pads
carefully push the lever a couple of times in order for the pistons to extend a couple of mms. if one is stuck, make sure you push the other one with a plastic tyre lever while pulling the brake lever in order to make the sticky piston extend.
clean sides of piston with earbud with alcohol. clean again with paper. this ensures free movement of pistons later on.
carefully fully push pistons back into their place with a plastic tyre lever. this is called "reset".
insert shimano yellow block
do a full bleed
remove block
install pads
install wheel
go ride

Also, make sure that no oil was spiled on pads or disk. If so, replace pads and clean disk very well.


Flickering light, Lumotec IQ Fly Senso Plus with SON hub-generator

Since it is an halogen light (correct me if I'm wrong), there is a socket inside, with a spring or something, where you "screw" the lamp. Maybe the spring got weak, there is some rust, or some other sort of bad-quality electrical connection.

Since the lamps are meant to be replaceable by the user, you could do it yourself perhaps without any tool, or perhaps with a small screwdriver or some sort of tiny plier.

If you are in doubt, you could take the light to some friend or shop to take a look inside, for obvious bad-connections caused by rust or misalignments. A simple cleaning would do it, the lamp connections are always quite similar.

The forum refers to adjusting the light angle, twisting the whole headlight, while it could be too tightly fixed on the bike. That would mean the headlight outer casing and/or internal structure got a little bent and misaligned. A movement in the oposite direction coud straighten things back to normal, perhaps.

Hope it helps.


For a slightly warped wheel, is it worth getting it repaired?

Trueing a wheel is something you can do on your own, but until you get good at it it'll take you time to do it right - "carefully tighten the spokes on the opposite side..." is kind of an oversimplification. Typically a trueing stand is used; the wheel is placed in the stand and prongs or arms on the stand determine exactly where the wheel is out of true.

The problem is that sometimes you need to loosen some spokes to get enough play to pull back against the deformation enough to straighten it out. Someone who does it all day makes it look easy - you bring your wheel in to a good bike shop and usually it takes longer for you to describe the pothole you whacked into than to actually true the wheel. If you've got a good relationship with them they may not even charge you for a 10 second job (karma would demand an offering of beer or pizza as appropriate).

If you don't have a trueing stand but you're feeling adventurous you could try doing it with the wheel in the frame - stand behind / in front of the wheel (so you're looking at the tread) and spin the wheel slowly - you should see where it comes out of true. Use an actual spoke wrench - if you use pliers you can round the ends of the spoke over and if you use a wrench you'll put too much torque on it (I have a friend who has done it with a leatherman in the middle of a ride but he also repaired and managed a bicycle store for many years).

Since it's an inexpensive wheel if you're confident enough in your abilities I'd say go for it - worst case is you end up replacing the rim, but you may learn a new skill in t he process.


As you mention upgrading to 105 I assume you are looking to upgrade the groupset only. If you want to upgrade wheels and other things as well you'd probably be better off selling the bike and buying a new one with the components you want.

Bicycle groupset components are extensively standardized so there are only a few things you need to know to ensure compatibility. On a rim-brake road bike it's even simpler that more modern hydraulic disc brake bikes. Basically you can just order a 105 version of each groupset component you have now. Shimano helpfully provides extensive documentation, the easiest way to look at the various options in a grouset and to see which components are compatible which each other is to look at the Line-Up pages. Here's the one for the latest 105.

However, there is a issue with upgrading to 11 speed 105. I'm assuming this is the bike that is equipped with a 9 speed Sora groupset. The rear wheel likely has a 10 speed and below compatible hub rather than a 11 speed compatible hub. The splined freehub body that the cassette slides onto is 1.85mm wider on an 11 speed hub. If your current cassette has a ~1.85mm spacer behind it you have a 11 speed hub.

If you don't have aa 11 speed hub you have a couple of choices: go for 10 speed Tiagra, buy a new rear wheel or make a 11 speed system work on a 10 speed hub. Some 11 speed cassettes will fit on a 10/9/8 speed hub, but they are all wider range ones with large inner sprockets. The Shimano 105 GS long cage derailleur will accommodate an 11-34 cassette (officially, many people say it will work with a 11-36). I'm not sure which 11 speed Shimano cassettes fit on a 10 speed hub so you are going this route you'll need to do some extra research.

If your bike has an FSA crank the bottom bracket will need to be updated along with the crank. If you have a '2-piece' Sora crank with the axle attached to the drive side crank and external bottom bracket cups threaded into the frame the 105 crank will fit in the bottom bracket cups, although of course you may choose to upgrade the bottom bracket anyway. I'm not sure if older Sora cranks had a '3-piece' type with a cassette type bottom bracket, if you have one of these you'll need to upgrade to 105 external bottom bracket cups.

For the Trek One Series you need rim brakes obviously, you want the 'dual pivot' style not direct mount. You'll need to determine if you need a 'band clamp' front derailleur that clamps on the seat tube or 'braze-on' that attaches to a lug on the seat tube (these lugs were brazed on on steel bike frames, hence the name).

The other choices are crank ring sizes and cassette range. If you are a beginner you'll probably want a lower range 'compact' 50/34 crank. If you live where there are hills you'll want a wider range cassette and long cage GS derailleur.

If you are installing all the components yourself there are great resources online for learning how to wrench on a bike. Park Tool is the best IMHO. Also, Many online bike retailers offer groupset kits that include everything you need for an upgrade, that are cheaper than buying all the parts individually.


What can be used to replace a Shimano 105 5600 long-cage derailleur?

Depending on your gearing you might be able to use the fairly widely available RD-4500-GS.  I personally haven't seen a ton of difference between 105 and Tiagra components.  The sora derailleur is also available in a 9 speed configuration.


You shouldn't ride on a wheel with broken spokes more than necessary, especially if its a low spoke count wheel (like a 16 spoke wheel). The load gets unbalanced with respect to the other spokes.

Since this is a front wheel, I wouldn't risk riding it. If something does happen to the wheel (such as failure) its far more serious than if it happened to the rear wheel (you can recover from rear wheel failure; recovering from front wheel failure may require you finding your teeth on the side of the road).


Since the only opening through which debris can get into bottom bracket is the seat post (provided it is open from the top), yes, there is a better material than a plastic bottle. Simply stick a wine cork into the seat post blocking the opening. Not only you stop the debris from getting into the bottom bracket, you also stop them from getting into seat post and seat tube.

You can also place a so-called micro adjust seat post, which is closed from the top (picture only for illustration):


Motorcycles are mostly used for media (video and photos) and sometimes for support (they can have a limited number of wheels; I'm not certain if they are "neutral" or team specifics.

The motorcycles will be mixed in with the cyclists; the drivers are highly skilled.

The cars are for race support; there are team specific cars with spare parts and replacement bikes in case of breakage, and have team coaches and also used to transfer food and water bottles to the cyclists.
I think there are neutral cars with spare wheels (maybe dependent on the particular races)

There are also neutral cars with doctors and race officials and VIP.

Most of the cars stay behind the cyclists; if there is a breakaway a car will (as safely as possible) stay with the breakaway.

As for the fumes; at the speed they are going, it is not an issue; and since there are only a few motorcycles mixed in the cyclists, I don't think it is an issue in itself; and the majority of the cars are behind the cyclists.


Is it possible to change my bike standard headset to a internal headset?

The head tube of the bike has to be designed to specific dimensions to seat a specific type of headset cup. Hence, if your head tube isn’t designed for an internal headset, you can’t simply fit an internal headset to the frame. It is completely impractical to change the head tube. It may be possible in theory, but definitely not economical, because you’d have to cut out or de-bond the head tube from the rest of the frame, attach a new one, then repaint, and you would need a new fork as well since forks are designed to mate with different headset types. And you’d want to repaint the bike. If it were an aluminum bike, you’d need to heat treat the frame.
Why do you want an internal headset anyway? If the answer is to lower your stack height, then you could experiment with a stem with a lower angle (e.g. find a -17 degree stem). Presumably you would have already tried removing headset spacers. Unfortunately, this may only get you so far. If this is your problem, it would still be more economical to sell the bike and buy one that fits rather than to try to replace the head tube.


how to chose the right frame size for touring bike?

How:

The low tech way:

Measuring tape Simply take it with you and measure five bikes that are comfy, and five that are not.
Digital camera Ask someone take a picture of you sitting on the bike, then review the picture to analyse yourself the sitting positions, both those that feel comfortable, and those that feel uncomfortable.

Geometry:

Chainstay. You need long enough chainstay for panniers. My recommendation is 45 cm. Below 42 cm your feet can hit the panniers even with small feet.
Comfort. You can select the ideal frame size based on different criteria: aerodynamics, efficiency, comfort, resulting speed, etc. For touring, the comfort is 10x more important then speed or anything else. This is because you sit 3-6h a day, for many days. On a tour, you get further by pedaling more and less by pedaling faster. Example: you can be 30-50% faster in an uncomfortable, but speedy position, but you can maintain that only for 1-2h. However, in a comfortable position, you can stay even 6-7h in the saddle.

I'd rather select a slightly smaller bike vs. a slightly bigger bike.

By buying a second hand bike, what you risk is hidden failures vs. the gain of lower cost.

Steel frames: check for "bents" and corrosion
Alu frames: check for cracks.

Bents usually come from accidents (falling with the bike), and cannot be corrected. You feel it only in the first moments of the riding, after a couple of minutes the feeling can go away. This cannot be repaired. I do have a steel bike that is bent.

Cracks come from big impacts and overload. This can be corrected by welding the alu frame, you need to find an alu-welder. I do have an alu bike with a crack (high quality brand, I didn't take yet the time to find a welder and get it repaired.

For more details, see my response here:
How do you distinguish a touring bike...


Geometry measurement, from where to where

Yes, you are correct. The seat tube angle is measured relative to horizontal.

There is also a separate angle called "derailleur angle", which is measured between the seat tube and chainstays. You'll rarely find it specified in the geometry data though...