What size fork can accommodate this bike that is larger than the normal one?

You can swap out a suspension fork for a different one with more of less travel as long as the new fork has approximately the same axle to crown distance - the distance between the center of the axle and where the fork mates with the bottom of the head tube.

IF this distance is too long the frame is tipped back and the steer angle slackened, if the fork is too short the frame tips forward and the steering angle is steepened. Both can have negative effects on handling.

Longer travel suspension forks tend to have longer axle-crown distances as obviously they need more room for the front wheel to move.

Note that many forks are designed to compress with the rider on the bike. The compressed axle-crown distance is whats important.


How to replace old style cotter-pin bottom bracket with a modern one?

I did this just last year. It's not a hard upgrade. You'll need to replace the bottom bracket and crankset.  With a bike of that age, depending on the make, it might be difficult to find a modern bottom bracket that can fit your bike.  Take it to the local bike store to determine the shell width, or measure with your current one. This requires being pretty precise, as there are various standards and they all vary by only a couple of millimeters.

Get a crank set that matches the number chainrings you want (looks like only 1 from the pictures), and is compatible with the new bottom bracket and you are set.  Square taper is a good choice for upgrading old bikes as it's cheap and ubiquitous, and works great.  A bottom bracket tool for putting the new cups in is quite inexpensive, as is tool for tightening the crank arms.  You might already have something sufficient for this as it isn't a special tool, usually just a larger allen key, although you'll need a lot of torque, so one that fits on a socket wrench is advised.

If you are unsure about doing it yourself, your local bike shop can do it in 15-30 minutes, and shouldn't charge too much.

My bike wasn't as old as yours, but I'm pretty sure English bikes from the 1950s still used either standard 68mm British bottom brackets, or in the case of a Raleigh, a slightly different proprietary size. 68 mm is still the standard so you're in luck if you have that size.  I'm pretty sure the Raleigh size is still available as they were quite a popular make of bike.


See this question: How many years an aluminium frame lasts in a touring bike? for an example of an aluminum frame that is showing some cracks.  This particular frame had been used for 10 years, but it depends mostly on the number of miles ridden and the type of riding (rough/smooth surface, load, etc.)

There is lots of useful information in the answers to that question.  You should read it and form your own opinion on whether what you are planning to do is a good idea.

Personally, I think it might be unwise to buy lots of new components and invest a lot of time building the bike when the frame might already have cracks or may soon develop cracks. It might be better to spend a few hundred dollars/euros/etc to buy a new frame.


SRAM i3 coaster brake only activating after multiple turns backwards

SRAM recalled 7,700 of these hubs due to brake failure in 2019.
Evidently the brake pawls were not lubricated properly.

According to the company, some of the affected hubs may have been manufactured with grease that gets sticky over time, especially if the bike sits unused for a while or is stored in a hot area. When the grease becomes sticky, the brake pawls in the hub can fail to engage.

Further

The recall applies to all bikes with this cruiser brake model that do not have independent front brakes.

The logic appears to be that if you have a front brake your hub does not need to be recalled.
According to the SRAM manual for this hub there are no user serviceable parts.

Only a qualified bike dealer should perform any necessary work on the gear hub, shifter, and brakes.
SRAM i-Motion 3 User Manual

The manual says that "the brake jacket has to be lubricated with special grease. This work must be performed by a qualified bike dealer"
First I'd read the manual and make sure everything is adjusted correctly.
If that does not work then you can choose between:

Fixing it yourself
Finding someone else to fix it
Replacing the wheel

The easy way to get rear brakes might be to add a hand brake to this bike if it will take one.


What's best engine to motorize a road bike

There are some bike hubs containing an electrical motor inside. If you google "bike hub motor" and take a look at the images, you'll get the idea.

I think these ones are ideal since they require minimal changes to the overall bike structure, allowing for normal riding if the motor is not working, and they don't burn evil oil: you just plug the bike to the wall and that's it.

The spoked ones should be adequate for building a front wheel with a regular road bike rim.

Hope this helps


Chains for modern bicycles all have a 1/2" pitch - the distance from roller to roller or from pin to pin. However, multi-speed bicycles have rollers that are 3/32" wide (or narrower), while many single speed drivetrains (fixies, track bikes, BMX) have rollers that are 1/8" wide. Similarly, there are chainrings and cogs which accommodate wider or narrower chains. Since single speeds and fixies have diverged from the world of track bikes, lots of bikes are set up with parts from multi-speed bicycles (i.e. ubiquitous 3/32" chainrings, cogs, freewheels, and chains) rather than with wider 1/8" track parts.

Unfortunately, if you use a narrow chain on wider chainrings/cogs the drivetrain will bind up! The opposite is possible - a 1/8" chain on 3/32" hardware - because the chain is wide enough to fit over the teeth. It's possible that you bought a wheel fitted with a 1/8" cog to mesh with a drivetrain fitted with a 3/32" chain. The easiest thing to do would be to buy a 1/8" chain. There are different opinions on mixing component widths, but so long as it is adjusted properly it should work quietly and safely.

Before you do anything, measure the width of your chainring teeth and compare it to the width of your rear cog teeth.


How often should I grease and repack my hubs and bottom bracket?

Looking at the spec of your bike it says the BB is a cartridge unit. This probably isn't serviceable -- it's designed to be replaced when worn out, so just keep riding it until it grinds or gets excessively sloppy.

The hubs might be serviceable. If you ride a lot in nasty conditions, or you're aggressive with the degreaser you might want to service them. However, if they're well-sealed (like most modern hubs and in particular Shimano hubs) then they almost never need servicing. If you're worried, learn how to service them yourself and see what they look like. If they're still packed with grease and nice and clean inside they don't need servicing. Servicing them isn't hard but it's a bit fiddly -- you'll lose a bearing under the fridge, then you won't be able to remember if there should be 9 or 10 balls, and whether they're 3/32" or 1/8" or 5/32", and so on. Don't do it for fun.

I ride a lot. My Campagnolo Neutrons have probably seen 10,000+ km. In that time I've had a look at the bearings once or twice. Still greasy, still smooth. The rims will wear out before the hub bearings do.


What can be done to fix a hub that has come apart?

That looks fixable to me.

What probably happened is the locknut was loose, and continued riding caused both cone and locknut to unscrew. It's a good job you've stopped riding that bike - riding on that hub now would cause significant damage.

When a hub has a bit of play, the balls are free to move across parts of the cup and cone that aren't designed to support load. Those areas may not have been heat treated and/or polished. That can cause metal wear, resulting in particles grinding between the balls and the 'proper' bearing surfaces. Result: pitted cups and cones.

When a hub has a lot of play (as in your case now), the problem is exacerbated further - the balls may slip out of place completely and bind the hub, causing irreparable damage.

That hub is dirty and the grease is foul. Pull the axle, clean the hub inside and out, and clean the axle, cones, and locknuts. Use a good de-greaser, or failing that, ethyl alcohol, lighter fluid, or equivalent. Wipe it all clean with a lint-free cloth and inspect. If the cups have any scratches you can feel with your little fingernail, I'd ditch the wheel. If the cones have any pitting, I'd get a new pair. Whatever the state of the innards, get a new set of bearing balls.

Sheldon will show you how to re-pack and adjust the hub. It's not difficult, just a bit greasy and fiddly. Wear latex gloves if you like.

It doesn't look like a particularly special hub, so I wouldn't pay a professional to do it; balls and grease are cheap. Do your best and ride it 'til it fails; then just get a new wheel (it's rarely, if ever, worth the cost of lacing a new hub to an old rim).


What can I do to help me sustain frequent long-ish rides?

Just keep at it. The human body is very adaptable and you'll soon get fitter.

Don't worry too much about food and nutrition at the moment, that only matters when you're cycling at a competitive level, you just need to make sure you've had breakfast before you ride in the morning. Regardless of cycling/weight loss you should try and eat a healthy balanced diet anyway.

Don't worry about heart rate and zones. At the moment you just need to get to the level where you can comfortably manage 5 days riding. This will come naturally. Its hard at the start (as you are experiencing) but it will get easier every week.

In a month or two you will be able to manage the ride no problems and only then should you think about pushing your performance. That's when the heart monitor is useful.


They are crazy expensive but still in production and/or available new. (Which is to say you can just order one). It's not just gouging at the retail end. As with many Campy parts they're just plain expensive.

I highly recommend not messing around with mismatching the crown race. That's true of most headsets because while you may be able to find something that seems to engage the bearings, the race and the cup are designed together to seal correctly. So you might be able to come up with something that physically works, but a cheap new headset would likely be better in practice.

In this case, while you're correct that if it's a generic 5/32"x16 caged bearing in there then a mismatched race for a headset that uses the same bearing probably won't have any bearing contact issues (not an absolute because the balls do have some wiggle room in their retainers), the headset you've got doesn't use a generic lower bearing. It uses a special Campy one with 3/16" balls.


You say the rotors are relatively new. Have they been bedded in properly? The usual procedure is to get up to about 30km/h, brake hard until you almost stop, and repeat. You should feel the braking power picking up each time you do so.

The bedding in process transfers some pad material to the rotors - this is what the pads grab, rather than the actual steel surface. It should be done any time rotors or pad compounds are changed.


It's my understanding that all Shimano shifters below 11 speed ([except ST-4700][1]) use the same cable pull ratio. This means you can use any Shimano 9 speed rear brake/shifter unit.

Tiagra ST-4400 obviously and ST-4500, and Sora ST-3400 and ST-3500.

The newer Sora may be as good as the older Tiagra. Some googling and looking on Ebay may yield a replacement matching ST-4400. Or you maight choose to upgrade both brake/shifter units.


Can one replace a tubeless tire with a tube?

All tubeless compatible rims can run tubes - that is how you deal with a puncture in on the track.

As far as tires, you can go with any tire that is the correct size for the rim. If you get a tubeless-ready tire, its possible to run a tube and then go back to tubeless using a sealant like slime or Stan's, and they are much lighter than a tubed tire.


Can anyone help me identify this stem binder nut

I've found something similar (only the other way round) for Cinelli:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cinelli-1A-stem-clamp-serrated-section-fixing-bolt-and-nut/142719429884 and I was searching for "stem clamp serrated nut". This one has the flange.


If you can, with the chain in one of the middle cogs in the back, shift to each of the front chain rings then your front derailleur is likely in proper alignment and adjustment. This question and answer cover how to adjust the derailleur if you want to learn how to do it yourself.

What you are describing, shifting to small ring in front and small cog in back, or big ring in front-big cog is called "cross chaining" and should be avoided. If you ride cross-chained it causes:

Significant stress on the chain, and may cause failure.
Added friction and wear on the drive train.
Possible derailleur failure if you cross chain "big to big"


As comments to the question point out, your front shifter is a grip shift. It operates as a friction shifter, whether intentionally or not. This means its operation is more "analog" than "digital", with no one-to-one correspondence between grip's positions and front chainrings. Rather, there is a spectrum of derailleur states, some of which do cause the chain to change its position, while the remaining intermediate positions only cause the chain to rub against one ring or another.

You are certainly allowed/supposed to rotate the shifter grip faster to its final position. Make sure you find positions where the chain does not rub against anything. As with any front derailleur, you are recommended to somewhat reduce pedaling pressure while making a front shift, to prevent excessive loads on the chain while it is skewed between the chainrings.


Will I damage anything by not replacing my clicking bottom bracket?

Depends on what's clicking.  If the bottom bracket itself is making the noise then no hurry to deal with it.  The bearing may be slowly failing but nothing else will be damaged and the bearing will probably give you plenty of warning before it fails completely -- if it ever does.

But if the noise (and generally an accompanying sensation) is due to the crank arm slipping on the crank spindle then continuing to ride on the bike without tightening the crank bolt will quickly destroy both spindle and arm.

(I get the impression that often cartridge BBs click because the cartridge is simply loose in the frame.  Tightening the cups may be all that's needed to silence it.)

(Another thing to be aware of is that pedals often make a clicking noise, and it's difficult to distinguish this from BB noise.)


Should you hose down your bicycle after having used it on salty roads?

Here's how I understand the situation generating the question:

While riding to work on a salty wet road the drive train has become a salt water saturated mess. Now you are at work and have access to clean water but no ability to clean and lubricate the drive train.

If that's the case...
Running some clean water over the drive train to wash off the salt water so that it does not sit on the drive train all day makes sense.
Clean water is better than salt water.
Clean water and then drying the drive train is better yet.

From an article on the effects of saltwater on metals

  The combination of moisture, oxygen and salt, especially sodium chloride, damages metal worse than rust does. This combination corrodes, or eats away at, the metal, weakening it and causing it to fall apart. Saltwater corrodes metal five times faster than fresh water does
  sciencing.com

Both salt water and fresh water corrode metal. Salt water corrodes faster so drying the drive train helps.
Once you get home it would be best to clean and lubricate.


I looks like a Corima to me, but I may be wrong: http://www.corima.com/gb/produits/roues/default.cfm?family=roues_janteCorima for sale at http://www.lfgss.com/thread37288.html in plain black.

You're right about that being a nice ad - I like the video as well as the music.


Problem with Apollo Gradient clunky and missed gear changes

The first thing to check is that the rear derailleur indexing adjustment is good. I.e. the derailleur cage is aligned properly with the individual sprockets in each gear. If cage is moving slightly too far at each shift it could push the chain two sprockets over instead of one. I would expect a repair shop to be able to adjust indexing properly, and bad indexing causes the chain to rattle on the sprockets - which you don't mention - so this may not be the issue.

The next thing to check for is a bent derailleur hanger resulting in the  derailleur cage not being parallel to the sprockets.

Another cause of shifting problems is the shift cable sticking in the housing due to corrosion or contamination, although this tends to cause 'delayed' upshifts (from larger to smaller sprockets) as the derailleur spring cannot pull the cable through the housing.


Snap a Shimano chain pin without pliers?

A quick-link type product is probably the fastest, easiest, and lightest option to repair a chain on the roadside. I personally have not had any trouble, including excess noise, when using SRAM's or KMC's quick link product on my 9 speed Shimano chains.

To specifically answer your question, use a couple of hex keys that are next to each other on the tool. Unfold the pair so that one key is straight out, the second just short of straight out. You now have the two keys forming a narrow "Y" shape. You'd use this to snap off the leading pin by placing the fully extended key underneath the pin right at the score of the breakpoint. Position the angled hex key on top just outside the line of the under-key.  Wedge the pin firmly--scissor-like--maintaining the hex keys relative positions of under the break point and on top & outside of the line of the under-pin key.  Grip firmly and twist the system such that the wedged pin is levered around the bottom key--and at the pin's break point.  Wedge, twist, snap.


These claim to fit the Saracen Raw 2, which appears to be the same frame with slightly different components. It looks right based on what I can find on the internet.

The compatibility of a hanger is between it and the frame, in general, standard rear derailleurs are compatible with all hangers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SARACEN-Mantra-Raw-2-MONGOOSE-Tyax-Comp-Super-Rear-Gear-Mech-Hanger-CC003-/301758510575


Upright bicycle efficiency & seat movement

When I consider all the claims made, I believe they are probably true and verifiable... Not once do they tell you what they are comparing their product to, they lead the reader to presume...
"You ride faster and your quadriceps have to work less." - compared to what?  Walking
"- If you have a Kwiggle with you, you will explore cities and landscapes faster, further, more independent and more flexible."  - Key is is the first word - "If" followed by faster/further/more independent than what? Obviously, if you have their product with you, you almost certainly won't have a competitors product with you.
"The standing position is also unique in the world. You get more force onto the pedal." - More force than doing what on what? If you stand on a regular bike, you have the same position and same advantages, but you set the saddle up for more efficiency - by pedaling faster with less force (i.e. spinning - which is more efficient when trained)
Every one of the claims falls into the same kind of questionable claim. Probably spend a fortune on legal fees ensuring they don't breach various consumer protections laws around the world.
Note - this is a essay on the sales claims of the product and makes no assessment of the product itself.


Why don't brakes come with 'Safety Levers' any more?

I believe there are multiple reasons that "extension"/"dual-pull"/"safety"/"suicide" levers aren't seen anymore:

They're really a solution for a poorly fit bike, where the rider can't reach the regular brake levers. Fix that and you don't need an extra lever on the flat of the handlebars. This was especially a problem for smaller riders. Bike sizing and fit have improved a lot since then.
Since they effectively pre-pull your brake a little, they reduce how much travel you can get out of the primary brake lever which can reduce the effectiveness of that primary brake lever. (I guess some designs don't have this problem, but most did)
Using them puts your hands in a location that doesn't give you much leverage for controlling the bike.
It's an extra piece that can break (and leave you unable to brake). Especially, if the main brake lever is knocked out of alignment, the extension lever will hit the handlebar.
Modern brake levers ("aero"?) have a different pivot setup that works better over all, but especially works better with hands on the hoods than old levers did. Extension levers simply won't work because of the way a modern lever pivots. If you look at a modern brake lever, when you pull the lever the top of the lever doesn't go down, it goes forward, and extension levers rely on pushing down on the top of the lever. Sin As you can see from these blurry pictures of a vaguely modern brake lever, the pivot is somewhat low and in front and the top of the lever rotates straight forward.
Somebody invented "interrupter" or "cyclocross" levers which go mid-cable instead, allowing you to get the same end result (a second brake lever) without any of the problems of extension levers.
Some regulation changes and historical market realities that ʍǝɥʇɐɯ discusses in his answer.


What is the black plastic circle on wheel axle nut?

Those look like packing pieces used to stop the axle ends from punching through the cardboard box partially assembled bikes are delivered in.

I'd imaging they are being used to stop the axle nuts getting scuffed or scratched.


When should I use lockout feature on my fork?

Anytime the fork bob is robbing you of power. That can include flats, sprints, climbing... Best advice is probably to try it out on all the terrains you ride and decide where it works and where it doesn't.


Front suspension or full suspension mountain bike

If we assume that both models are at about the same price point, here is what you can expect:

The hardtail will be substantially lighter than a comparably priced full-suspension bike.
The hardtail will likely have a higher level of components and possibly a better front shock because of the increased expense associated with the full suspension frame.
Unless you can lock out the rear suspension, you will have higher pedal efficiency on the hardtail.

Your style of riding may dictate that an full-suspension is appropriate, so the best thing to do would be to describe how you want to ride to the professionals at your local bike shop and listen to their advice.

I have an admitted bias toward hardtails (and even fully rigid bikes). I've been riding a long time (since before mountain bikes existed...), and don't really ride anything seriously aggressive off-road (but I have ridden a lot of Utah Red Rock Desert).  I've tried several full-suspension bikes, but for my type and style of riding I've not been convinced that the added cost to get to a similar weight/component mix was worth it.


My bike Crank is making noise like Tuk, Tuk... once or twice when I pedal hard

The fault turned out to be a crippled ratchet in my rear hub. I got it replaced but am thinking of replacing my old bike now, it served me 10000Km in every season, every road in 2 years plus 3000Km in 3 years, a good service.


What is a good roof-rack configuration for optimal gas mileage?

From my experience frequently carrying bikes, skis, roof boxes, and even 55 gallon drums on my roof rack, I've found that they pretty much all give a hit to the gas mileage, but the configuration doesn't really matter as long as you don't do anything ridiculous.

However, a fairing helps cut down on noise tremendously.


Most of the less expensive car/van rear racks are shaped like this:

The arms with pads rest against the vehicle and then straps from the center attach to the hatch, trunk and/or bumper.  This should work if you attach the straps to the top, bottom and if included to the side of the hatch.

You would be able to open the hatch if the bikes are removed first, but it is likely that the hydraulic hatch struts will not keep the door open with the added weight of the rack.  If the bikes are on the rack the weight will be significant and you will likely have difficulty opening the door.

For a rear rack at allows you to easily open the door and still keep the bikes stored I think your only real option is a hitch rack.


Is my Shimano Deore SLX dérailleur a medium or long cage?

That linked answer is great, but the lengths of derailleur cages have been increasing with successive generations, so those figures are out of date now.

You need to consider the size of largest cog which the derailleur is compatible with and compare the specs of the individual units.

Counterintuitively, the longer cage is actually compatible with the 36 tooth large cog you have, even though this 36 is smaller than many around today. The medium  cage M6000-GS is suitable for cassettes where the largest cog is a 42T, while the long cage M6000-SGS works with cassettes where the largest cog is in the range 32-36 teeth. If you were choosing between these two, then you would choose the SGS long cage

There's every likelihood that your bike currently has the RD-M7000-10-SGS for the same reason (also its the 10 speed one).


Does new chain on old cassette damage chain?

The main problem with an old chain is that it's stretched. As a result, it won't sit snugly on all the covered teeth of the sprocket, but only on the ones with the main load, and as you pedal the contact point slips a bit. Just fractions of a millimeter at each tooth, but with the considerable load and many thousands of revolutions, that's what wears out both the chain and sprocket much quicker than a properly fitting chain does (which doesn't slip on the sprocket but simply “peels off”, the only friction being inside the chain-link bearings themselves).
An old sprocket can cause a similar problem too, but only if it's quite extremely worn. Usually, the more pressing problem will be that the chain doesn't properly shift between gears anymore, or shifts/skips when you don't want it, because the tops of the teeth and the fine-engineered ramps on the sprockets' sides are compromised. This skipping and mis-shifting under load does then again put wear on the chain, but mainly it's just super annoying for the rider. It's not like the stretched-chain issue, which stealthily grinds on the parts while the gears still seem to work fine.
So, no, using an old cassette with a new chain is generally fine, as long as the gears are working well.


There are a few reasons the brake and shift levers could have become loose with respect to the shifter body, but none of them are repairable. Shimano shift units are essentially riveted together and spare parts are not available (to my knowledge).

This is a Old Ultegra ST-5500 unit I had, similar to a ST-2300

The levers are fixed to the shifter body by the lever pivot pin. This may  have broken, or come loose from the shifter body. The lever pivot return spring may have broken, which would allow the levers to wobble on the pin.

The levers also pivot laterally on a shaft in the shifter mechanism, this may have broken, or the return spring has failed.

The fix is to find a replacement unit. You should be able to find a left or right hand replacement unit in Ebay, Amazon or other online source,


You should be fine using a 105 cassette on the turbo wheel. There will be wear to the chain, cassette and chain rings, but provided the drive train is clean and lubricated then this should be minimal. Doing what you've suggested is a good solution. Try to make sure if you use the bike on the road then the drive train is reasonably clean before swapping onto the turbo wheel and if one cassette becomes more worn than the other then replace it, or you might then have problems and cause more wear on the chain.


Can frequent light bicycle commuting severely damage pants?

Absolutely. The thicker your thighs, the more friction, and the quicker the pants loose their thread. This happens relatively irrespective of material, even jeans can wear through rather quickly. I guess that specialized bike wear uses materials that are much less prone to this, but I have not tested that myself.

Of course, saddles with sharp edges do contribute to the wear. Yet, one pair of pants in a year is not too bad. I've worn down jeans within two or three months, simply by biking a lot more with them than you do.


The exact size of spoke holes in hubs is a little all over the place. There is some history involved, as well as dynamics with how manufacturers bias things for different most probable use cases.
Spokes with 1.8mm elbow areas used to be more common. The ubiquity of 2.0/1.8mm as the default butted spoke profile in particular is a fairly recent thing in the history of bikes. The 1.8/1.6 profile used to be way bigger, and a case for it can still be made in many applications. Aerolites and CX-Rays with 1.8mm elbows are still fairly common within their niches.
Manufacturers hate doubling the number of things they need to produce or creating compatibility gotchas (or at least some do, or used to, or whatever), so hub manufacturers are incentivized to make their holes work with both. There are no hubs I can think of that are 1.8mm-specific, but there are a number of higher end road hubs that are sized down small enough to barely work with 2.0 and be ideal with a 1.8. The holes on these are in the 2.3-2.4mm range.
Building such a hub with 2.0s is not a big deal for a handbuilder. It makes the spoke feel a little tighter going in and requires good aggressive technique to get them conformed around the flange, but it's commonly done and not remarkable. For a wheel production center it's a different story though. Human and machine hub loading both work better with a little more generous sized hole. 2.6mm is kind of the baseline for most modern hubs, but a lot of the most common OEM type hubs have 2.7mm-2.8mm holes. Some makers probably feel caught in the middle between the technical versus commercial advantages of each.
Running a 1.8 in a hole more optimized for a 2.0 doesn't have critical disadvantages. In my experience the main deal with it is that it takes more work to get the groove as established as it's ever going to be during the build process, since the mismatch in diameter means the elbow is going to dig in more. A fair number of wheels are built this way without major disadvantages.


Shoe covers (or other tricks) for commuting in shorts

if I wear the same clothes and just go for a walk/jog, then my feet stay dry for much longer

Do you have mudguards (fenders) on your bike? If not your feet are in the spray from the front wheel and will get wet unless you wear over-boots. Or gumboots.

For cycling when the roads are wet mudguards make a huge different to your comfort. You'll stay dryer because the rain will only hit you from above, rather than spraying up from your wheels as well.

Gary.Ray's answer deals well with the actual shoe cover question. What I would add is that plastic bags and rubber bands work well as a short-term solution for one trip, but they don't last long. But that might help you decide whether shoe covers are worth having at all.


You need to figure out what's getting loose.  There are essentially 3 possibilities:

The brake pads are wearing down.
An adjustment -- either the twist adjustment, the cable clamp, or the pad itself -- is slipping.
The cable is "stretching".

If the pads are wearing that rapidly, it may be poor quality pads, or you may have some roughness on your rims.  It's also possible that your brakes are dragging all the time, due to improper setup or slightly "tacoed" wheels.

If an adjustment is slipping, you may just need to tighten a clamp tighter, or you may, eg, have an adjuster where the "bumps" that are supposed to hold it in place have worn down.

If a cable is "stretching" it's usually because the cable is breaking, strand by strand, and is in dire need of replacement.


Can I fit an MTB freewheel onto my road bike?

Most freewheels use the ISO standard thread and are interchangeable. Some hubs have a 'British' or 'Italian' thread which are very slightly different but still interchangeable. See the Sheldon Brown page on freewheels.

I don't know where to look up the specs of older Shimano derailleurs. Googling for examples for sale on EBay etc. and looking for specs included in the product description suggests:

Min sprocket: 12t
Max sprocket: 28t
Total capacity: 28T

So you should be good with a 14-28 freewheel.


5 Month old bike, pedals and brake issue

There's going to be a limit to what you can do to fix it without spending money on new parts. The bearings in your pedal for instance might have seized - you could take the pedal apart and regrease the bearings, but if they're toast then you'll have to buy either replacement bearings themselves or pay a few quid for a new pedal entirely.

TBH if I were you I'd take the bike back for a refund and spend that £250 on something second-hand instead. You can get a nice-ish older bike for that kind of money with much better quality parts.


According to the people at Scott, the general weight limit for a rider is 110 kg. You are significantly above this, so the manufacturer doesn't necessarily support you on that. The wheels durability depends a lot on who built them and how well they were built and if they have taken any damage.

You are in a YMMV (and at your own risk) range by sticking with that bike and wheelset (I'd probably go for more spokes), but you may want to go to a bike shop and get the bike tuned up to make sure the wheels are in good condition and what not, and hope for the best (and do repairs as spokes break and what not, if they do). It helps if you don't ride like a hooligan as well (like not dropping off curbs and what not). I think this is a good article.

Trek specifies the max rider weight on most of their bikes to be around 300 lbs, which is probably closer to more comfortable than that.

Finally, fit is arguably more important for big riders than small riders.

The realistic thing to do (all at your own risk of course) is get the bike checked out to make sure its in good condition, and ride and replace things as they break. Avoid road hazards and be careful. Many bigger riders exceed their quoted weight limits on their bikes, but the factor is usually not around 35-40%. You may also want to look at some bike forums for big riders riding similar bikes.

Some other things to consider are recumbent bikes/trikes. These may be a bit more comfortable as well. There are also some manufacturers which build heavier rider-oriented bicycles (e.g. Worksman Cycles, which coincidentally today I found is the oldest bicycle manufacturer in the US, stocks things which can take up to quoted 500 pounds [though, your bike shop probably knows some bikes which have worked for heavy riders in your area]).


Does rear-shock placement affect suspension characteristics?

Yeah, the main issue is the geometry that determines the arc the wheel follows as it responds to upward force on the tire.  Subtle changes in pivot points can affect that significantly.

Beyond that the spring force and damping force that the shock applies at each point in the wheel arc is obviously also important.  And differences in shock placement are one way that a manufacturer would "tune" this.

There is also, of course, the physical stiffness and durability of the shock mounting scheme, and the simple fact that some schemes facilitate a good frame design better than others.  And of course "coolness" and novelty of appearance are major criteria for the frame builder.

One critical factor that isn't visible in those photos is the precise location of the pivot at the front of the chain stays.  That probably affects "bob" more than any other factor.


Wheel tru, bearing & cones tight but still WOBBLES

As one commentator pointed out, the frame was actually cracked (severed even) at the end of the chain stay (on the gear side) near where the wheel is mounted.

For some reason I only noticed it tonight after riding home from work and experiencing an even worse wobble. Perhaps the crack got worse and became through-and-through on my long commute today.

While frustrating, I guess I am lucky I didn't get hurt...

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions...

One question, is it possible (and worthwhile) to have someone weld it back together -- while the bike is almost 40 years old, the frame is solid, heavy and steel (it's a Trek Mountain Bike from the early 1980's).


"when moving to the largest gear the chain slips and eventually it will come off the front crank"
By largest gear you mean large front, small rear?

I would check if the chain is worn out, before investigating the derailleur. I am  assuming

old bike, no one bothered to change cassette and crankset, so gears are at least as worn out as the chain, probably much more (like 2-3 chain changes and no gears changes);
that if the chain is worn out, for some reason it slips on the front rather than on the rear cog.

If the chain is ok, then time to investigate the derailleur.
Internet may help you, there are a lot of documented restoration projects of old Peugeot with simplex derailleur. Example:

from the site https://peugeotcoursepb12.wordpress.com/ (I do not own or know the owner, just a search and some scrolling on duckduckgo images


Feet slip off flat/cleat hybrid pedals when it's wet

As you have observed, to get good traction for flats (especially in the wet) the pedals have to be grippy. To be able to rotate to enable the release of clipless shoes, the flats have to be slippery. Making the pedals grippy will mean unreliable release when using clipless.

Whatever you do, do not try to fix it with DIY solutions such as grip tape, screwing plates onto the pedals or into the leading edges (sticking up)  - You will improve the problem you have, but likely create a worse one - you might well find yourself under a B-Train or off the side of a trail and down a bluff when you cannot release in a hurry.

Solutions are to accept the compromise solution, try the combination flats one side, clips the other which solves this problem (but generates others such as the pedal is never the right way up.), or commit to either flats or clipless.

Personally I think the commitment to one or the other is the best solution.

This question (and many others) is worth reading if you want to consider other options.


Why chains differ for 10x cassettes and 11x

Successive speed generations are for the most part able to be crammed in the same space by making the cogs closer together, and a narrower chain is needed to avoid rub.

You should use teeny chainring spacers instead. There are many questions here about this. Putting an 11s chain on will work badly with your front derailleur and cause laggy rear shifting.


Is changing wheel necessary to use a freewheel with different number of gears?

Despite what others have written, you DO NOT need to match the number of gears on the rear wheel (cassette) to the number of positions on the gear shifters, especially for older shifters.
Many 5, 6 and 7 speed shifters have a "hidden" click, which can thus be used to control the derailleur into the extra position, but conversely, if you are using a 5, 6, 7 or 8 speed cassette with a 9 speed shifter, you will simply not use the 9th position on the shifter.  So long as the end stops on the derailleur are adjusted correctly, so the chain does not fall off the largest or smallest sprocket on the cassette, everything else will be fine.
Some have written very complicated forums and blogs about how Shimano, and others, have changed their design over the last few decades, and you MUST match the shifters to the derailleur to the cassette.
All I can say is that I, like many many others, mix and match whenever we have a need to, and often use 8 or 9 speed shifters and derailleurs with 6, 7 or 8 speed cassettes, with absolutely no issues and perfect shifting.

I currently have a 9-speed cassette on a 1990s MTB with 7 speed shifters; when riding it near home (I live in a flat part of the country) I have it adjusted so I can use gears 3-9 (using positions 1-7 on the shifters) and simply 'forget' about the other two ratios.  When I take it to the hilly parts of the UK I adjust the end stops and take up the slack in the cable so I am using ratios 1-7 on positions 1-7 on the shifters, and 'forget' about the smaller ratios.  This way I have the best of both worlds, with just ten minutes of adjustment between the two, and can source from a much wider range of cassettes, as 8 and 9 speed are still being made by a number of manufacturers, whereas 5, 6 and 7 speed cassettes are not (AFAIK).

Regarding chains, there is some variation: Shimano make chains that are good for 5, 6 and 7 speed systems, and narrower chains for 8 and 9 speed systems (and later really narrow for 10 and 11 speed systems).  However I use SRAM chains and they are compatible with 5-8 speed systems (?) or for 7-9 speed systems (?) suggesting there is some overlap.  Having ridden for over 25 years, around 4000miles a year commuting, leisure and cyclocross, I use SRAM "7-9 speed" chains on all my bikes, whether they have 7, 8 or 9 speed cassettes, and have not had any problems to date.

As you have a bike with XT parts (which some consider to be the best MTB groupset available) you could do a lot worse than stick with an 8-speed system using XT and Dura Ace parts.  I have a Dura Ace equipped road bike ("downgraded" from a 9-speed system for reliability on longer rides) and an XT/XTR equipped all-terrain bike (as I mention above, I do not live in a mountainous area, so it is used on gravel tracks, forestrty commission paths and urban cut-throughs overgrown with stinging nettles and broken glass!) also 8-speed which both give me the same range of gears as from a 9-speed system, but with, so far, 100% reliability after more than 10,000 miles of riding.

As regards "possession of stolen goods"; posting photos on a forum is not the best way to go!  Even if you suggest that you "found" a bicycle or parts, I would not post photos online, as the original owner might take umbrage and want it back.  That said, I "found" a bike over 20 years ago and took it to the police station; they kept it for three months and then let me have it back because the original owner did not come forward to claim it.  I built it into a touring/winter training bike, and have covered about 50,000miles on it, so am happy that I will not be prosecuted, as the police followed procedure for lost/found property and passed it back to me.  Legally I will never be the "owner", but in reality there is no way now for the original owner to prove my bike is their bike and claim it back...

As regards an "XT spec bike" rarely being abandoned; I would invite anyone to come and look around my town.  It is not a "university" town/city, but we have a college and uni campus here, and every week I see £200 and £300 machines abandoned because of a buckled front wheel, broken chain or mangled derailleur.  After a few weeks they are robbed of parts (lights, front wheel if not locked seperately, saddle if quick release, etc.) and then slowly they go rusty and are removed by the council for scrap.  I would hope they would remove them after 3-4 weeks, before they go rusty, store them for the required 3 months, and then donate them to a local recycling charity so they can help those in need in this country or abroad, or else sold to a new buyer with the funds going to help charity.  What this needs is a change in the law to allow "ownership" of anything abandoned for 90-days or more whatever and wherever it is on public land e.g. cars, bicycles, old furniture, etc. provided the police or local authority have seized the goods, checked the details and held them for the requisite period.  We will reduce the amount of bicycles etc. going to landfill or scrap, and help charities and third world countries to become mobile in one go.


Why does a bike frame have to be above 56 cm usually to fit 700c tires?

The real issue is in the top tube length.  Basically, for shorter riders you need to move the handlebars closer to the seat.  But then you have to deal with the wheel possibly colliding with the pedals ("toe strike"), changing the head angle or the fork's rake, which compromises the handling, and/or having a proportionally longer top tube than would otherwise be indicated by the seat tube length.

Rodriguez Cycles did an excellent multipart essay on choosing between 650c and 700c wheels for road bikes, and the illustrated Cliff notes they provide should prove illuminating.


Beyond the chain, what other parts of the bike do I need to lubricate, and how?

The hubs, crank (if not a sealed cartridge), and headset bearings need lubrication perhaps every 10K miles, depending on severity of service.  Brake arms, brake levers, and shifter levers need an occasional squirt of spray lube.  Derailers also need to be sprayed with lube and wiped clean occasionally, or you can clean them up good with WD-40 before re-lubing.

Bearing lubrication involves disassembling the item, washing the parts, and reassembling with new grease.  This is something that an competent tinkerer can manage, if one follows the directions on, say, the Park Tools website.  The tricky details are having the right tools for removing some parts (such as freewheels/clusters) and then reassembling everything with the right torque and tension -- something you want to learn on a $300 bike, not a $3000 bike.


Yes, it is possible with a suitable adapter. eg the Shimano SM-SH85, or the Crank Brothers 3-hole cleat adapter. These bolt onto 3 hole (road) shoes, and provide 2 holes to bolt on SPD cleats or similar.

The main disadvantage is the thickness of the adapter. This will make the cleat stick out further from the shoe, so it will be closer to the ground. If your shoes don't have much tread, the cleat may be touching the ground. So it may be very slippy if walking on a smooth floor. And the cleats will wear out faster, especially if walking across stones or rocks. Also, road shoes can be very stiff, so they may be uncomfortable for walking in.

Proper SPD shoes (designed for mountain biking or touring etc), have the cleats more recessed, so they don't touch the ground. And they are usually less stiff and have more grip, so better for walking.


You can indeed replace the square taper cartridge with an external bearing bottom bracket and fit new cranks.

Shimano's system is HollowTech II, SRAMS's is GXP, there is also FSA's MegaExo. I believe that the bottom brackets and cranks of each of these systems are not cross compatible.

Note that many bottom brackets are labeled as either 'road' or 'MTB'. Road brackets are typically for 68mm wide BB shells while MTB brackets are typically for 73mm shells.


Can I swap from 46/36 chainrings to 36/28?

You’ll need a sub-compact (also called super-compat) crankset. With 110mm BCD the smallest chainring possible is 33 or 32 teeth.

There are sub-compact cranksets with 74mm BCD for the inner chainring and 110mm BCD for the outer chainring which should allow you to install something like 28/36. This Sugino OX2-901D Compact Plus+ for example. Looks like their smallest possible combination would be 24/34.

Keep in mind that a road bike front derailleur is not made for such small chainrings. Especially if you have a braze-on mount instead of a clamp for your front derailleur you could be limited in how far you can slide it down the seat tube.

Maybe a 33 teeth chainring combined with a 11–32 cassette would be good enough for you?


Front wheel tilted fork alignment problem

I am 99% sure the dent in the fork blade is damage, and probably part of the problem you're seeing.
The way you set up the two sections of allthread in the dropouts is smart, and is similar to the way dropouts are aligned. You could try to set the dropouts into alignment with the setup you've got, or bring the bike to a shop that has proper alignment tools, that might allow for more leverage and precision. There should be only one position for the two dropouts where the centers meet and both sections of allthread are aligned.
Alternatively, since this fork probably is damaged, you could replace it. An equivalent replacements wouldn't be that expensive.


What is required for a proper boost chainline on a 1x drivetrain - only a boost chainring or an entire crankset?

Answer: The entire boost system has to be used with all the pieces together to have a proper chainline 53 mm to my taste.

I've already had a boost hub, and a non boost entire crankset. At the end of the first month the chain touched the frame. On a race I confirmed a noisy chain, and finally had some missed shifts (twice).

Exactly what I have been searching for 3 weeks now, and found that as SRAM and one up moves the just chainring, and Shimano offer change the crankarms.


If you can pull the lever to the bars there something more wrong than rotor contamination.

I would guess air got in the system but you just did a bleed. I’d Check fluid level, try bleeding again.

You may also need to pump levers to move pads onto rotors if you pushed them back.


I found a perfect replacement on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321463814720


Many things on bicycles are consumable and anything that moves or rubs is going to have to be replaced, it's just a matter of when.
It's unusual for a cassette to wear out completely within a year although if it's been ridden on a stretched chain or without regular cleaning and lubing it'll wear out much faster.
In my experience chains are normally the first things to wear out, presumably because they almost constantly in motion and rubbing against the cogs while you ride plus picking up all kinds of stuff that flies off of the wheels. I normally replace my chains every year regardless of the state that they are in simply because of the low cost of a replacement chain and the relatively high amount of damage that running a worn chain can cause.
You can tell if the cassette (or the  chainrings) need replacing by checking the teeth. If the teeth looked ramped you should switch out the part. See Image:

If the teeth don't look worn but are black with dirt you can clean them with a de-greaser you may find it easier to clean the cassette if you remove it although this requires a cassette removal tool otherwise you can leave it on and clean it with a brush and ordinary dish soap, just rinse afterwards, dry it and remember to lube the inside of the chain again after cleaning it being careful not to overdo it as that will just cause muck and grit to stick to it while riding. Do not use WD-40!
To check the wear on your brake pads look at them from the side and check for grooves. New brake pads come with groves which allow water to escape from under them much like the tread on a tyre. If your brake pad has no visible groves on the face that touches the rim, they should be replaced.


Brand New Bicycle Brake Cables Popping out

Some of the problems I encountered when doing this recently:

forgot to make sure the brake handle wasn't a little bit squeezed as I did it
forgot to use the brake handles fine tuning to increase the tension after installation
when cutting housing, forgot to use a pin to unblock inner sheathing at the end of the housing (the cable then pierces the end and catches)
I too had ill-fitting caps; I made some by wrapping narrow strip of duct tape until I got the right thickness
I forgot to oil the inside of the housing
I failed to cut the housing long enough to always have a decent bend creating pressure to keep itself jammed in


I have a continuum of clothes that I add on as the weather gets colder.

During the summer, I ride like you do with shorts and a t-shirt.  As things cool of a little bit, down below 60F/15C, I'll put on a windbreaker over my t-shirt and some full-finger gloves on my hands.  The next step for me is to add an Under Armour Cold Gear shirt (many companies make equivalent tops) but to stick with naked legs, they're doing all the wok after all.

Once temperatures get down to the 45F/7C range, I'll add som snazzy leggings in a fabric similar to the Under Armour top mentioned above.  When things start to freeze, my final move is a fleece vest over the long sleeve top, but under my windbreaker.

If things get even colder where you are, Icebike's clothing page is a good place to look for further advice.  Keep two things in mind: you need a lot less clothing once you're moving and generating heat than you do standing around, but you also need to be prepared for a problem that might leave you standing around for some time.  Dress light and carry extra clothes in a backpack.


In a similar situation - bike tire marks, trainer residue and grease spots on the carpet - we found that scrubbing the carpet using a concentrated dish detergent (like Dawn, etc) worked very well.


Here is another thing to do now: think about what sort of riding you want to do. The Scott Scale appears to be a performance-oriented hardtail MTB. I am not familiar with MTB disciplines, but it may be a cross country (XC) race bike. It is slow on pavement because it is designed for a completely different environment.
If you are mainly on paved roads or trails, there is little need for front suspension. Your tires can provide adequate suspension. Also, drop handlebars offer a better riding experience for most because they give you a large number of potential hand positions. And you don't need knobby tires for traction on paved roads. Actually, while it might seem alarming at first, you can run slick tires on dirt roads. It's only when you start to get a lot of loose gravel or mud that tire tread starts to become meaningful.
If you are mainly riding technical MTB trails, then you need an MTB, or possibly a more MTB-oriented gravel bike. For this type of riding, flat bars do offer advantages. Admittedly, because this is not my preferred type of cycling, I can't speak personally to this. My understanding is that they offer easier and/or more ergonomic braking on steep and/or extended off-road descents. Also, among MTBs, there is a spectrum of capability, with XC bikes being mainly oriented towards light weight and quick handling, trail and all-mountain handling better on descents than XC bikes, and a few more types besides. As I am not current on modern MTBs, I can't tell if enduro bikes just have more suspension travel and descend better than all-mountain bikes, or if there are qualitative differences as well. While this does not seem to fit the OP's use case, a prospective rider who is more oriented toward MTBs might want to do some exploration into the types of riding they expect to do and to enjoy.
If you are riding on general unpaved terrain, it may have a mix of more straight and open dirt or gravel roads and more technical terrain. At this point, the mix will influence your bike choice between a gravel bike and an MTB. There's also personal preference. A lot of people will prefer hardtail MTBs. However, suspension may or may not be strictly necessary to enjoy the ride. In addition, gravel bikes can be used on paved and unpaved roads alike; you may wish to change to slick tires if you are mostly on the road, but even knobby gravel tires roll faster on pavement than MTB tires.
Be aware that modifying a gravel bike to have flat handlebars will be expensive. You are talking about getting a new bar and shifters, likely a different stem to account for the different reach, and I believe new derailleurs. You then need to re-cable the bike and re-bleed the brakes. Why do you feel you need flat handlebars? Is it due to terrain? Is it due to a well-informed personal preference? If the latter, consider that there are a handful of gravel bikes that are offered in stock flat bar configurations, and I imagine there are some fully rigid MTBs. If it is not an informed preference, I would strongly consider trying out drop bars.
The above answer was given mostly from the point of view of performance-oriented bikes. For the use case mentioned in the comments of another answer, a hybrid bicycle might be worth serious consideration. If one is not comfortable with the riding position of a road bike, a hybrid offers a more upright position and usually thicker tires - which offer more suspension than the tires on many road bikes. I alluded to this above, but for riding on paved trails, I would eschew suspension as it is unnecessary. It would add weight, plus you are paying for the suspension. Without it, you could get a cheaper bike, or a bike with better specs on other important parts.


If an aluminium frame has to be bent back into alignment, it's trashed. Aluminium cannot be deformed without causing weakness in the material.

If the bicycle repair shop literally hit the seat stays with a hammer near the dropouts to straighten the frame is probably weakened in those areas and is very likely unsafe. I personally would not ride that frame.

The bicycle repair shop should have told you the frame was un-repairable and not replaced the fork. Maybe they wanted to make some money of a repair job but I can't believe they passed up an opportunity to sell you a new bike.


Replacing a SRAM Force hydraulic caliper with a new one

This SRAM video on replacingthe hydraulic hose involves removing all the fluid from the system - the situation you are in now. At the end it says to bleed the brake then links to the standard SRAM bleed process, so presumably that's what you need to do.
The standard bleed process is designed to displace all the old fluid with fresh, so the lower syringe must contain enough fluid to fill the system. I think I'd repeat the steps for removing air bubbles a few more times than SRAM suggests to make sure the system is filled properly and there is no air left in the system. If the lever feels spongy you can of course repeat the bleed process.


How do I measure the size of my bicycle frame?

Centerline of the bottom bracket hole to the top of the seat tube (where the seat post goes in).


Going to one chainring: realign cassette farther in by redishing wheel?

You definitely don't want to redish the rear wheel. The dishing is to center the wheel between the locknuts. It is necessary to accommodate the cassette, but it is more of a function of the hub than the cassette or the cassette position.

If I'm reading the right you'd like to convert to a single chainring in front and adjust the chain line (to center the single chainring on the cassette) so that you can utilize all of the cogs on the cassette while maintaining reasonable chain deflection.

The usual way to do this is by adjusting the length of the bottom bracket axle, but since you'd like to minimize spending on the project you're wondering if you can do this with the cassette. As best I know the only way you'll be able to do this is to drop on cog from the cassette and replace it with a spacer, so that you're moving the cassette relative to the chainring.

I think you could do that, but you may want to start by just using one chainring and see if you're happy with the bike in that configuration. You may be running with more chain deflation than would be ideal, but it should work. Then if you like it consider your options for improving the chain line.


The first thing I'd check is that the wheel is mounted in the frame straight and fully in the dropouts - sounds stupid I know but we've all been caught out by things like this.

I wonder if somehow your hub is not running true, either because it's not running true on the axle,

Remove the brake caliper, spin the wheel with the bike off the ground and verify that the hub body does not have any run-out. Do the same with the disc rotor - you can attach a  trimmed zip-tie to the seat stay to give you a point of reference. I'd check both lateral and radial run-out.

Once you have verified the rotor is indeed true, re-retract the pistons and align the caliper carefully. USing a flashlight and a piece of white paper to look down through the caliper can help you spot where the rubbing is occuring.


Are velocity A23 rims suitable for building a wheelset for a 29er Mountain bike?

I've briefly ridden A23's on a road bike, and while I think they'd be OK for cyclocross I did find them a bit flexy (I am ~220lbs).  I've spent significant time on the delgado cross rims, and I found the A23's noticeably less stiff.  I think you'd want something a bit beefier for singletrack riding, especially if you are hard on wheels.

In your situation I'd probably want more of a mountain bike rim that's skinny enough for the cross tires  than a road rim that might be strong enough to stand up to mountain biking, but imagine the lack of good mountain bike options with v-brake compatibility does make the road rims more attractive (along with their light weight).  Guess this all depends on your weight and trails you ride though - I'm a pretty heavy guy and ride in eastern PA where we have a lot of rocks/roots.  A lot of people seem to like the mavic open pros as a 29er rim and they don't look much beefier than the A23's - I always assumed these folks weighed 120 lbs and were riding really smooth singletrack but I guess I could be wrong.

If sticking with Velocity, maybe the Dyad would be more up your alley?  They look a bit like A23's on steroids.


Is there a site that can help you with compatibility among all parts?

Yes

There are sites that will let you pick all of the compatible components for a bicycle.

The following are sites built by people who want to make money selling you a custom bike (these are examples of bike builder apps, not recommendations).

Fanatic.com has a bike builder feature on their website for mountain bikes for a specific set of brands.

Wrenchscience.com also has a bike builder on their website for a variety of bike types and brands.

You can build a bike on these sites and then use the list of parts to purchase from whomever you like.

For an example of a bike builder that does not appear to be tied to a store.
Bike Config is a 3D app that custom builds a bicycle. It appears to be all mountain bikes with a limited list of parts but they hope to grow.

Searching "build a bicycle online" will deliver these and other options.


How to clean tubeless tire sealant from rims

I did this weekend it was not hard to do it mechanically with a piece of cloth and water. Then for patching I needed a piece of a very clean surface so I used a dish-washing liquid and then finally isopropanol buth that will probably not be necessary if you do not need patching.

From the rims the mechanical way was enough, a dry piece of cloth or even just fingers were fine, but a wet cloth will be easier.


Please help me identify this brake pad type

It's a rim brake pad for road bikes, with separate holder and rubber insert, Shimano/SRAM style.


The Shimano compatibility charts say that Mattrea ST-U5060 is compatible with RD- R9000 (Dura Ace), R8000 (Ultegra) and R7000 (105) front and rear derailleurs.

Here are the compatibility charts -

Rear drivetrain: http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/3.7?cid=C-453&acid=C-454

Front drivetrain: http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/3.7?cid=C-453&acid=C-455

Unsurprisingly according to Shimano Tiagra 4700 appears to only be compatible with itself. However, if someone has tried Tiagra derailleurs with 105 or Ultegra shifters (or vice versa) and knows it works, then Matrea shifters will work too.


Best to stick to 26" specific forks. 27.5 forks will alter your ride handling due to the increased fork offset/rake and increased axle to crown length.

Increased fork offset/rank will reduce the fork's stability (ex. self-centering effect). The fork offset issue is a major issue, especially for higher speed gravity-assisted riding. The steering twitchiness increases, which can lead to micro-corrections when cornering (rather than a calm smooth arc) and the wheel is more liable to deflect left/right when hitting bumps head on.

Increased axle to crown length will rotate your bike's geo back, notably increasing BB height (compromised cornering and stability), slackening the seat angle (compromised seated pedaling position). Also, the reach is shortened, stack is raised, and rear center length (horizontally chainstay measurement) is increased.

You can mitigate the axle to crown length issue by running less travel up front, but then you compromise on your travel and dynamic geometry, which includes your ride height at sag and such, which would require further fine tuning.

Note that you can still get upgrade kits and custom tuning for 26" fork chassis, if you feel that it's becoming out of date. For example, RS offers a Charger damper for 26.

The industry has abandoned 26" for 27.5 for modern high end performance MTB designs. You will see fewer options down the line for forks, tires, and wheels. Expect production to be further discontinued, due to lack of demand; note that manufacturers of complete bikes are undoubtedly the biggest customers, not retailers and individuals in aftermarket.

I personally have a Stumpjumper FSR EVO with a 26" BOS Deville fork, and it has less significantly less breakaway resistance than a new Pike and 36. The damping is different, but I can't subjectively say if it's something I prefer or not; I just know that it hasn't let me down nor is repulsive in any way. Versus the prior CTD fork, I've been crashing far less (from often to almost never), but a bit of the bike's playful and thrilling character has been lost in the process (feels more behaved and mature).


can I use a 10 speed brake lever shifter If I have a 7 gear cassette

No.

The brake lever has to be matched to the cable pull of the brake (short pull/long pull); V-brakes need different cable pull than caliper brakes, for example. Else, you'll have not enough power to stop or you'll lock up the wheel instantly.

The number of speeds on the shifter needs to match the number of speeds on the cassette (*). The shifter also has to be compatible with the derailleur.

Also, note that road and mountain shift+brake levers have different clamp diameters since the handlebars have different diameters, so you need to use road shifters+brake levers on a road bar, and mountain shifters+brake levers on a flat bar.

(*) There are a few special cases where you can violate this. 7 speed cassette with 10 speed shifter is not one of them.

In this case (assuming Miyata 1000; a drop bar road bike), I'd suggest finding a compatible brake lever (which will be easy), and using friction shifters (downtube/bar end). Or find a 7 speed indexed shifter which is compatible with the derailleur at hand (if the rear derailleur is Shimano, theres now a 7 speed brifter in the Tourney range, as well as one made by microshift; you can easily find 7 speed compatible index/friction switchable downtube or bar end shifters for Shimano as well).


If it's an aluminium frame it's fine. The dent is relatively small on a large diameter tube so will not affect frame integrity.

I guess you just bought the frame used. If you bought it in person you should really have checked for damage before making the trade. If it was bought online and the dent was not mentioned in the ad you technically have a reason to return it the seller and get a refund. If used a site like Craiglist you'll have to negotiate with the seller, if a site like Ebay you can use their dispute resolution tools.

In any case it's fine. If and when you crash on this frame at least you won't feel so bad about putting scratches or small dents on it.


From my trials with spoke lights I have not found ones that I like, but I have learned a few things about them that might be useful to others with more money.

Illumination - It is important to recognize how much light the lights can put out, and not just when the batteries are fully charged.
Batteries - There are a multitude of spoke lights with all sorts of battery requirements. A lot of them use the disk shaped batteries. These range in hassle to install and maintain since some of them only use a single battery while others use varying amounts in different quantities.
Ease of activation and deactivation - Some are easier to turn on and off then others. I prefer buttons rather then those you have to press on both sides. When you are riding around in the winter, one of the times you need to be seen the most, and you have frozen fingers turning lights on and off can be quite painful. Having lights that won't hurt your fingers might be a godsend.
Cost/benefit ratio - The aforementioned Monkey Lights may provide a lot of illumination, not to mention a few points in style, but they are not cheap. God forbid your bike gets stolen. Besides I can think of a few other areas on my bike I would want to drop that money on. But hey, at least you will get noticed.

Personally, I don't like the design of the SpokeLit. It fails on 3 of 4 of my qualifications. They are a pain to turn on and off. They do not stay bright for long and the batteries are expensive. Granted I ride a lot so your battery life may differ. What I have thought about doing is wrapping my spokes in Glowire or something like it.


What is the cable pull of Tiagra 4700 10 speed? What is the actuation ratio?

According to this YouTube video, you can combine:

Shimano Tiagra 4700 shifters
Shimano GRX 812 11 speed rear derailleur
11-34t 10 speed cassette

This implies that a Tiagra 4700 rear derailleur has the same actuation ratio as Shimano 11 speed road rear derailleurs, as suggested by Argenti Apparatus. This is a ratio of 1.4. 3

Plugging these numbers into the equation we get:

Cable pull * Derailleur shift ratio = Cog pitch
Cable pull * 1.4 = 3.95
Cable pull = 3.95 / 1.4
Cable pull ≈ 2.82

So, to answer the question:

Tiagra 4700 10 speed shifters have a cable pull of 2.82
Tiagra 4700 rear derailleurs have an actuation ratio of 1.4


Why does my rear derailleur's indexing work for either the high or the low gears, but not both?

When adjusting the tightness of the derailleur cable, it should affect the shifting across the whole range of gears evenly. The way you phrased the question, it sounds like you are experiencing problems mainly in the high end when it's too loose and mainly in the low end when it's too tight. That would indicate that your derailleur hanger is out of alignment. You can check that by looking at your bike from behind and seeing if the two small pulley wheels on your derailleur are directly in line with the gears, and not bent at a slightly different angle. It's an easy fix but it requires a specific tool.

On the other hand, and as others have suggested, it is very common for grime to build up around the bend in the rear shift cable. It may be hesitant to shift into the highest gear because the remaining tension in the derailleur's spring (which will be at its lowest when the derailleur is most relaxed, or in the highest gear) is not enough to overcome the residual friction between the cable and housing. Sometimes you can solve it just by cleaning the cable. To check/clean it without any tools:

shift into the highest (most outward) gear in the rear
Hold the rear wheel off the ground (somehow)
Pedaling forward with your right hand, use your left hand to push the derailleur in (shift into the lower/inward gears). This will create slack in the shift cable.
Take out the housing coming from the rear derailleur from the frame stub holding it in. You can do this because the shift cable should not be under tension.
Slide the section of housing out of the way and wipe the cable down thoroughly with a cloth. If you have any, apply a drop of chain oil to the cable (oil your chain while you're at it).
Reposition the housing admire your newly reduced cable friction


Campagnolo Crank Compatibility 11 speed crank to 9 speed chain/deraillieur/shifters

I have used Shimano 10 speed cranks with 9spd chain, derailluers and gears.

Without actually having tried it with the Campy components you list, I see no reason why it shouldn't work. The only difference between 9spd and 11 spd chain is the exterior width of the chain. The interior dimensions are identical (i.e. 3/32 of an inch wide, 1/2 inch long).

The one issue you may run into is that the front chainrings may be slightly closer together
than a 9 speed crank. When you are using gear combos that involve the cross chaining on the small chainring, the extra width of 9 speed chain may catch on the larger chainring.

The shifting may not be as precise and fast as an all 11 speed setup, but of all the parts of the drivetrain the front cranks are the least "speed specific" and the easiest to interchange.


Most BMX Levers are "Standard Pull", which means they have the shorter pull and are typically paired with road bike brakes (caliper, cantilever, mini-v, or road disc).

Mountain bike brakes (like v-brakes, or mtb disc) typically pair with "long pull" levers, which pull more cable. This is also known as "linear pull"

So, if you use a BMX lever with V-Brakes on a mountain bike, you likely won't be able to pull enough cable to work properly. You'll probably be able to stop somewhat, but they will feel off and will have to be setup so the pads are very close to the rim. You're better off getting MTB specific levers.

However, it appears that the Shimano DXR brakes and levers are linear pull, contrary to standard BMX tech, so it's likely fine to use this particular lever with v-brakes on a mountain bike.


What is this ... electrical bike's setup? Is there a particular brand or model name for this? how to replace its battery?

It looks to be an older Currie Electro Drive, they were originally made in 1996 i believe. I don't know much to anything else about them though other than that is one and they exist.

Here is the companies website which offers support options. I would look for a serieal number and call them with questions about battery replacement.

http://www.currietech.com/about.html

Also, i found this random page that sells parts, you may be able to source a battery and spare parts from them as well.

https://electricscooterparts.com/currieelectrodriveelectricbicyclekitparts.html

This looks to be quite similar as far as the motor mount and rack go.

From what i can tell they make a very large battery pack that slides down the side of that rack and connects to those two metal terminals above the bicycles axle (the blue block). You can see them if you follow the second link i listed.


How durable are the lights on a Vanmoof?

I am a happy Vanmoof owner for about two years here in Amsterdam. It's never occurred to me at all to be worried about the lights hitting a bike rack, or anything else. Even if they did, they're pretty solid and I would imagine you'd need to bang at them pretty hard to damage them.


Wheel size markings 26x52/56 seem abnormal

From the WTB Website:
GMS Global Measuring System The current industry standard for specifying the actual inflated size of a bicycle tire does not account for subtle variation in tread and casing size. To address this problem and provide you with more information for comparing tires, WTB has introduced the Global Measuring System (GMS) for tire measurement.
The GMS uses a two-number system: the first number is the width of the casing, and the second number is the width of the tread, both in millimeters. These measurements are taken on a rim which is 20mm wide at the bead-capturing point, with a tire inflated to 60psi and maintained for 24 hours.
In addition to being able to accurately size a tire, knowing the actual casing size and tread width provides an indication of air volume, tread characteristics and tread contact area; all of which provide you with a more concise idea of what ride characteristics to expect from each of WTB's tires. WWhat this means in the simplest terms is a nominal 26x2.1 inches.


This is not normal. A properly built wheel with quality spokes will not break spokes like this. The likely culprits are build quality (spokes over-stressed?) of spokes quality. Take your wheel to a bike mechanic and ask if the spokes tension looks right and if the cross-pattern is OK. If it does, then you are left with poor quality spokes; change them.


Specific product recommendations are off-topic for Bicycles.SE. There are some bottle cages for larger-than-usual bottles, but water bottles for bikes come in a standard size with a diameter of about 2¾" and a shoulder about 5" along its length, and most cages are designed specifically for that.


Changing Shimano Tiagra 12-28 cassette to 11-32

Assuming you have the latest 4700 series 10 speed Tiagra. We can look up the rear derailleur specs here.

If you have the long cage GS model derailleur you can go to a 11-34 cassette, if you have the short cage SS model you are limited to an 11-28 cassette.

I'm guessing that because your bike comes with a 11-28 cassette you have the SS model, but Tiagra derailleurs are not expensive, relative to other groupsets, especially if you look for as new take-offs or low mileage used examples.

You will of course need to change the chain as a longer one will be required, and new cassettes should only be used with new, unworn chains.


You don't actually have to decide :-)

For bicycles you want a pump that is capable of pretty high pressures (at least relative to a car) and most bicycle pumps can do either Presta or Schrader valves. Many floor pumps have a reversible head (two heads in one). For frame pumps it is common for the pump head to be convertible between Presta and Schrader.

Unless you have a reason to support Schrader valves life will probably be simpler if you have your pump set up for Presta valves, but I think it is a good idea to also carry a Presta-to-Schrader adapter with you. They are very light. If the rest of your world is Schrader then it might be more convenient to just put adapters on both of your wheels and pretend that they have Schrader valves. Moving the adapter around on a regular basis will probably get old.


Repair frame with crack by seatpost clamp

Is it feasible to repair a crack in a frame around the seatpost clamp?

feasible:
1. possible to do easily or conveniently.
2. likely; probable.

It is possible to repair an aluminum frame. It is not easy or convenient.

It's all about how much effort/money you are willing to put into this project.

Finding someone with a gas tungsten arc welding rig who would be willing to weld on your frame is one thing. Finding someone who knows what they are doing is something else.

Here is a discussion on a welding forum with an intelligent answer on aluminum bicycle frame repair. Here is a snippet of the conversation relating to repairing a frame:

  Any repair should be made via gtaw (tig-heliarc) by an EXPERIENCED welder.  If the frame is truely 7005 then 5180 would be the filler material of choice.  This will allow the frame to undergo heat treatment to restore it to its original condition.    If the frame is actually a t6 alloy more than likely you should use a 4643 filler which again will allow heat treatment.....if you wish to repair without heat treatment use 5356 which will work on either alloy but without heat treatment it will never be in the condition it was when produced.

The most feasible solution is to see this as an excellent opportunity to upgrade.


What are the ridges seen on sprockets and chainrings for?

They are there to help facilitate shifting. Basically, the ramps you see help when going from a smaller to larger sprocket by catching the side plates of the chain to help the chain be pulled up onto the larger cog.

Another place where you will see atypical teeth is in the front; some are shorter/different shaped than others to help shifting as well. Sometimes you see pins as well.


Can I fit my normal brake levers to the curves of the dropbars?

Sorry, but fitting drop bars to a flat bike is a no-go.

The flat bar levers will not fit properly on a drop bar. You will probably not be able to reach the levers easily which is dangerous ! Reaching the shifters will also be difficult if not impossible.

The other reason is that frames designed for flat bars are longer than those designed for drop bars, as the drop bars extend the hands further forward. You likely find that the hand position on drop bars on a flat bar frame is too far forward.

If you want to get a somewhat faster more aggressive position but retaining you brake lever and shifter hardware, consider replacing your riser bar with a flat, slightly narrower one.


Can a 10-speed chain be used with a 9-speed cassette?

The 10 speed chain is narrower and will work. Not ideal and the shifting might not be as crisp.

Since you have an extra chain you can use it, but if purchasing new I would get a 9 speed chain.


Generally you should use a patch kit similar to this  , which consists of patches with rounded corners & feathered edges, a small tube of glue, and a bit of coarse sandpaper.

Usually you can locate the leak by over-inflating the tube (to about twice normal diameter) and then either moving your hand along it or moving it around near your face (your face skin is quite sensitive to air movement) to feel the leak.  Sometimes it helps to move it around near your ear to hear the leak.  As a last resort, fill a basin with water and use that to detect the bubbles.

Discard any tube with a leak within two inches of the stem, or with a leak within an inch or two of an existing patch.  And of course discard any tube with a slit or blowout (except in extreme emergency).

Marking is tricky.  Often the leak is near enough to the center of the tread area that you can simply center on the tread area and only need to mark the position around the circumference.  Other times the leak is more on the sidewall, and you need to mark both X and Y (so to speak) positions.  (Or you can wing it and try to remember where the leak is.)

But remember that you need to abrade the area of the patch (plus at least a half inch beyond its margins) and then spread glue on this area.  This will obliterate any nearby marks, so you need to mark farther away than that.  It's often best to mark on both sides, so you can conceptually draw a line between the marks.

Chalk, a soft pencil, or a fine-tipped felt pen can be used for marking.  (Be sure to test marking first and be sure you can see the mark.)  Avoid using a grease pen, since the grease may get onto the patch area.

Abrade the area of the patch.  If the patch will fall on top of the mold sprue (seam) on the centerline of the tube, you need to abrade that pretty well -- not necessarily enough to remove the "seam", but enough to make it lay flat.

Spread on the glue, going about 1/2" beyond the patch margins.  You don't need a lot, but enough to make the whole area shiny and smooth.  (Note, you WILL get glue on your fingers, especially since the finger is the best way to spread the glue.  Be prepared with some sort of towel to wipe your hands, and don't do any of this on your wife's new hardwood diningroom table, nor should you wipe your hands on the upholstery of the new couch.)

Allow the glue to dry.  Here I may diverge from "conventional wisdom" and the instructions in the patch kit, since I like the glue to be not quite totally dry before applying the patch.  Others like it thoroughly dry, but I find I get better adhesion my way.

Apply the patch.  It comes with a clear plastic top cover and a foil backing.  The trick is to remove the foil without removing the clear plastic, so that you can use the plastic to cover some of the glue while pressing.  After the patch is in place, press it thoroughly, by, eg, rubbing your fingernail back and forth across it.  (The smooth, rounded end of a plastic tire "iron" is useful for this function.)  It's important to do this pressing well, crossing the patch first one direction, then another, applying considerable pressure.

If the patch is on the sidewall where you will fold it while folding up the tube for stowage, allow the patch to "set" for at least another 15 minutes, preferably a couple of hours.  And, before folding for stowage, place a bit of tissue over the glued area (even if the clear plastic is still covering it) since the glue, over time, will want to stick to parts of the tube it touches when folded.  (Another option is to thoroughly dust the area with talc.)  You need the same consideration when installing the tube back in the tire, to prevent the patch from sticking to the inside of the tire.  (In a pinch, when you need to put the tube back in a tire and ride immediately, roadside dust is a good stand-in for talc.)


Is it better to get a commuter bike with a front suspension or without one?

Commuter or city bikes are designed for paved surfaces. A suspension fork on such a bike is not going to add much comfort, except perhaps when riding over potholes or kerbs, which are avoidable.

Suspension forks add weight, which brings a different type of discomfort as you have to exert effort to move that weight around.

This gets worse the more inexpensive the bicycle is. Low end suspension forks are heavy and have poor performance.


How to tell if a new pair of brake calipers will fit my wheel, tire, and frame?

Road brake calipers are built with "reach" dimensions.  The reach is the distance from the center mounting bolt to the pads.  Usually this is a range of values (e.g., 47mm-57mm) as you can adjust the pad vertically within the caliper.  It is important you replace the caliper with another caliper of the same reach. If you do not get the appropriate reach you will not be able to position the brake pads to engage the rim braking surface.

Generally, there are 3 common sizes for road brake calipers.

39-49 mm - "short" reach - Common on race road bikes, lower volume tires (e.g., 700x23c).  The   Tektro R540 (what you linked) has this reach.
47-57 mm - "long" reach - more common on road bikes that slightly larger volume tires (e.g., 700x32c).
57-76 mm  - "Extra long reach" - less common and found on more boutique frames which are designed to fit even larger volume tires or 700c to 650B conversions.

You need to determine which reach your current calipers are. Given the tire size of your current bike (700x32c), if I were to guess, it is likely option (2) 47-57mm.

If you peruse Sheldon Brown's web page on brake calipers you can see which brands and model numbers will match this reach specification.  I would however suggest measuring your caliper reach to confirm my guestimate before any purchases.


Left crankshaft arm broken - can I use a different manufacturer?

Generally yes, its not a problem, if the cosmetics are not a problem :)
You may find the Q Factor (how far apart the pedals are) changed and a pedals a little offset from center, but in reality this is unlikely to cause a big issue for most riders.


Are dimpled chainstays weaker than smooth ones, other things equal?

The dimpled chainstay may have less stiffness in certain directions at that point, but if forces are not concentrated there, or in the direction of less stiffness it just doesn't matter.

A u-shaped beam (which is what the heavily dimpled tube essentially is) has less resistance to twisting forces than a tube, but there isn't any significant twisting forces on the stays.


Pros and cons of single-sided forks (Cannondale Lefty)?

The single-legged fork must truly withstand heavier bending forces than conventional forks, simply due to physics and asymmetricity. But because of its different construction, the fork is actually stiffer than most 2-legged.

Pros

The top is attached like a dual crown downhill fork, which is much stiffer than a single-crown.
The wheel axle is one-piece with the bottom part, which is stiffer than a quick-release axle (which is not solid at all) and on same level as a 15 thru-axle or 20 thru-axle. This design is used also on cars where the wheel doesn't have support from the other side.
The biggest difference is inside. While normal forks have round tubes that slide on oil film, the Lefty uses needle bearings on a square profile (same as the front leg of Boeing airliners.):

Such solution works with almost same friction under heavy side-loads, whereas sliding tubes, when side-loaded (uneven compression of legs), do get friction losses (rolling resistance wins).
Having conventional fork with one leg wouldn't work, such a fork would get stuck. Having bearing-fitted 2-legged fork is an overkill and unnecessary weight.
The heaviest Lefty is still lighter than lightest carbon 2-legged.
You can replace the tire without removing the wheel.

Cons

If you need to remove the front wheel, you need to remove the brake caliper also.
The axle works only with Cannondale hubs.
The front of bike will look unbalanced until you get used to it.
Pre-2013 models of Lefty are not sealed, having the bearings track just under a rubber sleeve. This required almost constant maintenance. Post-2013 models have a rubber-sealed leg with bearings further inside and with one plain bearing at the bottom which allows for service intervals as normal forks:

Previous models, as some bikers on forums complained, had more linear action: they were easier to bottom than normal forks. So now the newer ones should have more progressive compression. (This is opinion based, but quite a lot of it online, there are no measurements.)
A Lefty is much harder to service than a normal fork. You need a couple of special tools, and the assembly is complicated.


Indexing issues on new build, shimano 105 5800

From the sound of the issues you are describing, I expect your derailleur hanger is misaligned.

When troubleshooting rear derailleur setup, these are the basic steps. (I know you said you've checked some of these. I'm still including them for the sake of a complete answer.)

Disconnect the cable from the cable fixing bolt, and remove it from the derailleur.
Remove the derailleur from the frame.
Check the alignment of the derailleur hanger. Many shifting issues start there. Even a new derailleur hanger often needs to be aligned.

Once your hanger is known straight, reinstall the derailleur, taking care to check that it is threaded properly. Cross threading the derailleur will also cause misalignment.
Double check the limit screw positions, with the cable still disconnected. Manually move the derailleur to the top of its range. The upper pulley should be aligned with the center of your largest cog when stopped against the upper limit screw.  When at the bottom of the range, the upper pulley should align just slight to the dropout side of the center of your smallest cog.
Put the cable back through the barrel adjuster, making sure that the barrel adjuster is positioned to allow it to be turned 2 full rotations in either direction, and pull it across the notched side of the fixing bolt. It matters which side of the fixing bolt the cable lies on. Make sure this is right.

Pull the cable tight, and use a 4mm Allen key to tighten it. Torque to 4 - 7Nm.
Check your shifting performance. Adjust cable tension as needed until shifting is smooth.


My answer only applies if you will be hauling your bike(s) frequently or somewhat frequently. My solution may not be worth it for occasional use, because one would need to invest in a trailer hitch for mounting the rack.

Get a trailer hitch like this: (Notice that the "trailer" hitching part is removable and the bike rack fits into that spot) And then choose one of several trailer hitch bike racks.

You may or may not haul a trailer, however, the bikes will ride a hitch mount just fine. With a hitch mount you don't have to worry about overhead clearance or (usually) the inability to open the rear hatch of the car.

My hitch mount can haul 4 bikes, (and I can still open the trunk) but I haven't used the total capacity yet.

Why do I like this?

The bike rack locks onto the trailer hitch in 5 minutes or less
The bikes are situated in 15 minutes or less.
I'm good to go. I don't have to worry about strapping things down or getting the trunk open, or overhead clearance.


You have already answered your own question really.

  When I slam the brakes on the wheels lock up(front and back) but i take longer to stop than i'm perhaps used to.

If the brakes are strong enough to lock up the wheels they have plenty of power, but you have overcome the ability of the tyre to grip the road.


I would suggest leaving new cable housings as they are. From my experience with riding MTB bikes in different conditions, lubing them only attracts more dust. I suggest regular cleaning and using oil only for short term reviving. These cables need to be replaced once in a while anyway.


How to make a 1x city bike easier to ride uphill?

I'm a big fan of low gears (I run a 22 inner ring on my MTB despite being a fairly strong climber), but I'd say a 22 or 24t ring is too small to use as an only ring - it'll spin out much to easily on slight downhills or with tailwinds.
You can get 1x cranks for MTB that come as standard with a 30T ring, and aftermarket 28T rings - I'd suggest these would be a better compromise.
As another alternative, if you are doing a conversion anyway, perhaps you might like to consider an aftermarket e-bike conversion?


What is the typical structure and location of a check valve in a floor pump?

I managed to fix it! The only valve like thing I could find in the pump was a small bit of brass tubing, but it was hollow all the way through so figured there must a small ball that is displaced when air goes in to the tyre but falls back preventing air going the other way. My partner miraculously found it in the sink. It looks like this:

It goes in the base here:

On top of that goes the metal tube that runs up the side of the piston tube:

Thanks for the replies. I love it when I manage to fix the consequences of my own idiocy.


I strongly recommend socks that can breathe easily and that absorb and wick away sweat.  That means probably not cotton athletic socks you'd get in bulk at a warehouse store.

Personal preference determines the coloration and logos, and if you're worried about style, get socks that match your kit and your shoes.

Also if your alma mater has a cycling team, contact them and see if you can buy team socks.  You'll be able to show school pride wherever you're riding, and they'll be quality.


I need to get a new master link how can I tell the size of it?

Bike chains come in two sizes.   There's 1/8" chain for single speeds (bikes without a derailler) and 3/16" which is for geared bikes with a rear derailleur.

In addition you can get master links for 6/7/8 speed, or 9 speed or 10 speed or 11 speed.  So count the number of cogs in your rear cassette and go from there.

Master kinks are cheap.  Buy a couple, put a spare on each bike you ride.


Buying a frame to build up when you don't have much experience is tricky because you cannot  test ride frames alone. Most importantly you want to make sure you will get a good riding position fit. If there is a bike store that sells complete bikes with the frames you want try test riding those.

If you cannot test ride frames in this way then you need to look at the geometry. You can basically split geometry into the cockpit dimensions: stack and reach, and the handling: head tube angle, fork offset, chainstay length and front-center. You can use the Domane as a reference point. If you liked the riding position look for a frame with similar stack and reach and remember you can adjust riding position by getting a longer or shorter stem. Longer chanstays and slacker head tube angle will give you a more stable but slower turning bike.

Some other considerations. Most steel frames will have a threaded bottom bracket shell. The Domane has a pressfit bottom bracket (BB90 I think). Shimano cranks with 25mm axles will fit in external threaded bottom bracket cups but I think you will want to get a frame with a 68mm road bottom bracket shell width to fit the road crank axle length. (You can check the specs of you crank here.)


Try some other gloves in a store, to see what size fits you on average.

E.g. in a shirt I'm a medium or a large.

However I bought my gloves in a store, after looking at the whole range on display, and trying on a few of them for feel.

They 'fit me like a glove'.

When I was looking for winter gloves (with full-length fingers and an inner lining, which are more difficult to fit that finger-less gloves are), in an outdoor sports store with a cycling-clothing department, I found a great variation in the quality of the design, and in the quality of the manufacturing (i.e. the stitching).

Most I tried were not comfortable. I chose the best for me.


9/16 pedals wont go in crank - they're too big

First verify that you are in fact trying to screw the left pedal into the left crank arm and the right pedal into the right crank arm. The pedals are sometimes marked with a R and L on the end of the threaded section. The left side is the side your left hand is on while riding. There are 2 common size pedal threads. Many children's bikes, some lower cost department store bikes and some folding bikes use 1/2" thread on the pedal . Most others use a 9/16" thread on the pedal. My guess is you bought 9/16" pedals and they are too large to screw in to your crank arms. While they make adapters to use 1/2" pedals in 9/16" holes there is not one for the reverse. As an alternative you can ask your local bike shop to determine if the crank arm has enough material to modify it to the 9/16" thread. This likely more expensive them getting the correct pedals.


Replacing a hub is not a "simple" procedure -- it, at a minimum, involves relacing the rear wheel, probably with different sized spokes (whose size you must accurately determine).  Relacing is not beyond the abilities of a competent backyard mechanic, but is a skill that needs to be learned.

To add a second chainring you must install some sort of device to take up the chain slack.  A front derailer does not do this, so either a rear derailer or some specialized device.

It would be far easier/cheaper to purchase a new (or "new to you" used) bike.

What you MIGHT be able to do is to replace your front chainring with a smaller one.  Or it's vaguely possible that there is available a replacement larger sprocket for your rear hub.  Of course, either of these would slow down your high gear.