Cyclocross for road bike type of routes - Increased risk of INJURY?

A CX bike is stable, strong, and will take wider tires.  It is a great road and commute bicycle.  It is built to race in city parks.  It has a comfortable riding position.  Just put touring tires on it (I like 35mm).  I don't mean to advertise a bike but if you look at a high end CX like Moots the even say use as light touring.
Rout

You are not going to road race a CX but I will take it as a daily grinder and light touring every time.  At the end of CX season in the US and you can usually find great buys on used bikes.

As for risk of injury the only time I would rather be on true road bike is a 50 mph road decent.
But I am 50 years old - I don't 50 mph decents.

This is getting a bit of discussion so will add a little.
I don't road race and gave up my only road bike as for me my CX is was better road bike.
My road bike was limited to 25 mm tires and that is good for racing but not what I want for commuting or even a long road ride. In this pic it has 35 mm tires but with 28 or 32 mm tires it is a road bike.  It even came geared more for road (52T).  I would not commute on this as it is kind of my baby.

This Salsa below is a bike I bought to CX race but I just did not feel as comfortable on it so I race the above Bianchi.  The Bianchi is softer and not as quick.  As a commuter and light touring this Salsa is an awesome bike.  Other than spend a lot more money on a Moots there is not other commuter I would rather have.  I picked this up used for $1600 US.  It is light enough to get up and go and strong enough to take a beating and titanium does not rust.  And it will take a rack.  I also have a steel Salsa Vaya that I use for shopping but even at just a few pounds difference this bike way nicer for light commuting.
I like 35 mm tires for daily commuting.

This is my beater commuter.  At my gym I have to leave a bike out in a lower end neighborhood. I picked this up used for $400. For a single speed I like 32 mm tires.

You can do so much with a CX bike. If you get a nice one you will keep it the rest of your life.  Avoid an aluminum true race CX bike.  A steel bike is heavier but has a longer life than aluminum.  Look at the Surly Cross Check.  No one races a Cross Check - it is just a ballistic commuter.  A bit more money but like the steel Salsa Vaya.


What is the hydraulic brakes expected life?

Shimano warrants to the original retail purchaser that the Shimano bicycle division product for which they received this warranty, is free from non-conformities in material and workmanship for a period of two years (...)

As you can read in Shimano's North America homepage. So if you bought this new, go there and complain.

Disc brakes with proper maintenance should last for a few good years even on an daily usage basis, and Shimano's are known for their reliability.

If you bought them used or did something you shouldn't (incorrect oil for ex), you can try to get them fixed, but since they're around $35 each, lever and caliper, I'de just buy new ones.


"Women's" helmet is a pure marketing feature. All helmets have to pass the same safety standards and if it fits wear it.

Most helmet models come in at least 2 or 3 sizes. You should be able to find a helmet in the size that fits your head diameter. All the major manufacturers make helmets for every head size from 2 year olds to XL for adults. Every helmet should
have the head size range listed somewhere on the box.


What type of rear derailleur is used on my bike?

I think that the model you have is 'hanger mount' as it mounts to a derailleur hanger built into the frame rather than being attached by an axle nut.

There are many Tourney rear derailleur models. All Tourney rear derailleurs are 6 and 7 speed compatible. You'll want a model with a long cage (SGS postfix on the model number).

The RD-TX800, RD-TY500 or RD-TY300 models should be drop in replacements.


Is this a stunt or a useful descent technique?

Typically cool points, but it can be used to align the bike with the landing surface if the launch, trajectory and landing aren't in a straight line.


I've had similar problems (clicking on the right side down stroke) before, and it is probably the bottom bracket.  But the first thing to do is to check and make sure that you don't have a loose bolt/ nut somewhere.  This could be in your pedal, the crank, or somewhere else in your drivetrain.  If you make sure that everything is tight and it still doesn't go away it's time to try replacing your bottom bracket.  It's a pretty easy fix, but does require a special tool.  http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/cartridge.html


Are there rules for how many riders can be in a World Tour team?

The UCI does have rules for the maximum number of riders. The base max is 28, but you can get extra spots for having new pros on your roster, up to 2 extra spots. The rule comes from section "2.15.110 Riders" of the UCI regulations. This cycling blog has a good explanation of it written up: http://inrng.com/2011/08/max-team-size-uci-rules/


It depends on the rear wheel you are using. Specifically how many gears. Also you need to make sure your shifters (if they are indexed aka have a 'click' for eachgear change and are not infinitely adjustable ) match the amount of cogs on your casette/freewheel on the rear wheel.

If you are using non indexed/friction shifting you can use these shifters with any number of gears in the back (In my experience).

In my experience 9 speed chains can be used with 6-8 speed casette and also work alright on 10speed. Have not tested it for 11 speed. So in general if your chain isn't too wide (it doesn't rub against the neighbouring cogs of the casette/freewheel and it isn't too narrow (the chain easily and fully seats on the cog teeth without having to force it on) you should be fine.

In my experience and according to Sheldon Brown Shimano rear derailleurs can be used interchangeably with other speed rated Shimano rear derailleurs. So a 7s rear derailleurs can be used for 10 speed casette when using the correct shifter. Do make sure the chain properly fits the casette's chain guide wheels. In some cases you might have to install longer limit adjustment screws in the rear derailleurs to be able to properly adjust it but in most cases you won't.

So to answer your question: yes that derailleurs should work as long as you use a friction shifter or a properly matched (same number of speeds as your casette/freewheel) indexed shifter.

Sheldon Brown: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/speeds.html
More complex explanation: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailleur.html


Trials: knee and elbow hurting, am I doing it wrong?

This should be really asked to you physicist, not bicycle related forum.

If you are new to this, this can be "normal", as your bones and ligaments are not used to constant shocks. Do not ignore the pain. Take more time off, if needed.

This is typical problem for runners without previous experience. You can not just start running half-martahons without knee pains which can later lead you to meniscus surgery. You need to start slow and use 10% rule (increase your distance/time per week by no more than 10%).


How can I find the right size road bike without a test ride?

It seems odd that somebody wanting to sell a bike to you wouldn't allow a test ride. Most places encourage you to take the bike for a test ride, at least around the parking lot or around the block, and usually with a bike store employee following closely behind.  If they can't offer you a test ride, perhaps you could persuade them to mount the bike onto a trainer.  That would at least give you some sense of how the bike fits, although doesn't tell you much about how it handles. Another option is to find a bike rental service that has the same model bike that you are planning to buy (some rental services even sell their old bikes). This can give you the opportunity to try out the bike for an extended period.  If you still can't get a test ride, I'd opt for a different bike from a different shop that does allow test rides.  There's nothing particularly special about the Trek 1.2 that you can't find in 100 other bike models, which are available in lots of different stores.  I wouldn't recommend buying a bike without actually riding it first.


All Avid brakes require the proprietary brake bleed equipment and that a fairly complex procedure is followed. Avid/SRAM sell a brake bleed kit that comprises:

two syringes
caliper and level hose barbs with hose and clamps
T10 Torx allen key
DOT 5.1 brake fluid
caliper spreaders to hold the caliper apart while bleeding

The kit is quite expensive and several eBay sellers provide a cheaper alternative kits. Any hydraulic brake fluid that complies with the DOT 5.1 standard is suitable for Avid brakes. It is possible to assemble your own brake bleed kit by sourcing some 20ml syringes, M? hose barbs, neoprene hose, hose clamps and using some US quarters or UK 2pence pieces to spread the calliper pistons.

The bleed procedure is documented by SRAM in a youtube video:

and also in their service manual PDF:

https://www.sram.com/service/techdocs/hydraulic-disc-brake-hose-length-adjustment-bleed-guide

The procedure involves:

prepare the brake fluid by using a partial vacuum to remove bubbles from the fluid
connect a 50% full syringe to the caliper and 25% full syringe to the lever
close the brake lever and clamp with a rubber band
pull on the caliper syringe gently to remove bubbles from the caliper
push the caliper syringe until around 25% of the fluid has transferred to the lever syringe
open the lever while gently applying pressure to the caliper
remove the caliper syringe and replace the bleed screw
pull gently on the level syringe to remove bubbles from the caliper
apply the brake lever and repeat until all bubbles are removed
remove the lever syringe and replace the bleed screw
clean all traces of brake fluid with alcohol or soapy water

At this point you should have properly bled brakes. Test carefully before heading back out on the trail!


Its to control the size of the field. The number of categories grows as the number of riders increases. This is so that you split people by ability more (for better consistency) and keep the fields sufficiently small.

There just happen to be more men than women. If the number of women increase to be unwieldly with 4 categories, they'll presumably add a cat 5 for women as well.


Marking chains permanently for later identification

Attach a large washer to the chain with some binding wire. Use a centre punch to mark the washer with one to several dots and keep a log of those. The washer will stay attached while you clean the chains and the marking won't be washed off by a solvent.


Creaking sound when pedaling [audio clip included]

I found the culprit(most likely): it was the cogs digging into the freehub body, as seen in the post here. I imagine the cassette lockring wasn't tight enough. The recommended torque is 50Nm but since I don't have a torque wrench that big, I've tightened it how tight I believed was enough, last time I removed the cassette.
At the time of removing the cassette, I've also greased the derailleur hanger bolt and contact surface, and the skewer, but I believe the noise came from the cassette.
Sorry for wasting your time !


Front derailleur feels "disconnected" in cold

There are three places to explore: the shifter, the cable housing or the front derailleur.

Given that you can't shift up (to a higher/bigger front chainring) and that the shifter feels that it's disconnected, my guess is that it's the shifter  (#1 below) that is frozen since the symptoms of #2 and #3 are that shifts down to a smaller chainring are slow/harder; and/or that the shifter feels hard/stuck when shifting up, not loose which is what you're experiencing.

If you have an indexed thumb shifter, then these are known to have lubrication problems and will eventually freeze up in the way that you mention (shifting up doesn't work, it feels like the cable is disconnected). The simple fix for this is to shoot some WD-40 or other light lubricant into the thumb shifter body and to work it in while shifting up and down. If you can, taking off the top of the housing will work better. This is only a partial fix as eventually the lubricant will stiffen again. You can then do an overhaul of the shifter, or just get a new one from your local bike shop. There are numerous intertubes videos on how to do this, just youtube "[name of shifter] DIY fix"
The simple fix for housing freeze is to try to use an injection of WD-40 (water-displacing formula #40) into the cable housing to expel all of the water and leave a thin film of very light lubricant. I would try to do this when it is warm (or your bike is inside the house) to give yourself the maximum chance of expelling the water. They sell cable lubrication widgets to put on your WD-40 straw, but I find it's sufficient to take the housing nipple off, aim the straw at the raw cable, spray, and then work the shift lever in and out -- keep repeating until you're either tired or there's some lubricant coming out the other end of the cable. This is very messy. Do not wear your favorite shirt and lay down newspaper or cardboard over your spouse's favorite rug before doing this.
If that doesn't work, then I would unhook your front derailleur from the shifting cable and leave it overnight to "freeze." In the morning, I would dry shift the cable and see if it is moving properly. I would also pull and push on the front derailleur shifting mechanism to see if that is also moving correctly. This is step #3 since steps #1 and #2 doesn't require unhooking, hooking up, and readjusting your front derailleur.

a. If it is the cable that is stiff, I'd replace it since the WD-40 in the first step didn't work. Replacing derailleur cable is relatively easy, the hardest bit is measuring the housing and cutting it to the exact length without leaving burrs. Your bike shop can do this for you.

b. If it is the derailleur that seems 'frozen' then it requires a good cleaning and lubrication. There's numerous instructionals on the intertubes on how to do this.


Can I store my mountain bike + suspension hanging from the front wheel for the winter (in an unheated garage)?

Apart from the suspension: do you have hydraulic disc brakes?
Some of them have an open design that is prone to let air in the system if the bike isn't stored upright.


Is 17 miles (27km) each way a lot for a newbie cyclist?

As a one-off, that should be completely doable. Your fitness from running and the gym should be plenty enough, especially as the route is pretty flat. Bear in mind that it will be tiring, since cycling uses different muscles to running, and the saddle may get a bit uncomfortable if you're not used to it.  Make sure you have plenty of water and something like a cereal bar or a banana to eat half-way would be good, too. (You want something that will release energy over time, rather than a big sugar hit.)

Riding in traffic can be mentally tiring when you're not used to it so definitely consider a route using quieter roads and cycle paths, even if that adds a few miles. The thing you want to avoid most is narrow roads with lots of traffic: if cars can overtake you easily, everybody's much happier.

And there's lots of public transport available so, if you get to Slough and can't bear the thought of cycling home again, you can always get on a train, though don't try to do that at rush-hour.


Where can I find containers to dispense bulk chain lube

In my experience, the best kind of lube container is the Finish Line one, or similar. It has a nozzle that can be snapped off easily for refilling, and a threaded cap which covers it all. The "secret" is the threaded cap, which actually presses the removable nozzle against and into the bottle's neck.

Then, I guess there are three ways to use it:

Buy one, use it, and then refill it indefinitely with the lube of your choice (that's what I do at home and in my carry-along toolbag. Have not had any spilling so far, and I shake them a lot while riding);
Find a product that has the same design (medicines, hair products, etc.), buy some, use them, and then reuse the containers. I found the last image I post below looking for "eyedropper bottles" on google images;
Find similar ones to buy off the shelf. I don't have experience with that.

That's what I am talking about (this is the 100ml bottle, there are smaller ones):

The "eyedropper bottles", showing the inner removable nozzle on the second bottle from left to right (with threaded cap removed):


Why is 53/39 known as "standard" for road bikes?

There's a short answer to your question and a longer fuller answer. The short answer is that a common standard for road cranksets is 130mm BCD (bolt circle diameter). The smallest inner chainring you can use with 130 BCD is a 39 (as Kibbee has said, technically you can get a 38 tooth 130 BCD chainring although that doesn't leave much metal between the lower edge of the teeth and the mounting holes). Front derailleurs and rear derailleurs can handle a change in chainring size of perhaps 13 or 14 teeth smoothly and reliably without a problem; larger differences than that can be handled but usually not quite as crisply or reliably. That's why larger front chainrings are often 52 or 53.

Some bikes with triple chainrings can use a much smaller BCD. The old TA Cyclotourist crankset favored by randonneurs could use a small chainring of 24 teeth. However, when the BCD is very small the chainrings must be stronger to prevent warping since there is so much distance from the teeth to the mounting holes at the crank.

Track bikes use a 144 BCD because track riders often use large chainrings (and, of course, only a single ring in a fixed gear set-up).

A relatively recent standard is 110 BCD cranksets that permit a small chainring of 34 teeth. This is often paired with a larger chainring of 50. That is a difference of 16 teeth, which is right on the edge of smooth and reliable shifting with current chainring and derailleur designs. As Rider_X has noted, this recent standard was enabled by new designs that allow for stiff chainrings.

So the BCD determines the smallest chainring that can be used, while the derailleurs put a limit on the largest increase in teeth from small to large chainring that can be handled smoothly and reliably.

Note that two different chainring-cog combinations may have the same gear ratio (for example, a 48-24 and a 36-18 both would have a gear ratio of 2.0). If they have the same gear ratio, then at the same bike speed, your cadence would be the same. Since the bike speed is the same, the power reaching the ground must be the same. So gear ratio is the same, speed is the same, cadence is the same, power is the same -- but chain tension will be different. At the same cadence, say 60 rpm for simplicity, the chainring will make one complete revolution per second. That means that a 48 tooth chainring will move the chain 48 links (or 24 inches) per second, while a 36 tooth chainring will move the chain 36 teeth (or 18 inches) per second. Since the same power must travel from the crank to the rear wheel, the force transmitted through the chain must be higher for the slower moving chain. As an aside, this happens to have been the way that one bicycle power meter worked (the Polar chain speed and tension power meter): it had a sensor to measure chain speed, and another to measure chain tension.


Suspension setting for slippy and steep uphill

The reason for locking suspension uphill is efficiency converting the power you produce into forward momentum. If you are losing forward momentum by slipping, its because you have too much power going to the rear wheel.  This needs to only be for a very short (instantaneous) burst. Once traction is lost, it takes a lot to regain it. Give this, there is no benefit in locked out suspension under these situations.

So, all else being equal, uphill slippery conditions set suspension as hard as you can without slipping. On tree roots, that is probably as soft as it will go.

Technique is really important. You need to ride smoothly and in control of power. You need to predict when the rear wheel is rolling over the tree root and reduce power till over it. High cadence helps as long as you can maintain smooth power. Use momentum to carry you over the root, power up when you have traction and power down before you loose it. Reduce weight on the wheels as they hit the tree root to allow it to roll over smoothly (critical on a hardtail, but helps with softtails). Ideally don't hit a root with front and back at the same time, pick your path to avoid it.

Lifting front wheel and loss of control is caused by too much torque (power) on the back wheel - the same smooth controlled power delivery to climb roots will prevent this. Depending on your bike setup and riding style, you will eventually get to the point you cannot ride up the hill without lifting the front wheel.

Front suspension should not be pushing up fast enough (rebound) to cause you to lift the wheel. If it is, adjust you rebound (if you have it). If the trail is ride able, you won't topple backwards unless you do something silly and are completely out of control.


Chain skipping on new freewheel and chain setup - What went wrong?

sounds like your chainrings are worn.  Look at the rings and see if they are "shark fin" shaped rather than symmetrical - a google image search for "worn out chainring" will show examples including some really, really worn out rings.  The old worn out chain likely wore out the rings as well.

I've had exactly what you're describing on a couple bikes and it was remedied with a new chainring up front.


Does the plastic cap on a Presta valve serve any purpose once fitted to a rim?

The cap keeps dirt and rocks away from the valve, particularly the fragile release mechanism. It's not the end of the world if the caps are missing, but I suggest leaving them on. They don't take that long to remove and replace.


With a cartridge BB if the shell threads are aligned on the same axis can the cartridge be unthreaded drive side with NDS cup in place?

Most cartridge BBs have a shoulder on the drive side, which is also the side that's integral to the bearings and spindle, plus a non-shouldered left cup. Some are the opposite, and some have no shoulders. Some have two similar cups, one of which may or may not be shouldered, and then the bearing and spindle unit is a third piece.
Drive vs non-drive side is unimportant to the question you're asking. Shouldered vs non-shouldered is though. What's important is that when you're done, it's all properly torqued against each other. If there's a shouldered side, that needs to be torqued against the frame, and the non-shouldered side needs to be torqued against the main BB unit.
If what you're asking is if on a common BB with a shoulder on the drive side and the bearings and spindle integral to that piece, and an unshouldered left cup, whether you can leave the left cup untouched when you take the the main unit out, no, that's not really ideal. Unscrewing the drive side in that situation can easily rotate the NDS side out a little, such that when you reinstall the DS, proper contact with the NDS cup isn't made. Or, if it doesn't move at all, the ways things settle could cause you to be torqueing the BB against the left cup and not the shoulder against the shell. The better practice would be take out the DS, unscrew the NDS a turn, torque the DS back into the frame, then torque the NDS down properly against the DS.


How much energy is lost with a gravel tire compared with a road tire?

I understand that around 20% of the energy while cycling is lost by the deformation of the [tires]

No not really. Rolling resistance will increase linearly with velocity while drag increases with the cube of velocity, so rolling resistance is not a fixed  percentage of total power lost. At higher velocity drag will completely dominate.

use plain tires (no tread pattern) as these tires will get more contact area with the ground, therefore needing less deformation in order to equilibrate the forces (with F=P/A)

That's not completely true. The tire carcase is is somewhat stiff and each tread block contacting the ground supports an area greater than its own cross section area above it. Because the forces are concentrated down trough the blocks the area actually in contact with the road is lower but each block exerts a higher pressure against the road surface.
There is additional power loss through greater flexing of the tire and tread blocks though so there is additional power loss compared to a slick tire.
A factor I don't think you have taken into account that gravel tires are typically wider than road tires and run at a lower pressure, which leads to higher rolling resistance.
I can't point to formal research but the Global Cycling Network YouTube channel has some some tests.

They ran with a power meter, on rollers:

28mm GP 5000,   90 PSI,   45 KPH   299W
28mm GP 5000,   70 PSI,   45 KPH   327W
40mm Terra Speed 70 PSI   45 KPH   449W
40mm Terra Speed 40 PSI   45 KPH   516W

The deltas were significant.


If you have the short cage version of the latest RD–R3000 Sora rear derailleur the largest (official) sprocket size is 32 teeth. The medium cage version supports up to 34 teeth.

If your current chain is shortened correctly it will probably be too short for a ≥32 teeth sprocket. Theoretically you could still use the chain and avoid the large–large gear combination but in practice that’s hard to do. Unless the chain is almost new I’d just invest the 10€ in a new 9 speed chain.

Once you have a long enough chain it should be possible to quickly swap between the 11–32 and 11–25 cassette. Some adjustment of the B-screw (the one which sets the vertical distance between derailleur roller and sprocket) might be necessary.

Personally I’d just use the 11–32 cassette all the time. The only disadvantage are the larger gear steps and the very slightly increased weight.

See this comparison of the cassettes. If the larger steps don’t bother you, just stay with the 11–32 cassette.

I’ve recently got a power meter and it really made me realize how important easy gears are in hilly terrain. Especially if you want to do recovery rides.


Handlebar slips in quill stem clamp when going over bumps

A few things to think about:

Are you using grease or threadlocker on the bolt threads? This will minimize corrosion and galling problems, and means that the same final torque value is actually clamping tighter than if the threads are not lubricated. Personally, I would use grease on this bolt, but others may differ. Ask Kalloy whether their torque spec is using lube or not.
Does the handlebar looseness change over time? Is it the same "looseness" from the start, or does it get looser the longer you ride? (Is the bolt loosening during the ride?)
Does the handlebar indeed measure 25.4mm in diameter at the clamping point (measure using calipers)?
Are the threads on the bolt and in the stem's clamping region in good shape?
Is the bolt used and might have been stretched from being overtorqued in the past?
How do you know your torque wrench is correctly calibrated? You might try a different one, or a visually-calibrated one like a beam-type if that's not what you're using.

fwiw, found this Kalloy/Uno stem online and by zooming in on the photo for the 80mm model it reads "15Nm" next to its clamp bolt. Not sure if it is the same model as yours but it looks very similar:
https://www.performancebike.com/kalloy-road-quill-stem-black-25.4mm-80mm-13-kl-80-bk/p863539


What is the function of these 'bulges' on the frame?

My best guess is that you have a frame made of Gilco Design Columbus tubing used on Italian bikes in the 80s. I could find no mention of Oberriet bike brand anywhere. Maybe a small custom frame builder that didn't get much (any?) coverage.

This frame tubing looks a lot like yours

In researching Colnago came up often as a bike maker that used shaped tubing.

  In response to criticism that his frames were not stiff enough, next Colnago experimented with ways to change the behavior of frame components. In 1983, he introduced the Oval CX with an oval-shaped top tube to add stiffness. He then experimented with various crimped-tube frames which became production models as their top of the range frames, beginning with the "Master." Later "Master-Light", Master Olympic and Master Piu extended the range. Colnago built a frame from Columbus tubing used by Giuseppe Saronni to win the world professional road race championship in 1982, and afterwards a short-lived collection of bikes were badged with the Saronni name. In 1983, Giuseppe Saronni would go on to win the Giro d'Italia stage race on a Colnago bicycle wikipedia

Later in the same article there is a list of steel frame bikes with descriptions of the tubing along with production years. From your drawing the tubing has six ribs which could be a tube set used on the Regal 1986.

I don't think your bike is a Colnago, I think it is a bike made from a similar Columbus tubing set. The answer to the "why did they make it this way" is - as mikes said in comments - stiffness.

Even today the Colnago Master is made with shaped steel tubing.


How to keep the pants from getting dirty

Protective plates?  You mean Fenders/Mudguards?

I can think of 3 things that could help, other than simply bringing a change:

Bigger fenders (wider, and/or go down the tire more).  Basically, some fenders are better than others. A front fender that's wider than the tire with a stay (rod) going back for support that hugs the tire fairly closely  and extends down to the height of the bottom bracket is ideal.
A mudflap hanging from the bottom of the front fender.  This is a flap made of something flexible (rubber, leather, etc) that hangs from the bottom of the fender.  It effectively extends the fender down even further without it being a problem if it hits something.  Some fenders/mudguards come with this. Or you can add one.
Protective pants over your regular pants.  I have a pair of yellow rain pants that I put on over my regular pants when cycling in the rain.

Nothing will be 100%. It's always possible to get splashed by something else from the side.


Limits on tooth difference when replacing crankset

First, regarding the crank's bottom bracket recommendation:  The crank uses a square taper bottom bracket spindle, and would not be compatible with the Shimano Hollowtech II BB that may be currently in the bike.  You could swap out to a BB-UN50 or BB-UN70 from Shimano in a 68x115mm size, to fix the crank/BB compatibility issue if that is the case.

That leaves the tooth difference question. The first thing to check is the tooth capacity of the front derailleur. The bike in question uses a Shimano Tiagra, 10-speed front derailleur.

Shimano has a Product Info website which provides specifications and compatibility information by part type, model number and product series.

The relevant information for a Tiagra Double Front Derailleur is listed under the part number (which is engraved on the back of the actual front derailleur), in this case, the FD-4600 or FD-4700.

The information we are looking for is the maximum tooth difference between large and small chain rings.  This is identified as maximum capacity.

As you can see in the image below, the maximum capacity (tooth differential) is 16 teeth.

That means that a 42/26 should just be in the range of use for a Tiagra 10 speed double front derailleur.

The next category to look at is the top gear teeth, which is the recommended range of tooth count for your large ring.

As you can see in the image below, the recommended top gear tooth count for this derailleur is between 46 and 52 teeth. Now, you may be able to set it up and get it to work, but perhaps not as well as it should, or perhaps not at all.

I would conclude that this would require more changes to be compatible with a chain ring set that small.  Perhaps a front derailleur, BB and crank in all.

Or you may not be able to place a front derailleur low enough on the frame to be functional off a 26 tooth ring (for a double). I would think it could be worked out, but probably not with these parts.


Brand new bike. Briefly removed the rear disc brake caliper, now it's too tight

As mentioned in comments you most likely applied the brake without the disc between the pads. The pistons advance and do not return all the way to their original position - this is how hydraulic brakes automatically adjust for pad wear.

The pistons can be pushed back in. Remove the pads then use a tire lever to push the pistons back in. Then replace the pads. You should be able to find numerous videos showing you how to do this on YouTube.

You should check your disc is not warped, and then reinstall the caliper unit. Again there are plenty of how-to videos explaining how to align the caliper. One way is to loosen the caliper bolts, apply the brake so that the pads grip the rotor them tighten the bolts, then release the brake.


When does the pace bike leave in Keirin?

The UCI regulations specify not a distance to be traveled but rather the distance remaining: no matter the length of the track, the pacer pulls off between 600 and 700 meters before the finish line. Thus, if the track is 250 meters long the pacer pulls off about 2.5 laps before the finish; if the track is 333 meters long the pacer pulls off 2 laps before the finish; and if the track is 400 meters long the pacer pulls off 1.5 laps before the finish.

(R. Chung posted this comment in 2012, but has not returned to make it into an answer.)


The slightly off centre, forward position of the mount post is (IMO) most likely designed to optimise the brake force vs. pull and force distribution ... also relating to "toe-in".

Typically when fitting brake blocks of rim brakes you 'toe-in' the leading (front) end of the pad slightly so that this part makes contact with the braking surface first. This way the rest of the block is pulled on to the braking surface by the twisting force due to the rotation of the wheel. This also helps to reduce the necessary force/travel applied to the brake lever to bring the whole block in to contact with the braking service and progressively through the braking motion.

The slightly forward position of the mount is no doubt due to a calculation the optimal position for the force point action on the pads with regards/consideration of these other forced involved, providing the quickest and strongest application of brake block to braking surface.


Tips for getting sponsored as an individual racer?

How To Reach Out
As an individual, you must reach out in person.  I would show up at their place of business, or at the very least call them.  I wouldn't expect anything from a letter - personalized or not.
What You Offer
Now that you're actually talking to someone... what comes next?  What are you going to provide them?
If you're active in the racing community, by promoting races, doing trail work, teaching skills clinics, etc. - then that is what you sell to the companies.
If you blog/write/podcast/tweet and have an active following, then that is what you sell them.
You're Just a Racer
If all you are doing is racing, then you'd better expect to put the time in and get good enough to regularly place on the podium in Cat 1 (not Cat 2).  While racing Cat 2 would be a good start, there are literally hundreds of people just like you also racing Cat 2.  (side note: as soon as you start placing on the podium in Cat 2, you'll likely be bumped up to Cat 1 the following year (or even mid-year, depending on the rules)).
You have to figure out what makes you different than the other 100 guys racing Cat 2, what makes you stand out, what your story is.  If it is compelling, then that is what you sell them.  If you don't have a compelling story, you'd better be winning all the time.
Who Will Sponsor You
I'd start local - ask businesses in your community for sponsorship.
Chances are, if they're willing to provide sponsorship, they'll want to sponsor with what they deal in.  A brewpub might offer you discounted pints, a salon might give you free haircuts, a bike shop might give you discounted prices on parts and labor.  Our team was sponsored by a sign making shop - they give us any sign/banner we want for free - that's an amazing deal (literally 100's of dollars of value if we make use of it) - but probably not that useful for an individual.
If you want sponsorship of a company that isn't small or local... you've got to win.  For example, Kona sponsors up-and-coming racers.  Their 2013 team could be found here: http://2013.konaworld.com/grassroots.cfm  The gal I know on that team won every local (state-wide) XC race she entered, and placed top 5 in the XTerra world championships.  That's the level at which you need to be racing to get that level of sponsorship.  So start local.
Levels Of Sponsorship
If you're a racer, about all you have to offer (in terms of marketing space) is a spot on the jersey.  The bike is just too small a platform to be of any use.  If a part of your agreement is to wear your jersey at bike parks, then get a free-ride jersey dolled up the same way as your XC jersey and wear it at the bike park.
As far as deciding the different tiers of sponsors... when starting out, I'd treat every sponsor as a major sponsor.  If you get two sponsors your first year (Kate's Knitting and Joe's Tire Shop) - give them both big spots on your jersey.  Once you have enough sponsors to need to prioritize, then you'll have an idea of where to draw the line.
Good luck!
Edited to add: Looks like Pinkbike agrees, check out their article "So You Wanna Be Sponsored?"
Note: I'm just a dude who started racing a few years back with a local club team.  I have no experience getting sponsors, but I do know what our team gets in exchange for sponsorship.  Your best bet at getting sponsored is to join a local club team and get the benefits from that.


Is my daily bike route enough exercise for a 60 year old?

Enough for a little expertise - yes, enough to train for a 100 mile ride, no.

If you are just looking for some healthy exercise you can gradually increase distance and/or speed and back off if you over exert yourself.

If you are unused to exercise or are not currently in great shape, you should consult a doctor before trying anything significantly harder than you are doing now.


Tire sizing is a mess. Read it and weep.
"700" or more properly "700C" is derived from an old French tire-sizing system; the number indicates the outside diameter of the tire in that system (700 mm), and the "C" indicates the width of a tire under that system (meaning "wide,"). "622" represents the bead seat diameter (or, approximately, the inside diameter of the tire) of a 700C tire, under the modern ETRTO sizing system. These days we use "700C" as the name for a size with a tenuous relationship to its original measurements (curiously, 700C has mostly survived as the name of the size for skinny road tires); "622" is more precise.
You'll see that these tires are also called 28" on that table, which is extra-fun because they're slightly smaller than 27" tires (which have become very uncommon), but have exactly the same bead-seat diameter as tires labeled 29" (used on mountain bikes).
Why the widths (38/40) aren't the same is less clear to me. Maybe the company has their own system for measuring widths that is slightly different from the ETRTO system.


It looks like a well made steel frame that probably has good quality butted tubing and seems to be quite racy with a fairly tight geometry. Looking at the Campagnolo dropouts doesn't tell us much as they were in a long production over decades. The sloping fork crown and the recessed brake nuts date this to being an 80s or even early 90s race frame. The seat stay/seat tube interface is pretty standard and the lugs look like unmodified generic parts from some lug makers catalogue so the frame could have been made by any number of framebuilders that used to churn them out either under their own name or rebranded for a shop to sell (like Dave Russell in Slough as the first example that comes to mind). The fact it has very little lettering or numbering means it could have been a custom job, or the other numbers could be lost. Whatever the real answer, it's a good quality frame and should be a great ride.


How do the pros recover so quickly after a crash? And what can we learn from them?

Because there is no answer yet I would like to add my thoughts on this subject, from pure logic perspective and some previous reading on biking theory. Would like to hear your comments and thoughts!

Background

Generally speaking, professionals have better than average physiology which includes recovery capabilities too. Physical training is a process of constant damaging of the muscles and their recovery done with supercompensation. Professionals are in constant recovery mode since very young age.
Well-developed muscles and joints. Professionals are very flexible and muscularly developed. This is why it's recommended to do stretching, to ensure that your body can handle excessive stress / extreme positions without getting a trauma. This fact is quite obvious to me through my life experience, but studies results vary.

Working environment and culture

I believe that professionals should have a base training on how to handle crashes to make them less dangerous. This could include body position and other things which could potentially make a difference in severity of the cases.
Instant access to medical staff to make any trauma effect less severe.
Direct access to medical staff to analyze the trauma and suggest recovery procedures.
Access to professional staff to maintain and speed up recovery, access to massage.
Protein-rich diet provides building blocks for body to recover faster.
Medical supplements, permitted doping. Good example here with Russian doping scandal related to use of Meldonium. This is a pharmaceutical designed for recovery of damaged by hypoxia heart cells, makes you recover faster after the load. Every professional team has their own set of recovery pharmacy which they would actively use to bring athletes back to business and make them recover ASAP after physical training or trauma.

Personal factors

Pain tolerance and hormonal stimulation. Adrenaline rush in a very competitive race environment is something helping pros to continue the race even after getting some serious trauma.
Very fast methabolism speeds up recovery significantly and allows to utilize more "building blocks" than any average person would.
Psychological factor and motivation. Pros are super motivated to come back to the game and this would make them spend all available time on working to recover from a trauma and go riding as soon as it would be possible and not the hour later. Check this article for the perspective from a pro side of things :)

The world is not just black and white

And last thing, pros are also humans and also suffer from the crashes, so two examples here:

Story from Wikipedia: "Merckx later stated that he "was never the same again" after the crash."
In 2011 Tour De France Johnny Hoogerland had a crash which made him famous but he never fully recovered from it: "Years later, Hoogerland is said to still suffer from back pain, mood swings and insomnia as a result of the horrific incident.".

I hope these thoughts were helpful, keep on recovering after your crash, learn from the pros but take your time :)


Use a valve core tool to remove the core of the valve, and then clean it using a light solvent.

It should be only a few minutes work. If there is a lump in the flat tire, the slime may have hardened, and the tube may need to be replaced, either way.

Hope that helps.


Whatever housing stop contained the pictured housing end has a hole that's too big.
Most BMX brake levers have barrel adjusters. If this is true for yours, and as you indicate this occurred at the brake lever end, replace the barrel adjuster. You need to get the right size, and there are several possibilities. Real BMX shops tend to have all the sizes, but replacing barrel adjusters all the time is less of a thing elsewhere so not every bike shop will necessarily have what you need.
If the lever doesn't have a barrel adjuster, as in certain fancy minimalist levers, you might need to replace the brake lever.
If a housing stop braze-on is allowing this to happen, the expedient fix is going to depend on where on the frame it is, what type it is, and whether persuading it back into shape with pliers seems to be a viable option. If it's a normal split housing stop then just reaming it out completely and using it to contain an M5 or M6 barrel adjuster to act as a housing stop may be an option.


Bicycle trailer for a standing passenger?

Appears to be asian based on the rider/passenger, and that pintrest links it to arrow-yokohama.no-blog.jp  but that website no longer exists.

The wayback machine gives us this link to 2013.
  https://web.archive.org/web/20130809133057/http://arrow-yokohama.no-blog.jp/

Store Name: "ARROW's bicycles and classics"
Store Owner: Kazuto Kobayashi ( Roundabout / OUTBOUND shopkeeper
Store Location: Kichijōji, a Neighborhood in Musashino, Japan

There was a youtube link to  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt75V_C5JOI  but that account has been deleted.

I've also found this alternative image:

and a reverse image search on that returns https://sumally.com/p/437518

The bike's name is  ARROW CC Rider and that matches the maker's name "arrow"

  36,750 Y is around $350 USD in 2020.

  Product description
  The person in the back grabs the handle and stands on the step.
  Light and comfortable standing (riding) comfort. You can also use it as a shopping cart by attaching a basket.
  Please ride cool as a new play tool for the outdoors.
  (General public roads can also be run.)

In my opinion it won't go fast, and steering will be compromised because you can't lean the bike very much.   It looks like a bigger version of riding a BMX with a passenger on the pegs, a`la:


Assuming you are right that their actual thickness is 2.1-2.2 and it's not a measurement error, that is an odd situation.
Assuming your chart has data for 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2.0, and 2.3mm round spokes, the good simple thing to do is plot the curve of the reference numbers on the chart for a given tension in the relevant range, say 100 kgf or 1000N. Then find the appropriate spot on that curve where the average measured thickness is for your spokes. That's just a few clicks in any spreadsheet software.
This will give a lot more certainty than fudging it because the formula for deflection of round shafts has the smallest inscribed diameter of the shaft to the fourth power in it, hence the readout curve of tensiometers across different gauges is pretty darn non-linear. You could probably get to the same thing by reverse engineering the chart completely by using the formula to figure out what load the chart is figuring the tool is applying to the spokes, then making your own chart column for your spokes, but that's probably way more work than needed.


How do I get rid of the noise on my Hayes Stroker Trail brakes

From your install manual, the "Burnish" period is only 30-40 stops, so you should be beyond that.  If the bike is still within a month or two of purchase, I would suggest taking the bike back to the shop and playing dumb.  They sold you the bike, they should fix the brakes that aren't working properly.  If they say, "they're supposed to do that", I'd suggest checking with another LBS.  The other LBS may even fix them for free (depending on the problem) just to win your business (after you explain what the other shop had said).

If it has been longer than that, you can try a few things to see if it is a minor issue.  I don't use Hayes brakes specifically, but here are some good starter ideas that may work to narrow it down:

Clean the rotor - Easily done with rubbing alcohol.

I use small, single-use, swabs that can usually be found around the diabetic testing equipment at your local pharmacy.  Easy to use and easy to carry with you.
Clean both sides of the rotor.  Inside and out.
I keep cleaning until the swabs come back almost entirely white.

Check the pads for debris - Pull the pads out and look for rocks, plastic, sticks, or anything else that might have gotten embedded in the pads.
Clean the pads - Hit the pads with some sand paper to take off the top layer.
Center the disk in the caliper - This one is in your install/service manual.  So for Hayes Stroker Trail brakes:

Loosen the caliper mounting bolts.
"Squeeze and hold the brake lever.  While holding the brake lever, shake the caliper to position it in its natural centered position over the disc. While squeezing the lever, tighten the mounting bolts." -- Page 2 of the install manual.
This may be different for your braking system (year, features, etc), so check your manual to be sure.

Ensure the disc is mounted properly - Check to ensure that the disc is mounted to the wheels correctly.

From the install manual for Hayes Stroker Trail brakes, the disc bolts should be tightened to 50 in-lbs of torque.
WARNING:  It is very important to ensure the correct torque is used on the disc mounting bolts.  50 in-lbs of torque isn't very much, so save yourself some heart-ache and use a torque wrench.  Remember, brakes are important.

Anything beyond that, and I'd take it down to the LBS, let a trained eye take a look (and listen) to them and see what they say.


While freehubs on modern high-end hubs tend to be easily serviced and can be detached for inspection with regular tools, I found that at least lower end Shimano parts are more troublesome in that regard.

For example, to remove a freehub from my Shimano Deore XT hub required a specialized Shimano tool which turned out to be an allen key of either 12 mm or 12.7 mm size, do not remember exactly. This is not something everyone has at home. Different hubs may need other exotic tools.

Once you manage to remove the hub body, you will need to make sure that all ratcheting pawls and their springs are not blocked by dirt. Be careful as these little springs can jump and fly away in an unknown direction quite easily.

If it is the normal wear that made things malfunction, then you should look if a replacement freehub can be bought separately. Sometimes it is the case, sometimes your only option would be to buy a complete identical rear hub and transplant the freehub from it. Or, as long as you have a whole new hub on your hands, replace it altogether. Any way, knowing the hub's model number is essential.

For example, here's an exploded view of FH-RM30.

The body fixing bolt part 13 is clearly detachable. It is only a question what size of a hex key is needed.

Here's a view on how it is done:

            .


You're quite correct, the limit screws rest against the thin metal of the parallelogram arms, and these have been bent in your case. Good catch.

It is the same design on my SRAM X7 rear mech, and presumably in many other designs as manufacturers balance cost, weight, and perfomance in normal use.

My Shimano RD5700 has the screw resting against a slightly stronger looking position, closer the the root end of the plates they rest against where the plates would be stiffer. This looks like they would be more resilient to the kind of bending damage you have suffered, however I once replaced a Tiagra RD where the screw had punched through the metal of the mech and become inoperative/irrepairable. So that failed in a crash too.

You could say someone used the mech in a situation 'beyond its design capabilities'. If you can bend it back so the plates are straighter, the limit screws should work again, and the geometry of the mech may even be a little better. The next question might be whether the bending damage and re-alignment will significantly weaken the part, leading to failure and more expensive repair balanced against cost of replacement now.


That wheelset includes clincher-style rims that are tubeless compatible.

Be sure not to confuse tubular with tubeless. Tubeless looks similar to a clincher (beads on each side, open on the bottom), but doesn't use an inner tube, while tubular is a single whole tube with tire and inner tube combined; these tubular need to be glued on the rim.


Mountain bike rear wheel tilts after remounting

It could be some spokes or the rim got damaged. You should try touching them to see if any is broken. If they are loose you should tighten them to align the rim. If you can't do it yourself a bike shop will do it for you easily. Broken spokes can be changed.


Do I need a chain guide or bash guard to convert to a single chain ring?

I agree with Batman.  You can disconnect your front shifter, and use the indexing screws to position the front derailleur to act as a chain guide, and you're good to go.

If you're not interested in doing that, I would recommend paying attention to Emyr's advice--chainrings intended to be used with a shifter have "ramps" on the gear teeth to facilitate shifting.  If you're not using a derailleur, these can make your chain drop, which is bad.  You might want to get a singlespeed-specific front chainring, they're not expensive.

But, if you keep your derailleur as a chain guide, you'll be fine.


If your campus is like most I have ever heard about, you want the cheapest bike that will do the job.
Bike theft is a common thing everywhere but campuses where a lot of young people are in need of bikes are certainly not less risky than average.

Most students I know look for second hand bikes, either at the university, online or where they grew up/have their relatives and friends network.

The brand of bike is less important, I guess you know better than I do what kind of bike you like for that.


How to remove handlebar end plug (probably expansion type)?

I went ahead and removed the end where the screw was already out forcefully, meaning putting two screws into the side walls of the plug and levering on them with pliers. Once the plug reached out of the handlebar, I couldn't lever anymore and just pulling didn't do the trick -> abused a wood drill bit to mill away enough material that pulling worked. Weirdly enough, there wasn't any clear signs of the device being "abnormally" stuck.

The principle is simple: A split shaft is extended by pulling in a cone like counterpiece to the screw. To undo it, you need to untighten the screw, then push it in to release the cone. The cone has at two points protroding features, which when not aligned with the slits in the shaft prevent it from extending the shaft. So if slightly turned, you can pull on the end cap to retrieve the entire thing. You can use the loosened grip to have a better handle while pulling. If, as in my case, that isn't enough force, use a flat plier to go in between handlebar/grip and end cap and lever the entire thing out.

TLDR:
If you have this end cap, replace it asap (or regularly remove it, maybe that helps). If you have any other cap with a screw in the middle (likely expansion type), I'd advice testing to remove it and if it works fine, hope it will work fine again once you need to remove your grips. If it doesn't work fine, replace it (it will be trash anyway).


Why is a derailleur guard present only on more affordable bicycles?

Derailleur guards are rarely found on more expensive bikes for several reasons:

Protection: These guards only protect from minor contacts. Forces that would bend a typical derailleur would also bend these guards. Also, more expensive bikes usually have exchangeable derailleur hangers that are supposed to be the first thing damaged in a crash (and, thus, prevent the more expensive derailleur from more damage).
Weight: if the bike is handled properly (as owners of more expensive bikes tend do), the little added protection against minor touches is generally seen as not necessary.
Style: These things are ugly!


You could get some Pitlocks or other secured skewers, and then use a standard U-Lock/Folding lock on your rear stays.  I'm not sure if Pitlocks fit a recumbant properly or if you want to trust your entire bike to them (rather than just the wheels) but it would probably be OK. Also, you could use a U-Lock between the seat and the front fork (possibly with some security bolts instead of standard allen key bolts). Something in that position would probably be quite difficult to remove.


can i replace my rims 622x19 hybrid for a 622x17?

You should be perfectly fine, the 622 is the ERD [effective rim diameter] in mm. The other number is the inner width of the rim. What this effects is the range of tire the rim will hold. So your rear wheel will be slightly thinner, which is kinda strange but not that big of a deal. You can probably fit a 1.95" (700x50) tire on there without any issues but i would not try and go any wider than that. If your using 700x35 or something similar you should be just fine.

Make sure to check the axle spacing though, you can measure the axle of the replacement you have and then measure the rear dropouts. If its a steel frame and they do not match you should be able to space the frame a little with no issues. If its an aluminum frame make sure the wheel is the correct axle length. You can't space aluminum.

So yes! You can use that size rim with no issues assuming it is the same axle spacing. As always if your change to a larger tire size make sure your frame has clearance but it sounds like what your doing is pretty straight forward.


Bike Size to Human Size Conversion Chart

IMO single most important factor of cycling joy is FIT!

This is a great tool and worth the effort:
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO

I have used it myself and referred countless folks to it, all with great success! Good luck!


Wrapping up all the comments, it appears that your brake mechanism applies okay, but doesn't achieve enough braking performance to slow you quickly.

The likely cause is that you've never bedded in the brake pads.  Apply the links in @Móż comment to bed your brakes in properly.  If they're too naffed you might need new pads to start the bedding in process again.


Which tires are best for on and off road use?

What you are looking for is a hybrid tire with not enough tread to be a nuisance and slow you down on the road, but enough tred so that when you go off road you are not losing traction on gravel and mud.

For example Bontrager makes a hybrid tire that is nice:

Also, go with the hard wall tires whenever you can. they cost a little more, but they are more puncture resistant. So they will cause you less grief on the road.


Does the inner tube affect the maximum PSI?

The inner tube has no significant effect on max pressure.  The valve stem area is the only area sensitive to pressure, and in general the valve can withstand 200 PSI or better.  (And if you exceed whatever limit there is the result is "catastrophic" failure, not simply the inability to pump in more air.)

What it sounds like you're noticing is the geometry of the pump.  A piston pump has a compression ratio, just like a cylinder in an engine, and the max pressure that the pump can generate is that compression ratio multiplied times the 14 PSI of atmospheric pressure.  In general, pumps are designed either to move a lot of air at low compression ratio to fill low pressure tires quickly, or to move less air at a higher compression ratio to be able to fill high pressure tires at all (though more slowly).

Good quality pumps will be advertised with a stated maximum pressure, and you can fill tires reasonably fast to 80-90% of that max pressure, after which progress will slow to a crawl.  So when you shop for a pump you need to pay attention to that number.


Many OEM forks are not for sale directly to the public. This one very well may fall into that category. That said, there is no need to replace it with the exact same fork.

You just need to make sure to replace it with something that will fit. IE, the steerer tube is the correct diameter (probably 1 1/8", but you should verify before purchasing), that it is sized to accept 700c wheels & that it is made to accept disc brakes.
Something like on of these may fit the bill:

RockShox-Paragon-Turnkey-Aluminum-Steerer

SR-Suntour-NRX-Suspension-Threadless

sr-suntour-nrx-eld-700c-suspension-fork-electric-lockout-black

rockshox-paragon-gold-65mm-700c

Not to recommend any one over the other mind you.

For other options, I would just start googling "700c Threadless suspension fork".


Can i set up a 7speed gear and disc brake on hercules rocky mtb 2.0 cycle

In short, no.

There are two main problems:

Your bike does not have disc brake tabs.
Your bike does not have a derailleur hanger.

To be fair, it could be done, it would just be so expensive that you'd be better off buying a completely new bike with gears and disc brakes. If you chose to pursue this project, you would need:

a new fork with disc brake tabs (with the type of fork you have, this might actually be pretty hard to find)
some sort of disc brake conversion kit for the rear (I know that these have been made in the past, but they may be hard to find now. I'm also not sure that I, personally, would trust something as important as braking to a conversion kit.)
A new set of wheels with disc compatible hubs and an internally geared rear hub.
disc brake rotors
disc brake calipers
A gear shifter that's compatible with whatever internally geared hub you decide to buy
a derailleur cable
new brake cables

And I'm sure it goes without saying that you'll need some tools and a good book about bicycle maintenance.

I think that covers it. You're probably looking at $500 (US) minimum, probably more like $1000.

For that price, just buy a new bike that has discs and gears.


Disc brake conversion for Trek 7.5 FX from 2012

New fork, wheels and brakes is a significant art of the bike. You'd be better off selling the bike a buying a new one with disc brakes. Especially as the market for cheap MTBs or hybrids is exploding in the Washington DC region during the Corona pandemic. (Yes, I looked where you located, and that's where I live too)

Going the new bike route avoids screwing around with a rear disc brake converter and ensures you have a bike available at all times.

Alternatively, V-brakes really should be perfectly adequate and have sufficient stopping power and modulation for a road oriented hybrid. Have you considered having the brakes tuned, or perhaps upgrading the pads? Properly adjusted brakes and high end pads can make a great difference to braking performance.


new 9-speed chain fails after 4 weeks and ~240 miles

You might not be installing the pin correctly. It sounds as if you did not reach the seating point or past it. Here is an article on Shimano chain installation (See drawings). http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-installation-derailleur-bikes


How do I disassemble my headset? How do I know if I need to replace it

Crunchy headset == bad.

I'm assuming the stem is already out of the bike.

Measure the stack height before you take it apart.

If it's a threaded headset, you will need 2 wrenches. One to loosen the locknut an the other to hold the adjustable race nut steady.  You may need a specialty headset wrench to get at the adjustable race nut since they are very narrow compared to your standard adjustable wrench.

Once you have loosened the locknut, you should be able to unscrew it by hand and unscrew the adjustable race and slide the fork out. Caution: loose bearings may start to fall out.  Since you reported a crunchy headset, just replace the bearings regardless of the shape they are in. Pay attention to the bearing sizes on the top and bottom of the fork - they may be different.  Pay attention to how many bearings are in the top and bottom (hopefully it is the right number - though not impossible to figure out later). Maybe they are in a cage which is easier to handle but not as smooth as loose bearings when the headset is properly adjusted.

Once you pull everything out, clean it all off and look for dents and divits in the headset parts where the bearings rest.  Be sure to check the crown race too (it rests on the base of the fork)

If there are no dents or divits and everything looks like balls will roll smoothly on them, then grease the cups (don't worry about too much grease right now - excess will come out when it's reassembled), insert new bearings (they'll just stick to the grease) and reassemble.  The hard part is tightening the adjustable race and lock nut so that the headset is neither too loose nor too tight.

Tip: tighten the adjustable cup by hand until it is just snug and unscrew it 1/8 of a turn then screw on the locknut (don't forget any washers and spacers).  Use your wrenches to hold the adjustable cup in place while tightening the locknut.

Test your work by rotating the fork as if you were turning left/right and also by pulling the tongs of the fork gently back and forth as if you slammed on the brakes.  If it's not right, loosen up and try again.  Adjust how much you hand tighten - more or less according to what is needed.

If there are dents and divits, you will want to buy a new headset.  Remember the stack height measurement?  Now you will want to get a headset with the same stack height.  Hopefully your LBS has one that fits your bike because you are also going to want to go visit them and ask how much it costs to have them remove the old and insert the new headtube races.  If you buy it from them, it will likely be free.  Also you will need them to remove the crown race and pop the new one on.  There are specialized tools for installing and removing headset and crown races.


Since you didn't put a picture, I'm going to guess it is not significantly dented enough to worry about it (in which case, I'd just leave it alone since anything else will be uglier), but you should take it to a bike shop to get a professional opinion (so everything here is obviously all at you're own risk).

One way is the ShelBroCo Dent Removal System (joke). A more serious overview from Sheldon Brown's site is here.

For seat tubes and head tubes, you can try from the inside to press the dent out but I don't see you you could do it on the downtube.

Frame blocks (made by companies like Bicycle Research, though you could make your own if you have access to a machine shop quite easily) are one solution. They're essentially 2 machined pieces of metal which you clamp over the tube and rotate the frame to try to push the tube back into shape. An example is here. Note that this will strip the paint off that area as well.

Bondo is another solution.

The extreme solution is to replace the tube (or part of it).


You should ensure the outer races of the hub free of pits and corrosion. The wheel may feel smooth when spinning it off the bike, but the roughness may appear only when the bearing is loaded.


Must a Bicyclist Riding on a Sidewalk Stop at a Stop Sign?

According to the state's site about bicycles, there are only laws against riding on sidewalks for certain locales. Otherwise, similar to most states, you are governed as a pedestrian when riding on the sidewalk. That means if you dart in front of traffic unexpectedly, even in a crosswalk, you can still be at fault.

However, you should ALWAYS stop at an intersection, regardless of whether you are a pedestrian or a vehicle. It's polite and it's a heck of a lot safer than assuming the coast is clear. And don't be that guy who rides on sidewalks just to avoid traffic laws and stop signs, nobody likes that.


Longer pivot bolt for the front road brake?

Some caliper rim brakes do have interchangeable pivot bolts and accompanying hardware available, either explicitly or by way of what are usually simple hacks. Within Tektro brakes for example, many of the brake arms use the same bolt style and hardware and can be switched between front recessed, rear recessed, front external nut, and rear external nut mounting if you have the hardware to swap around, which can be useful at times in the shop when you need a certain color, reach, front/rear position, and nut style permutation right now. Tektro makes a product that supports this so you don't have to go cannibalizing other brakes. But none of that applies in any way to a Force brake, or if there were a way of getting another company's external nutted pivot hardware on there (which would be one way of solving this, probably) it would be an experiment and a more fabrication-requiring hack. Your brakes don't have any pivot hardware offered aftermarket by SRAM.

If you're willing to change the brake, you may be able to get a front brake intended for external nut mounting to work. I say may because you'll probably need to trim the bolt some to work with your recessed nut, but they only give you so much threaded length to work with, so you'll need to have enough threads falling in the right area. I believe all or almost all brakes have threads that can't be extended with a die because the material isn't there to do so, either because the threads are rolled or some other reason. Another potential solution if that becomes a stumbling block would be putting in some spacers in the recessed part of the fork and just using an external nut.

Another approach is using one of the generator light brackets available that are somewhat intended to address issues like this by only adding a bare minimum of material behind the caliper. (Maybe you've already looked at this; I offer it in case you're running into the issue by trying to use one of the chunkier generator light brackets out there, such as the plastic ones.) An example would be the B&M 471F:

Many people who ride road bikes with handlebar bags, such as randonneurs, use handlebar bag racks and other front racks with integrated light mounting for generator lights.


Avoid problems with ratchet straps to fasten MTB shoes

To fix your existing shoes, I would either move where the strap attaches to the "tongue" of the shoe or where the buckle is fixed to the side of the shoe. The straps are designed to be replaceable ( as well as the buckles ).

I would take a closer look at your shoes, many Shimano models have small screws that fasten the buckle to the shoe so it can be replaced. If I am remembering correctly, they also have two sets of positions so you can place the buckle lower
on the shoe if you want.

Even if this is not the case with your shoes, you should be able to move the position of the buckle using pop rivets. This is something skiers do with ski boots all the time, so if your local cobbler can't handle the problem, you might try a ski shop.


How can I tighten a loose rear derailleur onto the derailleur hanger?

Most derailleurs are expected to rotate at the derailleur hanger bolt. This is to simplify rear wheel removal and installation as the derailleur can be moved away from the wheel path by hand. The ability to rotate is not necessarily something that affects shifting quality, but it can be undesirable, especially in certain applications.

As a very recent example, TRP announced a new downhill drivetrain in which the rear derailleur has a separate lever to control rotation around the bolt. To quote a news site:

  Named after Aarons mechanic John Hall, the Hall Lock is, in essence, a lever integrated into the derailleur mount which locks the movement of the B-knuckle around the mounting bolt when closed. Locking the B-knuckle is claimed to reduce chain noise and increase chain retention.


Looking up the M600 on Bicycle Blue Book, it seems it was outfitted with Shimano STX SE Rapidfire shifters to work the 3x7 drivetrain. A Google search of "Shimano STX SE Rapid fire Shifter" yielded several results, including many videos on fixing a problematic STX shifter and it's rapid fire cousins.  You dont describe the specific problem with yours but often with these types of shifters, the pawls become stuck with old dried grease and dirt and thus the shifting is unreliable or non-existent.  Removing the cover and dousing the innards with WD-40 or similar degreaser while working the levers will clean the mechanism, freeing up the pawls, restoring their motion, and the shifter begins to function anew.  Follow up the cleaning with application of a better lubricating spray grease and you may have a reconditioned shifter to use. Details can be found in several videos offered by search engine. Here's one such video.

Should you want or need replacement STI's, Shimano's current and readily available  model, ST-EF500, is a 3x7  set-up and would be a drop in replacement.  However if it's original, stock equipment you must have, the same search as above contained hits of the STX for sale, even a couple NOS (New Old Stock).


Changing rims from 29 inch to 27.5 inch, V-brake problem

The best solution is to use a frame that is designed for 27.5" wheels. For other problems related to wheel size change, see Do 27.5" wheels fit a 29" mtb?. When riding bike you touch the handlebars, saddle and pedals. If the frame is too large, smaller wheels don't help
If you really have to use this exact frame and either have cash to throw around or live somewhere where labour is cheap, it might be possible to add a second set of brake mounts (but find someone who understands welding and heat treatment to do this, especially if the frame is aluminum).


All Shimano Hollowtech II road crank arms are compatible, however, the Deore is a mountain range. I don't think these are compatible, but I can't find anything.

You might want to look for a HT2 road crank arm. The Shimano road ranges are DuraAce, Ultegra, 501, Tiagra, Sora and 2100. Not sure if these all offer HT2 cranks.

Also, you'll need a special tool (TL-FC16) to install the preload cap.


Will changing pedals every week lead to long-term problems?

Changing pedals every week should not cause problems long term if correctly done.

Here are the possible types of issues changing pedals could create.

Cross threading - this includes normal cross threading and getting the wrong pedal on the wrong side.
Thread wear - from installing and uninstalling - cranks are aluminum (usually) and pedals are steel (usually). Wear would be on the softer material - usually aluminum.
Over / under tightening - over tightening damages threads in the softer material, under tightening risks the pedal working it's way out tearing out the last few threads in a worst case scenario.

All that being said correctly uninstalling and installing pedals should not cause long term problems.


Yes, window tinting law only applies to motor vehicles.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules

editing in legal definition of vehicle as per your subsequent question:

  Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1519: The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 stated that a ‘pedal cycle’ was defined as “a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle of such class as is to be treated as not being a motor vehicle for the purposes of the 1984 Act.”

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

A velomobile isn't a bicycle, by virtue of having more than two wheels. It is however a pedal cycle.

Additionally this means that you can have a couple of pints at the pub and ride it back home without having to submit to a breathtest or risk your driving licence AS LONG AS you are not unfit to ride through drink, or pedalling furiously...


A reasonable estimate can be found using a site like Bicycle Blue Book. This site is a database of used bike sale transactions going back for almost a decade, and has a number of pretty obscure manufacturers listed. You can even add upgrades you have made from the stock and get an estimate of how that changes the value, though it doesn't account for things like racks, fenders and lighting systems you would add to a bike to make it a competent commuter bike.

I've sold 4 bikes within the last 6 months, and all 4 sold within a reasonable range of what was listed on that site.


How do I know when to replace/maintain the crank?

There are two cranks or crank arms on a bike - they connect the bottom bracket to the pedals.  Some bikes have a "one piece crank" which combines the functions of the cranks and the bottom bracket axle.

There are four things that go wrong with crank arms

1 The threads for the pedal get stripped/damaged to the point the pedal gets undone easily

2 The mating hole for the bottom bracket fretts and is no longer a good fit.  This often produces a creak on the power part of the stroke.

3 Cracked crank arm - if the mating hole wears, and is retightened enough times, the crank arm slides too far onto the bottom bracket.  With time this can crack the weakest part of the circumference at the BB end of the crank.  This can also happen at the pedal end, but that's unusual.

4 Bends and twists due to impact or accident - this is quite rare because crank arms tend to be very strong, much stronger than frames.

If your problem is the Bottom Bracket, then that's a whole different set of answers.  Grinding could be bearings (check for play in the bottom bracket axle) or it could be a bad chainline, so the chain may be dragging on the front mech cage and your shifter wires need a tweak.


Replacing a chain on a drivetrain that was previously well tuned will not take it out of alignment. Provided that the new chain is the same width and number of links as the old one and that the cassette and chainring aren't worn, no further work is required.


Warning: this answer is based on rumours, speculation and hearsay.

Serial numbers:  I don't think the Good Lord Himself could make sense of Bianchi serial numbers, so don't put too much weight on that as anything is possible.

Lugs and frame design/welds looks somewhat odd for Bianchi, in fact without the decals I would have guessed Nishiki.  Thankfully, there is a fairly persistent rumour that Bianchi subcontracted cheap frames from Nishiki due to production problems while they were moving production from Japan to Taiwan in the mid 80s. If true, this could be one of those bikes.

If this is the case, it's a fun bit of bike history curiosa.  As others have noted, the suicide levers on an otherwise mid-range equipped bike says it's probably a US-specific model


That's for mounting straps on the pedal. Here's a picture of a pedal with the straps on it:

Which side of the pedal should you use? On some pedals, one side has an axis that protrudes a bit, and the other side is flat; the latter is the one you should use. However, if both sides of the pedal are flat, feel free to use either side of the pedal.


If both brakes are exhibiting the same issue, and the issue had developed in parallel over time it's likely that they just need to be bled.

If a crash caused damage and allowed air to enter the braking system, it's likely that only one brake would be affected.

You should inspect the entire brake system looking for damage. Also check the brake pad wear and sticking pistons.


I noticed my crank making a noise when I would crank hard, and it ended up being the pedal. It was the cheap plastic pedals that came with the bike (before I switched to clipless), and the pedal itself was starting to break. It would bend when I was cranking hard, and it finally broke on me (thankfully, just down the street from my house).

So, I would check the pedal, and check the bolts for the whole area to make sure everything's tightened down properly.


Rekey a Kryptonite lock outside North America

Note that Kryptonite doesn't actually "rekey" the lock but instead gives you an entirely new lock and keys, in roughly the same series type as the one you sent in.

In that case, I think the best solution would be to find someone going back to the USA and sell the lock to them for (price of new lock in that series ) * (whatever hassle percentage discount you think appropriate) - $20 - $8.

You'd essentially be selling that person a new lock after they send it in: the $20  "rekey" fee includes shipping back to the customer in the domestic states and the extra $8 is because that person will need to ship the old lock back to  Kryptonite in the first place.

  Given that a new Evo 4 is around US$70 - you could sell the dead lock
  to someone going back to the USA for $20. They could send it in for +$20+$8 = $48 and get a
  new lock. The math isn't very good for the Evo 4 -- much better for
  the expensive NY series locks.


Can I upgrade to a 11 speed freehub or do I need to change everything?

This is a partial answer:

Given that the WH-RS10 isn't a fancy wheel, if you can't just get a 11 speed freehub body, you're going to be best off economically by just replacing the whole rear wheel if you want to go 11 speed. I suspect there isn't a replacement to 11 speed, but you can ask your bike shop or someone else may answer there is.

Interestingly, Zinn has figured out that you can file the feet of the splines down on an existing Shimano 10 speed freehub to fit a 11 speed cassette on it, since the difference is only a few mm. But this is at your own risk, and may or may not work.


What qualities of bicycle bearing grease?

It's a surprisingly tricky conversation. All the differences at play are so close to totally negligible, it can be easy to tally them up differently. It mostly just doesn't matter as long as it's some type of conventional bearing grease.

In terms of how well a bearing system full of a given grease is going to function, if the bike is ever going to get ridden in wet conditions, then waterproofness and washout resistance are the most important variables by far. If the bike isn't ever going to be ridden in wet conditions, then it doesn't matter at all unless you want to try to save watts with your grease. If you do then my money is on Dura-Ace grease as being the best you can get, but it's a black hole of a debate topic.

For shop use, I have come to view grease compatibility as being the most important differentiator, because it seems like getting it wrong there is the main way your choice of grease can actually have meaningful negative consequences. I'm a fan of White Lightning Crystal as general purpose grease because it's biodegradable, non-toxic and non-staining, but the problem is that aluminum based greases like it score badly on the compatibility chart, meaning arbitrarily squirting it into other people's greasy things you're adding grease to is probably a bad idea.

Hub main bearings, bottom brackets, headsets, and pedals generally all take the same grease. Cup and cone type freehub or freewheel mechanisms generally need either heavy oil or light viscosity grease.


Carerra Hellcat - Front Derailleur issues - Possibly replace

It's not necessarily the case that your problems are caused by equipment incompatibility. Bikes have been specced by manufacturers with mixed drivetrains. And front derailleurs are a lot less sensitive to compatibility problems than rears.
In any case, it would be helpful to know exactly what the problem is.


The Crossrip line isn't quite a cyclocross bike; its designed somewhere between a commuter bike and a cyclocross bike (more relaxed and heavier than most cyclocross bikes; also, rack+fender mounts). FWIW, I do know people who have used the Crossrip for light touring and a day to day basis and were happy. But if you'll be happy is a highly personal decision.

People tour on everything, from BSO's (e.g. what you find in Walmart) to touring bikes to old mountain bikes to cyclocross bikes to full suspension mountain bikes or modern hardtails to fat bikes.

The main characteristics you need to look for are:

Comfort (Don't want to be uncomfortable on long rides)
Stability/Load Capacity/Handling (You can carry the loads required without issue)
Repairability and reliability (Depends on what kind of touring you're doing)
Terrain (Can the bike deal with the terrain? An off road tourer may not be ideal for on road and vice versa)

The frame design (i.e. the geometry and materials), tires, saddle, handlebars all come into play for a particular rider for comfort. The frame design and riding position also come into play for stability; tourers often have long wheelbases. Also, where you can mount your loads (front rack, back rack, fork, etc.) come into play with stability and handling.

Repairability  and reliability depends on what you want to do. Some tourers like the Surly Long Haul Trucker have things like spoke holders to hold spokes that you can replace broken spokes and what not. If that's your thing, you should look for bikes with that. Also, wheel sizes depending on where you go (700c vs 26"), brake types (disc vs rim; poorer areas probably will make disc (esp. hydraulic disc) repair harder if anything goes wrong) and drivetrain (can you repair it if necessary or is it something thats not going to fail or whatever).

There are secondary concerns as well, such as if you have to ship the bike around or whatever (where S&S couplers or similar may be useful).

The canonical example of a touring bike for the road is something like the Trek 520 or Surly Long Haul Trucker. It's comfy and stable when loaded due to the geometry,  uses bar end shifters which are basically indestructible (unlike brifters, which can go in 1 crash), uses a reliable drive train and has beefy wheels so they can carry high loads reliably for long distances. The gearing is also chosen so that you have a low enough gear to lug heavy stuff up an incline, for example (lower than most road bikes). You have either rim brakes or mechanical disc brakes, which should be reliable and hopefully serviceable. Most are made from steel.


Can I use Danco waterproof grease sold for plumbing and faucets to lube seat posts and pedal threads?

As long as there are no carbon fiber parts involved you should be fine. Carbon parts require a special compound, regular grease makes the mating surfaces slippery. That requires applying excessive clamping force which can damage the carbon parts. The grease you have should prevent any oxidation between the seat tube and the seat post.


Repair superficial damage to a carbon frame

I have repaired non structural and surface carbon blemishes with clear nail polish. I had no issues and used the handle bars for several years with no issues.


How to guesstimate correct tire pressure in the winter?

Ideal Gas equation: pV=nRT

With +15oC and -20oC the pressure ratio between the two is: p1/p2 = (273+15)/(273-20). Or 13% higher pressure when put in the garage.

However that is assuming you are pumping it to maximum pressure, that the tyre can no longer (or very slightly) expand, making V (volume) constant.

That is the basics for your assumption. However, the tyre would flex and expand ever slightly. So, 5-10% would be good approximation to me, depending on how much you put into the tyre, and how big is your tyre.

Saving you all the calculation, I would suggest for

Road tyre : 700x18-24c, 85-90 psi at the gas station (less than 10% of the maximum pressure, but you need more traction if temperature is less than 0oC!!!)
MTB tyre: 26x1.2-1.5", 55-85 psi at gas station
MTB tyre 26x1.5"+, 20-42 psi
Hybrid/CX: 700x24 to 700x40, 45-85 psi.

Just a rough guide, but please make sure you check maximum tyre pressure, then subtract  10% ( just don't do bicycle stunt indoor...) Edit 2: This is for your maximum Cold-Tyre Pressure only. Your target should be within recommended (i.e. Cold-Tyre pressure at recommended pressure and make sure +10% and it should not exceed Maximum pressure).

So I believe the answer is 10% more of the recommended pressure would not do any harm if put in the garage (checking a few popular tyre in the shop)

=============================

EDIT: I have one tyre blown up when I put close to recommended maximum pressure, and let it exposed to the summer sun locking to the pole. It was the loudest bang I have ever heard.. and I would be extra careful from now and then when pumping an old tyre pass recommended pressure (leave alone the maximum recommended)


Do I need a medium or large cage rear derailleur?

You have it right. Between medium and long cage, medium is the one to get here.

As you say, you only need a capacity of 23, which is short cage. SRAM is still listing a short cage X7 on their site, but I couldn't find anyone selling or distributing it. If you can track one down and if you're staying with this gearing, that would be more ideal than medium cage. But the medium X5 is fine too. Sadly the short cage 10-speed GX with a clutch is not compatible.


Any compatible trigger shifters for el-cheapo TD ONE derailleur?

You need a 6 speed shifter.  These are likely to be rare, so a 7 or 8 speed shifter should work, but will have 1 or 2 ghost positions which may be confusing.

Another possibility is to use a friction shifter, where the rider has analogue input and can put the chain where it needs to go.

But from another point of view, you're throwing good money after bad.  A cheap bike is okay while they're still growing, but at some point you're better off saving for a good bike.

If there's a bike cooperative in your area then they may be able to assist with take-off parts or similar.


How do I get a Garmin Cadence Sensor 2 to pair with an iPhone?

It seems like it could work using their Garmin Connect App.
See Page 5 below.
https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/cadencespeedsensors2/EN-US/Cadence_Speed_Sensors_2_OM_EN-US.pdf
See this snippet too:
https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/cadencespeedsensors2/EN-US/GUID-E87E78BB-03DD-48C1-AA67-A69E591B01FC.html
However, I think optimally this thing is designed to be used with a bike computer Garmin Head Unit vs. a phone as I am not sure how it will display the cadence info as you ride. Note I never used my phone as a bike computer so perhaps there is a way to do that.


Can hanger extender be used as replaceable hanger?

I doubt it. There is a good chance that the extender is sturdier than the fixed derailleur hanger, in which case it would add leverage, making a bent or broken hanger even more likely.


Should the bike or the rider take the jolt from a bump, and how?

This is not an either-or proposition. Your bike is hitting the bumps and supporting your full weight (minus the very small proportion of weight that might be falling at that exact moment) regardless of how you stand when you hit the bumps.

The difference is whether you're going to let the additional damping effects of the down tube, seat tube, bottom bracket, cranks, and pedals absorb some of the shock before hitting your body, and whether you take that shock on your feet (which are protected by hard soles and socks and are connected to your springy ankles) or just take it right on the sit bones (which are hard and part of your skeleton). Obviously one of those is going to feel a lot worse than the other.

It's helpful to imagine an analogous system: a very light car carrying a heavy load. Our choice is whether the load is supported on a suspension system or not. If we rigidly attach the load to the frame of the car, the load isn't "taking the hit" when the car hits a bump -- rather, the shock is worsened because there's nothing to absorb some of the energy of the shock. If we suspend the load, the total weight the car is carrying remains the same (it has to), but we let the suspension system absorb some of the energy.

You and your bike are both better off if you get off the seat a bit and let your legs (and the frame, to some extent) act as a suspension system.


Convert Western Saddle to Regular Saddle?

Looks like there might be welding in your bike's future.  A competent welder might be able to attach some better seat stays that terminate below the clamp.  Then you'd use a normal saddle on a normal seat post.

BUT there will be a lot of unsupported seat tube poking up.  As a tall rider, I have over-extended seatposts leading to bent seatposts and cracked frames.

Your other option is to get your welder to make a bridge between the existing seatpost and the existing stays, and then mount a normal saddle on that using an old-school saddle clamp but rotated down.

The risk here is the saddle will fall sideways if the bridge tube is round, so perhaps your metalworker can find some half-inch box section and mangle the bike clamp so it goes around a square profile.

Edit:
Here's a spin bike with something vaguely similar.  The seatpost can adjust up/down, and the horizontal box section sits in a channel, and can't move sideways.  It can move fore-aft if the hold-down bolt is released.  On top of that is a short vertical round tube, where a normal seat clamp fits.


What is the name of those Old Timey Bikes?

This is a "penny-farthing" bike. You mount it by putting a foot on the step above the back wheel, you push off, then climb up it towards the pedals as it moves away. (Like this video shows.)

The front wheel was so large for a couple of reasons: Since the pedals were connected directly to the wheel, the bike could go faster if the wheel were larger; and also, a large wheel functioned as suspension.

When the safety bicycle was introduced, it had pneumatic tires and drivetrains that allowed for gearing independent of wheel size, so the penny-farthing fell into disuse.


What will happen to a roadbike when rode on broken tar?

What do you expect to happen?

Not quite sure what you mean by "roadster", but I assume it's roughly the same as a "road bike" in the US -- what would have been called a "racing bike" 30 years ago before racing bikes got all high-tech.

The main distinguishing characteristics of such bikes are that they have a more "aggressive" riding position, a lighter-weight frame, and skinny tires.  They'll also usually have "drop" handlebars, but that's true of many bikes in other categories.

All of those characteristics make it harder to ride on rough, uneven pavement, and the skinny tires can make it impossible to ride on really loose gravel.  But it's certainly possible to ride on ordinary "broken pavement", if you exercise a little care.

As to the bike, such conditions would tend to be rough on a carbon frame or exotic rims, but a bike of more ordinary construction (if you can find one anymore) should not experience extraordinary wear/fatigue.  You'd want a bike, first and foremost, with sturdy rims -- 32 spoke if possible, and at least 28.  And you should probably stay away from super-narrow tires.


Which standalone head units would work with Tacx i.Flow T2270?

The Tacx i-Flow is only compatible with the T2202 head unit for standalone use.

The T1982 Bushido head unit does not connect in my experience, although I have had Tacx support tell me it should work.

The T1962 Flow head unit firmware is not compatible withe I-Flow.

Your best guaranteed option is the T2022.


2014 RockShox Pike RC oil recommendation

The Service Manual or the Air/Oil chart from SRAM are your most reliable sources.  This is the same source a SRAM/Rockshox dealer should be using to provide you this information, so there is no reason your LBS should offer you different information.

As for YouTube, that source is only as trustworthy as the guy who made the video, and given the volumes you quoted, I’d say you should stick to SRAM support.

Make sure you are paying attention to model year, since different model years may require different oil volumes.

The air/oil chart for 2014 Rock shot suspension can be found here.


105 Shimano 10 speed shifters - compatibility with 11 speed rear derailleur

This is to do with the different pull ratios employed by the different systems.
In your case 10 vs 11 speed Shimano.

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

If you look at the table in the link - it says the 10 speed levers pull less than the 11 speed levers but the rear derailleur ratios are also vastly different.


I want to increase my gear range, will my front gears affect the cassette I can use?

Your cassette won't affect your front mech. You may need a longer chain, and your rear derailleur might not be designed to handle the larger cassette, but that's another question.

Also, the difference between a 30-tooth and 32-tooth gear is barely noticeable. Go for a 34-tooth low gear.


Okay, so this is an aluminium-framed Sora road bike, with a carbon fork, from a European chain store, as shown here?

First of all, there should be no problem doing a 200km ride on that type of bike, its what its made for. And, you should be fine to do several of these rides in close succession. The bike doesn't have the greatest drivetrain, but for the rides you're talking about, it should be acceptable. So, other than generally making sure the bike is roadworthy, no special preparation is required.

You seem to be asserting that a larger frame will be more comfortable than a smaller frame. I'm not sure where you got that from, but it isn't necessarily true. The comfortable frame is the one that fits. That said, this bike looks like a compact frame so there's probably quite a large range where the frame would be considered an "acceptable" fit.

For road riding, 25mm is a perfectly reasonable tyre width. Try them out. If you think you feel too much of the road when you ride, a wider tyre will give you more of a cushion, but you need to make sure that the rims can take a wider tyre, and that you have clearance between the new tyre and your brakes/frame.

For your panniers, in your place I would contact Decathlon and ask them whether the bike will accept a rack. But be prepared, there is every likelihood that they will say no, and for sure I'd be very wary of trying to put a rack onto an aluminium frame (or front panniers onto a carbon fork, for that matter). But see what they say. If the bike can have a rack fitted, Decathlon will, I'm sure, be able to recommend something out of their range to you.


Removing headset cups from 44mm head tube

The park tool RT-1 is the original headset cup removal tool for 1 1/8" headset cups.

The RT-2 oversized headset removal tool is the correct tool for 1 1/4 and larger cup sizes.

That said, the RT-1 can be used, when directed carefully, on 1 1/4" cups also.

In my opinion, Park is too liberal in stating what larger headset sizes the RT-1 can work with, but it isn't technically wrong.

Recently manufactured RT-1 tools have more flare to the ends than the older RT-1 did, which may account for the difference as well.

Depending on when and where you bought yours, you may have the pre-1 1/4" version. Either because it's new/old stock, or because it was used...