Can I put bullhorn bars on a bike with hydraulic disc brakes

Your options are fairly limited, nearly all bullhorn bars are sized for 23.8mm road brake levers, while mountain levers are sized for 22.2mm handlebars.  There do appear to be some 22.2mm bullhorn bars listed on eBay currently, but your mileage may vary.

You may also have luck finding some 22.2mm "north road" style bars that you can flip over or trekking bars with close to the right shape that you can cut down. Alternatively, a set of hydraulic brakes with suitably modifiable clamps.

As far as better levers than just using your mountain levers, it's expected that drop-bar hydraulic levers are coming in the not-too-distant future due to disc brakes' recent legalization in UCI cyclocross.  In the interim there are some pretty ugly hacks, basically involving running a set of cables from a cabled brake to an interim hydraulic lever. It's not elegant, to say the least.


What is your favorite/preferred road shoe?

My preferred cycling shoes are the ones that feel good and I can stand to be in all day. Currently for road cycling I have Specialized and before that it was Sidi. I have some Shimano mountain bike shoes for commuting. I have no idea what I'll buy the next time.

I'm a bit obsessive about shoe fit so I usually wind up trying on several pairs before I walk out of the LBS with a pair of shoes. One thing is that I ignore brands other than as an indication of quality and previous experience. Two, I start out by trying on the same model I have if I liked it. Three, I compare at least 2 others. And also, look at the shoe as to quality and construction.


What natural features and governmental conditions contribute to a bicycle friendly town/city?

Down vote notwithstanding, here are some thoughts:

Living in Boston and bicycle commuting both 4- and 3-season for 15 years, I'd say there at least four factors, governmental, NGO, population, and environmental.

The NGO aspect would be - how many organizations there are, and how actively do they advocate on behalf of cyclists. In Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, and Massachusetts at large there are at least two, Mass Bike, and The Boston Cyclists Union. I'm not a "joiner" so it's possible there are others, say, Bikes-not-Bombs, that have a different agenda, but still, a degree of visibility, and advocacy.

Because Boston metro has a very significant student population, and conversely tight parking situation, many people ride bicycles. By way of sheer numbers, organizations have a significant number of folks they can represent, as well as interest and energy to recruit from.

The governmental aspect would be, how interested in alternative transportation is the current state and local administration? Is there a "Bike Czar" appointed by the city that acts as liaison to facilitate communication between constituents and DOT, or the mayor's office. How interested is the city or state, in facilitating alternative modes?

Beyond that, how conducive to cycling is the geography, and the weather? The Dutch live on flat land in a maritime environment that tends to favor the widespread adoption of the bicycle. Combine those with the impossibility of parking and you have something of a perfect storm. Portland if I'm not mistaken, has a similar maritime weather pattern, as does Boston. An educated population, and short distances to major areas helps as well.

On the other hand, Minneapolis is frigid and spread out, but there is a huge cycling community. They have a significant "rails to trails" movement to re-purpose unused arteries that run far and wide. Native infrastructure matters.

Boulder has a larger hippy/ hipster/ outdoorsperson population that take to the bike.

So, sitting here pondering it, you get the sense there are many factors at play.

Ride it like you stole it!


Turbo trainer compared to road / air resistence - Magneto Classic

This Cycleops document appears to show the speed-power curve for the Magneto trainer. A few comments: first, the actual power demanded will depend on the pressure between the tire and roller, so you will want to make sure that is consistent between trainer sessions. Second, note that the power increases roughly linearly with speed, so if you double your speed the power also doubles. This is typical for magnetic trainers, and you may want to know that in the real world on real roads, power increases roughly with the cube of speed, so if you double your speed, the power increases by a factor of eight. Lastly, there are online "trainer" services (including www.trainerroad.com) which claim to have calibrated a wide range of trainers to estimate the speed-power relationship. I have no first-hand knowledge of these services, but typically one installs an ANT+ speed sensor on the rear wheel of the bike, mount the bike onto one of the listed trainers, insert an ANT+ dongle into a nearby computer, and connect to the online service.


Need help identifying this Specialized bike

It's a 2018 Women's Specialized Sirrus Disc.

Also here, on the Specialized site


Is it practical to wear motorcycle half helmet for road cycling?

Firstly, to answer you question - no, it's not practical for me.

Since this is a question of personal safety, no-one can make your decision for you. So in the rest of this answer I will try to set out the issues. It's fair to say that the issue of cycling helmets has been contentious in the past, so I'll give a recap of that. I say in the past because most Western countries have laws requiring cyclists to wear helmets. The contention now comes from small numbers of die-hards (pun intended).

Legality

Firstly, you would need to find out if it's legal to wear a motor-bike helmet on a bicycle. Most (western) countries Australia and New Zealand have laws requiring cyclists to wear helmets that are approved for that use (thanks to @7thGalaxy for the correction). The approval process usually involves the local national standards and testing bodies. Before a helmet can be sold as a cycling helmet is has to go through an approval process.

I would expect that a motor-bike helmet would not have been approved for use as a cycling helmet.

Protection

The purpose of a helmet is to provide head and brain protection in the event of impact. Bicycle helmets are designed with a harder outer shell and a softer crushable liner. The outer shell protects the crushable liner from the wear and tear of regular use, and resists abrasion should your head be sliding along the bitumen pavement. Without the shell the liner would quickly wear through, exposing your head to the road. Some very cheap helmets omit the outer shell.

The crushable liner has been calibrated absorb the shock of impact at cyclist speeds. It absorbs the impact by deforming; the peak forces are absorbed and are not transmitted to your skull and brain. This is why helmets must be replaced after a crash.

The motor-bike helmet protection system will be calibrated for higher impact speeds, and so will give little brain protection at cyclist speeds.

Safety

There are two sides to safety. Firstly, is the product safe to use?

Safe to use primarily means not impairing the cyclists vision or hearing. From your image it is not clear how the motor-bike helmet performs here. But it will certainly be heavier than a bike helmet, making it harder to turn your head frequently.

The lack of ventilation also means that your head and brain could be subject to higher than normal temperatures. The evidence is clear that when the human brain is too hot it does not function as well, especially in decision making. My recollection is that it leads to riskier decisions.

Now we get to the main point of contention. The research is clear that if we provide people with safety equipment then on average they take more risks. It is very politically incorrect, but there is good evidence to suggest that helmets have done nothing to improve cyclist safety. Proponents of this view argue that any improvements in safety is due to better roads, better laws, better driver education.

That argument means that if you feel safer in the motor-bike helmet, then you are more likely to do more dangerous things. The road is dangerous enough as it is; don't add to your own danger.

Comfort

The helmet pictured is black and has no vents. It will be hot and uncomfortable to wear.

Style

None. But that could be an attraction to some :-)

Conclusion

On every perspective I can think of, my advice is don't do it.

But you have to decide.


Is it cost-effective to upgrade an old-ish Giant Escape R3 commuter bike with entry-level branded parts (wheels, drivetrain)?

Cable replacements, chain, tubes, all those are "consumables"  Even spoke replacement is not an uncommon problem to have periodically.   A bike isn't a cellphone to be discarded when its a bit tired - periodic maintenance is easy.

Consider that if you were using a car, there would be oil/filter changes and fuel, perhaps a light bulb every couple years and a windscreen once a decade, plus whatever checks and tests your country requires to licence vehicles.  These are all "the cost of using the tool" over time.

Now - your specific points:

Latex tubes will be flat every morning - they're not good at retaining air.  But they're lighter than Butyl rubber so good for racing.

I've never heard of latex/butyl hybrid tubes.  Could be you're thinking about butyl tubes with liquid latex sealant inside them, ready to seal up holes as soon as they happen.   These are heavier again than plain tubes, but can help if you puncture.

Also you can't patch latex tubes - one puncture and they're useless.

Generally speaking, the cost of upgrading components is much higher over time.  If your existing component is worn out (say the rear derailleur was busted) then the cost of a like-for-like replacement is the sunk cost, and the difference to a higher spec one is the opportunity cost, or the "cost of upgrade"  which is the perfect time to do so.

The common wisdom is first you need to be comfortable on your bike.  That means you have the saddle and bars and ergonomics sorted out to suit yourself.

Once that's done, tyres (tires) are the first best upgrade, followed by the whole wheelset.  You probably don't want to splurge on top-shelf wheels like Zip, the benefits over mid-range product are marginal, and you'll never be able to leave your fancy bike locked up alone, ever.

Schwalbe Marathon anything tyres are puncture-resistant commuter tyres, which is fine.  If your goal is to go fast then race-oriented tyres like Continental GP series would be faster and lighter, but at an increased risk of punctures.  Check out http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/ for many comparisons there.

As for crankset/BB - I'd only change if the chainrings are worn, or the BB bearings are not smooth.  Your existing BB cartridge should spin smoothly with no play, so only replace it if there's a problem.  $19 for a replacement cartridge unit is cheap, but that shimano one should be good for 5,000-25,000 km depending on weather.

The single best upgrade for a commuter bike is... Fenders (aka mudguards).  If you ride in the rain, then life is so much nicer when you get there cleaner.


Air will escape, one of the biggest problems with Ghetto tubeless (unfortunate, but long established name for this technique) and not using specific tubeless ready or UST (tubeless standard) tires is that you need to inflate your tires a lot. At worst for every ride.
The tires often do roll off the rim. Not every combination of Ghetto tubeless will work (the internet used to be full of lists) so it's about trial and error. It's always been recommended to do the rear first and ride for a few rides before doing the front. If the rear tire comes off you may be able to stay up right!

Higher pressures (+40 psi) are worse for tires rolling off.


If what you really want is Burley hub/attachment guts, just ask around for someone getting rid of a Burley trailer with rotted out or missing fabric. They've sold a lot of trailers and many of them sadly get put outside to languish before eventually getting thrown away once they get nasty.

Alternatively, Ali Express has a lot of the approximate kind of stuff you're looking for. I don't know if you know the term "stub axle," but that is broadly what you're talking about, an wheel axle like a car or a wheelchair where the support is only on side.


How bad is handling with only front aero wheel?

First, running an aero wheel in the back does help with drag, just not as much as the front. A 50mm section aero wheel in the front with a standard wheel in the back will be fine. It may look a little funny, but it won't make the bike unridable. That said, a deep section rim is a deep section rim, and it will cause some deflection from your course in crosswinds.

EDIT: in the case of a windy day and front only aero wheel, your front end is going to get pushed around more than your back. If you're running both front and rear aero wheels, you're going to get pushed around more evenly, but you're going to get pushed further. Neither situation is pleasant, especially if you're using clip-ons, but I don't think that going with only a front aero wheel is necessarily worse. It is a setup I've used in the past, and a setup that I think isn't altogether uncommon in lower categories as racers are more likely to borrow just a front from a fellow racer for a cat 5 time trial. If you're dead set on getting an aero wheel I wouldn't let potential handling differences vs a full set stop you.


Safety - Improve braking power in wet conditions

You have commented

  I mainly use the back brake.

I therefore propose option 4: improve your braking technique before spending any money.

If you only use half of your bicycle's brakes, you can't expect to stop quickly. Further, you're using much less than half your available braking force, because the back brake is much less effective than the front one. This is because, as you brake, your weight shifts forwards, pushing your front wheel harder onto the ground and reducing your weight on the back wheel.  On a dry road, your front brake can do almost all the work of stopping you, and stop you much faster than your rear brake. On a wet road, you need to make more careful use of both brakes because of the decreased grip of your tyres but, still, you need to be using the front brake much more than you do.

Sheldon Brown, as always, has lots of advice on braking.  Many people worry that using the front brake will cause you to go over the handlebars. It is true that if you screw up really badly and front-brake really, very, a lot, much too hard, you might go over the handlebars. I have never come close to doing this. In fifteen years of commuting by bike in two of the UK's biggest cycling cities, I've never seen anybody else do it, either. It's an incredibly rare thing to happen and not something you should be afraid of.

The main difference from rear-wheel braking is that you can essentially pull the rear brake as hard as you like and the worst that can happen is that your rear wheel will skid, which you can stop by letting go of the brakes for a moment. To use the front brake, you do need to learn how hard you can pull it in different situations. As with everything about riding bikes, the way to learn is to practise on a quiet road. I categorically promise to you that, if you brake gently with the front brake, you will not go over the handlebars. You can then experiment by braking a bit harder and moving a bit faster. You'll find that you can brake pretty hard without coming even close to having something bad happen. Brace your arms against the handlebars, too, so you're not lungeing forwards faster than the bike as you stop.

A couple of other things to bear in mind when braking in the wet.

Manhole covers and painted lines in the road can be extremely slippery: avoid them where possible. This is particularly important when using the front brake because front-wheel skids are harder to recover from; it's also important while cornering.
In general, even in the dry, be wary of using the front brake while cornering since a skid is more likely when you're putting load on the tyre by cornering and braking at the same time.
If you see that you might need to brake soon, gently apply the brakes to remove some of the water from the wheel rims. Then, if you do need to brake, your brakes will be more effective.


Upgrading cheap "cruiser"-type bike for commuting

This is what we call a BSO (Bicycle Shaped Object) -- everything on that is as cheap as possible, which makes sinking even modest upgrades into it not really worth it. For upgrading and tweaking, you'd be much better off starting with an old (but decent quality) bike. You'll likely come out monetarily ahead, and have better quality parts to make it easier to learn (e.g. derailleurs which stay in adjustment, etc.). Also, be careful if you're removing dents in a rim with a hammer -- its less safe than the proper tool (and be careful with spoke tension).

If you want to do something to make it better for commuting, I'd limit it to maybe a set of bar ends if you want more hand positions or a better saddle. You already have slick tires.


Road cranks are not going to work on your MTB.
The crank arms include the crank axle - one of the arms is permanently attached to the axle. The axle length is important. Road bikes use narrower bottom bracket shells than MTBs and hence have shorter axles.


I think I have installed my new rear deraileur incorrectly, can anyone give me some advice

From your picture, there are a couple of questions.

Is the B screw in the correct place.
Is the chain the correct length

Please watch this video on installing a deraillieur and 1 minute in, they mention the B screw and it's corrct position. Note the two different types of fittings, the direct bolt to the hanger, and the bolt to the tab and then to the hanger. The video shows both methods.
Or update the question with close ups of the area where you attached the derailleur to the hanger.
You didn't mention whether you replaced the chain too. If you did, please make sure it is the correct length. These links discuss more on chain length.
Chain length link 1
Chain length link 2


Put the 3/16" bearings back in, even if you have to buy some fresh ones.

Your quarter-inch bearings are not sitting in the bearing raceway right which is causing the too tight/loose problem.

They will never sit right, and if you do ride on them the bearings will run on the wrong parts of the cup and cone races.  This will lead to early failure of the cup and cone.

Bearings are cheap - perhaps one or two cans-of-coke in your local currency.  Fit new right-sized bearings with grease, and it will work better.


handlebar light (or mount) with ball and socket joint

Philips Saferide came with a ball and socket mount. The light has been discontinued though. Possibly you can get replacement mounts and adapt them: Philips page for holder.

Personally I'd look for something that uses a rubber strap to hold it onto the handlebar, loose enough that you can move it to point up and down, but tight enough to stay stable when moved. Adjusting the Philips ball and socket to work that way, instead of setting aim once and then tightening to lock, could be tricky.


With the brake tension released (either through the quick release or untensioning the brake wire) is the spring tension on both sides equal? As @Daniel R Hicks notes, some unevenness is inevitable with direct pull and cantilever brakes due to their design.

For V brakes and other direct pull (as well as cantilever) there's a little screw on each arm that helps adjust the spring tension. For cantilever brakes, you might also want to make sure your straddle cable is evenly centered.

Also, you should make sure both brake arms move smoothly by lubricating the pivots with a dry lubricant (PTFE, etc.) and working them back and forth.  There's a related question about how to overhaul the sleeve bearings: cleaning v-brake arms with riveted inner sleeve


If its at a point where the hose bends naturally, then it could be weakened by flexing.

What about temperature?  Could it be the hose is simply perishing with age?  Heat accelerates aging, so if its been hot or in sunlight for a while it will age quicker.

Look very closely at the split.  Is it smooth or slightly rough?  If its smooth, consider a sharp object may be involved.   Or is the hose getting caught under a weight, or in a door or track?

Do you have cats or kids ?  One has claws and the other can have scissors.

Answer: Time for a new length of pressure hose with the right Internal Diameter.  Outer diameter is less important, and matters only at the ends..  inside  Get a couple metres and fit it.  You may need some small hose clamps too.    Do try and repair it, a good pump should last a hundred years.


Replacement from 3x Sugino cranks to any Shimano 3x

Alloy frame Sirrus has a threaded bottom bracket shell, square taper cartridge bottom bracket.
You can pick any any 3x9 crank from Shimano's Altus, Acera or Alivio ranges. Most cranks are '3-piece' for square taper bottom brackets, however, different crank models require different specific bottom bracket axle length to achieve the correct chainline. You'll need to look up crank specs and check that your existing bottom bracket has the correct axle. if not you'll need to replace the bottom bracket also. If you are replacing the bottom bracket you might wish to upgrade to a '2-piece' crank with external threaded bottom bracket bearings.
Note that special tools are required to remove and install bottom brackets, and a crank puller is needed to get crank arms off square taper axles. Bottom brackets and crank arms should also be installed with a torque wrench. It's especially critical to get square taper crank arms tightened properly.


How can I find a replacement derailleur for a nice bike that is 20 years old (GT Winstream)

Good news. Shimano kept broad compatibility between their products, even between generations.
An Altus derailleur from circa 2002 may be from a 7 or 8 speed (number of gears in the rear cluster) drivetrain. You can actually use any Shimano 7, 8 or 9 speed derailleur with a 7 or 8 speed shifter. Shimano used the same derailleur actuation ratio (ratio of cable pulled to lateral derailleur movement) for all these drivetrains.
Remember you need to select a derailleur that has a sufficient total capacity (capacity required is (difference between max and min sprockets teeth) + (difference between max and min chainring teeth), and has a appropriate max and min largest sprocket size for the sprockets on your cassette.


The spec page on BikePedia says the rear shock is "Fox Float R Air, 130mm travel" and the fork is "RockShox Recon 351 Air, 80 - 130mm adjustable travel".
Unfortunately it appears that Felt doesn't have information on bike previous to 2010 on their archive page.


Front brake lever will not stay tightened

Do these brakes have a small adjuster screw just behind the lever blade? If so, that is a reach adjustment. It allows you to adjust the distance of the lever blade from the bar. Sounds like it's turning on it's own. Some brakes have this issue. What you need is the tiniest amount of blue (workable) loctite/threadlocker on the threads of that reach adjuster bolt. Very important that you don't get it anywhere else or else it will gum everything up. I would apply it with a needle or safety pin to ensure precise application- squeezing it directly from the tube may prove messy. Once that sets, the lever should stay in place.


Dangerous feature on a new 20" wheel kids bike? EZBuild pedals

I can think of three possible reasons for this design:
First, reduce the number of bikes returned as defective because the crank arm is stripped. While this would most likely be caused by poor assembly technique some stores have a generous return policy so they take them back anyway.
Second, I can think of is there are fewer people that can competently use tools. As the things we buy become more disposable fewer people fix there own things.
Third, most likely reason is lawsuits. If a child is injured because the pedal falls off the suit will be the fault of the person or company with the deepest pockets. So while shipping cost  and packaging do add cost, litigation is a big cost of doing business.
While this design is innovative I would have concerns about an injury if the rubber boot were damaged or became misaligned. I would have thought that rotating the pin 90 degrees would lessen the chance of the pin hitting the ankle bone.


Shimano FD-M191 replaced with Shimano FD-M590

According to the data sheets for the FD-M191 and FD-M590, you should be able to run one for another provided the difference between the middle and largest cog is at least 12 teeth.

The first thing to check is if you've adjusted the front derailleur properly. Are you using a reasonable gear combination when its rubbing? If so, are you using a 9 speed chain?


Crazy Guy on a Bike sounds like just one blog but is actually many blogs with lots of touring information. The interface is kind of minimal like Craigslist but there is a lot of content there.


Fatigue Considerations: Over-tightened Front Derailleur Dent

Personally I'd stay far, far away, it's not worth the risk. Especially as you intend to load the bike up for bike-packing.

Cracks are not the problem. Structural tubes are severely weakened when they are buckled inwards too much. That looks like too much to me. Also, such deformation is likely to have work-hardened the steel.

The only way to repair this would be to replace the whole seat tube - which would cost more than the frame.


Replacing the fulcrum lever of a Sturmey-Archer hub with something else.

To answer my own question:

Solution #2 is good.

It's possible to replace the fulcrum arm and pulley assembly with a short guide nut (HMN420) as long as there's a cable stop somewhere on the frame.  You can also buy what S.A. calls "fulcrum clips", see catalogue linked in question above, which effectively provide a cable stop.

This combination has the advantage that it will fit into a tight dropout with deep circular lips that impede the fitting of the fulcrum arm and/or the pulley assembly.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Tony Hadland in his supplement to The Sturmey Archer Story mentions that a different, but similar hub, the Sprinter would work with/out the fulcrum arm, so this is a use-case which S.A. has tried to address for some time:

  The Sprinter used the same shell as the 5-StAr; and like the 5-StAr,
  had the same ratios as the S5 series. However, the Sprinter's
  arrangements for routing the toggle chain into the hub were novel in
  that there were four options: the traditional flared wheel nut; or a
  "gear selector pulley" in a housing which slid over the wheel nut; and
  in either case with or without an axle-fitting fulcrum lever/clip.
  These options were felt necessary because of the high cable tension
  necessary for single cable selection of five gears - which with an
  ordinary flared nut and banded-on fulcrum clip could give stiff
  operation and/or cause the clip to slip along the chainstay. However,
  with a brazed-on cable stop, the flared nut worked quite well.

Whether the SRF5(W) has the same concerns about high cable-tension remains to be seen. One downside to using a fulcrum-clip (e.g. HSJ513 - HSJ514, HSJ548,HSJ543) on three-speed hubs is that the cable can apparently hang loose in certain gears.  A suggested remedy is using full-length cable housing.


Put the chain around the big-big gears without threading it through the derailleur. Have the chain overlap by one link. Now with that length thread it through the derailleur.

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain


It seems to be a mid-1970s Peugeot UO8 (@mark in the comments note it may be a same-period AO8) to my eyes, essentially the male version of the 1975 mixte UO18 that I own. All of the components are identical to what I have including the MAFAC brakes and the decals.  A google image search confirms:

A good reference website for the UO8/AO8:

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_France/Peugeot_UO8%20_BlueDump/PEUGEOT_UO8_DUMP_1_Start.htm

Note that if that's the original AVA stem, you should immediately replace it. Google "AVA Peugeot Death Stem" if you want to know why (basically, it has a tendency to er... snap ... while riding).


You don't need to put anything in there. If you're really concerned get teflon coated cables.

Those kinds of braze on cable guides were "standard" issue on well made lugged steel bikes until the early 80's or so. ( Cheap bikes came with bolt on versions of the same guides. ) They worked just fine even with old style cables that were much rougher than current cables. ( Current cables are pulled through a die to make them as round and smooth as possible and are also generally a much more rust resistant steel. )


Bottom bracket with built-in internal hub - does this exist?

The Schlumpf drives have been around for several years and incorporate a two-speed planetary gear drive attached to the bottom bracket. With the heel of your shoe, you tap a small button centered on the end of the bottom bracket to engage and disengage the planetary gear. Three models are available: a "mountain gear" version that lowers whatever other gears you have by a factor of 2.5; a "speed gear" version that raises your other gears by 1.65x; and a "high-speed gear" version that raises your other gears by 2.5x. The Schlumpf drives have been marketed to specialty bicycles such as folding or recumbent bikes that use small diameter wheels, and thus can have difficulty getting "normal" gearing using off-the-shelf components. Schlumpfs have also been installed on unicycles which (obviously) are ordinarily a single fixed-gear.

An advantage of the Schlumpf drive is that with only one chain ring, there is no need for a front derailleur and the chain line is straight -- and one can tap the button to engage or disengage the drive even while stopped. However, despite the straight chain the Schlumpf drive appears to be less efficient in terms of power transmission. Measurements suggest that the Schlumpf drives "cost" about 5% extra in drive train losses. Since conventional derailleur systems range from around 92% to 97% in transmission efficiency (see for example, the work of Kyle and Berto here), an additional 5% loss can be a considerable cost.

Pinion has brought an 18-speed gearbox to the market, the P1.18. It isn't a "true" bottom-bracket with internal gears as is the Schlumpf -- rather, the gearbox is in a separate housing attached next to the bottom bracket, and it is not an "after-market" solution that can be easily added onto an existing bike. The Pinion is intended for downhill or freeride bicycles that are purpose-built around the device.


Should an integrated crown race of an carbon fork be greased before assembly?

Yes, it should. Grease all the contact surfaces.


MInor (I think) dent in top of Orbea Alma top tube - frame ok or no?

Just off the picture I'd say it's fine. Aluminum is more durable than many people think (you know they build airplanes out of the stuff?!) That said, I would carefully look at the areas where the tubes are welded together. Use a bright light and look for any small, hairline cracks in the paint. Most of the aluminum bikes I've seen fail usually snap at the welds (outside of horrible crashes of course)


You will very likely be able to buy a new, sealed bearing headset for your bike. Without more information I can't tell you any more than that. It's not a particularly difficult job for a bike shop, but it can be tricky if you don't have the right tools.

Also, as pointed out in the comments, "sealed bearings" are better at resisting water and muck, but they're not waterproof and definitely not water-jet-proof.


Verenti Technique 2015 - Crankset upgrade

It being an "unbranded crankset", I don't think anyone here could tell you that.  May be a good idea to change it anyways, as usually complete bikes are specced with the cheapest compatible BB, and as that is one of the prime spinning parts of your bike, upgrading it even a little usually goes a long way.


Looking for suitable mudguard, based on tyre size

Yes.

A 700c rim with a 23"mm tire is under 28" in diameter. The max tire width is specified at 40mm.

The "28inch" spec is a bit confusing as it's not a common wheel size (700c, 29" etc). I'm guessing a 700c rim with a 40mm tire is about 28" in diameter.


Tyre loosing air pressure despite having no puncture

A puncture
The tire lining along the valve is faulty.
The seam in the tire is faulty somewhere around the tire.

The best way to find out is put some soap in a bucket/tray of water and cover the tire. Fill it up as much as you can and the bubbles are where the leak is!


This isn't an area I would expect to find a purely cosmetic crack from normal riding forces. that leaves damage from an outside force, or a manufacturing defect in materials or workmanship.
If the bike has been in a crash, impacted, clamped by the top tube in a work stand, or if the crack's location is consistent with the handlebars turning forcefully into the frame, or some other outside force, or if you don't know the full history of the bike and you're thinking about buying it used, I would err on the side of caution and assume the damage is more than cosmetic.
If the damage is not due to an outside force, but rather the result of a defect in materials or workmanship (e.g. issue in the carbon layup), and you're the original owner, go get that warranty. If not, and you haven't already, I would recommend you talk with the shop anyways, as you might get a loyalty credit for the non-warranty damage. this looks like a model year 2016 or 17 Boone 7, but I'll also note that subsequent (used bike) owners of model year 2020 and newer bikes are covered for three years from the original retail purchase, with the original proof of purchase.
If you're asking because you haven't bought the bike yet, I would assume that it sustained more-than-cosmetic damage from an outside force, and proceed with your negotiations, if you still wish to buy it, as though the frame will need repair or you're buying for the parts.
Edit: Since you already own the bike, and you got it used, I would tread with plenty of caution, since I'm told carbon fiber can sustain structural damage without showing any visual signs, but that's a function of my risk tolerance, which may differ from yours. Even if you can't rule out structural damage, you can still check for affirmative signs of damage with checks like the coin test, feeling for "give" when you push on it, and monitoring the crack for changes or growth over time. The traditional spiel from a liability-conscious bike shop is that we can't be 100% sure it's safe to ride from a simple external examination, but that doesn't mean that everybody in your position immediately stops using the bike altogether.


Have you taken the inner tube out after you've had the issues inflating it? was the tube still intact after taking it out? (no leaks)? If there was a leak there are a few things to check:

make sure the rim tape is in good condition (no tears/holes, make sure it's properly aligned in the rim)
remove rim tape and check if any spokes protrude more than approx 1-2mm past the top of the spoke nipples, if they do consider shortening these spokes with a file, Dremel or the like or adjusting the spokes such that they are no longer protruding (if possible whilst keeping the wheel true/round)
check rim bed/edges (where the tire contacts the rim) for damage (sharp/pointy spots which could potentially damage the tire), if you find any sand/file them down so they're smooth
check your tire for pieces of metal/glass/other objects embedded in/under the surface (by rotating the tire whilst removed from the wheel and pinching it every 2cm approx to reveal any splinters, do this on both the inside and outside of the tire
check if valve hole has any sharp edges
whilst installing inner tube make sure it is not pinched in between rim and outer tube (inflate inner tube just a bit, check if it is not pinched anywhere and if all is good inflate the rest of the way)

For fixing flats I personally find it useful to clamp the inner tube with patch in between a bench vice (potentially with some pieces of wood in between the vice and the tube/patch for wider inner tubes), you could also use screw clamps for this purpose.

How far is your valve stem protruding through the rim? Would it be enough length to let the pump properly 'grab' it without leaking? If the valve stick-out is very minimal you will have to get an inner tube with a longer valve stem to be able to properly inflate it. There are also valve extenders for Schrader (and other) valve types, which you could consider using if your current valve is too short for the rim. (  (https://www.bikesale.com/slime1-14schradervalveextenders4-pack.aspx)

Edit: Could it be that when trying to install the pump onto the valve you're pushing the Shrader valve stem into the rim (it can easily be pushed down so it sticks out less when the tire is not or barely inflated). What I often do to try and prevent this is to use one hand to install the pump and use the other hand to depress the outer tire at the position of the valve stem, in this way i am preventing the valve stem from moving down when exerting pressure on it by pushing the pump onto it. If you have a pump which screws onto the Shrader's valve stem this should be a non issue, if you have a pump which 'clamps' onto the valve stem you might want to try this.


How do I efficiently shift gears on a road bike with downtube shifters?

Downtube shifters will really get you in touch with your bike--more than with many other shifting systems, I believe that I can actually FEEL the rear derailleur moving in my hand when I use them.

Needless to say, I ride a lot of old road bikes.

You will quickly gain the control to shift either from various hand positions on your road bars.  Assuming the bike fits you, you should ultimately be able to use the shifters from nearly any position.  You will, of course, use the right hand to shift the rear derailleur and the left hand to shift the front.

I will talk mostly about shifting the rear derailleur, as it will require the most control and finesse.

Note also that these shifters each have two main parts that are pertinent here, the LEVER and the BARREL.  The lever is pretty obvious--it's the usually-flattened handle that sticks out.  The barrel is the round bit which is attached to the frame.  The cable wraps around this round bit--as you turn the shifter, more or less cable is wrapped which is how the shifter moves the cable and thus the derailleur.

Ordinarily, when I reach down and the bike is in high gear--with the shift lever all the way forward and parallel with the downtube--I will grasp the lever by wrapping the thumb of my right hand over the end of the shift lever.  I press the side of my pointer finger against it and slowly pull back.  This motion has less control over precise gearing and is best suited for quickly downshifting before climbing.

If I am already in low gear and the shifter is out away from the downtube, I usually actually grasp the entire lever with my right hand.  In this mode, the tip of my thumb is on the barrel and my fingers are all wrapped around the shift lever.  Motion in either direction from this position can be very precise.  As I said, you can feel the derailleur move if you're cables are new and well-greased.

It's a good setup for shifters, in my opinion.  I can't say that I prefer downtube to integrated, but as far as simplicity is concerned... nothing beats it.

Except, perhaps, Sheldon Brown reaching down and putting his forefinger on the chain to move from upper to lower chainrings.

If you get a chance at the library, check out Understanding, Maintaining, and Riding the Ten-Speed Bicycle by Denise De la Rosa and Michael Kolin (Rodale Press, 1979).  This book describes shifting and using downtube shifters rather well, right down to the groovy 70's costume.  De la Rosa describes another method of hanging the thumb (I think) off of the top tube while reaching with the same hand's fingers down to the shift lever.  This only would work on a frame smaller than mine, but it's another piece of cycling history.

I hope this helps.  It certainly took my mind off my work for a few minutes!


Last seasons models usually go for a big discount so its worth trying to find one, are you prepared to wait if needed. Consider the used bike market if you know what you are looking at, or have a mate that can help out. Even if you don't have the skills, a LBS might have used bikes. Best bike for buck for someone who is not familiar with bikes is to buy used from the LBS.

Any bike in that price bracket will be reliable. They get reliable as soon as you leave the department stores and go to a bike shop.

For those hours in the saddle, far more important that any bits of paper describing the will tell you is the bike fit. Most important is go to a real bike shop, not a department store. I would recommend a cheaper bike and paying for a proper bike fitting session, decent shoes and pedals, and good bike shorts/bibs. No point spending all your money on the bike and having a poor fit and uncomfortable cloths.


Probably not, and it doesn't look like it. Integrated crown races on road bikes are usually found on all-carbon forks and they were also nascent then if they existed at all. Also, the part indicated by the arrow looks an awful lot like the split of a crown race that slides on:

If it's not a slip on type and is simply a difficult to remove one with no overhang, there are shop tools that can do that. And as mentioned in the comments, if all you need is bearings, hopefully you can get replacements and not have to mess with the crown race or replacing the whole headset.


Has anyone ever used the Spiderflex seat on a roadbike?

From this question and the other regarding clothes, I think that you would be better off showing the bike or bikes you are referring to when using the term "road bike".

Possibly you are not talking of a road bike like this:

Because it would be just a waste of the money invested in weight reduction / aerodynamics to use it in plain clothes and with a beastly saddle.

Now if you refer to something like this:

I would say a saddle like the one pictured is comfy enough for 11 miles, but you can uglify the bike for comfiness sake, police will not fine you. And casual clothes would fit perfectly aestethically.


I'm not sure why this question needed four paragraphs to explain, but I'll indulge it. However, I want to point out that the most effective decision is whatever results in a reliable tube using the least amount of time, money, and effort to accomplish. That should be obvious and not need to be pointed out.

That said, I would personally buy a new tube and rim tape. I might even buy a new tire while I'm at it. If a tube keeps going flat, there are only two or three possible explanations.

The patch isn't taking
The rim or something in the tire (e.g. small, short piece of metal)
keeps puncturing the tube
The tire is worn through/weak in a specific area

There is a certain level of convenience in patching a tube. If you're having to patch the same spot on a tube multiple times or keep getting multiple flats on the same tube in a day, or even a week, is it really worth your time to diagnose when you can spend ~$5 on a new tube and rule possibility out (unless you're extremely unlucky and get a defective tube, which has happened to me once)?

If you feel it is really worth your time, you can rule out the first potential cause by pumping up the patched tube outside of the tire, and putting it in a tub full of water. Watch for air bubbles.

You can try ruling out the second by running your finger through the rim and through the inside of the tire, but BE CAREFUL! You can slice your finger open if there's something sharp and big enough poking through.

The latter is something you can only determine through visual inspection. I know one of the most confounding flats I've ever had was caused by a small cut in the tire, big enough for the inflated tube to poke out of, embolize, and eventually blow out.


You are going to struggle a bit with this one unless you can find the correct BB of that vintage, which is a big ask insofar as Campagnolo didn't make a huge number of these cranks to start with and information on them, even at the factory (with whom we are very closely connected) is very thin on the ground.

The biggest problem that you will have is that the square taper used on the inside of the cranks was neither an ISO standard or a JIS, as at the time these standards didn't really exist - all manufacturers, campagnolo included, used proprietory, in-house standards.

The 2 degree taper angle was generall standardised but the starting square size and the length of the taper was not - so it was recognised by mechanics and assemblers at the time that some crank / BB axle cominations were a "go" and some were a "no go" and that the best thing to do to be sure of not only a good taper match, but also, consequently, a good chain line, was to use the crank manufacturer's matching BB set.

If you mismatch, the consequences are generally cracked cranks, either because the area bearing the load is not enough (happens with accurately made ISO cranks on JIS axles) or the crank migrates too far up the tapers so the crank bottoms out on the taper, and in some cases splits as the fixing bolt pushes it hard against the shoulder of the taper which is curved. Much less commonaly and in some ways less seriously - but just as useless - the taper can emerge out through the opening square of the crank so the crank bolt bottoms against the end of the BB axle before it's washer comes into contact with the inside of the crank.

So, if the axle length in your case looks to be around 110, I'd guess it's actually 109 (Campag Pista type, look for BB axle 120-PP-68 and use a 1mm shim under the matching Pista fixed cup) or you could "try" the current Pista BB (which still uses the Campagnolo proprietary tapers) or finally, some of the last generation of "FAG" style BBs, the AC-H and AC-S 111 mm BBs might do the trick. All would need a spacer or two to account for the 66mm BB width.

I've sent a query to our colleagues at the Campagnolo factory with regard to this but I would be surprised if the information can be easily dug out of their archive ...

HTH
Graeme
Velotech Cycling Ltd
Campagnolo Main UK Technical and Service Centre


Congratulations on the 50 miles and deciding to get back into the sport.

An 'adventure' bike is probably a good choice for getting back on a bike if you want a road style bike (i.e. one with drop handlebars) that can take on some rough road surfaces and is comfortable to ride.

The characteristics you want to look for are:

More relaxed riding position (compared to road racing bikes)
Tire width 28 - 32mm
Disc brakes
'Compact' (50/34 tooth chainrings) or subcompact (48/32) drivetrain.

Adventure bikes have a lot in common with cyclocross bikes but are not quite the same. Cyclocross bikes tend to have more aggressive riding position and often a single chainring.

All the large manufactures have adventure bikes in their ranges. The budget you mention will get you solid alloy framed bike. You should definitely spend some time looking around at different bikes and do lots of test rides.


Does a rear derailleur guard provide effective protection?

I had a mate fall off with one attached it got bend and jammed the derailleur so bad we had to walk home, as the tools we carried were not good to get it off. I have seen many prangs where the derailleur took bigger hits with no problems. Most that I have seen (Department store ones) are too light and cheaply build to be anything other than cosmetic.

It also depends on the bike - better bikes have a derailleur hanger that is sacrificial and bends, protecting the derailleur in many common prangs. Department store bikes often don't have a hanger, hence the derailleur takes the full impact.

I have though about it, but with years of Mountain biking, many falls (some big), only ever bend a hanger. They may work, but I asked - why do no mid/high end bikes them. Is it purely weight, do the want to sell more parts, or is it just not worth weight and money required to make a bike so strong it cannot be broken in a fall.

I decided (for me) they a not worth while.....


Where can I find Cannondale bike's serial number if the sticker is missing?

I heard back from Cannondale support. The sticker is the only way to know the serial number on their newer bikes:

No, the serial number is not stamped on the frame. It is underneath the bottom bracket on a sticker with a bar code, 2 letters + 5 numbers.


Bottom bracket lockring keeps loosening up

If it's coming loose so soon after being actually tightened fully, then it's probably one of these 2 things:

The lockring threads are gone or in poor condition, probably suggesting they were that way before or as a result of the last time someone tightened it. The easy fix if this is all that's going on is a new lockring. Most bike shops should have a stray one. They're standard sized.
Some kind of binding or other bearing issue is going on inside the
left BB cup that's causing the spindle rotation to turn the entire cup in
the loosening direction. Normally how it's supposed to work is the
spindle is turning counterclockwise, which makes the ball bearings
orbit counterclockwise but individually spin clockwise, transferring
forces to the cup in its tightening direction. (Hence why ISO right
cups are reverse threaded, and also why Italian right cups are
notorious for coming unscrewed.) A retainer installed in the wrong
direction may be able to cause this, in addition to chewing up the
BB.


What can I replace a Shimano SL-M760 shift lever with?

After Batman's comment ("Any 9 speed Shimano mountain shifter will work as a replacement. All Shimano 9 speed both mountain and road have same cable pull.") I went ahead and got an SL-M590. It works perfectly well as a replacement for my SL-M760.


How to use Garmin's battery more effectively?

From my research, the Garmin Edge 800 uses a 1Ah lithium ion battery.

In general, these do not have a memory effect like older rechargeable batteries. But some care is still worthwhile, for example storing the battery completely charged (in a hot environment) or completely discharged is damaging.

Partial discharge cycles are generally seen as good for them. A full discharge and recharge every 30 uses is recommended by some sites.


Crown race for a fork with a straight 28.6mm steerer

Problems with the fork's crown race seat being under spec such that the race slides on and off without any interference are fairly common. Usually the gap is more on the order of 0-0.2mm or so. In almost all cases, this can be addressed by either knurling the seat with the Stein knurling tool, applying a retaining compound, or both. But I doubt either of these would work if the crown race area actually measures 28.6 as you say.

If it really is 28.6 all the way down, that implies a defective fork. It could potentially be addressed by getting a crown race seat from a framebuilding supplier and either brazing or bonding it on. The crown race seat being left off at the factory seems like the most likely explanation. Finishing it with either a crown race mill or an enormous, rigid lathe would be required.

You could also try a build up and knock down type approach with brass if it's a steel fork or a metal-reinforced putty otherwise. Loads in this area are considerable so there's some question whether it would work long term without breaking or crumbling.

A simple crown race that goes on and fixes everything doesn't exist, as 28.6 crown race seats aren't a standard.


Why does my rear derailleur keep breaking?

Did you change the chain after the first derailleur broke?  If the same chain was on and you're positive the derailleur didn't connect with the spokes, then the chain is a likely culprit.  Another thing to watch out for is loose pannier straps (or anything else that could get caught in the chain and take out the derailleur).


What special measures do I have to take to commute in frigid temperatures?

First of all, I haven’t done anything as extreme as you, only -18°C.

The bike should be fine, maybe use less viscous chain oil and grease. I’ve ridden normal (though quite supple) Michelin Mud2 and Schwalbe Racing Ralph cyclocross tires in -10°C and didn’t notice any difference in their performance. In even colder weather I’ve only ridden studded Nokkian tires. There are special winter tires, e.g. the Conti Top Contact Winter 2 which might be a good idea in any case.

Be aware that cables can freeze and molten snow can form ice on your rims. Regularly check that you are still able to brake, especially before approaching an intersection or the like. Battery powered lights might run into problems (or at least reduced battery run-time).

Regarding clothing: Think about all the contact points between you and the bicycle: Saddle, pedals and handlebar (brakes, shifters). If you can comfortably sit in the saddle with your -40°C winter pants, don’t rub on the crank arms with your -40°C boots and can still shift and brake with your -40°C gloves everything should be fine. For your hands you could get Bar Mitts which allow you to wear thinner gloves. This assumes that your clothing is otherwise suitable for wind and strenuous activity in the cold weather.


Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Not Reporting Accurate HR Anymore

Given the battery changes, if you haven't washed the strap, try doing that, first with soap and water, then wipe with isopropyl alcohol. If you get no different response, replace the strap. BTW, I recently had to replace my Edge 305 because the PC drivers were blue screening my Win 7 PC. If you use the Garmin software at all, you might consider an overall upgrade. In addition, they've changed the design f the Garmin HR strap, so if you do decide to replace it, it will be with the newer soft strap, not the same as your original one.


Is there a downside to spoke protectors?

Apart from looks no, but the pie plate won't necessarily protect against what likely happened.

Pie plates are to keep badly adjusted derailleurs out of the spokes. Obviously, maintaining your bike and keeping the limit screws in place will prevent that from happening.

A stick or squirrel or something caught in your drive train won't necessarily be prevented by the pie plate, because that's not what they are there for.

Unless you regularly smash into things.

I remove the pie plates from all my wheels.


How to clean sealant stuck in pump head?

You should be able to disassemble the pump head and clean out the blockage manually.

I’d try 70% isopropyl alcohol as a solvent to help remove sealant.


What is this thing called that holds the gear shift cable (not the wire)?

In Shimano-ese, it is part of the "Outer Receiving Unit."

You can pull up the exploded view diagram for you specific hub model on techdocs.shimano.com to corroborate what you need. Then you can google around for "shimano outer receiving unit" and get the right part number for your hub on the off chance that it's different for the different Shimano internal hubs.


What type of bike is appropiate for my situation?

If it were me I would buy a comfortable steel road bike with fenders and racks. This will give you a bike you can comfortable go distances on as well as practicality for the commute. You aren't racing so you don't really need an extremely expensive, high end road bike and a steel frame will be comfortable and durable assuming you store it properly. When you feel the need to romp around you can take your MTB out. If the road bikes are out of your price range then consider a similar setup with a single speed/fixed gear. Fixed gear bikes will make you pedal smoother but a disciplined rider of any bike can get the same benefits using cadence drills without the added danger of getting bucked by pedals moving faster than you can.


Many of these claim to make you cooler (temperature, not social standing :-)) but whether they actually do or not is another matter. Some fabrics can certainly feel cooler to the touch, and thus may make you feel cooler when riding - which could give you a psychological performance advantage - but whether they physically help cool you down is another matter. Finding information on the actual technology and any sort of scientific testing is difficult.

I ride in Florida and the temperature range can sometimes go from cool in the morning to very hot by afternoon. I've worn UnderAmour Heatgear base layers to keep warm at the start of a ride and found them to be fine when it warms up and they help to wick away sweat if you're not wearing a tight fitting jersey. However that's only up to a certain temperature. Once it gets beyond that I found it just makes you hotter.

Another reason may be for sun protection. Many cycling jerseys are so thin they don't offer much.

Some base layers offer a compression fit, too. Again, companies market this as performance enhancing. Whether that's true is entirely subjective, IMHO.

Lastly, (and if you choose to wear a base layer because of this then you may want to practice riding more) they offer some physical protection. I hit the deck at 25 mph once. My jersey was torn to bits and my skin underneath would have been too if it were not for that fact that I was wearing a base layer that came away relatively unscathed. (The weather was warm enough that I didn't need the base layer, btw).


Advice for getting Campagnolo Zonda wheelset on a 2000 8 speed shimano rsx

Campagnolo (not Mavic) make a Shimano-compatible cassette body for the Zonda.

It's the same unit as they also use on the Fulcrum wheels and it will take a genuine Shimano cassette directly.

Whilst the cassette body is advertised as 10/11s, it will work fine with 8s - the spline pattern on the inside of the cassette sprockets is the same.

You will need to use the supplied spacer under the cassette in order to lock it firmly in place.

HTH, Graeme -
Velotech Cycling Ltd -
Campagnolo main UK SC


Is there any kind of adapter to mount v-brakes or cantilevers to a frame that's not designed to accommodate them?

Adapters like this do exist, e.g. http://www.danscomp.com/489051.php?cat=PARTS or http://www.bentechbikes.com/vbrakes.htm (Edit: Links are now dead, but they were basically the same as the one in the photo below. Sourcing one might be even harder now though.)
In fact I used one on my old folding bike - but you can see it looks a bit of a mess, and when I tried it on the front fork, it really wasn't up to the job (I ended up using a chunky long reach caliper brake taken off a BMX bike). (I'd changed wheel size and was using much fatter tyres, so the original brakes wouldn't fit.)
There are also adaptors that bolt around a chainstay: http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33168&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30
I'm not saying I'd recommend you use them, but the option is there (if sometimes hard to find - the one I used was the last the local store had in stock of a discontinued line).


Sprinting is usually a (very) short time effort combining high power and maximum speed, per se excluding each other in normal cycling. The idea is to combine a very high cadence and the highest wattage on the pedals in a totally anaerobic effort lasting seconds or 200-250m.


How much fork to tyre clearance do dedicated cyclo cross bikes need?

It would be very tight, looking at the bike I think 32c with knobbies might not even fit. It also has to do with the height of the tire. By adding the knobbies I doubt you will find a CX tire that will fit under the brakes.

There are not many options for 30c or smaller CX tires. If you can find some tires that fit (will be tight) it will clump mud, but might not lock your wheels up. It depends on the mud, not all mud is the same, some sloppy/wet mud will not clump.

But extra clearance doesn't mean everything rolls smooth. The mud in a race two weeks ago on my 29er was so thick that both front a rear wheels locked up.

All that being said, you can find a CX race that has less mud. Great fun and highly recommended. Another option is to race on a mountain bike to see how you like CX racing.


Many bike shops have charts (posters) which they can use to match derailleur hanger to suitable replacements which they can order from a place like wheelsmfg.com.

I'd suggest taking the piece(s) you have to a bikeshop with such a chart and trying to use the chart to find a suitably matching hanger. This is likely easier than trying to search the varieties of hangers online on your own (since there are a lot that look the same, and if it doesn't come up in their search by manufacturer, you're going to have issues).

There are also various options for adding hangers to frames which don't have hangers if you really must; For example, the Problem Solvers Universal Derailleur Hanger replaces one side of your quick release. But a fitting hanger is probably better.

Looks like the brand is from Sweden, possibly, based on google image search. So you may want to look at something like wheelsmfg for Europe.


New road bike comes with cryptic tag on the brake/shift lever

These are referring to pad spacers. They essentially increase or decrease the amount of motion you have when moving the brake levers.

See page 16 of the following PDF for a better diagram:

Shimano Brake Levers User Guide


Spending up to 200 dollars now on a bike for slow rides on gravel roads

I'd recommend another used bike.  It might take some time to find a suitable one that fits your budget, but garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even Craig's list are good places to find good used bikes that would fit in your budget.

A couple of recommendations:

Don't buy a bike without seeing it.
Bring a set of decent tools to do a good inspection (Don't use cheap tools on someone else's bike...)
Loosen and remove the seat post, look inside for bad rust/corrosion
Do ALL the parts that are supposed to rotate/move smoothly? (A rusty chain is no big deal - it can be replaced, but count that in your budget)
See if you can loosen the pedals from the crankset
Remove and replace the wheels - you're going to have to replace tires and tubes eventually...
Check cables and brake pads (no big deal, they might well need to be replaced, but count that in your budget)
Loosen the handlebars and headset

Obviously, you'll have to be able to return the bike to its original condition.

If you can't do any of that without damaging the bike, it's not a good bike to buy.  For example, if you can't get the seat post, pedals, or headset loose, there's probably way too much corrosion or rust.

If the seller doesn't want you to check out the bike like that, don't buy it.


Problem with internal gear routing cable and bottom bracket

No doubt it's a little disappointing to have this hydraulic hose outside the BB shell if you were expecting fully concealed routing but what you have is the norm in a titanium frame. It looks like a lovely bike, I'm sure this small detail won't stop you enjoying the bike to the full!

Looks to me like SRAM Force AXS chainset, with a threaded bottom bracket shell. The crank spindle has a pretty large diameter and basically fills the whole of the bottom bracket shell. See below bottom bracket image, the plastic sleeve is nearly the same diameter as the threading. There isn't any room in the BB shell for hydraulic lines or gear cable routing. This is how metal frames are built, the down tube, seat tube and chain stays are attached to the cylindrical bb shell which is a very standardised dimension, while BB and crank standards have developed to make maximal use of the available space.

If there is room, perhaps in a larger spec shell like T47 or some other modification, the task is still difficult and would add cost to the build with no real benefit. Some builders do offer fully internal, but they are in the minority. The hose would be forced into a tight space with very tight bends which isn't ideal and the routing would make maintenance even more of a chore.

When you have bikes with cables and hoses which pass around the crank spindle inside the frame with plenty of room, these are carbon fibre bikes where the designers have the option to create space in the frame for the lines to pass through and even gear cable routing with removable covers.

image sram.com


Why does not the derailleur adjustment work the same way while riding?

Frame flex under the added weight affects the relative position of derailleurs and shifters, which is reflected in the cable length. Movements of the cable when changing gears are on the millimeter scale, so even lengthening of the cable by a fraction of a mm due to frame flex can have an effect.


Best practices for commuting with rack & panniers

In general panniers are more comfortable and efficient than carrying weight on your body. There are some things to be aware of, however.

Safety. Every time you set off, make absolutely sure that all the pannier straps are done up. Apart from things falling out, the last thing you want is a loose strap getting caught in the spokes. This can wreak a wheel, and a rider!

Regarding stopping distance, I don't think it makes much difference as the weight increases the friction between wheel and road. However, the extra weight does contribute something to heating the brake pads and rims/discs, but it's probably only an issue on long steep descents which are unusual on a commute.

Panniers getting in your way. Yes, aim to keep your heel clear of the bags. This can be different when the bags are fully-laden as they tend to bulge further than expected. Worst-case you can pedal with your toes pointed down to avoid heel-strike, but this isn't comfortable for long. If you swing your leg over to get on and off then definitely take a bit of extra care to avoid pratfalls. Also be aware the rear of the bike is slightly wider.

Left-right loading. Ideally it's nice to have them balanced, but unless there's more than 5kg difference between the sides, I'd say it's not really noticeable. So if all you're carrying is clothing and spare shoes, then it should be fine to take just one bag. However, if it's a stack of books consider two half-filled bags.

Vibration and bumps. In my wife's experience, laptops seem to suffer from vibration in panniers more than rucksacks/messenger bags. Hers acquired a serious soundcard issue after being bounced in a pannier back down a slightly bumpy road. I'm not talking about crashing or dropping the bag, just riding the normal bumps in British roads. Your road surface may vary. Putting sensitive kit on your body is less comfortable for you, but more protective for the kit.

Consider waterproofing. If the contents are sensitive to moisture (like the laptop), then you may want to double-bag unless you're really confident in the pannier's waterproofing.

Tire pressure. Adding weight to your bike means you'll need a slightly increased tire pressure to prevent pinch-flats, particularly for the wheel over which the weight is situated. There's another question with some more information on calculating the best tire pressure, but ideally it should be done per-wheel and adding panniers to the rear will make this more important.

The strap that runs from the middle with the hook on the end may be to wrap around the lower part of the rack (and possibly back up to the pannier). The aim may be to stop the pannier from swinging out away from the bike or from jumping off when you go over a bump, but in my experience if the strap is made of elastic it doesn't prevent this. The best design to stop the panniers hopping off is a clip which fully-encloses the top horizontal bar of the rack, as is found on Ortlieb and many modern panniers. If you want more detailed advice, post some pictures when you get the panniers back.


Don't overthink it. Since you've got a triple, you're probably right to be in your middle ring most of the time That's normal.

In the middle ring you should have access to the whole cassette/freewheel in the back, though you might get a little extra noise as you approach the extreme gears in either direction.
You'll use the big chainring when you're going downhill or your on flat ground and in a hurry. Stay out of the biggest couple of cogs in the back when you're in the big ring up front. This causes extra strain and extra wear on the drivetrain which can result in premature failure.
Your little ring up front is your climbing ring. Use this for hills, or as your bail-out ring when you're totally out of energy. Just like big-big is a no-no, so is small-small, so stay out of the smallest cogs in the back when you're in the smallest ring in the front.

Regarding your hunch that you've got a lot of overlap between gears, you're absolutely right. Think of each ring as a gear range (climbing for small, normal use for middle, ass-hauling for big). If there were no overlap between the chainrings you would either A) have far fewer gears in the back or B) have a range of gears in the big and small rings which were far too small or far too big to be usable.Think about how big the jumps between gears would be if there was no overlap at all! Trust me, it's not what you want. Typically, you'll find yourself Shifting the front in one direction and immediately afterwards shifting the back in the opposite direction so that it feels like you've only skipped about a single gear in either direction. In time, you'll come to appreciate the overlap between gears in the different chainrings.
Finally, if you really want to see how much overlap you have, you can divide the front rings by each of the back rings to get a ratio for every gear combination. There are fancier ways of doing this, but for your purposes this is the easiest and most straightforward.
EDIT: Here's a pretty good article on Wikipedia about bicycle gearing if you'd like to get more in depth.


If you pull the inner wire by hand while spinning the pedals, does the rear derailleur move the chain to all 8 cogs on the rear cassette? (suspend the bike in a workstand or hang from something with a rope to make this easier)

Does the shifter (the part on the handlebars) click through 8 different positions as you press the buttons?  Can you feel it pulling the inner-wire a little on every click?

Sounds like the shifter unit is pogged up and some of the pawls inside are not latching into the teeth.  You could try disassembling it, clean all the old lube out with a degreaser/petrol and then re-lube and reassemble.  I've done this with brifters and it was hard work but fixed the problem.

If that doesn't work, you're probably up for a replacement 8 speed shifter... not too expensive new.  Your local bike coop might be able to help too.

Fit a new inner cable while you have the chance - they're cheap.


When did Ultegra shift from 9 to 10 speed rear cassettes?

Ultegra switched to 10 speed with 6600 model. Judging by Google, Shimano unveiled the groupset in 2004 and it became available in October 2004.


Cutting down cartridge bottom bracket left cup

Another alternative would be to find a LBS with access to "Sutherland's Handbook for Bicycle Mechanics" and find a BB with the appropriate measurements. Much easier, and quite possibly cheaper in the long run.


If you are feeling physically worn out by the commute and you are not used to, well, you are just tiring yourself out and not allowing you muscles to recover between rides.

Keep riding and your body will eventually adapt. Maybe you want to do this commute every other day for a while, or at a slower pace to help you your body strengthen itself.

Simply riding will build strength and endurance. Doing some body weight core exercises will probably help stabilize you torso and let your legs work efficiently.


How to pass another bicycle in a bike lane

You're doing the right thing by generally staying to the right.  Nobody should pass you on the right, which is a bit dangerous because you don't expect it and because there isn't as much room.  (I'm speaking for countries where people drive on the right side of the road.  In countries where people drive on the left, then bicyclists should pass on the right, of course.  Also, as @g.rocket points out, if the bike lane is on the 'left' side of a one-way street as is common in New York City, that is to say on the other side from where it would be if the road were two-way, then one should ride on the 'left' and pass on the 'right'.)

The correct way to pass is to first announce your intent, either by ringing a bell or saying "passing on your left" or something similar.  Then pass on the left.

I think the best way to make it easier for others to pass is to be aware of your surroundings (a mirror helps), to stay to the right, and to ride predictably.  As @JoshCaswell notes, when you are being passed, resist the urge to move further to the right and just keep going in a straight line.  Point before you turn!


I'm a similar weight to you and your description is very familiar. I'm almost certain that your saddle is angled down too far. If angling it up enough to stop you slipping causes it to put uncomfortable pressure on your perineum then you probably need a different saddle.

Some people are fine with whatever comes with the bike but I've tried maybe 10 saddles at this point and haven't found one that works well for me. On the bright side, I'm slowly understanding what works and what doesn't.

I'm overweight and it sounds like you are too from your question? I think the extra fat causes issues with the saddle putting pressure on the soft tissues. It also means that gravity is pulling you harder into the saddle.

My poor solution for a long time was to buy a really wide saddle, point it upwards slightly and tilt my pelvis back/arch my back to keep the nose from putting too much pressure on my perineum. This isn't very comfortable though and it seemed to be hard to put out much power. I've recently switched to a bike with a more leant-forward riding position and, while it is great in a number of ways, my old solution absolutely doesn't work.

Here's what I'm looking for in a saddle:

Width - One thing that is immediately obvious to me is that regular width saddles are too narrow. This should be to do with the spacing of the parts of your pelvis that you sit on (and your riding position) rather than having anything to do with weight/fat. I am pretty broadly built so this might not apply to you.
Quantity and softness of padding - Hard, thin padding is better. Lots of soft, squishy padding causes issues with chaffing and when you sink into it, it rises up and puts pressure on your soft bits. I think if you are overweight you need harder padding than normal since you are already more prone to issues with chaffing and because you will sink into it more than a lighter person. Also, I'd rather have bruised bones than a numb penis. Annoyingly, harder saddles are almost always narrower.
Get one with a cutout - Some people like cutouts and some don't but I suspect they are necessary if one is overweight. They can have their own problems though as they can concentrate the pressure along the edges.
Shape - This is really important but it is unfortunately impossible to give recommendations since it is very personal.

Trying out saddles is difficult. Some bike shops have loaner saddles but such places are rare. If you know any cyclists then ask them to led you any spare saddles they have, and ask them to see if their friends have any spare saddles. Even if none of these are comfortable they should give you a better idea of what works and what doesn't.

Extra thoughts:

What kind of seatpost do you have? Some use notches/teeth to hold the saddle angle and in my experience the adjustment on these can be too coarse: one position is too far pointed down but one tooth up is too far pointed up. If you have a seatpost like this that might be the issue as the angle adjustment needed on a saddle is pretty subtle.
"Everyone I talk to gives me the look like they don't have any idea what I'm talking about when I mention it. Could it be that I am just that out of shape?" From bitter experience I know that if your issues are being caused by being overweight then someone who is not overweight probably cannot comprehend it and many will write it off as "not a real problem" even if they are otherwise an expert. I would look for advice from other people in the same boat as you.
From your question I've made the assumption that you are overweight (as opposed to being muscular) but I don't know if this is actually the case. If you are a bodybuilder than some of what I've said holds and some doesn't.


Pedal assist sensor possible for front wheel motor on ebike?

Yes, you can have pedelec sensors (PAS) for a front-wheel hub. We're not a shopping site but you just have to go to one of the larger vendors of kits to find one that has a front wheel PAS.

PAS sensors are divided between cheap rotational sensors and more expensive ("advanced") torque sensors. PAS controllers on the whole tend to be more expensive than throttle-only controllers because not only do you need the PAS sensor but the controller has to be more sophisticated in order to balance torque and speed.  All my ebikes have cheap rotational sensors, but if you have the money and your bottom bracket is compatible and you like the challenge, a torque sensor provides for a smoother and more natural assist.

Note that another option is to run a mid-drive (crank based) motor with your IGH. After-market mid-drives would include the Bafang BBS-HD amongst others. However, I'd only do this with a higher-end IGH (Rohloff, higher end Shimano) as the torque from the Bafang + pedaling might be too much for cheaper IGHs. Also note that the Bafang uses a rotational sensor at present but adding a gear-sensor to a mid-drive will make it less likely to strip your IGH gears.

I've deliberately not included links, as you can google yourself.


The cranks are fixed at the ends of spindle, so the spindle length affects chainline. The final chainline is determined by axle length and crank design. In your case, your existing spindle is 5.5mm shorter than the recommended one, so the chainline would be 2.75mm inward from the spec and match the chainline of the previous crank.

Cranks and chainrings are made of aluminum, which does not rust by itself. You should be able to remove rust from chain by wiping.


My advice is that you consult a sports medicine specialist, for example a physiotherapist, especially one who specializes in knees.

Once you find such a person, find a second. Sometimes you just don't get along with them. For me, I have to feel I can trust the person, and get honest discussion of the options and the pros and cons.

While bike fit may be an issue, it's only one approach. Other things to be considered are

gearing. Perhaps you just need to pedal at a higher cadence.
power and speed. Perhaps you're just trying to pedal too hard for that knee.
technique. Perhaps pulling up more would reduce the load on that knee.
crank size and cleat positions. These can both have an effect on knees.
warmup and cooldown. Getting symptoms at the start sounds like lack of warmup.

Find such a sports medicine specialist, and work with them as they evaluate your options and manage your progress.

Following your edit here are some additional points

wobbling pelvis and pain at the back of the knee are both symptoms that your seat is too high.
just as an idea, you could try a topical warming agent (ointment) to help with the warmup.

In an earlier version of this post I suggested Voltaren, recommended for me by my physio. I think that was unwise of me - you should obtain professional medical advice. Voltaren is an anti-inflammatory drug, available under prescription in the US. Some researchers warn against it's use.


Fixing the valves on tubeless tires broke, what are my options?

As long as the wrench flats on the valve core are still accessible, you should be able to replace just the valve core:

from https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/36955/30982

http://k0lee.com/2009/10/putting-tire-sealant-in-presta-valve-tubes/

If there is leaking, you could spray some soapy water around the valve to see where its leaking from. If its leaking between the valve and the rim, possibly the valve is not tight enough. To tighten: from inside the rim, push the valve 'outward' (towards hub) and tighten down lockring by hand. Never tighten with a wrench as you'll never be able to remove it on the trail! (I've learned the hard way).

As far as 'is tubeless worth it?' or 'is it more complicated?' that will be largely opinion based and an internet search will likely turn up countless discussion. A simple answer would be: do what lets you ride your dang bike. If you're familiar with tubes, throw some tubes in there and go shred. some winter if you're looking for a project, get a friend who is more familiar with it and give it a go.


You've over-tightened the hub, the most likely explanation. Hub tightening needs a lot of forth and back between too little and too much. And putting the hub into the fork and tightening the axle nuts may also become that little too much.

Remove the wheel, undo the locking nut and the cone by 1/8 of a turn. Hold the cone with your cone-wrench and relock the locking nut. Put the wheel back in and re-tighten the axle.

If it turns smoothly it's OK. If it's too loose now, take it out again and tighten the cone by a hair. It's a kind of game, time consuming and nothing to do in a hurry. One of the major reasons why so many 'modern' industrially produced wheels have industrial-type bearings. Correct adjustment of cone and cup systems can be time consuming.


How to recognise a 6-speed freewheel compatible hub?

All freewheel hubs have the same thread and are compatible with single, 5, 6, 7 and maybe some 8 speed freewheels. Position of the hub is set by dishing of the wheel and spacers on the axle. It's an interesting question. But I think that you should worry more about the rear spacing. 6 speed modern freewheel is not considered to be wide comparing to ones with more cogs. I wouldn't worry about this, just in case stay away from track hubs which are designed for single speed freewheels. I'm upgrading a 1980's ten speed bike now by replacing old 5 speed freewheel with 7 speeds to match new indexed 7 speed shifter. Previously I put 8 speed freewheel on that wheel but I had to add spacers to spread the seat stays a bit. It worked with original friction shifter but I don't like it.


This bike has a threadless stem. Based on the picture, it seems the handlebar is already at the highest possible position with stock parts (spacers below stem, stem flipped up), and there is little adjustment in the form of spacers.
There are two possibilities for your discomfort. Either the handlebar is too far from the saddle, or the handlebar is too low. Most likely both.
In order to help your situation, buy a threadless stem with a high 35 degree angle. The spec doesn't specify the handlebar mount diameter, but I suspect a 1+1/8" steerer tube attachment, 31.8mm handlebar attachment stem is what you need.
Looking at the picture, the existing stem seems to be 6 degrees, perhaps around 90mm? The specs don't say this.
The 35 degree stems can be found as short as 60mm. Such a 60mm 35 degree stem moves the handlebar 46mm closer to you when compared to 90mm 6deg stem. It also moves the handlebar 12mm up. So much closer but not much more up.
By buying a 35 degree 80mm stem, you can move the handlebar 28mm up and 34mm closer to you, when compared to 90mm 6deg stem.
So, I suspect a 35 degree 80mm stem is what you need.
Of course, before knowing what fit is ideal, you might find a 80mm stem with adjustable angle a good starting point.
However, before adjusting the handlebar position, adjust your saddle height and move your saddle forwards/backwards as desired. A good starting point is knee over pedal spindle, but it's just a starting point. So, sit on the bike, with one leg forwards and one backwards on the pedal, have a thread with weight hanging from the front of your front knee. It should show a vertical line that is directly over the pedal spindle. This is the forwards/backwards adjustment. Before it, you need to get your saddle height correct. The easiest way is to gradually increase the saddle height. You know when it's too high.
The reason for adjusting first your saddle position is that any saddle adjustments will nullify any handlebar adjustments you can make. Seat adjustments are often free, i.e. the seat can be moved forwards/backwards/up/down with the stock seatpost. However, moving handlebar closer and higher will require buying a new stem.


What are my options about my rear shock?

I can attempt answering some of your questions, without recommending any products.

  Should I pick an air shock instead? Would that be worth it and a noticeable difference?

That depends on what "feel" you want to have from your shock. If you never tried both types of suspension medium (coil vs air), you cannot choose for yourself in advance which one you you would prefer, as it is a taste question. Maybe you will feel significant difference, but it would be caused by the fact that the new shock is new and of higher tier quality. Maybe you won't notice any difference at all.

  Would a RockShox Monarch RL (152x31mm) fit properly despite the few mm difference?

Any change in shock total length will affect bike's geometry and its handling properties. Going a couple mm may be unnoticeable; or maybe it will. Also make sure that you know which mounting hardware (new bushings or bearings) you need to mount it on the frame.

  Is it possible to fit something slightly larger, let's say 165mm shocks or would that be bad for the frame or the bike in general?

The difference between 165mm and 150mm is 10%; it wouldn't come without a notice. I would not recommend doing that unless you have a chance of trying it and then going back if you don't like it.


Brand new disk brakes are barely stopping the bike

Avid recommends breaking those discs and pads in with about 30 or 40 deliberately hard stops in order to build up a good foundation. If you've gone through that process a couple of times and still no dice, there could be brake fluid on the discs or pads. Some water or isopropyl alcohol should take care of that.


The last image says

Moped-Fahrrad (Moped Bike)
Mähmaschinen (Lawnmowers)
OTTO D... (A name obv.)
Reperatur...Werkstatt. (Repairshop prob.)
Friedrichs.....en? (Riedrichshafen? Reflection in the way)

That would be a sticker from a repair / service shop for mopeds, bikes and lawnmowers
The second to last should be the brand, as there is another bike from "Liebigt" for sale here: http://www.dealmywheel.de/neue-gebrauchte-fahrraeder/muenchen/741027/frisch-restauriertes-sammlerstueck.php
I can find a few second-hand Liebigt frames on ebay and other German thrift sites, but I'm unable to find any wikipedia article or related information on that name, so other then confirming, that "Liebigt" is indeed the vendor, I can't provide any information on the model other then it should be from around the 1970s or earlier.


Which Type of Bike Would You Select If You Needed To Commute, Ride Fire Roads, and Regular Roads With 1 Bike?

"a decent chunk of money on one bike"   this is a very slippery slope.
If this is your first bike, look for a used hardtail MTB for relatively low cost, and simply store any leftover money.  You'll want to buy accessories over time like helmet, tools and lights and so on.
Ideally the fork would have a working "lockout" lever, to disable the bounce while on-road.
Something with unfashionable 26" wheels might be perfect, when combined with a new pair of slick 26" road tyres.

Once you get 6-12 months of riding in, (and the associated fitness improvements!) then you'll have a better idea of what you want.  At that point you can spend the remaining money on a more targetted bike, whether that be for road, or a full-squish MTB for whatever you find most appealing.
Upshot, you're a beginner, and could go either way.  Don't commit all your money to something you might not like.


Pass in the Alps that can be crossed by mountain bike?

Get a printed map and look for the 'postal roads'...

There are 'postal roads' in Switzerland that are closed to normal cars. These go over some high passes that are just not wide enough for regular traffic. They are called 'postal roads' because only the post bus goes on them. What is amazing about them is the descents - you can ride 'TdF' style without really worrying too much about what might be around the corner... Well, you still have to worry about that but you don't have some stalker of a motorist pissing you off from behind or that obligation to skirt the side of the road.

As well as the postal routes there are some mountain roads that run one-way only, alternating which way the traffic goes. These are really good because you know that only the cars that you let go in front of you are ahead and there is nothing coming the other way.

Off the top of my head I cannot remember any of these glorious roads and I would have to phone a friend to remind me of where they were. I did a few going West-East in the German speaking parts of the country. For me as a cyclist they were what the Nurburgring is to a motorsport enthusiast - well, better than that, actually.

There are also the roads closed when the pass is not passable, that will be winter time for those, probably not what you are looking for.

Then there are those towns that you can only get to by cable car and train. These are fully tooled up to take bikes and no adverse weather stops a Swiss train from not running on time. They really do have a different way of getting around that you will only get your head round by taking some of these options.

Although surrounded by gigantic mountains without a definable pass, Zermatt is one of the few places that is of particular interest to a cyclist. It is accessible by road yet is car free. Cars have to stop five miles or so further down the road and thereafter it is buses, taxis and bikes.

Currently there are some financial implications to visiting Switzerland. The exchange rate and their 'safe haven' status means that your money does not go very far there. You might want to look into staying over in Youth hostels as they are all very clean, well presented and more affordable than those chalets that the skiers stay in.

I am not sure where to start online for finding the legendary post roads. I used a proper map last time rather than 'google maps'. On proper maps the post roads are identified clearly. They were well worth the effort and helped me avoid those hellish motorway-roads full of big lorries carrying really useful things like yoghurt half way across Europe.


Not all frames have threaded bottom brackets with external cups that can be used to mount a chainguide. Frames with press-fit bottom bracket bearings need to provide threaded holes for bolting on a guide.


How to replace broken chainring that is missing a tooth

Just buy a 104 BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter) chainring with the same number of teeth (probably a 42 tooth on this model).  Try searching for '104bcd 42t' on google.

Unbolt the chainring bolts (you may need a chainring nut wrench to hold the bolts while loosening or tightening them like the Park CNW-2C) and then put the new ring on and bolt it back up.  You may need to remove the crank to get this on, but usually you don't have to worry about that for larger outer chainrings, so I think you'll be able to skip that step.


Little play in the front suspension fork (RockShox Judy T2 long travel 98'(?))

That era fork will probably be spring/elastomer or spring/sealed cartridge. I believe the T2 was essentially a glorified Indy. The elastomer will have hardened and no longer be working optimally, so the shocks won't be performing like new (and when new, were not great by todays standards).  The sealed cartridges were not serviceable. The play will be wear.
What to do - nothing is probably the best option. A new fork will be expensive and the best you will do is a a very cheap fork as the technology has changed so much a modern fork will not fit the bike.  Servicing ability if limited to lube and with parts being practically unavailable, any problems could make the fork unserviceable.
A fork service is pretty straight forward - strip the fork, lube the internals with a fork grease, and put it back together.  I cannot remember exactly how - plenty of stuff on the internet if you look.
You may be able to find replacement elastomers, if these were reasonably priced might might be worth it.


Should I be worried about sand in the chain?

It was the right thing to use the lube for the chain.

I do not know the particular product but in general spray lubes have the tendency to become too plentiful on the outside of the chain. This film of lube will become sticky as the solvents in the spray are dissolved.

The grinding noise from the drive train may come from sand or grit sticking to the outside of the chain. The fix is to remove it. You do not have to use the more complicated methods meant for bikes where drive train efficiency and longevity are important.

If you have a degreaser or a light oil like WD-40 at hand it helps to soften the old lube. Otherwise use warm water with dish washing detergent. Spray the degreaser or light oil on the chain. A stick is often useful to scrape off old dirt and grease from sprockets and chain ring. Use an old brush or an old rag with the soapy water to clean off old lube (and detergents). That doesn't have to be super thorough. Rinse with clear water.

When you cleaned the chain this way, apply your 'Krown' spray lube again. Spin the gears or let your child ride a few rounds on your yard (not through dirt) to work the lube into the rollers. Then wipe off excess lube from the chain. Do this last part quickly after applying, while the spray on your chain is still fluid. After a while the light oils in it will disappear and only the sticky lube will remain.

We want the lube inside the chain, between rollers, not on the outside where it attracts dirt and grit.

shortcut:

If you are in a hurry, it might be enough to spray the chain again with the 'Krown' lube you have. It will soften the grease on the chain. Then wipe it all off with a dirty rag. Wipe also the sprocket and chain ring. Be careful not to pinch your fingers!

This quick-and-dirty method will get grit into the chain rollers, and reduce their life. But for the use you describe, that will not matter.


What are these mounts for on inside edge of carbon fiber fork?

They're for full fenders. Many disc road and fitness/urban/hybrid bikes now have them here in order to completely avoid strut interference with the brake. To install the fenders neatly I've been mounting the fender, then mounting the struts sticking off into space in the general direction they'll run in from the mount, then bending one with a non-marring plier or adjustable wrench in each hand to get the strut pointing straight into the eyebolt of the fender, and then bending the other to match.


Minimum space between square taper crank and bottom bracket

You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.

What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.

What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate  chain-line.


It is counter-intuitive but the axle is not holding the wheel onto the bike.  That's the job of the skewer and Quick Release.

The axle is in the dropout to hold the weight of the bike from above - your photos are from below.  The axle also provides support for the surfaces where the bearings and therefore the wheel run.  So almost all the time, the axle is under compression forces.

Personally I'd expect to see a little more metal there, but that part should be fully functional as-is.

Possible causes its a real weight-weenie bike where every gram counts, or the wheel is from another bike/fork which had a different thickness of dropout, or its just a cheap bike saving on materials.


As the comments to the question reasonably state, the problem of dissimilar metals contacting is really not applicable in the case of a fork and a headtube, because there is no direct contact.

The fork contacts either bearings' balls or one of bearings' races. Balls rotate, so unless you leave your bicycle in a cellar for a year, they will not get a chance of chemically reacting to the point they stick. And if the race binds, so what, the bearing will still rotate, and if the case of bearings replacement procedure the fork still can be extracted and races removed.
There should be enough of consistent grease to prevent both bearings' rusting and materials binding. That is the thing that one can control when installing a new fork, and then periodically refresh it with a new grease.

Where things may bind is where heterogeneous surfaces contact and do not move relatively to each other. The most notorious pair is seatpost and seattube. For a titanium fork, the stem/steering tube contact point should be something to watch for instead.