Size of old road frames compared to new ones

Historically manufacturers have used different reference points in specifying frame measurements.  For example, some manufacturers use the length of the top tube while others use the length of the seat tube. If the frame is 'square', then the two measurements will be roughly the same, but this is not always the case.

The endpoints of the tube measurement may vary, especially with regards to the seat tube.  Typically the lower reference is the center of the bottom bracket.  The top reference, however, may be the center of the top tube (where it intersects the seat tube, aka 'center-to-center' or C-C), or it may be the top of the top tube (C-T), or it may be the top of the seat tube itself (C-TTT).  Sloping top tubes complicate this measurement in that the reference is typically relative to an imaginary, horizontal top tube and where it would intersect the seat tube.

The length of such an imaginary, horizontal top tube is sometimes specified as 'effective top tube length', or 'ETT'.

To reduce manufacturing costs and ease the sales process, manufacturers also have moved away from numeric sizing to 'XS', 'S', 'M', 'L', 'XL', sizing and  nomenclature.  The numeric measurements of a given size vary between manufacturers and even between bikes from one manufacturer, depending on the style of bike - 'race', 'endurance', 'gravel', 'adventure', 'touring', etc.

Fortunately there seems to be some convergence around a common set of measurements, including effective TT length, ST length (C-C), head tube length, bottom bracket (BB) drop or height, seat tube angle, head tube angle, and chainstay length.  Perhaps most important are two measurements known as 'stack' and 'reach', these being the vertical distance from the BB center to the stop of the head tube (typically exclusive of headset, but not always), and the horizontal distance from the BB center to the top of the head tube.  These measurements have a strong influence on the position of your torso, head, and arms, because they establish a baseline for the position of the handlebars and their relation to the saddle (including the saddle-to-handlebar vertical distance, or drop).

A modern geometry chart will put a picture to all this.

I think your basic question is 'Will a 56cm Motobecane fit like a 56cm Merida CX frame?'  Perhaps a better question is 'Can I make a 56cm Motobecane fit like my 56cm Merida CX?'   This assumes you are happy with the fit of your Merida, of course.  While you don't state your proportions (inseam, sleeve length, etc.), at 190cm a 56cm bike may be marginally too small for you.

To answer your question, one thing to do would be to compare the numeric geometry of the two frames.  A simple pass / fail test would be to measure the distance from the saddle nose to the handlebars, and the saddle-to-handlebar drop.  If you think you can make those measurements the same, or close to the same, then all other things being equal then the Motobecane may work for you.
Note that any difference in BB drop will be offset by an change in saddle height to achieve the same leg extension, which in turn will affect the saddle-to-bar drop and the reach.

Cheap, used bikes are plentiful, at least where I am, so if the Motobecane cannot be made to work (via seatpost and/or stem and/or handlebar adjustment or replacement) then you should keep looking.


Try multiple shops. Try multiple brands and models.

Head shapes vary, so it's possible that one "66cm" (26in) model will be too small and another "66cm" model will fit.  It's worth trying multiple shops since most shops will only stock one or two brands of helmet and only carry one model intended for larger heads.  Having an idea whether your head is long or wide might help. It's hard to measure your head properly with a measuring tape, however.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute website has a page about helmets for large heads that gets updated when new models come out.  It seems that 66cm is the largest size for bicycle helmets.

If you can find any sort of multiple options, a helmet that fits lower on your head and wraps more around the sides and back is better than one that perches on the top of your head.

If you can find a motorcycle helmet that fits, that should provide as much or more protection as a bicycle helmet.  I believe motorcycle helmets are measured against a higher standard.  The problem with motorcycle helmets is that they're heavy and tend not to have as much ventilation as a bicycle helmet, so it might be uncomfortable.

Note on sizes: 66cm = 26inches = XXXL = 8 1/8 UK = 8 1/4 US = 9 1/2 FR. Those last few are hat sizes, but many helmets seem to have the hat size type sizing info easier to find.  Look for helmets with those sizes or larger.

I have big head issues, but luckily most of the big-head helmets do fit.  I've had good luck with the "Specialized Max" line even though the official sizing printed on it is smaller than my hat size. I think they're a more rounded rather than circular shape on the inside and that makes all the difference. I'm not recommending this model for you, however, I'm recommending you check out the big helmet options at multiple shops.


In general, there are several factors that go into a crankset:

Mounting: What kind of bottom bracket do they go on? Square Taper, Octalink, etc. Are they cottered? cotter-less? one piece?
Single/Double/Triple: How many chainrings do they have?
Chainring Shape: Some chainrings like the Biopace are somewhere between a rounded rectangle and a circle rather than circular. Biopace is supposed to be more comfortable than the usual circular rings, for example. You can also design different tooth shapes to improve shifting performance. Other chainrings seem to have slightly different vertical profiles (SRAM X-glide for example).
Chainring Type: How are the chainrings mounted? Are they fixed into the crankset? Are they 110 BCD and replacable?
Chainring Material: Usually Aluminum for the outer two, Steel for the inner for a MTB triple, but other options are possible. This affects durability and weight- just because you're using the same materials doesn't mean the quality is the same.
Crank length: 170 mm is probably most common.
Chainring size: A compact road double is usually 50t/34t, for example - different chainring sizes give you different gearings.
Q-factor/Tread: Width of the crankset. This will affect comfort and is usually narrow to match how we walk.
Crank Profile: The angle of the crank arms leaving the bottom bracket. If you ride with your toes outward, this prevents interference and affects Q-factor.
Crank arm material: Affects durability, strength, weight.
Power Meter: Some high end cranksets have a power meter built into them for measuring riding power which can be sent to your cycling computer.
"Speeds": Often these days, cranksets are marketed with a different number of speeds in the back in mind. Mostly marketing.
Pedal type: Pedals come in 1/2" or 9/16". You need to have the right sized holes for the pedals to screw into, for a given set of pedals.

Between manufacturers of compatible cranksets (i.e. they can be mounted to the same bike and have essentially the same geometry (Q-factor, crank length, number of chainrings and chainring sizes), there are likely to be different durabilities of chainrings, weights of the crankset assembly and aesthetics.

In your particular case, I'd guess the non-name brand one is probably a bit heavier and has softer material for the chainrings so they don't necessarily last as long. The geometry may also be slightly different. Its hard to tell with Motobecane when the parts aren't exactly specified since something just shows up on the bike depending on whats in the factory that day which meets the specs stated online.


"kenda nevegal"  is the brand and model of tyre
54-559 is the width of the tyre (about 2.1 inches) and diameter of the bead (a 26" MTB tyre)

The other numbers are useless to you.

Curiously, none of those numbers say anything about tyre pressures.


There is a question here, it's just hidden in a misleading focus on details.

How do you choose chainring setups?

You need to analyze the gear ratios and speeds that you ride at and figure out the correct
overlap for your riding. The way that I've found most useful to do this is to chart the gear ratios vs speed and use an error bar to represent the speed at a given rpm.

What you want to avoid is having to "double shift" (i.e. shift both back and front) for the
speeds that you typically ride at. IMHO, cross chaining is not an issue for modern gear. It
does absolutely no harm. However, double shifting gets to be very awkward.

As a rough guide if your typical speed is 25 kph, having a couple gears higher and lower
on the same chainring at the rpms you find comfortable would be a good setup. A lot depends on what range of rpm you find comfortable to ride. A poor setup is one which
you have to double shift to get the next gear either higher or lower.

Having done a bunch of graphs and played with both triples and compact doubles over the years. I think if you are going compact double, you need to be able to do most of your flat/slightly rolling climbing in the big gear. And for somewhat average cyclists I agree with your reasoning. A 46/30 and something like 12-27 in the back would be a good replacement for the typical road triple.

46/30s are made, just very hard to find.

Velo Orange 46/30


It depends on the exact size. To figure it out, you'd need some detailed measurements. If it fits, there's really no problem.

It's more likely a problem with a "ladies" (low top tube) bike if it's smallest size and/or if the frame is sized for a suspension fork.

Look at the picture of the bike. See how the distance between the top tube and the down tube is quite narrow up by the head tube? It's possible that with the smaller sizes of this bike, there isn't enough room to fit both of the bike rack's posts inside that triangle.

However, that bike comes in 3 different sizes. The bigger sizes have a longer head tube and a longer top tube, so there's more room.

If the bike fits on the rack without that "beam" bar, there's really no significant problem. There won't be any rack stability issues, since the weight of the bike really doesn't change much with that tilt. The handlebars probably won't tilt far enough to hit anything. It's possible that it will interfere with fitting 3 bikes on the rack, since the rear wheel will be up where the bike next to it's handlebars need to go.


Searching on Google, I found plenty white LED lights such as this one.  The problem might be that color is not a good criteria for selecting bike lights. The most important factors being reliability, light output, and battery life.  You should first choose a light that meets those criteria before worrying about color. Most of the high end stuff I see is either black or silver. Perhaps silver could be a good compromise.

As far as seat posts go. Just go a Google Image Search for white seat post and you'll find many different models from high quality manufacturers. For brake levers, are you asking about drop bar levers or interrupter levers? You can get replacement brake hoods in white, but I don't think I've seen any drop bar or interrupter levers that are white. Here again, you may want to use silver as a compromise.

The other option being get unpainted aluminium and paint it yourself.  I'm not sure how good of a result this would get.


Is the ticking of a free spinning wheel related to its quality?

No.  Expensive hubs that roll well can be loud or quiet.  Cheap hubs that do not roll well can be loud or quiet.

There are numerous factors that go into the sound that a hub makes while freewheeling.  Among them are design (engagement points, engagement design, etc), the shape and design of the hub (the sounding chamber to some extent), the material the hub is made out of, the amount and type of lubrication in the system, the drive train running the hub and lastly the build of the wheel itself.  All that being the case it's not possible for the average cyclist to listen to a hub and determine it's quality.  A skilled mechanic may be able to listen to a specific brand and model of hub that they are familiar with and have some idea if is in good working order, however, that is a level of expertise you'll rarely encounter.


Alfine shifter cable tension increases over time

I'll note even some potential problem causes that might sound stupid, but in my experience, even a quaified mechanic can sometimes make a mistake, and not take something trivial into consideration, so not wanting to insult anyone's intelligence by stating some "stupid", or "I obviously checked that" potential problems, it is what it is: a simple troubleshooting list of the top of my head, based on the previous experience:

Numbers 2) and 5) are what I'd first suspect. But I woul check everything, especially when there is a problem.

1)
Is the hub assembled properly, with all the parts in place?

2)
Is the wheel fixed properly within the dropouts - no movement?
Geared hubs have special washers that prevent the hub from turning even slightly - if these are not seated and tightened properly, a small, one degree hub rotation of the hub (under chain tension when pedalling) could increase the cable tension). That, with most other stuff is nicely explained here: Sheldon Brown's page about geared hub setup and maintenance.

3)
Are the bars and the shifter lever fixed properly?

4)
Housing used should be for shifters, not brake housing - brake housing changes a bit more in legth as the cable running through it changes tension.
(pictures and explanation of the shifter/brake housing differences)

5)
If the shifter cable passes beneath the bottom bracket, it should pass through a guide, not along the metal of the frame's bottom - if it doesn't, flexing of the frame can move the cable sideways, changing its tension.

6)
Routing the housing should be done properly - making it as short as possible, but without too many total direction change (extreme example is making a full circle, even with a gradual radius - it will create a lot of friction and setting up the cable tension would be difficult, as well as shifter operation).

7)
Frayed cable, or dirty/damaged housing might cause the cable to stick.

8)
Are you accidentally moving the cable adjuster? :)
Some have a locknut, most don't. A simple marker could be a way to see if it's been moved over time. Movement from road vibes is not likely, since the barrels usually have to overcome the barrel spring tension in order to be moved over small "grooves" - most have that sort of mechanism. Even if they don't, bolts tend to loosen through road vibes - moving towards lower tension, which in this case would mean barrel adjuster turning inwards, loosening cable tension over time.


What tube do I need to buy for a Cube SL Road Race Bike?

When you buy your new tube, consider also getting a puncture repair kit as well at the same time. Then you don't have to throw away the current tube ($) and you can repair punctures away from home too.

To understand the numbers, the most meaningful set is 35-622. This code is saying that the tyre is 35mm wide and has an inner diameter of 622mm.

The tube will stretch to fit a range of tyre sizes. See the image below of a bike tube packet, there is a list of numbers showing all the different  tyres it is suitable for, I've highlighted the two columns of information. Looking down the list on the left, we can see 32-622 and 37-622. We're after 35-622 which fits between these, so this tube will fit in our tyre nicely.

The other important aspect is the valve type, Presta or Schrader. We have explainers here, Presta and
Schrader and I see from your photo you have a Presta valve (also known as a Sclaverand Valve). It matters because the rim will have a hole that suits one type - road tyres are normally the narrower Presta type.

To understand the other sets of numbers:

28 x 1.35 and 700x35 C are old ways of saying the tyre size but mean just the same thing. The first is in inches and the second is in French. You can state these and be understood, they are equivalent.
4.0 - 6.5 BAP, 55-95 psi are two different ways of stating the pressure range the tyre should be inflated within, using two different sets of units.


I'll sum up some of the comments with some concerns that you need to address:

Excessive moisture
Temperature changes
Abrasion and movement
Access

Simply wrapping the tube in something non/semi-porous and opaque will help keep it safe from the elements, but not from temperature changes, but it sounds like that's not going to be too much of a factor. You should also consider any bits of dirt, water, road, mud that are going to be kicked up from your rear wheel under the saddle bag. This could cause some excessive wear after you installed the tube in the tire unless you clean it first.

As a few of the other comments have stated, you may want to consider other means of storing your ride supplies. You've got a spare tube but do you have a pump? Is it a frame pump or small enough to store in a bag? Tire levers and a multitool are also going to take up space. I'd recommend looking at either a larger bag or purchasing something like a hydration pack (CamelBak, Dakine, Osprey, etc.) to store your tools, clothes, food, and whatever else. That way you can plan a variety of rides without needing to awkwardly stow tubes, pumps, and anything else on your bike!

EDIT: (Kudos to Chris H) If you've already got a way of storing all that,you want to make sure it is secure and protected from dirt. It doesn't need to be sealed completely, as you want to make sure any moisture such as condensation can evaporate.


How to replace a bottle dynamo with batteries

I solved this by attaching a USB connector to the existing light circuit, and power everything with a cheap cellphone power bank.
You just need a USB (possibly broken) cable whose "computer" end is working, and a place to hold the power bank.

A saddle bag is a perfect place for it. The front basket can also do.
Make sure the USB plug doesn't get too much water, it may get rust. For example leave it inserted in the saddle bag.

Assuming you have basic technical knowledge of electronics, it's a very easy process.
You can attach the cable at the old location of the dynamo, or in parallel of one of the lights. Just keep in mind that usually on the bike the "ground" is the frame, and the "live" is the only cable. USB side, black is the minus and red is the plus.

Polarity doesn't matter with bulbs, but it may matter with some led lights. If it doesn't work, reverse the polarity.

LED lights are brighter and will last for much longer. There are very cheap  replacement LEDs using the bulb form factor.

The light could be a bit weaker due to running at 5 Volts instead of the usual 6 that you get from a bottle dynamo, but most of the time it will be much stronger as it doesn't change with speed.


What effect does head tube angle have on a bicycle?

there's a good write-up about this here: http://www.calfeedesign.com/tech-papers/geometry-of-bike-handling/

In general the steeper the angle the more agile the steering. If you like steeper you might say "quicker, more response", if you didn't like steeper you might say "twitchier".

A 1/2 degree difference is probably not going to make that much difference by itself. The other factors, which headset, installation of headset, stem length, handlebar type and setup, etc., will mask the differences here. As the Calfee page mentions, people will adjust very quickly.

Happy Riding!


Only use compressionless brake housing on mechanical discs if you want them to perform well and avoid problems with bottoming the lever against the bar. Shimano brake housings, even Dura-Ace BC-9000 as far as I know, are all the conventional spiral design. I've put KEB-SL housing on many Spyres and other mechanicals and it works great.


To quote Sheldon Brown: "If the chain is too short, it will be at risk for jamming and possibly ruining the rear derailer if you accidentally shift into the large-large combination. Never run with a chain that is too short, except in an emergency." (I will say that depending on if your chain is short enough, it can happen in combos other than large-large.)

Here is a good article on sizing chains.

If its a new chain, I wouldn't hesitate in breaking the chain at a different link and adding some of the extra links back to it. But you really should get the chain to be of the right length before riding.

Also, for what its worth, the easiest way to size a new chain for a bike which hasn't had a cassette/chainring size change occur is to start with the old (properly sized) chain, and use that to size out the new chain. Much less annoying than sizing the chain from scratch.


Can I switch 44 teeth Chainring to 50 teeth

The answer is maybe. Mostly depending on if you will have enough clearance on your chainstay. According to this chart, a 44 tooth chainring would have a diameter of 184.6mm, while a 50 tooth chainring would have a diameter of 208.8mm, that's an extra 12.1 mm (24.2mm ÷ 2), or just under a half inch of clearance over what you would have already.
If you don't have enough clearance, you could get a bottom bracket with a slightly longer axle. Although you shouldn't push it too far as you will have problems with the chainline if your bottom bracket axle is too long.
See the image below to see how a larger chainstay could have problems with chainstay clearance. Also, as mentioned in the comments, you will need a longer chain.
According to this answer. You should keep about 4mm as minimum clearance between the chainstay and the chainring.


If you have got a loose area of tyre next to the valve, you need to 'distribute' this looseness to some other part of the rim.

Put a screw-driver across the rim under the tyre, and roll it around the rim away from the valve.   The screwdriver will slip on the metal rim, but grip the tyre, so it will revolve.

Do this for both loose areas, each side of the valve, before you blow the tyre up.   Once up to pressure, the tyre should run true, and be well stuck.
Cheers...  Pete


Is it worth upgrading to 28mm tyres from 25 for a 250 mile ride?

If you're going to change anything before the big event, change it now and allow time for any problems to arise, then be sorted out before the event.

Generally, a 28mm tyre is said to give lower rolling resistance over a 25mm and has been tested, though using a 28mm at the same pressure as the 25mm could spoil some of the comfort advantages. The numbers tell us that you could run a 28mm tyre at 20 psi lower than a 25 with very little performance difference.

More significant might be saving a few more watts with tyre choice to a different model in 28mm, but beware increased cost and (possible) lower puncture resistance.

So, if there's little difference in performance, or even an improvement and a 28mm proves to be more comfortable for you (higher volume, lower pressure) then you're looking at a win-win. Just watch out for frame and fork, brake, clearance for the larger tyres. Another reason to test now, not in a month's time.

Up to you if you want to spend the money, but I would try it for yourself rather than focus too much on what you can find written on the internet, some of it may be written by advertising experts for a start.


How to remove rust from unpainted parts?

The best way to remove rust from steel or cast iron is by electrolysis, period!

See the links below, but a few points need to be emphasized first:

DO wear rubber, latex or other waterproof gloves

DO wear old clothes, cuz the solution will stain just about anything!

DON'T put the solution where it can be kicked or spilled, it will leave a killer stain!

DON'T hook up what you are removing the rust off to the positive (+) terminal!

And most critically important DON'T USE STAINLESS STEEL AS THE ANODE (+ electrode)!!!

Ok, now to the links that explain the method:

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/miscellaneous/rust_removal.htm

A few suggestions.  Use no more than 6 volts, particularly if you don't want to remove paint.  Use washing soda (sodium carbonate, aka NaCO3) as the ingredient, not salt or lye.  Small quantities of NaCO3 can be made by heating baking soda spread on a cookie sheet for 300 degrees F (150C) for about 1 hr.
Don't pour the old liquid on your lawn or garden, the sodium could damage the soil.  The solution is safe to pour down a laundry or basement drain, but be sure to wash out the drain afterwards.
At most only 1 tbsp per gallon NaCO3 is needed - using more is just a waste.
If you use an old wall-wart, the negative is usually the wire bearing a white line or bead on it and is usually hooked to the outside ring on the outlet plug.


Can any dynamo hub get the electricity rotating with the spokes?

Reelight do something similar but opposite: they mount magnets on the spokes and the light and coils on the frame.  This demonstrates that it's broadly possible.  You'd need to mount the magnet on the fork or seat-/chain-stay with a coil and light on the wheel.  This gapped dynamo arrangement won't be very efficient, but wheel lights don't need to be as powerful as headlights.  This is the most promising approach, and could be tested with basic kit (I'm tempted to play myself, but have work to do).  For experimenting, I strongly suggest working on the back wheel - if something breaks and jams the wheel, you're much less likely to get hurt than if you jam the front wheel; testing on a trainer would also be possible if you have access to the right type.  Yes it's harder to see what's going on, but a camera/buddy would be better for that anyway.  Also you can spin the back wheel fast more easily for a bench test, by hand-cranking the pedals.

An alternative approach would require electrically insulating spokes. Carbon fibre spokes exist but are expensive and rare.  You may be able to get an insulating washer under the nipple, perhaps using an anodised nipple as well.  You'd then set up one connection through the hub and the other using a brush (or single copper spring) against the rim (beware wear on your rim, use one that's brake-compatible).  Neither connection would be great.

One thing that wouldn't work is adapting one of those torches (flashlights) that works by shaking a magnet in a coil (notionally strapping it to the spokes).  At speeds over about 6 km/h (4 mph, walking pace) the centrifugal force will push the magnet outwards more the gravity will pull it downwards (you can tweak things to roughly double this number at best.

Something that could be made to work but would  be dangerous is mounting a bottle dynamo inside the spokes, with a ring-shaped track attached to the frame for it to run on.  I mention this only to dismiss it, and don't recommend it


Low seats provide clearance for more acrobatic body movements. This is essential for bunny hops and nearly every other trick which builds off of this skill. If you look at trials bikes they similarly have lots of clearance for the rider over the frame and the saddle. Since speeds are relatively low, and long distance riding is not the goal, pedaling efficiencies gained by a higher seat position are much less of a priority than vertical maneuverability.

As per Daniel R Hick's comment BMX bikes are also commonly used for children's bike's as they are easy to learn on because of the low seat.

In this case fashion follows function. Just because the particular riders you see aren't tricking doesn't mean there isn't a valid functional reason for this kind of setup.


The red light flashes when the magnet passes the pick up sensor that you attach to the frame.  The same sensor has an adjustable "arm" on it to pick up the magnet mounted on a spoke.  It should flash green if it senses the magnet as it goes past the sensor arm.  My experience is either the arm and or the entire sensor needs to be adjusted.
Good luck.


How many effective gears do I have on a 21 speed bike?

Answers for a typical 21-speed commuter I could find specs on: 20, 19, 15, 12.

20 is the technically right answer, 19 is a slightly more technically right answer, 15 is if you take into account gears that are nearly identical, but 12 is the practical usable answer.

Really, it's going to depend on your exact gear setup.

At the very least, you really should avoid the big-front:big-back gear, since that's hardest on your derailer.

So, if you take @jensgram's answer and work it out on a typical bike similar to what you describe ...  I'll take the Trek 7.1FX for my example.  The chainrings in front are 48-38-28t.  In the back it's 14-16-18-20-22-24-34r.  (Numbers are the number of teeth).  I don't know if it's typical on other hybrids, but that jump from 24 to 34 is a little unusual and they market it as a special "megarange" feature.

If you work out all the ratios (I wrote a sort of little computer program up real quick to do it), the only exact duplicate ratios this gear setup has is 28:14 and 48:24, one of which is one of those extreme ranges it's suggested to avoid.  So this bike actually has 20 unique gear ratios, but since one of those unique ranges is 48:34 that you should avoid, it's 19 usable unique gear ratios.

If you round to only one digit after the decimal to give you the nearly identical ratios, you get 15 gears:

0.8 28:34
1.1 28:24 or 38:34
1.2 28:22
1.4 28:20 or 48:34
1.5 28:18 or 38:24
1.7 28:16 or 38:22
1.9 38:20
2.0 28:14 or 48:24
2.1 38:18 or 48:22
2.3 38:16
2.4 48:20
2.6 48:18
2.7 38:14
3.0 48:16
3.4 48:14

But look carefully at what front chainrings you use to get those...  If you use the smallest front chainring with only the 3 biggest rear cogs, the middle front chainring with all but the biggest and  smallest rear, and the big front chainring with only the four smallest rear cogs, you get your whole range of gears in a way you can comprehend, but it's 12 really usable gears (you skip 1.4, 2.0 and 2.7 in my above chart; all close enough to another gear)

How many rear cogs it makes sense to use on each front chainring will depend on the exact gearing setup.  But if you play around with it a little you can probably just feel it.  Switch the front chainring to the middle, switch the back to the smallest and feel that gear; then switch the front to the biggest, switch the back in by 2 or 3 gears and see if it feels about the same.  Do the same thing with the low-end.


Thorns generally don't make neat round holes as per your picture.  While its not impossible, this looks more like a wear indicator, a hemispherical pit on the tyre's tread, intended to show when the tyre needs replacement by wearing off.
If you can hold the tyre up to the light (when its off the rim!) and see light through, then your inner tube could herniate out and will wear another puncture in short order - perhaps 100-200 km of riding.
If you can't see the hole on the inside, its not worth worrying about.  There may be more than one wear-indicator pip on your tyre too, so look around.  Also check the other wheel, if you have the same brand/model of tyre on both ends.


Would rim brakes help a slightly bent rim?

The short answer to the question is, no.

Consider and compare the braking force to the other acting forces, and which would overcome the other; drive side and non-drive side spokes pulling radially and laterally on the wheel (this can be quite a high amount of force when adding all of the spokes together. It takes all of your weight, as well as any impacts you sustain while riding.) Rotational force and momentum is another major factor, and it is often at or well above your weight. The amount of force that a road caliper can apppy (or any caliper) is well below any of these other forces. A disc brake may be an exception, since I've heard of extreme circumstances in which a disc brake could actually rip a hub from a rim, but that has little to do with the lateral true of a rim.

Another component, directly related to you question of being "in motion", is that the braking power of most calipers is not perfectly symmetrical, because of caliper design or because of imperfect setup. With these asymmetrical and off-center forces, the rim is often pushed to one side creating a high/low tension in the spokes between either side. The asymmetrical and off-center force also create a certain amount of twisting in the wheel that has a similar rotation as that of the nipples threading onto the spokes.

In essence, braking always has a deteriorative effect on trueness.


Where is the Tricross Sora front derailleur barrel adjuster

With out a photo it is hard to tell. Jagwire does make  inline adjusters. They have different types, that adjust differently. Check the Jagwire website or ask at the LBS where you got the bike for assistance.


What tool should I purchase in order to replace the bottom bracket in my Giant Defy 3?

You don't need to remove or replace the bottom bracket to fit R7000 series 105 cranks (unless the bearings are won out of course). The Shimano SM BB72 bearings are Hollowtech II for a 24mm spindle so the R7000 will fit.

If you need to replace the bearings, special tools are needed to drive the press fit cups out of the bottom bracket shell and press new ones in. This must be done properly - the cups have to be driven out and pressed in square to the shell otherwise it can be damaged.

The tools are relatively expensive so it's a good idea to get a local bike repair shop to remove and press the bearings for you.


Photographer here.
The bike is a very common one used here in Tanzania. It's much cheaper than the multi gear mountain bikes.
Sorry, don't think there was anything special with the bike, unless of course you look at the young boy riding it and appreciate his hard work :)
Cheers


Cracked a steel fender today. My fault or design problem? And now what should I do?

I think your fender failed because of the stress that you introduced by attaching it without having it properly reshaped. Metal fenders must be mounted stress-free, otherwise they will be prone to fail and crack. This means that before installation the fender has to follow the tire without being supported by the frame and fender struts attachments.
Mounting metal fenders properly
Start with reshaping the fender so that it follows your tire at a constant distance of 15-20mm.
To enlarge the radius, squeeze the fender edges towards each other (as if you would try to make the fender narrower) and it will open up. Work all the way along the fender in order to obtain a constant radius/curvature. With stainless steel fenders this is a bit more difficult than with aluminium ones, but it is possible. If you want to decrease the radius, bend the edges apart instead.
When the fender has got a nice shape following the tire with constant distance (about 15-20mm), drill a hole at the brake bridge, so that the lower end of the fender extends some centimeters below the chain stays (this keeps drip water off the chain). Deburr the hole carefully (this is where cracks start!) and attach it at the brake bridge. A leather washer goes between fender and frame, and a large diameter but rather thin stainless washer between fender and bolt head (the washer on your picture is far too little).
Measure where the chain stay bridge attachment is, and drill the hole there. When deburring it, you can ovalize it a bit with a file if it is not exactly in the correct position. It is very important that you don't put any stress or strain on the fender when attaching it at the two frame mounting points.
Now it is time to attach the fender stay(s) 10-15cm above the back end of the fender. Once again, bend the stays before installing them so that they have the right shape/angles to be mounted stress-free.
Well-mounted stainless steel fenders can hold a long time (many 10000 kilometers).


Can I use 10-speed Shimano STI shifters with a 9-speed drivetrain?

I have 10 speed Ultegra shifters working 9-speed Ultegra everything else.

I've not had any problems.

Even the 10-speed cassette went on the wheel with no adjustments needed, nor any adjustments to the derailleur. Surprised me, but it worked.


Which gears not to use in a 2 X 9 gear bike

The general rule is that you don't want the chain angle to be extreme (i.e. the chain should be running as parallel to the frame as possible) - when the chain is at an extreme angle, it is called cross chaining. This is a good read.

For example, you don't want to use the little ring in the front and the little cog in the back (this increases wear on both of them). Likewise, if you want to use the big ring in the front and big ring in the back, you may want to go to the middle ring in the front instead and remain near the center in the rear (if you had it -- for a double in the front, there will be a point where you'll prefer to shift down in the front and then stay near the middle of the cassette).

The most important thing to do is to avoid small-small combination though - modern drivetrains aren't too unhappy with cross chaining, but its still not good practice.

Also, note that the gears you use at the time depend on the terrain and what not -- try to aim for a cadence of about 70-90 RPM (how fast the pedals turn).


Is the lateral brake disc position standardized (and, if so, to what tolerance)?

In my experience the answer is kinda yes. You won't need to re-align the calipers with every wheel change, but you will likely need to adjust the brake pads. Hydraulic brakes make the process easier since they are self-adjusting. On bikes with mechanical disk brakes you will likely need to adjust the pads with every wheel change.

In theory, every 6 bolt rotor and centerlock hub should put the disk in the same place and plane so that this should all just work. In practice the tolerances for disk brakes are so small that even slight differences will cause the disk to rub on the pads. There are two main reasons for this.

Brake disks aren't flat and don't stay flat over time.

The surface you mount the brake disk on isn't flat.

Centerlock was created to help with the second problem, they do seem to be a bit better at staying interchangeable than 6 bolt. The only way to overcome the first is to get good at brake disk truing and work to get the disks on your rims all the "same".

Having said all this, you can get your wheels "good enough" that swapping wheels can be pretty straightforward. But it's unlikely that will happen out of the box and keeping the rotors true enough to keep your wheels swap-able does take some ongoing maintenance.


There is an option to have raised drop handlebars. That would give you another couple of centimeters of height:


increase highest upper ratio with gear hub

Decreasing the rear cog is by far the easiest of your options.  On road bikes, chain rings of 34-39 teeth and rear cogs of 11 are common, so you would be within range. The force on the chain is higher for smaller chain rings, not larger ones.  Slipping probably comes from not having the chain tight enough.  You may be able to move the rear axle aft to tighten it.


How to clean up at work after a commute?

In the past, when I commuted to a job without showers (I've managed to luck out recently) I made sure to:

Keep my hair relatively short, as to avoid helmet-hair
Get in early enough that I can have a quick wash in a bathroom sink without too many people around to take notice
Always bring a full change of clothes
Like @curtismchale, leave a pair of 'work' shoes under the desk
Bring deodorant!


Stems come in a wide range of lengths (45-130mm), and they are generally fairly cheap (starting around $20, and generally around $50).  It is very easy to remove the existing stem and install a different one.  So I think it is worthwhile to get the shortest reasonable-looking stem you can find and give that a try.

Raising the handlebars is not so easy, other than by getting a different stem.  Unless there are spacers above your stem on the steerer (the part of the fork that the stem is attached to), in which case it is extremely easy to remove the stem, move the spacer below the stem, and reinstall the stem.  It is fairly rare that a bike is sold with extra spacers above the stem.  Beware: Sometimes there is a small (5mm) spacer above the stem that has to stay there; its purpose is to prevent the steerer cap from touching the steerer.

Another way of raising the handlebars would be getting different handlebars with more rise built into them -- generally the bars would be horizontal in the center, then bend up at an angle, and then flatten out to horizontal at the grips.  I don't think this would help much, because the amount of rise you get out of these bars is usually not very large, maybe an inch.

Here is something else to consider: I'm 6'5", and for years I was riding a mountain bike that was too small for me, because it was the biggest frame that I could easily find in my price range back when I bough the bike.  I got quite used to this bike, so when I finally got a new bike with a larger frame, I felt quite stretched out when reaching for then handlebars.  Eventually I got used to that and I doesn't cause any problems even on long rides. But if you've had this bike for several years and it still bugs you, then you should probably get a short stem and see if that makes it feel better.


Buying a bike (new or 2nd hand) at start of EuroVelo 6

Decathlon and InterSport are decent enough shops, but I wouldn't want to walk in, spend €700 on a bike and kit, and ride 2300km. There's also a Giant store in Nantes. In an ideal world you'd get something second hand and have it serviced (or buy second hand from a bike shop that has already serviced it). Getting all the luggage fitted and everything set up nicely might involve you taking or buying tools, and a trip to a hardware shop

Nantes seems (according to Google maps) to have a decent selection of independent bike shops with good reviews. A chain bike shop that does servicing could also be good. These places will be able to fit racks, extra bottle cages etc. without difficulty.

Even a big shop doesn't actually hold much stock, so your chances of riding out with something suitable are low. You'll need to plan carefully. One advantage of the big retailers is that you might be able to try a bike in a branch near you, and order it in to a suitably located branch to be built up for you. I'd probably go down that route because I struggle to find bikes to fit, especially second hand, but if you're more of a normal size than me, contacting a shop that sells second hand, and explaining what you need, could be very useful. I would write in French with the aid of Google, but include the same message in English underneath.

I've ridden a fair bit (day rides) in the Loire valley, and there are plenty of little bike shops in case things go wrong in the first few days, or you find you need something extra. These aren't necessarily the places that have much stock of unusual parts.


Several questions, several answers:

Is there a temperature above which you don't ride

Yes, for me that's about 45°C. At that temperature where I live (Australia) the air is usually so hot that even wearing glasses it's hard to blink often enough to keep my eyeballs from drying out. Wrap-around glasses, complete skin coverage, and riding slowly is the only way to go. Or it's just before the rainy season and sweat is pouring off me just standing in the shade, so I don't go outside if I can avoid it.

Do I have to be cleverer than my usual (water)

Ideally, yes, regardless of whether you're riding. But 35°C is not especially hot, it's more that it is useful to pre-hydrate and make sure you're drinking to replace sweat. My usual is to buy cordial powder and add salt until it's undrinkable when I'm at home testing it. When I'm riding it starts to taste good, so I drink it. "electrolyte drinks" that work taste foul when you don't need them, if they taste like soft drink they're purely there to replace the sugar and are thus a waste of money. You should also be drinking 2-3 times as much water as electrolyte drink. But again, at 35°C you should be able to ride an hour or more without issues (I ride 45 minutes home from work at that temperature in the summer, and drink before the ride and after, rarely during).

Do you know/recognize symptoms of overheating?

This is important. If you start to feel weak or have a headache you should stop, drink and cool down. If you stop sweating you're about to die, so you should immediately seek cool shelter and warn the people present (there must be people present) that you're suffering heatstroke and may pass out. Note that "sweat evaporates as fast as it appears" and "not sweating" are very different things. I find my back will generally stay wet up to about 40°C, and above that I try not to ride very hard because my body and especially my brain does not like getting above 40°C so I need to sweat just to stay alive, forget exercising.

Is it necessary to stick to shadier routes?

Anything you can do to stay cooler while riding is good. But note that riding close to building or on roads "in the shade" is often no better than being in the sun as they will reflect and absorb/re-radiate heat. Trees are good, riverside or on a path near a creek (even a dry creek) are better. Mostly, pay attention to how hot you feel.

I took photos last summer of heat blisters on my hands from resting on the brake hoods of my bike. That was at only about 38-40°C, but riding through a built up area with lots of shiny buildings and fingerless cycle gloves - you could see that the blisters were where bare skin had touched black plastic hoods. The blisters were really annoying to work around while they healed.

Is pouring water on yourself necessary, or a luxury?

It's a waste of water, unless you have lots. A sock around a waterbottle, wet, can help but if it's hot and dry it won't help much, or for long. Keep the water for when you need it.

Do you ride without a helmet?

Not in Australia, where the law requires a helmet. I would consider it, and sometimes do, but I much prefer a helmet cover with a wide brim, then a headsock under the helmet to stop the sweat running into my eyes. It's much easier to wash or swap a sweatband or head-covering than to clean a helmet, especially if you're riding in the heat every day.

Clothing

The hotter it is the more I cover up. I'm a white guy, so in theory my skin is more reflective than black skin, but forget it, if I don't cover up I get way too hot.

At moderate temperatures I don't bother, riding home from work I just accept that I'll get hot and since it's a known journey if I get home uncomfortably hot that's bearable. So I wear a white, long sleeve t short and white knee-length cargo shorts, plus helmet cover.

But when it's hot, usually I'm touring, so I wear the full kit. Head covering as above, then a long sleeve white t shift (cotton is fine, and SPF 50 or higher is better (in Australia we get SPF rated clothing)). I will attach that to white gloves, buying the lightest, baggiest gloves I can find. Strangely, dishwashing gloves are more available and work better than gardening gloves. I wear cycling glove under them, because the offer basically no road protection. Then I wear cycling kicks with long, baggy cotton pants over the top. Those tuck into my socks. Basically the only skin you see is my face, and not a lot of that.

Hydration

I prefer to drink enough that I have to stop and pee every couple of hours. If the pee burns I will drink right there until I can't drink any more without throwing up. This is when I will normally drop a film canister full of cordial powder+salt into my drink bottle, drink that, then straight water until I'm full. The goal is to get that water into my bloodstream as fast as possible.

You should never, ever get to that stage just riding at 35°C. That has only happened to me when I've been at the end of a long day touring after making a mistake and having to ride further, harder, than I expected.

Time of Day/ Avoid the darn heat

Finally, and most importantly, if you can avoid riding when it's uncomfortably hot, do that. I have flexitime at work, and in the hot part of the summer I will start later and finish later so I'm not riding home when it's hottest (normally I work 7am-3pm, but much over 35°C I'll start between 0830 and 1000, so I finish later). When cycle touring I'll either ride early or ride a split shift. I'll start at first light (30-60 minutes before dawn) then ride until I'm hungry, tired, or hot. Then I'll stop and spend the day trying to avoid the heat while being a tourist, and possibly ride again when it cools down.

If you're working and riding for exercise, do it before or after work/office hours. First light is a great time to be out, you'll see any local wildlife before people drive them out of sight, and it's a very calm time of the day in most places. Or follow the crowd and go out for a ride after work. There's more people, less wildlife, and it's usually hotter, but that is relative to dawn, not midday, it's still a lot better than riding at 3pm.


A $600 dollar bike fit would be a professional fit where the set the bike up, adjusting everything to the last millimeter, replacing components as required and making the bike as fast and comfortable as humanly possible. Such a fit will save you a few seconds over a hundred kilometers of riding. For a 14km commute it is not needed.  (Everyone would benefit from a good fit, some more so due to discomfort and bio-mechanical problems, but the gains of spending the time and money quickly diminish)

When buying a bike, the most important thing to get right is the frame size, everything else is adjustable (with or without replacing parts). From a simple sales perspective, frame size is determined by height and will probably be correctly chosen 90% of the time using just height.

Best thing to do is buy a bike from a reputable LBS. At no extra cost they should help you select the right bike (size, style etc), and set it up to fit you. They won't go as far as the $600 fit, but should have you riding out of the shop on  a bike you can comfortably and reasonably efficiently ride for the distances you are needing. (Things like seat height, handle bar height etc).


Cartridge bottom bracket left cup is too tight?

It is never okay for there to be "preload" on any bearing set. It causes them to wear out prematurely.

Adjust it to where there's no play nor binding (or as close as you can get to it).

Thank you for being sensitive to the obscure mechanical needs of your bicycle.

The instructions are going to bias on the side of tightness, because most people will notice and complain about loose bearings but not tight bearings. And when the BB wears out after 20k miles, they won't know that it could have lasted 100k miles with proper adjustment.


I would consider it scrap metal. There are a few safety concerns. While millions of us survived childhood on bikes like these they don't meet current safety standards. The single coaster brake means that if the chain broke or fell off there would be no brakes. Modern bikes have hand brake mounted along with the coaster brake. The lack of a chain guard is a danger as a pant leg could get caught. The fork also appears to be bent as if the bike was in some sort of frontal crash. If your goal is an inexpensive bike consider used as children quickly outgrow them and most have limited use.


How can I stop my shifters slipping when climbing?

I don't know a great deal about the old shifter types, but two thoughts come to mind -
1. Very obvious, but have you tried tightening them to increase the friction?
2. Might there be grease in the friction surfaces?  You could try opening them and cleaning them with deagreaser/brake cleaner to see if you can increase the friction in them


There are a few things to do when your brake pads aren't stopping your bike well:
-It could just be that they're new and haven't worn in yet, rub some sandpaper against the braking surface of the pad to remove the surface layer. Then use something to clean it to get off the lose rubber and grease from your hand. This can also happen on old pads with plenty of surface left, the pad can "glaze over". This hard layer can be removed in the same way.
-Your rim could have oil or grease on it. Clean the rim and the pads with hot soapy water and leave to dry naturally.

If the pads were very cheap you could just take them back if these methods don't seem like they'll work. You might as well try the washing one because you're bit altering anything and they would still take the pads back.


Using hub-dynamo for both lights and charging, with priority on lighting

I suspect you will find that most of the chargers that run off hub dynamos take this into account. For example, http://www.thinkbiologic.com/products/reecharge-power-pack in the (pdf) manual say:

  The ReeCharge is charging when the green light on the side of the
  ReeCharge is lit. NOTE: The green light is only on when the wheel
  rotates fast enough to provide the ReeCharge with a current for
  charging.

In your position I would buy one of the charging setups and see how it works in practice. If there's a problem, you will need to add a voltage sensing switch. Either way, you need to buy the charger so there's no harm buying it.

A voltage sensing switch is easy enough to make, either using a zener diode or just a voltage divider into the gate of a transistor. http://www.instructables.com/id/Voltage-Controlled-Switch-1/ is one example (but without a bigger transistor on the output that will not handle the current your charger uses). I would go with the simpler approach of buying a power transistor that can handle the 500mA your dynamo puts out, the 15V or so maximum it's likely to put out. Use a variable resistor to work out what voltage divider ratio I need to make it work, then substitute a pair of resistors in the final version. That's 3 components and it should be easy enough to put them in heat-shrink or epoxy to make them weatherproof. You'll probably pay as much for the connectors as the components :)


How can I get rid of I.T. Band pain caused by cycling?

Not sure if my direct pain was related to ITBS - but this cut out a lot of pain I was having: Custom Pedal Extenders.  I am large person and this reduced a lot of pain I was getting in my inner thighs and hip.


According to a thread called "Murray serial number project" on thecabe.com serial number "MO6 140 60056" indicates 1966.

  In 65 they were changing there serial number style and by then they were on the left rear dropout. Some 65 bikes had an MO5 which stood for Murray of Ohio 1965. After these 3 digits was a 2 or 3 digit model number followed by and X and a 1 or 2 digit number that I will discuss momentarily.
  MO5 = 65
  MO6 = 66
  MO7 = 67
  MO8 = 68
  In 69, they changed the layout yet again. They dropped the O. They also went to a 4 digit model number.
  M9 = 69
  M0 = 70
  and so on.

So, in your case the format should be
MO6 = 1966
140 = model number
60056 = ?

Finding a 1966 Murray catalog to verify that such a bike was made took me to "1966 Murray Specials Catalog" at tapatalk.com

Sadly, the page is cut off so that the model name is not visible. Even cut off the bike's name looks like "MONA ---" rather than "MONT ---"
What we can see of the description indicates that there was a three speed made in 1966 but the men's model was metallic green - not chrome.
Squinting at the head badge in the picture just right might convince you that the head badge is a match.

There is something that might be a model number in the picture "6-130X66 BOYS 26". If that's the model number it might be that the "140" on your bike refers to a chrome three speed Monterey and the "130" refers to a painted some other name.
Lots of speculation there.
Murray made different bikes for different retail outlets at the same time. The same bike might have had different model names or finishes.

On a side note,
These bikes did not have a good reputation for standing up under rough usage.
Motorization will put stress on this frame that it was never designed to handle. It would be wise to select a different frame to motorize.


screeching/grinding sound when coasting at speed

I think it's impossible for it to be coming from the bottom bracket while the pedals are not turning.  More likely it's coming from the rear hub.

I'd first check whether the spoke guard (if you have one) has come loose and is rubbing against the cluster.  And inspect the area behind the cluster for any piece of trash that has gotten in there.  Failing that, you probably have a problem with your freehub.


Depends - you will probably need to remove the cassette/freewheel anyway, to get enough room to get the spoke in even though its the non-drive side.  I've replaced one by bending the spoke horribly to get it through the hub, and while it worked was not a good technique.

You will need a spoke key for tensioning - an adjustable spanner may work but its asking for rounded-off nipples.  Or you can remove the tube and tyre and maybe tension it with a flat screwdriver.

If you don't feel confident, its safest to get a bike shop to do it.  They will only need the wheel, not the whole bike.  You'll need to buy a new spoke of the right length too, the LBS can measure your old one.


Your first step is to attempt to bleed the system. The principal that makes hydraulic brakes work is that fluid is not compressible. When the lever is squeezed, fluid is pushed through the hose to the caliper. The displaced fluid needs somewhere to go, so it moves the brake piston towards the rotor activating the brakes. When the lever is released the fluid returns to the brake lever. The piston move away from the rotor and the brakes are released. When air is introduced into the system the fluid doesn't move the piston it compresses the air bubble. This gives you the spongy feeling. The fluid used varies by manufacturer and model. Using an incorrect fluid type can ruin the system. The bleeding method also varies so you need to check with the manufacturer for the correct procedure.


Leaking fluid from hydraulic brake caliper

Are you 100% sure that it is leaking from the nipple?
There are other ways to leak oil:

From a badly crushed olive in the hose connection
Cracked piston
Damaged piston seal

And other issue could be "pad glazing". This has similar symtoms as getting oil on the pads.
If you are 100% sure that the bleed nipple is the issue. You can just replace and bleed the brakes.
You can't just get a new dust cap though. You would have to get a new bleed nipple. The dust cap has nothing to do with making sure the system doesn't leak. It's purpose is to keep dust out so when you bleed the system, the dust doesn't contaminate by mixing dust in with the oil. Adding a dust cap, won't stop a leak. The pressure from braking will still push the oil out.


Do I need to take my weight off the bike to lock out the suspension?

Less expensive forks have a mechanical lockout. This type of lockout is only usable when the fork is unweighted. Think of it like trying to deadbolt your door when it's still ajar. Higher end forks- coil or air- use a hydraulic lockout. There's a lot going on inside them but to simplify things a bit, there are two valves in the damper of most mid-high end forks that allow oil to pass through and both only work in one direction. One allows oil to pass through when you hit a bump, the other allows oil to pass through on the rebound from that bump. When you engage the lockout on one of these forks it basically closes the valve that allows oil to pass through when you hit a bump, however the rebound valve stays open allowing the fork to return to it's original position.
So back to your original question-
No, there is nothing wrong with your fork. The lockout is working as expected and don't force it or you might break it!


Can I use cartridge bearings on my wheel hub?

To use cartridge bearings, the hubs must have been designed to use them (absurd kludges aside).

Your hubs will almost surely be classic cup-and-cone hubs, and those will need replacement bearings.

However, do note that the proper number of bearings for a hub is not necessarily a number that completely 'fills' the cup bearing race. You might not be missing any. 9 is typically common, with a little bit of space where it looks as though you could fit a 10th or 11th. Check with your LBS for how many you'll need for your particular hub.


Does Selle Italia Flite Genuine Gel have rigid shell?

There is approximately 5mm of gel padding, over a reasonably flexible base on the Flite Gel. I would not consider it an especially rigid saddle.


How much do spokes stretch when first used?

They don't. Spoke stretch is a very theoretical effect that mainly happens when tensioning loose spokes or over seriously long term usage.

What you have experienced here is most likely due to the spokes finding their final place and form, possibly combined with twisted spokes working their ways straight. These are common and expected things especially when using the J-bend spokes, but they can be migitated, although not by over-torquing the spokes as you suggest.

New J-bend tend to leave the hub at an angle parallel to the hub flange, but obviously they'll end up with a bit of an inwards angle to meet the rim. Before tensioning, when all the spokes are in place, you can gently push each of the outer spokes inwards where they leave the hub, thus deforming the spoke a bit and causing it to have the proper angle even before tension is applied. If you don't, some of the tension may be lost afterwards when the tension itself causes this deformation.

Additionally, spokes may twist when tensioning. This applies to all spokes, but is of course harder to spot with round ones. What you need to do is lubricate the spoke threads beforehand, try and hold the spokes with appropriate pliers when tensioning them, and most importantly, you should try to release this torsional tension during the wheelbuilding process so you can re-check and adjust accordingly.

Releasing this tension happens by grabbing two spokes where they cross and squeezing them together, or by grabbing the rim at opposite sides and pushing the hub/axle against something. You'll hear slight 'pings' when it happens. Reiterate for both sides of the wheel, on multiple different spots on the rim.


Crank threads stripped - both pedals fell off

The threads are completely stuffed. Do not just screw the pedals back in and do not rely on loctite or similar compounds. Pedals falling off is at best inconvenient, at worst can lead to crash and serious injury.

Easiest option is to replace the cranks. Its not a big job but parts cost might mean a repair is a better option for you. The bottom bracket will probably be a square taper, so you need a special tool, or the LBS can do it in a few minutes.

The only other realistic option is to insert a thread insert (Helicoil) thread repair into the cranks. The left hand crank is a left hand thread. (Park tool have instructions)


If you can't figure out how to fold it back like it came, you can try a method of looping it 3 times to fold it in to a smaller size which works for non-folding tires as well.

How to fold a tire

http://home.comcast.net/~mandmlj/tirefolding/index.html

or a video version of this method from sheldon brown

http://sheldonbrown.com/video/tire-folding.html


Does high PSI or low PSI affect the life of a tire?

Your best bet is to operate the tire in the pressure range on the tires. Check the air pressure regularly.

Nominally if you are 180 lb or more then high number.  And 140 lb or less the low number.  In between then in between.

Higher pressure maybe a longer life but still stay in the range.  If you weigh 140 lb then not worth a higher pressure for a harsher ride to maybe get a few more miles.

Race tires naturally have the shortest life.

A soft rubber tire will wear faster but have better traction.

A hard rubber tire will last longer but also poor traction and a harsh ride.

And consider $ / mile.  You can buy a $50 tire that is probably not going to last twice as long as a $25 tire.


Weird whistling from the rear derailleur

I've come across this before, but never on my own bike. The real cause was never identified, but I believe stripping, cleaning, and oiling the cage and jockey wheels was the fix. That leads me to suspect that a little sideways pressure during the shift caused something, like a bit of grit, to rub.


Have there been designs of bikes with stepless transmission?

There have been designs, but cyclists tend to be picky about increases in weight or losses in efficiency.

Bicycles do not have the problems of large spinning masses or rough clutching at low speed, and we seem to do OK with discrete steps in the gear ratio.


It might be more practical to invest in a trike that is a trike by design through and through. I am not sure what your budget is like, but this sounds like what you need. It's still a Pedal powered tricycle, but the electric assist will help you up that hill, especially if you are loaded down with groceries, etc. https://www.vitalitymedical.com/ewheels-ew-29-electric-trike-red-bundle.html


Many items of quality cycling clothing from reputable brands with high SPF are available. Under-helmet caps with the sun protection are available as well.

Since this site doesn't do product recommendations you'll need to browse producer and retailer sites.


How to safely remove dried tire sealant from a carbon frame?

A credit card usually does the trick.

It's flexible enough to bend slightly but firm enough to serve as a scraper/pusher. It's soft enough that it won't scratch most finishes.


Shimano BR-RS505 brake caliper retainer screw stuck

The axle pin is a combination of threaded (near the head) and smooth (body that the pads move on).  It would be hard to replicate that part without removing the threading from a hex headed bolt.

To start at the beginning, did you remove the retaining pin before attempting to unscrew the axle/pin?  There is a cotter/retainer at the other end of the axle that would prevent rotation if it wasn't removed first.

If all that has been removed and it is still stuck, I would remove the caliper from the frame and try some break free or similar to free the stuck threading.  This will ruin the pads (likely), but you are likely also trying to replace them.

If you use a hacksaw to cut the pin, the threaded part will likely stay in the caliper body.  If anything, on my own brakes I may use a cut off wheel (like on a dremel) to deepen the slot for the flathead or to make a cross cut and allow Phillips use.  After doing either, I'd likely start looking to order a new pin and retainer (part 9) and perhaps look at cleaning of the threading inside the caliper body.


Can't tell.  The threaded stem, cheap looking fork, along with the warning sticker on the crank not to thread the wrong side pedals in the wrong crank arm, along with the plastic chainguard on the crank, all point to it being a department store bike.


Bike for many short city commute AND long distance travels (partially dirt road)

If you want to see if a bike can take a luggage rack, you should look for eyelets for a rack. These are on a lot more bikes than just city bikes.

If you're looking for a rear rack mount, near the dropouts, you should see a set of holes or two, and a set of holes on the seat stays so that you can attach a rack. For a front rack, you should have eyelets at the bottom of the fork, and some bikes will have another set half way up the fork (though some racks will attach to a hole at the top of the fork + some p-clamps).

It's less ideal without the eyelets for a rack to install a rack -- normally you have to do some work with fidgeting with p-clamps and stuff, so its not recommended (or use a seatpost rack, ick!).

Installing a rack when you have eyelets is pretty simple -- you generally bend a small piece of metal to make the rack to be level, and put a few bolts in.

Most hybrids have rack eyelets, as do many cyclocross bikes, pretty much all touring bikes, a decent amount of road bikes, a good amount of lower end mountain bikes and so on. They may not ship with the rack like a lot of city bikes or whatever, but its not hard to put one on. You can easily look for the eyelets or just ask the person whose selling you the bike if it has rack eyelets.

This article has an overview of different common rack types, which shows you how they mount. It's relatively obvious though -- just walk into a bike shop with a bike, and in about 5 seconds they should be able to show you what kind of racks will fit it.

  This bike is not designed for cycling on rough terrain.

Generally, a statement like this means you don't want to do serious off-roading with it. In the US, there's a set of condition numbers from the ASTM:

  Condition 0 — Adult supervision required, no traffic;
  Condition 1 — Suitable for road riding (only);
  Condition 2 — For off-road riding and jumps less than 12 in. (30 cm.);
  Condition 3 — For rough off-road riding and jumps less than 24 in. (61 cm.); and
  Condition 4 — For extreme off-road riding.

The bike under consideration is something like a condition 1.5 bike. You don't want it to jump more than say, 6 inches. See this chart from Salsa for more examples. But if you're just riding on fire roads or the gravely dirt roads you show above, it'll be fine.

Now, onto the type of bike you should get. I'd consider a cyclocross bike with good tire clearance, a touring bike with good tire clearance or a hybrid with good tire clearance. An older (say 80s) road bike would probably do fine too, since they could take bigger tires). The touring bike might feel weird when not being loaded, but the advantage of the first two is that they have more hand positions available for a longer ride (and you can install interrupter levers to stop from the flat portion of the bar, if you want). Larger tires = more comfort and cushioning.

We don't do product rec for specific models here, so thats about as far as I'll go in this answer. But, I'd probably go for a cyclocross bike myself. Theres a pretty wide variety in this range -- things like the Trek Crossrip, which take a cross geometry and tweak it for more commuting/city use, to bikes which are suitable for intro level racing yet can still take a rack and fenders (like the Kona Jake the Snake used to be until a few years ago).

I'd also remark that you don't need (or want) suspension for that type of riding.

The most important thing for comfort is to actually try the bikes -- don't just buy something from the internet (especially since sizing isn't standardized across bike types).


What is considered a small hand for shimano?

You'd probably have to try it and see which is most ergonomic for you; even if you have large hands, the small hands lever may feel better. Older levers came with a rubber piece to stick in the brifter to adjust for smaller hands, but this has limited differences versus a different lever.

Most females would fit into the small hands group. Younger males up to some age might as well. Adult males of average or larger size would likely not.


Loose thread (stripped) tapered bottom bracket frame connection

A video could really help, sounds like the threads of the cups and/or of the frame shell are damaged. Probably the Bottom Bracket cups need to be removed so the threads can be inspected for damage, like rust, or cross-threading, stripped threads etc. If the threads of the shell are in good enough condition, they can be cleaned and a new BB installed. If the threads of the shell are damaged, then it would be a bit more complicated and deserve it's own question/answer.

This image (from Park Tool website) has the names of some BB parts. Even if it's not a perfect match, editing the question and using these terms would make the question clearer.


Does only Rohloff manufacture the sprocket for their Speedhub 14?

This is the email reply from Rohloff customer support

  It is always possible that parts are copied. To ensure warranty and reliability, we advise against buying copied parts. Especially because the  hardness of the metal of the sprocket is important.


What derailer hanger do I need? (screw on derailer is bent)

With respect to the bent screw, it's called the 'B-screw' and yes it is important.

The pivot in the derailleur where it attaches to the hanger is the 'B pivot'. The screw adjust the spring tension and controls how close the top jockey wheel comes to the largest sprocket.

Assuming your derailleur was adjusted correctly you can leave the bent screw in place temporarily.

Online bike stores in the US don't seem to list replacement b-screws (or derailleur limit screws), but they would be a standard metric screw or bolt size (Googling bike discussion forums seems to indicate M4), so you can get a replacement of the appropriate length at a hardware store. A stainless steel one is probably a good idea.


What is the difference between a “single-speed bike” and a “fixed-gear” bike?

A single speed bike has a single speed freewheel threaded onto the rear hub. The freewheel allows the rider to coast.

A fixed gear has a single cog threaded on the rear hub, along with a reverse threaded lockring, to prevent the cog from getting loose. The cog has no freewheeling action, so any time the wheel is moving, the pedals are moving too. This setup allows the rider to even ride backwards.

Generally speaking, fixed gear bikes have only a single gear. There are some setups however where instead of a single gear at the rear a special dingle with two cogs is placed in, and a pair of chainrings is up front, and the tooth difference between the chainrings is the same as the tooth difference in the cogs. Then, the rider can change gears for different riding, however it requires dismounting, loosening the rear wheel, and manually moving the chain from one set of cogs to the other.

There are also some 3 speeds or other internally geared hubs that have been owner modified to be multi-speed fixed hubs, but they are very, very rare.


Best bike for distance, best bike for speed

I have pretty similar cycling needs as you. I love to race, but still commute over 250km per week in bad weather, so I needed a durable, sporty bike, on a budget.
After doing a LOT of research, I bought a Verenti Defense WR2.1 Sora 2015.

Hope this answer helps, I have done over 4000km in 4 months on this bike in terrible weather (Ireland) and have also mounted rear and front panniers. Therefore, in my opinion, this is defiantly a sporty bike as well as a workhorse.

P.S. Comes with mudguards, rear rack mounts, 25mm tires (only had 2 punctures so far), etc.


What is this metal bar parallel to the frame?

It's used for attaching a child seat similar to this one.

The above site shows a clearer image of the part in question which might be useful to future visitors.


I think the problem with your procedure is that you are adjusting the limits but not adjusting the indexing explicitly. Try working through the detailed procedure that Park Tool recommends. There is both a video and written instructions on this page.

Check your derailleur hanger is straight. A special tool is required to do this accurately, but you can eyeball it by picking up the back of the bike and looking down the chain. The derailleur cage should look like it is parallel with the chain rings.

Another possibility is that your derailleur is getting worn and has developed some slop. There may be play in the parallelogram pivots, or the top jockey wheel has excessive play (although note that top jockey wheels normally have a few mm of lateral movement).


How to pump tire with cap that won't come off

Judging by your description you have two different tubes: one with Presta valve and the other with Schreder valve. Both should have protective plastic caps that should pretty easily come off. It might be possible that cap on the rear wheel valve is stuck so some pliers might help to unscrew it.

Regarding pumping tires, your floor pump should have adapter for both valve types so you should use one that fits.

Maybe, if you have pump for only one valve type, you could consider changing your tubes to be of the same type (that matches the pump). Anyway, it is recommended to change tubes because they get porous and leak air (especially if they are too old).


Chain loses grip under load in higher gears

The comments above are probably correct; if your chain is new, then the issue is likely a worn cassette. Because they wear out as a pair, chains and cassettes are often replaced simultaneously. A new chain on an old cassette can lead to skipping, just like an old chain on a new cassette can lead to skipping.

Another possible cause of "losing grip" could be a damaged or missing pawl inside the freehub body's ratcheting mechanism. If, for example, one out of your three pawls is chipped or has broken off, the freehub will engage fine under light load, but heavier force (like pedaling hard in higher gears) can cause the hub to "freewheel" briefly in the wrong (pedaling) direction.


Most trainers on the market today can do 26", 29" and 700c. Specialized's cyclocross bikes are 700c, your trainer will likely be able to handle it fine, but check the manual (*).

A trainer won't help you gain confidence riding in traffic though -- you'll just have to practice riding in traffic, which is the bigger problem here.

(*) Your trainer may have specific recommendations, e.g. no carbon fiber bikes in the trainer or something. Read the documentation.


Freehub Seal Orientation "Axis Sport Disc"

Whilst I'm not 100% sure if it's correct, the visible lip on the outside edge in photo 2 fits neatly into the hub body, so I have assembled it this way. It appears to work fine.


Any reason for non-continuous mountain road barrier?

While this deals with medians and not strictly side barriers, the animal answer is strongly supported by this study:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256425278_Potential_Impacts_of_Highway_Median_Barriers_on_Wildlife_State_of_the_Practice_and_Gap_Analysis
A reasonable response would be that there is a drop into a stream that would prevent animals from crossing.  And I agree, and suspect that simple legality is part of the answer.  A law that requires an animal passing gap every X meters may simply have no exceptions for areas where terrain would be impassable for the animals.


You can do it with files. The chrome does make the surface harder but it's not a big deal. This is usually seen when the fork was originally slotted to take a 5/16" axle. I'm not a Raleigh historian but I'd be a little surprised were that the case on a Grand Prix. It's also possible that it's a fork that fits a 9mm front axle very tightly, and you're trying to put in a 3/8" axle. (The difference is small enough that a lot of forks can do both.) If that's the case then the amount of material you'll need to remove per face is tiny, whereas going from 5/16" to 9mm is more work with a lot more care involved.
When I do this I use a flat bastard file to do the "slot" part, the two parallel surfaces. If you wanted to go nuts you could try to maintain the exact original alignment by using a caliper as you go on each slot to make sure you're taking an equal amount off both surfaces. What I do is give each surface alternating or the same number of strokes with my best attempt at the same amount of force until the axle just fits. This is way faster and as long as you're careful, I don't think you could screw up the wheel alignment too bad doing this.
Then you have to do the back of the slot, the curved part. The big trick to the whole thing is re-profiling that area without making it any deeper, or else the fork will lose alignment. You have to be very careful about this. In theory you can do it by taking a round file with the right diameter and working the whole area down, both sides at once. In practice using normal tapered round files I've always had a hard time getting that to work. I always wind up using a smaller round file, like a 6 or 8" bastard, and doing a kind of sweeping technique to get the profile right. It's an analog process and takes practice, and you could ruin the fork. Marking out all the material you want to remove beforehand is a good idea.


Howto design a route in Google Maps on the pc and navigate on the android device

I don't know that you can do this with the apps you are talking about.

However there is hope. Going back to first principles, you have a pc on which you want to create your route, and you have an android device which you want to stick on your bike and use for navigation. Correct?

If you accept that you need to abandon Google Maps altogether, there are whole companies such as RideWithGps who offer this kind of thing. You create your map through their site (as it happens one of the options is to use Google mapping, but there are other options too - including bike path mapping which may be useful for avoiding cars). You save your routes on their site, under an account that you create.

I use this part of their service a lot and I know it works well.

As regards tracking, they offer an Android app designed for exactly that. I have not tried it.

I have a pay subscription with these guys and it didn't cost a lot. But I know they also offer a free account so you might be able to do what I've said for free. I know the Android app is available through the Google App Store but have no idea whether it costs.

Probably worth saying that there are a bunch of known issues with using phones for this kind of thing. Two that immediately spring to mind are battery life (GPS and screen are always on) and a way of securing the phone to the bike without the risk of it flying off.

In the interest of fairness, other companies which offer this kind of thing include MapMyRide and Strava but I only really know of these in passing - in particular I'm not sure how they handle the tracking side. Also Garmin Connect, which I know quite well (and you don't need a Garmin computer to use), and which also has a complementary Android app. Any of these might be better than RWGps in doing what you're looking for.


Improve survivability of bicycle container

The traditional solution on bicycles is metal wire basket. Metal is tougher than plastic and mesh instead of sheet metal makes it lightweight enough.

If you need something waterproof, put your things in waterproof bag or get a more expensive bike-specific rack box.


There are a few questions and answers on this site about wheel compatibility, but here is what you need to know in your situation.

Obviously you need ISO 622 / 700c rim brake wheels.

Dropout spacing on the Allez Sport is standard road bike 130mm rear, 100mm front.

Rim bead seat width should be compatible with the tires you have, or intend to run. A beefier wheelset may have wider rims than those on the Allez. Note that rim width refers to the inner width of the rim where the tire bead engages. Searching on this site or the Internet will yield a chart of rim width to tire width compatibility.

As a heavier rider you may want to run slightly wider tires than the original 25mm. The Allez will probably accommodate 28mm tires. You can check by looking at the clearance between the current tires and frame.

Lastly, the freehub body that the rear sprocket cassette fits on only needs to be compatible with 9 or 10 speed cassettes. (11 speed cassettes require a wider freehub. 9 and 10 speed cassettes can be fitted with spacers, but 11 speed wheels will likely be more expensive.)

You actually have a massive choice of wheels available to you. Search this site for advice for wheels for heavier riders. Wheels aimed at touring bikes with high spoke counts (32 or more) seem to be what heavier riders go for.


Converting triple crank to single or double

At the simplest level you may simply be able to unbolt a chainring and re-set the limit screws on the front derailleur to stop it shifting onto the missing chainring. I assume you're trying to remove the smallest chainring, and those are fairly commonly removable even on cheaper setups. Slightly more expensive setups will have all chainrings removable, so you could remove two chainrings.

If you can't do that it's probable that your bike is so cheap that buying parts for it is a waste of money - while you can buy cheap parts the markup and distribution costs mean you're not saving much over the cost of a better part. But spending $100 on a new crankset for a $300 bike doesn't usually make sense.

What you will probably find is that even with a single chainring you still need the front derailleur to stop the chain falling off. Derailleur systems are designed in many ways to facilitate that, only they call it "changing gear". If you look at many of the 1xN setups on the market they have a chain retention device that does the same thing.

If you just want to find out whether you can deal with only having one chainring, I suggest simply not shifting gears on the front derailleur. See how you go, if you regularly find yourself having to either shift it or get off the bike, a single chainring setup will probably not work for you.


I use a park tool breaker in the shop, but when I'm on the road it's nice to have something very small and light. The Cutter Shorty is a packable bike tool that includes a chain breaker. While not quite as easy to use as a park tool, it's perfect for packing with you. That and a spare master link, and you're set.


I live in Brazil too (Porto Alegre), and I would adivise you to use only roads with wide shoulders ("acostamento") or avenues. Unfortunately, as the vehicles' size (trucks, buses) get bigger than the lanes, biker safety tends to zero.

The most important device I installed in my life is a big helmet-mounted rear-mirror. It took me two weeks to automate it's use, and another six months to cope with the anxiety of looking all those vehicles coming "straight" after me, something I didn't care so much while I was not able to actually see it. Now I've "mastered" its use, I almost nothing look behind turning the head. But sometimes I look more to the mirror than to the way ahead... VERY useful and HIGHLY recommended.

Also, the faster you ride, the safer you are, specially on saturated/near-congested traffic, because you can choose your lane positioning without tempting the rear drivers to overtake you. So, it's worth to invest on a relatively light bike, with relatively narrow/hi-pressure/slick tires, and a pair of strong legs :o)

But, like Guilherme Santos said, things are getting better, slowly. At the same time, unfortunately, dead cyclist news are not uncommon. But, what choice one has but to ride?


this is what I was thinking of swapping out


Is it ever legal in the UK not to have two brakes on a bike?

Yes. A fixed wheel does not need two, it needs only one (on the non-fixed, presumably the front, wheel).

Two separate and independent bracking systems, one per wheel, are required, but as the CTC say

  Apart from saying that a brake that
  acts directly on a pneumatic tyre
  shall not be deemed to be in efficient
  working order, these regulations do
  not define how the brakes are operated
  (by hands, feet or maybe even the
  teeth?) or how they work. A lot of
  words are nevertheless devoted to
  wheels that cannot rotate
  independently of the pedals (i.e. no
  freewheel), the effect of which is
  that a fixed wheel drive counts as a
  braking system – on that wheel or
  wheels.

Note also that, when sold, European regulations dictate that it should be left-hand rear, right-hand front.


The NuVinci system is quite interesting. There is no spring to pull against in the shifting mechanism, the shifter relies on two gear cables. You could reduce the required effort by using the best quality cables and housings available. There is resistance on the shifter though, not dissimilar to a normal grip shifter but without the clicks to power over. Whether it would suit your application very much depends on whether it's easier by a big enough margin to be noticeable.
NuVinci changed their marketing name to enviolo fairly recently. The products are basically the same though. https://www.enviolo.com/en/
Like you might expect, you'll only know for sure once you've tried it. Does anyone in your area use one of these systems?


yep they come in different sized based on what brand the gears are, and what year or model.

Campagnolo, Sram and Shimano the 3 main manufacturer's.

Looking at the stock Ribble sportive bike i'm guessing you will need these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-ergopower-replacement-hoods/

or these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-23-Replacement-Brake-Hood-Covers-for-Campagnolo-11-speed-WHITE-NEW-/280905184450?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item416740f4c2

Campagnolo 10 speed, or modern 10 speed replacement hoods


Where I live the employer would have an obligation under law to "Take all practical steps", however, one practical step for the employer is to remove the bike racks, as these are attracting the thieves, thus, the employer has addressed the issue.

I do not think you want to go quoting various legislation at them. The better way is to sell the benefits of people biking (reduce number of car, healthier people- less time off work (careful here -  accidents can count against you, happier more lively people - more productive when at work.). Sell the benefits of not have low life-cruising company car parks (it's not only cyclists who will get attacked) - they might take a liking to the bosses car....

When you say they refused - how and what did you ask for? Did you leave room to negotiate, to did you demand a they provide a solution to your problem? Was the refusal from one person (say a low level facilities manager), or from the Executive/Senior management team?
A flat refusal with no good reason would seem unlikely to me.


It's a "power lite"

Look where the back wheel mounts, (rear dropouts?) and there might be a "p" marked right there but not always.


Differences between bikes 10 years ago and now?

You did not disclose the used price but that is most likely putting you in a mid range bicycle.

Drive train:
The information I pulled up the drive train is 2 x 10. Seeing more 1 x gearing now but 2 x 10 is in no way obsolete.  You can certainly get 1 x in mid range bicycles.  If 1x gearing is important to you then go with mid range new.  You are going to go from a high group set to a lower end group set.  I would take the older high end group set every time if it is in working order.

Brakes:
The 2007 has rim brakes. In the mid range you now have the option of disc brakes.  Do you want disc brakes?  Rim brakes are not obsolete and have done the job for many years.

Rims / Wheels:
You are definitely going to take step down on wheels. If the wheels are in good shape I would rather have older high end wheels.

Frame:
Frame, headset, bottom bracket are all modern.

Use case:
If you are not going to race you may select a different style of bike but the Roubaix is a nice versatile bike.

Value:
You don't say the price but compare that price to the new bikes at that price. My experience is you can get some really good pricing on high end bikes as high end riders with the money want to trade up and get the latest and greatest.  Sponsored riders get a bike a year for cost or less.  According to Kelly the price in excellent condition is $1100 and that is a much nicer bike than a new $1100 bike in my opinion.  If they want $2000 US I would say no as then you can get into a lot more options new with a frame warranty and I would go 1x with disc and stretch it to $3000.  Wearables on that bike are $400.

Risk:
As with any used bike you risk the frame is damaged and that is not always apparent.  But for the right price it is worth it for the wheels and components alone.


You're describing a Fat-Front setup.

Cornering on soft surfaces should be improved, as well as shock absorption if you run low pressure, but drive would only improve in the case where the fat front tyre can compact snow enough for the regular rear tyre to dig in less than it would on a standard MTB.


The bike should be fine for your weight, assuming you use the bike for its intended purpose.  Which would be on-road riding, not off-road riding or other high impact activities.

For your information, 32 spokes is not that little,  wheels with less spokes are also often rated for up to 109KG.


Could I have damaged the bearings/cone when replacing a tire? Front wheel wobbles side to side

Any time you change your tire it's a good opportunity to check the condition of your cones and bearings.

What sometimes happens is that the cones or retention nuts are starting to loosen, but the compression of the mounting nuts or quick release skewer holds everything together tight enough that you don't notice. After changing the tire, you may install it with less tension on the mounting nuts or skewer, and this allows the slack in the system to be noticeable.

It's easy to fix with a set of cone wrenches, or a regular combination wrench. An advantage to specialized cone wrenches is that they are normally thin enough to tighten or loosen the cones while the wheel is still on the bike.

It's unlikely you damaged the cones or bearings while changing the tire, but you can destroy the entire hub very quickly if you ride on a hub with loose cones.


How do I know whether my bike can use disk brakes?

You have to check if the frame and fork support this. That is, are there a couple of holes where the disc brakes are supposed to be, like the ones in this picture:

You will need to change the front and rear wheel, as your current ones probably do not have the six mounting holes for discs.
You may consider exchanging only the front brake, as it is generally more often used. Leaving the rear brake a V-brake will help with not adding so much weight to the bike (and expense).


Best entry level heavy rider bike: Northrock XC00 vs. Mongoose Mushaboom

You have chosen these two bikes based on the information that you know.
Experience riding either of these two bikes is not listed as part of your evaluation criteria.

Deciding which bike to buy is:

Very important because:
A. It is a large purchase
B. Your choice will have a large effect on how much you enjoy riding. If you get a bike that is not fun to ride you won't want to ride it and it will sit in the garage collecting dust.
Very difficult because:
A. There are so many bikes to choose from sold by several different vendors
B. There are so many opinions
C. A good choice will be made based on many factors - some of which you can't know without knowing your own preferences.

Due to the reasons listed above don't buy a bike without riding it first.

This means that you need to visit your local bike shop(s).

A good shop will

Give you friendly no purchase required advice.
Let you test ride bikes to see what works for you.
Be more interested in you getting the right bike than making a sale.

After visiting the bike shop you may have narrowed your search down enough that you can find a place that will rent you the kind(s) of bike you are interested in. This will get you some real saddle time so you can learn what your preferences are and factor them into your buying decision.

Other information from Bicycle Stack Exchange that might be helpful when visiting the bike shop:
How to choose a bike shop
What do I get when I pay more for a bike?
Choosing my first bike


By higher gears I assume you mean smaller cogs on the back, which are higher ratio gears.  Usually your derailleur won't go there it's because of cable friction, although you could have a bent derailleur or derailleur tab.

If you remove the cable from the derailleur it should drop down into these gears.  If not it's probably due to a bent hanger or derailleur.  If you can physically shift the derailleur to all the cogs with your hand on the derailleur then you should change the cable.  I'm assuming that your gears used to all work and that you haven't messed with the limit screws.

A good way to check your limit screws is with the cable detached from the derailleur and then push the derailleur with your hand as far inside as it can and let it drop as far as it will. This completely eliminates cable friction.

With the cable attached to the rear derailleur I like to shift the derailleur into the smallest gear in the back and then grab the cable that goes to it as it runs down the downtube and pull it until the derailleur shifts to the biggest rear gear, this is the best way test for the L limit screw and it prestretches the cable, so won't have to adjust it as soon.  I learned this from a Mavic neutral support mechanic.


What is the frame called that fits 700c wheels?

There's no 'official' standard, as mentioned in the comments. However, in a crude sense, I'd call them 'road frames.'

BMX Frame - Accepts 20" Wheels
Cruiser Frame - Accepts 24" Wheels
Mountain Bike / MTB Frame - Generally accepts 26" mountain bike wheels, unless specified otherwise
'29er' Frame - 29" Mountain bike wheels
Road Frame - Generally accepts 700c wheels

I'm sure there's exceptions to every one of these.


Child seat: how to keep the child's head from falling forward?

Here is a solution that actually worked very well -- and during our testing it appears safe to use, seemingly also in the event of an accident. (If you disagree, please explain why!)

What we did was to loop a thick soft rubber band around the helmet's headband, and then secure the other end of the rubber band to the seatback using a bit of string through one of the shoulder-strap openings, to achieve a horizontal pull.

Earlier, we tried looping the rubber band through one of the helmet's air vents, but this caused problems: pulling the helmet back towards the neck revealing the forehead, and potentially putting upwards pressure on the chin strap. Evidently, the helmet's shell should be left alone.

Attaching the rubber band to the helmet's headband was much better. As you can see from the photo, it provides a very level pull (not angled) in the perfectly opposite direction of the force of the falling head. The length of the rubber band also allows sufficient freedom of movement so it doesn't restrict the child when he's awake. Since the headband is already designed to spread the pressure evenly around the head, it also appeared to comfortably spread the "hold-back force" (feel free to edit my lacking English).