source
stringlengths 620
29.3k
| target
stringlengths 12
1.24k
|
|---|---|
Wobbly splined cranks, yet bolts are very tight I have a road bike with ISIS splined cranks. I've been noticing front derailleur rub lately, and when I took a look, both of my crank arms are wobbly. The retaining nut is very tight, so tight on the drive side that I can't even back it out. The bike is an entry level bike equipped with Shimano Sora. Except for the crankset, which is an alloy crank from (Taiwan). I checked the BB by seeing whether the wobble transmits to the other side, or to the crank axle. It does not. Each crank independently wobbles. From what I've read, this implies that the crank splines are worn. I am thinking the most conservative move is to replace the cranks and see what happens. The most aggressive repair is to replace the entire crankset, including BB and chain rings. Are there any options that I have missed? <Q> Sounds like wear between cranks and bottom bracket. <S> Strange <S> its the same on both sides <S> , I'd expect your primary foot side to be more worn. <S> Have a good look at the interface between crank and BB. <S> Look for wear and witness marks to see if they're worn together <S> or just the BB or <S> just the cranks are worn. <S> You shouldn't have to change your chainrings unless they're a one-piece unit with the right-hand crank. <A> Ok, I bought the tools needed to break loose the retaining bolts on the ISIS cranks. <S> The problem is that the aluminum splines on the cranks were worn / out of shape. <S> Instead of a nice cylindrical shape, they were flattened. <S> I'm somewhat disappointed in the ISIS spline system for a couple of reasons: 1) minimal surface area to retain crank. <S> The bolt basically holds the ends of the crank spline flush with the receiving BB splines. <S> So if the tiny aluminum ends on the crank deform, the whole interface will start moving around.2) retaining bolt needs to be torqued to around 35 ft lbs. <S> That is more than I can muster on the road with a mini toolkit, if a bolt were to loosen. <S> Meh, I'd rather have the two 7 ft lb bolts that modern cranksets use. . <S> Thanks for the advice. <S> I've ordered a Shimano Hollowtech crankset and will get rid of the ISIS stuff. <S> Unfortunately, I still have to buy the ISIS BB tool, even though I will use it exactly one time <S> ;) . <S> Update <S> I installed the new crankset (Shimano Sora), chain (SRAM PC-991), and BB (Shimano Ultegra Hollowtech). <S> I've been riding on it for a year now. <S> Derailleur chain rub is gone, drivetrain action is very smooth and quiet. <S> The crankset is very solid, and now I can confidently stand on the pedals when needed. <S> Cost about one hundred bucks total, and an hour or two to install. <S> Thanks for the advice and help. <A> I have owned a similar ISIS splined crankset made by Truvative, and had a similar experience. <S> I ride approximately 25 miles per day, and the cranks were worn out in a week. <S> My advice would be this: toss them, and get something more durable. <S> I found a pair of Specialized S Works cranks and bottom bracket for $6,00 at the local bike co-op and have been extremely happy with them. <S> Good luck.
|
The problem, I believe, is the interface between the hard steel of the bottom bracket, and the soft, light aluminum alloy of the crank arms; once you crank them down there's no way to keep the arms from wearing out.
|
Are two different tires marked with the same dimensions (700 x 25c) the same size? Both sets of tires are from different reputable manufactures but the details are the same. ie Clinchers folding etc. I recently changed my tires on a road bike, the clearance on top section of the rear seat stay was always very small with OEM wheels and tires. I would guess about 3-4mm. I got new tires with the same specs from different manufacture and at the recommended psi the clearance from the top of the seat stay is about 1mm and I never noticed it while riding about 3k miles. But once i took it apart i noticed that the tire has been rubbing on the seat stay. I can see the paint has rubbed of slightly. Update: picture below - hard to see because of brakes but the top of the seatstay is marked with red line and the top of the tire is marked with green line. Wheels are true! <Q> I'd check if the wheel was in properly and is in good condition (true) along with the tire being mounted properly on the rim. <S> There is some variation in tires true sizes despite being marked the same size, though half a cm would be a lot larger variation than one could reasonably expect, especially with older tires . <S> Features like studs, knobs can also affect this. <S> If you have reasonable clearance for a given size of tire, one should reasonably expect a similar tire from another manufacturer to also give reasonable clearance, though this is not always the case. <A> Yes, it is possible that the tires are sized differently. <S> Part of the issue lies in the fact that tire profile changes slightly depending on the rim it is affixed to. <S> Essentially, a narrower rim will result in a larger outer diameter and a narrower profile while a wider rim will result in the tire having a smaller diameter and wider profile. <S> But since there is no standard rim size in the bike industry, upon which rim size do you base your measurements? <S> Different tire manufacturers have settled on what they believe to be the 'best' or 'most true', but with no consensus, there's bound to be some inconsistency. <S> But that's not all. <S> There's also a historical precedent (admittedly much diminished in the past couple of decades) of tire manufacturers intentionally LYING about their tire sizing. <S> Why would this occur? <S> Because having the lightest tire is a sales point. <S> But what if your tire isn't actually the lightest one out there? <S> Well, maybe your 23 is lighter than the lightest 25, and no one's going to pull out the calipers to actually CHECK. <S> So, just change the number on the sidewall and happily claim to be the lightest "x25" tire in the world. <S> Interesting historical oddity: Why do we call tires that fit on 622mm rims "700c" (actual outer diameter ~660mm) and tires that fit on 571mm <S> rims "650c" <S> (actual outer diameter ~610mm)? <S> Answers: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#french <A> Short answer: Not necessarily. <S> Longer answer: <S> Time ago wheels started to have more standard sizes (650b,700c) and at some point manufacturers made tires with a slightly lower size but labeled as standard, which still happens nowadays. <S> Judging by the picture, the tires you used are some Continental Grand Prix 4000 S II which are slightly bigger due to the ticker tire compound, and if you were to try some Continental Gator Skin from the "Same" size they would simply not fit (Since the ticker shell for extra puncture protection make them bigger than measured in most cases). <S> Still, that amount of clearance is pretty low and I have seen it only on aerodynamic frames which try to keep the turbulence at minimum by eliminating any gaps between components. <S> If this is not your case, you may want to go with smaller tires in order to have some clearance (To avoid scratching or damaging the components due to any debris stuck in between).
|
Tire manufacturers have become much more consistent in their sizing, but there are still small variations.
|
Can I put a lower geared cassette on my bike? I bought a bike recently that has a 34 front 28 rear gear ratio. It is an Elfama E2500, which is a Korean brand I believe. It has a Shimano Claris (which is rated for up to 32 teeth) rear derailleur and an 8 speed 11-28 cassette in the back. I would like to go with as big of a gear as possible for climbing, somethine like 11-32 which is the biggest I can find in an 8 speed. Something like this... http://goo.gl/eLbluH Will this fit? Is there some other variable I am missing? Would it be possible to go up to a 10 speed cassette without changing too much on the bike? <Q> Changing to 10 speed gets real expensive real quick, because you need new chain, cassette, shifter at a minimum. <S> 32 tooth is 4 more than 28, so its a ~14.3% increase. <S> That's quite a lot - you will need extra chain links, and your rear derailleur will need adjusting and may not work with the extra teeth. <S> It's hard to be sure without trying it. <S> Your other possible change is to shrink the smallest of your front chainrings. <S> This may mean slower changes between rings, or the FD may not have enough capacity. <S> Final option is to grin and bear it. <S> Climbs up hills aren't fun. <S> They're supposed to be a workout. <A> Going to a wider cassette also means having to spread the rear triangle apart. <S> I have done this for one additional gear. <S> But for two gears on a 8 to 10, sounds like that is pushing it a bit. <S> Oh- <S> when I did this, it was with a vintage friction shifter bike. <S> All I had to do was adjust the derailer to expand the range. <S> Shifters have been indexed now for awhile, so this could be a problem. <A> The chances are this is an alloy bike. <S> Cold setting is only for steel, which your vintage bike probably was. <S> Even if the frame is steel, the OP would also need a new wheel and new set of shifters. <S> That would Penally cost more than the bike is worth.
|
You'll also need a medium or long cage rear derailleur to help take up the difference in chain length.
|
Front derailleur cable tension too high with Acera shifter and Ultegra derailleur I'm trying to install some Acera trigger shifters to use with my Ultegra derailleurs. The rear derailluer/shifter combo (8 speed) is working great. The front however (3 chain rings) seems to have a problem. I have to push extremely hard on the shifter to move from the lowest chain ring to the second, and it is almost impossible to apply enough force to get from the 2nd to the 3rd chain ring. I actually broke a cable trying to go from the 2nd chain ring to 3rd. I've tried messing with the barrel adjusters at the down tube and at the shifters to change the cable tension but it doesn't seem to have much effect. It almost seems like there is not enough mechanical advantage. Is it possible that the combination of the Acera trigger shifters and the Ultegra front derailleur is not a good one? <Q> I just figured it out... <S> the front derailleur cable wasn't going over the leverage tab on the derailleur correctly. <S> I had it going under <S> and that's why there was no leverage going into the largest chain ring. <S> Here is an image of what I mean by leverage tab: http://hostelshoppe.com/PDF/ftder_cable_routing.pdf <A> They're not compatible. <S> Shimano road and mountain front shiters and derailers have different pull ratios. <S> They can be made to kinda-sorta work but will always perform badly, tending to have issues with other chain rub or chain drop depending on what compromise you make. <S> It does sound like you are having other problems with your cables that explain the extreme amount of force required to move them. <A> I would tell you to do these things: 1) Install new cables and cable housings. <S> Even if it is, take it out and wash and scrub it. <S> Do not lube it as that will only attract dirt. <S> 3) Make sure that the travel distance for the derailleur cage is adequate.
|
You could have the high screw setting too tight, preventing the cage from moving out enough so the cable can pull it and the chain onto the 3rd chain ring. 2)Be sure that the cable guide underneath the bottom bracket shell is clean.
|
What's the story of Shimano PD-T780 Deore XT Pedals? I've seen these alleged XT group pedals on several web sites, but they aren't on Shimano's site. The "PD-T780 Deore XT Pedal" is sold at Arts Cyclery ( http://www.artscyclery.com/ ), Amazon, and REI, but at none of my usual online bike retailers. It's odd for an XT product -- it's a dual purpose flat/SPD pedal. Was it an old product that's no longer sold? Could it be a counterfeit? (If so, weird that REI would sell it.) From http://www.artscyclery.com/Shimano_PD-T780_XT_2-Way_Pedals/descpage-SHT78PD.html <Q> Shimano often doesn't market or stock components targeted at the Euro trekking market in North America, including these pedals, many cranks belonging to their MTB groups with slightly upsized chainrings, generator hubs, etc. <S> They're on Shimano's Cycling Europe site. <S> Distributors and large retailers can generally get any of it specially brought in if they want. <A> Its a combo SPD and touring pedal, so one side for MTB cleats and the other side is flat for the times you can't be bothered putting on your riding shoes. <S> The manual may be found here <S> https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/si/SI-46P0A-001-ENG.pdf and the exploded view is https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-PD-T780-3196A.pdf <A> The PD-T780 is an discontinued model. <S> For 2016, they have been replaced by the PD-T8000. <S> It seems the main difference is the PD-T8000 has metal pins on the flat side, so they should give better grip for your shoes. <S> Plus it is a slightly different shaped platform. <S> It is different to the XT for mountain bikes (currently XT M8000). <S> So some bike shops may not sell the whole range of trekking components.
|
Shimano Deore XT T8000 is a groupset designed for trekking, touring and commuting bicycles.
|
Dual water bottle brackets on a single frame mount? I'm looking for a way to mount two water bottle cages on the seat tube . Is there any way to make this hold two water bottle cages on one bracket / mount point? <Q> There are lots of clamp-on bottle cages <S> (google link), letting you add bottles wherever you have space on your bike (this is just one design, and <S> not a particularly good one IMO, better to have two clamps): <S> Or some clamps that let you mount conventional cages: <S> Also, Advantages of mounting bottle under frame has a discussion of places to get more bottles onto your frame that might give you some ideas. <S> There are lots of clamp-on bottle cages available, so you really can just screw one on wherever there is space. <S> Finding a single part that will bolt onto your existing mounts is going to be hard. <S> Putting the bottles side by side will make them too wide for you to ride comfortably, so I'm guessing you were imagining something like this? <S> That's a long, skinny bit of metal, that has to hold a litre or more of water... weighing a kilogramme or more. <S> It's going to be hard to build. <A> Why two bottles? <S> Why not one larger bottle? <S> Or a longer bottle which won't be as wide Between your downtube and seattube holders <S> you will have 1.5-1.6 Litres of liquid, and more if you use bigger bottles. <S> If ~3 litres is not enough, go for a bigger hydration pack. <S> Other options are hang one or two off the rear of the seat, (high and aft weight) <S> One behind the seatpost (high and aft) one or two on the handlebars (high and forward weight, plus gets in the way of cockpit, not aero, and weights the steering like a basket) under the downtube ( ++Low and central, but very hard to get to while riding On the fork legs ( bad aero, weights the steering, risk of touching spinning wheel) <S> Frozen one in the middle back pocket - works <S> okay <S> but is still high/aft weight, and its on the rider too. <A> I fell over a solution you might be interested in: the WOLF TOOTH B-RAD 4 <S> It's exactly like @Moz drawing, just irl. <S> See https://bikepacking.com/gear/wolf-tooth-b-rad/ (quite far down) for details <S> Please notice: <S> i neither own nor know that product in any more detail
|
I suggest grabbing a couple of bottles and trying to fit them into the frame. You'll have problems getting both in there unless your seat tube is really long.
|
How can I remove the small slitted nuts to open an old rear hub? This is an old back hub that has back-pedal break, and two internal gears. As pictured it has two slitted nuts that lock the hub. Which tool should I use to remove these nuts without damaging them? Is there some way of removing them without a special tool? <Q> With an angle grinder and a flat file you can easily make a tool for this purpose from flat iron (preferably hardened): <S> If you use hardened flat iron, make sure to spray or dip it in water regularly too not lose the tempering when grinding. <S> The small tip that fits into the slit of the nut needs to be finished with the flat file since the angle grinder doesn't reach to make it the right angle. <A> The correct tool is called a collet/slotted nut wrench/spanner (regional variation on names). <S> I've not seen a cycle tool company version that small <S> but you can buy them online in both a fixed and adjustable width. <A> You need a pin spanner, regional wording may vary. <S> http://www.parktool.com/product/pin-spanner-red-spa-2 <A> Some people use a screwdriver and a hammer, tapping the nut in the direction you want to go. <S> I personally have not done that, and I don't recommend it. <S> But some people do this, and it seems to work for them. <S> Not ideal, but could get you out of a bind if you have limited $ at the moment. <A> How about using a file to file some flat surfaces onto the nut, so that it then takes an ordinary wrench for hex nuts?
|
As suggested above you can fashion a tool or use a hammer and screwdriver/ punch to loosen the nut.
|
Is it ever useful to use lubricating grease with EP additives anywhere on a bike? In the shops where I buy lubricating grease there are two main kinds: Regular lubricating grease of semi transparent yellowish quality. Lubricating grease with EP additives (Extreme Pressure additives) that is grey and not transparent. Is it every useful to use the (EP) lubricant of the latter kind anywhere on a bike? <Q> The simple answer is no, because loads, RPMs, and temperatures on bike bearings are all relatively low. <S> Whether the drawbacks of any of the EP additives might ever come into play in any bicycle application I don't know. <S> But using common moly EP lithium grease is fine. <A> From the wikipedia page that you link to: <S> Unlike antiwear additives, extreme pressure additives are rarely used in motor oils. <S> The sulfur or chlorine compounds contained in them can react with water and combustion byproducts, forming acids that facilitate corrosion of the engine parts and bearings.[1] <S> So it sounds as though the EP additives shouldn't be used on a bicycle that will be out in the rain or otherwise exposed to water. <S> If you do use grease with those additives, it would be best to find a grease that is designed for water exposure. <A> If you get it cheap, then perhaps. <S> However I use a marine grease for everything that needs grease, on the basis its better for water exposure, and perhaps salt depending on your winter roads.
|
Any of the common bearing greases are fine, and if the bike ever gets ridden in wet conditions then water resistance easily becomes the most important variable factor among greases.
|
Is the shifter really broken? My high shifter isn't shifting in gears 1-4 (5-8 are fine). I took it to a shop and they said I need a new shifter because it's in "really bad shape". No details or anything. Does it seem like they're pulling a fast one on me? Thanks. <Q> But if you don't know whether to trust them or not, you can try to show your bike to another shop. <A> The main reason most of the times in these cases is a sluggish and stuck lip or teeth in the shifterCheck this video. <S> It should help <A> What type of shifter is it? <S> As there are several kinds (Friction, stem, twist, rapid fire...) <S> and whether if a "Really bad shape" is the most likely cause will vary. <S> With down tube frictions shifters for example, they need almost no maintenance (Besides tightening the screw now and then) but with twister shifters it is common for the internals to wear out and not being able to stay on place. <S> As mentioned in another answer if you don't trust this bicycle store, take your bike to another one for a second opinion and get things clarified.
|
Normally, a shop will not lie on their customers, as they do want you to come back again.
|
How to pass another bicycle in a bike lane I bike to and from work in New York City, and I have noticed that while I stay very far to the right in the bike lane (literally on the line that marks the right most boundary of the bike lane), maybe about 70% of the cyclists who pass me do so on the right, despite the fact that there is more room on my left than on my right. I was wondering... Am I wrong to try to stay to the right? What's the correct way to pass another bicyclist in a bike lane? What else can I do to make it easier for others to pass me? (I would say I am an average speed commuter, and I probably pass about as many people as pass me) *Edit: many bike lanes in New York City are on the left side of the road, and sandwiched between the side walk and parked cars <Q> Nobody should pass you on the right, which is a bit dangerous because you don't expect it and because there isn't as much room. <S> (I'm speaking for countries where people drive on the right side of the road. <S> In countries where people drive on the left, then bicyclists should pass on the right, of course. <S> Also, as @g.rocket points out, if the bike lane is on the 'left' side of a one-way street as is common in New York City, that is to say on the other side from where it would be if the road were two-way, then one should ride on the 'left' and pass on the 'right'.) <S> Then pass on the left. <S> I think the best way to make it easier for others to pass is to be aware of your surroundings (a mirror helps), to stay to the right, and to ride predictably. <S> As @JoshCaswell notes, when you are being passed, resist the urge to move further to the right and just keep going in a straight line. <S> Point before you turn! <A> There are good reasons to stay to the outside of the bike lane (left in your case): <S> Less debris, fewer potholes (e.g. around drains), better visiblity for both you and people you don't want to drive into you. <S> There are also good reasons to keep tucked in, such as letting people pass easily (though this only realy applies in the lane is wide). <S> If the bike lane passes parked cars , I'd want to be on the side further from them, even if the lane isn't a door's width. <S> In Europe, including the UK, but to varying extents, the rule of the road (for cars and bikes) is keep tucked in (right in US/most of EU, left in UK) unless overtaking, for which you pull out. <S> This seems much less the case in the US (certainly the LA freeways were interesting from this point of view), which probably affects cycling behaviour as well. <S> Bike lanes that are wide enough to pass in are rare enough in many countries that the etiquette isn't well established. <S> I don't think I've ever seen an on-road bike lane in the UK that was twice as wide as my (mtb-style) handlebars despite living in a relatively bike-friendly city; I have seen bike lanes that were narrower than my bars. <S> Wider bike paths are often off road (and shared with pedestrians); passing there is less road-like and tends to happen on both sides. <A> In a narrow bike lane, there is insufficient space for one bicycle to safely overtake another. <S> Therefore, to overtake another bicycle, you should pass into the car lane when it is safe to do so, overtake there, and then pass back into the bicycle lane, again when it is safe to do so. <S> Change lanes for the overtake maneuver — just like you would in a car. <A> In my experience, the convention is for the overtaking bicyclist to shout "on your left!" <S> or simply "Left!" <S> whenever they want to warn/demand something ahead of them to move to the right to make room -- another bicyclist, a pedestrian, whatever. <S> Personally, I find the traditional bicycle bell more polite.
|
In my opinion, you should not need to ring your bell when you overtake, unless several cyclists are cyclist abreast and making it impossible for anybody to pass, but this is more likely on a bike path than on a bike lane. You're doing the right thing by generally staying to the right. The correct way to pass is to first announce your intent, either by ringing a bell or saying "passing on your left" or something similar. A polite warning is never wrong, though being heard can be tricky.
|
Is there an online bike map for the Grand Rounds bike trail in Minnesota? This one is solid but not detailed. This is just the south loop. This says it's "available at the Longfellow House in Minnehaha Park and at rec centers and refectories along the route." Google just shows a place . Edit : Minneapolis just posted this map which is pretty good. <Q> You can get a printed map from Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board office:2117 West River Road <S> Or, you can call 612-230-6400 or email <S> info@minneapolisparks.org <S> and they’ll send you one. <S> http://wwwdocs.minneapolismn.gov/bike/index.html shows all the bike stuff might be overly detailed. <S> Apparently its well signposted with maps on the way. <S> They're not small maps! <S> According to this photo blog its well marked <A> You can use the Waymarked Trails website to view it on a map. <S> Waymarked Trails - Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway <S> That has a link to download it as a GPX file, so you could load that onto a GPS device, or other mapping software as required. <A> The first map the OP linked to plus a little bit of colloborating at google maps is the best source of info. <S> As the other poster said, there is pretty good signage, and for the majority of it, you are on a seperate bike path. <S> There are however, a couple unusual apsects: <S> The NE missing link. <S> From about Huron and the river road, to Stinson and St. Anthony Parkway, the train is not yet completed. <S> I believe construction has begun <S> but I don't know when it is expected to finish. <S> You can actually see the missing link on the map pictured in the other answer, in the Northeast section. <S> A section of W River road near Franklin <S> I believe is still closed due to the landslide a year or two ago (2014 or 15). <S> There is a not very thouroughly enforced but still present 10mph speed limit on all the bike paths, which is ridiculously slow for most riders. <S> However, with the exception of the roads around the lakes, the other roads comprising the GRSB have all been paved recently <S> so are pretty good riding, and they have 25 mph (which no motorist obeys) speed limits on them. <S> The roads around the lakes aren't as smooth but they are still good enough. <S> The previous point is important during nice weather because it will be very busy, and much of the traffic will be families with kids rolling along at 3mph, roller bladers, and other people that aren't supposed to be on the bike path <S> but they'll be there anyway. <S> So expect to take the roads in nice weather anyway. <S> Source: <S> Minneapolis resident.
|
It seems most of it is mapped on OpenStreetMap. Once a year the Minneapolis Park Board puts on the Grand Rounds Scenic Bike Tour , which is an opportunity to ride the whole path in a big group.
|
Where do people in Netherlands wash their bikes? This would seem to be an absurd question, but I would like to know (especially from the Dutch or people staying in Netherlands) where do they clean their bikes? I am talking about: a) Cleaning bike that's badly covered in mud / sand. In Netherlands there are not many trails, but there is a wonderful beach nearby. I would love to ride on the beach but won't because I am staying in an apartment that has an extremely small bathroom and there is no balcony / terrace that I can use. I would not like to choke the bathroom outlet with too much of dust and dirt. b) During rainy season after a few rides where to rinse the bike with normal clean water? My situation: I do not have the facility to use a water spray / jet spray that I can for cleaning my bike on the pavement outside my apartment. My bikes I own an MTB currently and am soon planning to buy a nice road bike as well. Despite what bike I own I love it and would like to keep it in the best possible condition. People in Netherlands are passionate about biking and often ride good road bikes, and I'm sure the enthusiastic riders would've also definitely have faced such situation while caring for their bikes. I am looking for some useful ways of cleaning here. <Q> Like one of these - Portable Pressure Sprayer . <S> They aren't high enough pressure to cause problems to bearings and light enough to carry up and down stairs in an apartment building/small enough to store under a kitchen sink. <A> Given the number of rainy days in the Netherlands, just keep your bike outside for a few days :) <S> No seriously, I lived several years in Amsterdam, and never ever washed my bikes. <S> Dutch style would be to bring down a bucket from your flat and wash your bike with a cloth or a sponge and water from the nearest canal. <S> If the bike is correctly designed it will withstand lots of mud. <S> Just keeping the chain clean from sand is usually sufficient. <A> Another option is hand wipes, like baby wipes without the baby odor. <S> Wet Ones Big Ones are my favorite. <S> There are other (more expensive) brands made specifically for cleaning bikes. <S> I use them to clean my bike when traveling in the Netherlands and other places where it's not easy to wash my bike with a bucket or hose. <A> when i am cleaning my bicycle i just use a rag with a little wd 40 on it.its a good idea to clean all the spokes as well as the rest of the bike as it will alert you to any problems that need to be fixed( e.g loose spokes)
|
In my little experience washing too hard a bike is usually counter-productive. I use a portable weed sprayer with warm water in it.
|
How tight should the tandem front chain be? I have a Thorn Me'n'u2 triplet (three seater tandem), and was having a problem where whenever I tried to accelerate suddenly (either solo or with stoker(s)), the front chain seemed to fall off (happened at least once every time we went out). I tightened it up (removed a link and turned the offset bottom bracket) so it was then pretty tight (taught top and bottom, only moves a bit when squeezing the middle), and that problem stopped happening - so far so good. Later on tour we saw someone with a similar tandem but their front chain seemed very saggy - they were stopped, and it was drooping very noticeably both on top and bottom. I didn't have a chance to talk to them, but presumably they weren't having the same troubles. Does this suggest something else is/was wrong on mine, and that it should be ok with a much looser chain? <Q> The sync chains should always be tight enough that they're not physically capable of falling off, and there shouldn't be any easily perceptible droop, ideally in any rotational position. <S> If you pull the chain up and down, it should have a little bit of flex and "give" to it, the feeling of the pins having some aggregate movement to give in their inner plate bushings. <S> Some sources like to give specific amounts of free movement that indicate a properly tensioned chain, but this is the wrong approach because it depends on the length and the internal clearances of the chain. <S> Too tight is when you can feel any binding or extra friction. <S> Sometimes parts with poor concentricity or damage force compromises where there may be some spots with slight binding/friction. <S> On a nicer bike like this one would hope not, but it's not the end of the world. <S> Incorrect chainline will encourage dropping in a sync/singlespeed chain capable of it. <S> But mostly the right answer is the chain shouldn't be capable of it, and if it is then problems are likely. <A> Sometimes whether or not you can see the droop depends on the angle. <S> Whether it is a problem might depend on pedalling style. <S> As long as you still have a little slack at all points around the pedal stroke, it's not too tight. <S> Tight spots can cause resistance turning the pedals and additional wear to the chain and rings. <S> As Sheldon Brown notes : <S> Once you have the chainrings centered and secured, adjust the eccentric to make the chain as nearly tight as possible without binding. <S> That is how freely it should turn when you are done, but with as little chain droop as possible. <S> Here's a simple explanation/adaptation of sync chain adjustment from the Thorn manual for anyone who hasn't seen it. <A> Ideally 4 mm would be better. <S> If you replace the timing chain, get 1/8 inch chain, not 3/32 inch chain. <S> There are no sideways forces, and the timing chainrings are intended for wider chain.
|
On the other extreme, if its rock hard then its too tight, and will accelerate wear on timing chainrings and the chain itself. Notice how freely the cranks turn when the chain is too loose. Opinion answer - maximum of 8 mm of slack/displacement when you push the top of the timing chain down.
|
Touring on a Tri bike? I'm going on a coast to coast tour, fully supported, so only carrying what I need for the day. I have a Trek Speed Concept I have used for Ironman races and a few multi day tours (75 mile days). I used a touring bike with a triple for a similar ride a few years ago. It was great in the mountains (and for being new to riding at the time), but felt slow the rest of the time. Really wanting to take the Speed Concept on this ride...compact crank with 11/28 cassette, Thoughts? Am I nuts? <Q> It depends entirely on what your are trying to accomplish and what your expectations are. <S> Many RAAM riders opt for a TT style setup, so don't let the long distance dissuade based on "it's not done" that way, because it is (by some riders). <S> A large consideration may be parts and maintenance. <S> Most traditional touring bikes opt for simpler parts that are easy to repair or find replacements for. <S> I saw a guy attempt a similar thing on a TT bike starting up north on the Haul Road and planning to finish in South America. <S> He crashed soon into his ride and needed a new derailleur hanger and bar end shifter for his fancy bike. <S> Since the hanger wasn't available in town (direct from manufacturer part) <S> our mechanic had to fabricate him a hanger out of scrap. <S> For the shifter, nothing (within reasonable expense) could be done. <S> He was forced to call ahead to a shop in Canada and hope they could get one ordered and available by the time he got there, then ride without it for several hundred miles. <S> Also, from commentary from links on another answer, tire selection may be impacted. <S> Depending on the rear tolerances on your TT bike, your selection of tires may be limited to less than desirable tires for touring. <S> The point being that TT bikes tend toward extreme specialization and part styles that aren't often carried in stock. <A> you'll be on all day, day after day, trying to enjoy yourself. <S> It's true that this could be mitigated somewhat with a position change, ie taller stem and tilting up the bars. <S> That's fine except that it tends to be the case with bikes like this that any significant change requires fully re-cabling it. <S> Also, presuming it has a carbon steerer, you shouldn't put a steerer extender on it. <A> I wouldn't do it myself, but for what it's worth, I met a buy biking across Canada last year on a Cervelo TT bike. <S> He was pretty out there though. <S> He was a former bike courier who decided he wanted to do a bike tour then get into time trialing, and rather than buy two separate bikes for the two tasks, he just bought a TT bike. <S> Repainted it with a hatchet motif, swapped out the fork for another carbon one that had mid-fork eyelets <S> (I'm guess Specialized Tricross), put front panniers and some frame bags on the thing, zip-tied a hatchet to the frame and off <S> he went. <S> You can check out his setup here: <S> https://www.instagram.com/p/5iamznzhUM/ <S> So it can definitely be done. <S> Whether you'll enjoy the ride as much as your buddies who are on touring bikes or even just endurance road bikes, is another question.
|
Most people, even pro racers, would find that everything about what creates a desirable rider position on a tri bike would be close to the diametric opposite in terms of priorities to what you want on a touring bike As long as you are aware, careful, bring your own second TT bike, or comfortable with the possible delays (or some combination of the 4) it may be fine.
|
Dull pain in knees I recently bought my first road bike, a secondhand 2014 Specialized Allez. I've so far cycled roughly 250km over the last 4 weeks. I'm 195cm, 87kg. The frame is a 58cm. I'm struggling to determine whether the very dull ache I have in my knees is due to my body adapting to the new motion of cycling, or if there is an inherent problem with my riding position. I had previously not been exercising regularly. On a typical ride, I cycle around 30-40km at around 25km/h. I know cycling should not cause pain, which could indicate a poor fit. However, the feeling I have in my knee is less of a pain, and more of a light dull ache. Should I find time to have my bike fitted or ride it out (see what I did there?) and wait for my legs to strengthen? I have followed a broad fitting guide online previously. <Q> One simple rule of thumb stated before in this Q/A : <S> If your knee hurts in front, your seat is too far forward. <S> If your knee hurts in the back, your seat is to far backward. <S> Remember that small changes of just a millimeter or two can make a big difference. <S> So make small adjustments and try them out for a bit before adjusting again. <S> While none of these are your exact question, we have frequently discussed knee pain here, with responses about both bike fit and exercises that can be used to stretch and strengthen the connective tissue. <S> You might want to check out the following questions: How to adjust seat saddle and saddle position for knee pain? <S> How to avoid knee pain when cycling <S> What are some good exercises to prevent knee pain? <A> The two most common mistakes of novice cyclists are having the seat too low, and cycling in too difficult a gear. <S> Both are apt to produce knee pain. <S> You should choose a gear that lets you maintain at least 60 revolutions per minute (one turn a second) on the pedals (this rate is known as "cadence"), and ideally 80 RPM or so. <S> Or another rule of thumb is to get at least one and preferably two turns of the crank for each breath you take. <A> You don't mention if you are using clipless pedals, but if you do, those can be a source of knee problems even when the rest of elements are roughly well fitted. <S> From experience, I have noticed that people doing their own fit tend to have the seatpost a tad high, because this is something that gets remarked a lot and in making sure it is high enough <S> we usually overdo it, if just for a little. <S> So, a centimetre or even less of adjustment of the seat <S> height or sliding it forward or backwards in the rail, can make the difference between pain / discomfort or a pain free ride. <S> Go for a ride with your tools and see how slight modifications affect your riding, but it is an ongoing experience, since even with a professional fit you may need tweaking, more so with your own fit. <S> I kind of start listening to my body and have changed my cleat position like 6 or 7 times in a year, always getting a bit better. <S> Saddle tilt is also something to pay attention to. <S> All in all, if you don't want to go for a pro fitting session, experiment and note down what your body says in order to make or keep changes. <S> Again, even a slightest tune up can make up for a change you wouldn't imagine. <S> Remember that easier gearing is also easier on the knees, pedalling cadences of around 90 are recommended, and having good support muscles will also help your knee so work them a bit, like walking upstairs, riding other bikes without cleats.. there are many exercises for strengthening the knee area, even dreaded squats. <S> Experiment, don't take the first fit as the definitive fit ! <A> I had this when I first started last year. <S> I solved it by using easier gears and pedalling faster and raising the seat just a bit. <S> Mostly the easier gears and faster pedalling did the trick I think. <S> I also took a few days rest in between until the ache had gone. <S> Once I started pedalling faster and got used to it everything felt good.
|
The seat should be high enough that your knee is almost straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke (though not so high that you must rock back and forth in the saddle to pedal). Well, if you did your own preliminar fit, it is time to tweak it based on how you feel.
|
Can I use silicon spray to lubricate my hybrid cycle chain? Can I use silicon spray to lubricate my hybrid cycle chain? (Of course, after de-greasing it using a de-greasing spray) Thank you for your help <Q> Can you? <S> Yes. <S> It is not optimal for use on chains though. <S> It washes away rather easily leaving your chain unprotected and un-lubricated. <S> It would work in a pinch but a light oil or something specifically made for the application will work much better and last a lot longer. <S> WD40 makes a good bicycle chain lube, their bike line, not the generic stuff in a can. <S> Don't use that. <S> RocknRoll, Triflow, ProGold all also makes good lubes. <A> I dissent. <S> Yes, you can use a silicone lube. <S> Is it as good as a bike specific product? <S> That depends on how much you ride and what conditions. <S> I use Dumonde's Bicycle Chain Lube and it is great in the worst of conditions. <S> It goes 300 miles between relubes. <S> I love it. <S> But it is overkill for a hybrid doing 20 miles a week. <S> It doesn't make sense financially (cost of lube) compared to your needs. <S> It is better to carefully lube your chain with what you have than not to lube at all. <S> The key is to be clean. <S> Wipe the chain off with an old clothe after every ride or two, and especially after ever application. <S> And I have used WD-40 in wet club races. <S> It works great as I recognize what it is good for. <S> Your bike will not burst into flames using WD-40 <S> so long as you realize it is not for a century distance, or once a month lubrication. <A> First, on degreasing: Manufacturers have recommendations for cleaning your chain. <S> Another suggests a gentle degreaser or neutral detergent, etc. <S> I wouldn't use a degreaser spray on the bike lest it get somewhere <S> it shouldn't. <S> In fact, I probably wouldn't apply the degreaser at all, but maybe wipe it with a damp rag and let it dry before lubricating. <S> If you could ideally lubricate a chain, you'd use the wax system they use at the factory. <S> The drip bottle is about as quick as doing a spray, most likely, and would leave less of a mess. <S> As for silicone, I'd stick with a regular bicycle lubricant (e.g. Triflow, or something based on what kind of riding conditions you have), or if you're on a budget, <S> 3-in-1 oil (a lot of places don't recommend it, but its cheap and it does lubricate). <S> It isn't clear to me that silicone spray has the ability to lubricate bike chains for an appreciable amount of time, especially in non-ideal wet conditions. <A> I do 20 kilometres a day, 7 days a week. <S> Thank you, Daniel,Nate, B Team and Batman for your inputs.
|
But since that's insane to do at home, your best bet is a drip bottle (like most bicycle lubes are sold) for oiling the chain. One suggests not using anything more than a bit of soapy water when necessary, along with a brush. Sprays are generally a bad idea for bicycles -- they tend to get on places where you don't want them to. Wet or Dry lubes depend on the riding conditions and where you live. After reading all the answers, I have decided to use regular drip lubricant and wipe the chain with a rag as frequently as possible.
|
How to mount TT shifters and TT brake levers together? I am starting a new project to build a custom bike with bullhorn handlebar. It'd most likely be made either with road or hybrid type of frame. I am planning on having both front and real derailleurs, and brakes (writing all this because, you know, fixies :) There are many unknowns/choices (obviously!), but I am really struggling with one detail in particular: shifters and brake lever mount to the bullhorn handlebar. I was searching a lot and came across this bike: This is way aero for my taste, but check out that brake lever/shifter combo on the right side of the handlebar. Does anyone know what these components are? I searched Vision's site, but couldn't find TT brake level with opened top to which TT shifter could be mounted. And the lever doesn't look to be crosstop one; so I am really confused. Does anyone know how can this be done? Thanks! <Q> I can't tell for sure what's going on in that picture, but I think it's a modified older Vision lever that clamps on the OD rather than inside the bars, and then the shifter is just stuck out the end. <S> Ways of doing it with off the shelf parts that I know of are the Jtek Aerobrake, Ultegra ST-6871 and DA ST-9071, the Record and Athena tri/tt EPS levers, and SRAM eTap blips (their equivalent, kind of). <A> The brake levers look like Vision TriMax Aero Brake Levers -see picture. <S> I found them on ebay . <S> But couldn't find them on the vision website. <S> They appear to have had the front part, marked in red cut off or removed in order to fit what look like SRAM bar end shifters. <S> You could probably create a similar set up using these components or bar end shifters combined with Specialized road bike extension levers. <A> Your photo looks like barcons or bar-end shifters with cyclocross interrupter brake levers. <S> Another option might be mounting regular old brifters on the up-curved part of the bullhorn, so the brake lever points down and backward. <S> Also gear cables - brifters may send the gear cables horizontally toward the bike's midline, or maybe back along the handlebar - this needs checking. <S> Finally - if you're spending large on this project, how about some electronic+wireless brifters? <S> This chap has plain dropbar brake levers with downtube shifters, but you can imagine brifers instead. <A> I know this is a bit old <S> but I see that there are still quite a few people visiting this post. <S> That bike is called the B-Skinny Project by English Cycles. <S> It's obviously a custom job but some of the build details and why they made them that way are included in Brandon's flicker feed. <S> https://www.flickr.com/photos/pocketbeagle/5522825484/in/album-72157626255732058/
|
You'll probably want the brifters where the brake cable can exit "downwards" not backwards.
|
Do pedals come in widths? Do pedals come in widths? Can I get a wider pedal to fit my wide feet? I wear a size 13 EEEE, a wide shoe. I'm biking in regular shoes, not cleated. My pedals are plain platform style (not cleated, no strap, no toe clips, just flat). I'm having trouble fitting my feet on the pedals. I'm either off the outsides by an inch or two, stepping on the crank arm, or both. I'm getting overuse on the outsides of my lower legs, and I think it's from trying to keep my feet flat on the pedals. The bike's an MTB, but I'm just using it to get around, nothing intense. Follow-up a few months later (2017/06/12): I went with pedal extenders (Sunlite Pedal Extenders, $16.50 on Amazon) and it's about one million percent better. They offered 21mm and 27.5mm variants, and I went with the wider one which turned out to be the right choice. My shoe fills all the space between the crank and the outside of the pedal. (When did my feet get so big?) It doesn't seem to matter that there's no pedal under the inside part of my feet. The extenders take an 18mm wrench (field repairs) although I think tightening a pedal with the usual wrench would also tighten the extender. <Q> You can get spacers to move the pedal further from the crank. <S> Combine these with some larger pedals and you should be OK. <S> Probable worth seeing a bike fit specialist in your situation though. <A> The only one I know of that do are Crankbros Stamps. <S> The large size is in fact really large (114mm x 111mm, whereas the Odyssey Twisted PCs I have in front of me measure about 95x90 and are already on the larger end of BMX pedals). <S> Within BMX and MTB pedals in general there is some variance, but typically not tons. <S> All that said, pedal extenders are the answer that will give you a ton of extra room. <S> Most people don't like the massive increase in Q-factor they cause, but they can have their place for very large riders. <S> A couple companies (Crankbros, Speedplay) have longer spindle options for their pedals that do the same thing in a more measured way. <A> You can read reviews for particular models (search "wide feet" or "wide pedals" or something), or go to a bike shop and measure the pedals they have available. <S> As far as I know, nobody marks the width of the platform when selling a pedal -- the only size typically marked is the diameter of the pedal <S> so you know to get a 9/16" or 1/2" pedal depending on your crankset. <S> I'd also do some reading on Q-factor s (outside distance on pedal holes of cranksets) and bike fit ( this and this too). <S> Also, if you have the option of rigid shoes vs soft shoes, opting for the more rigid may help too. <A> I use them with Power Grip straps so that I can wear my wider sneakers. <S> This combination is extremely comfortable. <S> Note that Power Grip Straps are attached with steel plates which come in two lengths, the longer one gives more width to the strap, so you may have to ask for them or you may end up with the shorter one by default. <S> My pedals do come apart at the axle so that the bearings can be repacked -- yes, they are that good. <S> I've used mine on all of my bikes for over 20 years with no problems at all. <A> I saw this question in my sidebar, and I believe I can offer some substantive information. <S> The OP implemented this answer. <S> For future readers looking at clipless pedals, those solutions may also apply. <S> However, a) some pedals come stock with longer or shorter axles and b) <S> pedal extenders may only offer relatively large, e.g. 10mm adjustments. <S> For example, Shimano's Ultegra R8000 and Dura Ace R9100 SPD-SL pedals have versions with a 4mm longer axle . <S> Shimano's XTR M9100 SPD pedals have a regular version and a -3mm axle (i.e. 3mm shorter). <S> Their titanium axle versions come stock with 50mm axles, and you can order them with similar custom axles. <S> I haven't done this, but I don't believe there's an additional cost over MSRP. <S> I'm not aware of axle options for other performance road or MTB pedals, but they may exist. <S> I merely haven't looked.
|
@Kibbee's answer above is correct: if you need a wider stance than a stock pedal, you can get spacers or extenders that fit between the pedal and where it threads into the crank. There aren't standardized ways of measuring pedal and they aren't all the same width (even in the same type of pedals). Speedplay's Zero stainless steel pedals come stock with 53mm axles, but you can order them with -3mm, +3mm, +6mm, and +12mm (!!) versions. Japanese MKS platform pedals are old-fashioned and extremely high quality.
|
Can storing bicycles upside-down damage hydraulic brakes? I usually store our bikes for the winter hanging upside down by the wheels from the rafters. I would assume that I can't do this with a hydraulic disc brake bike: am I correct? <Q> From Shimano Service Instructions : <S> When turning the bicycle upside down or on its side the brake system may have some air <S> bubbles inside the reservoir tank which are still there when the reservoir tank cover is replaced, or which accumulate in various parts of the brake system when it is used for long periods. <S> The M755 disc brake system is not designed to be turned upside down. <S> If the bicycle is turned upside down or on its side, the air bubbles inside the reservoir tank may move in the direction of the calipers. <S> If the bicycle is ridden in this condition, there is the danger that the brakes may not operate and a serious accident could occur. <S> If the brakes do not operate normally, adjust them by the following procedure. <S> < If brake operation is sluggish when the lever is depressed > <S> Gently depress the brake lever several times and wait for the bubbles to return to the reservoir tank. <S> It is recommended that you then remove the reservoir tank cover and fill the reservoir tank with brake fluid until no bubbles remain. <S> If the brakes still operate sluggishly, bleed the air from the brake system. <S> (Refer to "Adding the brake fluid and bleeding air".) <A> I store my bicycles this way for the summer (winter fat tyre bikes) and winter (non-commuter mountain and road bikes). <S> I haven't ever had any issues with this and <S> the shop I worked at previously stored all the most expensive bikes this way as well (less expensive bikes were warehoused). <S> I haven't ever had any issues where my brakes suddenly didn't work bringing bikes out of storage. <S> That being said, I tend toward higher end brakes on almost all of my rigs. <S> Hydraulic disc brakes are intended to be a closed system. <S> It's either sealed or it isn't. <S> Cheap brakes with poor seals on the lever may leak when stored this way. <S> However, cheap brakes with poor seals on the caliper will leak when stored upright as well. <S> Storing bikes in this manner will not be an issue unless there is already an existing issue with the brakes (poor quality or damage). <A> There may be another aspect, not just whether it will leak or not. <S> Air may travel from the reservoir into the brake lines making them spongy or have too much travel on the brake lever. <S> I'm told that dirt bike owners are advised not to store their motorcycles other than level, so it MIGHT apply to bicycles too. <S> Should be an easy fix <S> if it does happen, just bleed the brakes, or maybe just store them upright for a time before using them to let the air bubble back to the reservoir. <A> I stored a disc bike upside down for a couple of months and the brakes certainly needed bleeding. <S> I now hang up my disc bikes from a D ring into which the pointy bit of the saddle goes and a piece of 5mm rope around the stem. <S> Both are attached to ceiling hooks. <S> This also has the advantage of keeping the bars out of the way.
|
If the bicycle has been turned upside down or on its side, be sure to operate the brake lever a few times to check that the brakes operate normally before riding the bicycle.
|
Cantilever brakes gets very weak if it rains I have a bicycle with cantilever brakes. Under light rain or dry weather the braking action is not very powerful, but good enough. However, under heavy rain the braking action gets close to 0.This become especially problematic if I carry luggage or am going downhill (it can take > 100m to stop under theses conditions). What can I do to improve this? Note: the pads are a bit worn out and I will replace them soon, this is however not the source of my problem (encountered it while they was new/ well adjusted) Edit: Finally I got a heavy rain and could test out the proposed solutions.I fixed the brake angle on both front and back wheel.I changed only front brakes pas with newer ones (thicker, bigger water drain, but shorter ones). Yoke angle did yield a noticeable improvement on the braking action, wether wet or dry Changing the pads yielded the a huge difference in braking action under wet weather only (wear was not a factor here) Conclusion: Both technique should be used together. Choosing an appropriate pad is VERY important. <Q> I think your transverse cable has got too great of an angle, and you can adjust it to provide more powerful braking force. <S> Much of the mechanical advantage of cantilever brakes comes from the "yoke angle", the angle the transverse cable makes from the horizontal. <S> Sheldon Brown explains this in detail on his page about cantilever geometry <S> (it's actually more complicated than Sheldon's explanation, but it's a good approximation) <S> (based off cantilever brake image from Shimano ) A transverse cable that pulls vertically upwards would have no additional mechanical advantage, so would have a mechanical advantage of "1" while a transverse cable that is completely horizontal would have in infinite mechanical advantage (it's impossible to have a completely horizontal cable since once you apply the brakes, the cable will deviate). <S> The mechanical advantage is 1/sin(yoke angle) and he provides a handy chart: <S> Yoke Angle(Degrees) <S> MechanicalAdvantage90 <S> ° <S> 180 <S> ° 1.01570° 1.06360 <S> ° 1.1550 <S> ° 1.3140 <S> ° 1.5530 <S> ° 220 <S> ° 2.9210 <S> ° 5.765 <S> ° 11.470° <S> Infinity! <S> It's hard to tell exactly what your angle is in that picture, but it looks like it's close to 60 degrees, <S> so you're not getting much mechanical advantage from the yoke angle. <S> If you can decrease this angle either by shortening the tranverse cable, or by widening the cantilever arms by sliding the brake shoes closer to the rim (which would help "flatten" the transverse cable, decreasing the yoke angle), you can gain significantly more mechanical advantage. <S> You don't want just go for the greatest amount of mechanical advantage since you'll run out of available cable travel if it's too high, but you can definitely tune the brakes for greater mechanical advantage. <S> There are additional cantilever adjustment tips on Shelden Brown's cantilever adjustment page. <A> The first step is to replace the brake pads with new ones. <S> Even if they're not worn out, old pads harden and brake poorly. <S> I like <S> Kool Stop ones <S> - they're black or a sort of salmon-coloured pad. <S> You should be able to press a thumbnail into the braking surface and leave a clear mark. <S> After that, check your alignment, and make sure the pads sit near to the rim with no pressure on the lever. <S> A little lever movement should be all it takes to start braking, and then increased hand pressure increases the pad pressure. <S> Upshots - your rims need to be true, which means no wobbles as you spin them. <S> I try to true wheels to within 0.5mm of completely flat, but 1mm of wobble is workable. <A> In addition to your other answer, it's well worth checking/changing the cables. <S> Rusty cables (or full of muck) have more friction which means more of the force on the lever goes into bending the cables. <S> This is especially true if the cable routing has significant bends (more common at the back). <S> New cables ran so much better for me that I could reduce the tension in the return springs as well. <S> My bike with cantilevers has plastic brake levers that bend if you pull hard enough, and hit the grips, limiting the maximum force, so the cables have to be just right. <A> The stopping ability of the brakes is driven by friction coefficient of your brake-rim-lubrication setup and the force you, able to apply and friction of tire-ground setup. <S> Suppose the third part is not a problem. <S> You probably lose the braking power by: Old and dirty pads <S> - you can try to grind them sligtly or replace with new ones. <S> ( Criggie's answer ) Old and greasy rim - try to clean them with ethanol, acetone, MEK or other (aggressive) solvent or replace with new one. <S> If the tribological properties are at their best and you still lack braking power you don't have applied enough force to the pads. <S> This may be caused by: <S> Poor yoke angle - try to set the cantilevers a bit wider. <S> Or replace them with V-brakes. <S> ( Johnny's answer ) <S> Check and clean both cables and bowdens. <S> Also check whether the cable or bowdens are not bent or broken. <S> If so, replace them and keep them lubed. <S> Also check whether you don't have "soft" brake levers. <S> ( Chris' answer ).
|
Rusty cable and rusty bowden are the places where you lose the braking force. Be sure the pads are properly aligned.
|
Bike weight limits, fatter tyre for more weight? I have a touring bike which I use for commuting, I carry about 30 kg of tools with me usually on this pannier type thing I made on the back. And usually a work belt on the front which is 7 kg I'm wondering how much more I can safely carry on the bike without stressing it too much. The tyres seem to be under a lot of strain in particular. I'm 75 kg, unloaded with just me the bike tyres look fine, when loaded they're flattening out to an alarming amount. I just ride on the road, but they're not good roads, I want to add about another 20 kg of tools and I'm wondering if I should put a fatter tyre on the back. I have 29 inch tyres on my mountain bike which look like they might fit. Or whether I'm worrying needlessly? <Q> The flattening is normal, since there is so much weight. <S> Don't really try the MTB wheels. <S> They will probably not fit and you will have to be rolling with different sizes of tyres that may not fit to the frame. <S> Increase the air pressure (or go tubeless) and make sure you change tyres in short periods of time. <S> Don't let them wear totally off. <A> It's probably going to come down to testing, because fatter tyres generally have a lower maximum pressure. <S> I suggest starting with a wider tyre, and it's likely that the 29" MTB tyres are also ISO 622 (700c), so they will fit the rims. <S> If they fit in the frame then they're likely to work better as long as they're rated to a decent pressure. <S> The equation you care about here is weight/pressure = area, in this case weight on the wheel divided by pressure in the tyre = area of contact patch. <S> The bigger the contact patch the more the tyre flexes as you pedal, so the more you have to work. <S> But a wider tyre gives a wider contact patch, so you get less flexing for the same area. <S> Particularly on bad roads, and with difficulty ordering cool new things from your "local" bike shop,the usual solution of high-quality, high-pressure tyres is not going to work too well. <S> If you could, I would suggest such a tyre, but on potholes and gravel roads those give a rough ride (meaning you also want a high-quality hand-built wheel). <S> One other tweak is to suspend the load somewhat. <S> If you put a partly inflated tube folded up under the tool bag in the pannier the tools will bounce on that, reducing the stress on the tyre and wheel when you hit bumps. <S> It will also grind against the sides of the pannier, so I'd put the whole thing in a sack. <S> If that works (I've never tried it, but it sounds plausible), it won't help with the load directly, just the punctures and broken wheels. <S> But I also used to go through a rear wheel every year or two. <A> Consider a trailer - I've carried 50 kg of bike tools on a recycled kid's trailer successfully. <S> The trick was to cut a floor from some medium customwood. <S> I notched the corners to fit exactly within the four up-posts, and to rest on the four horizontal rails. <S> The longer term plan was to add some small lips to help prevent things falling off. <S> Another advantage, you can leave the tools on the trailer and merely unhitch it for storage, or to free the bike for a quick trip. <S> If you do go this way, get one hitch for every bike you might use as a tractor, and one spare that you can fasten to a stake. <S> I've hammered my hitch/stake into the ground and used it as a pitching point, along with some stout buckets under the rear corners for a stable triangle. <S> Depending on your need, a small workbench could even be fastened on top. <S> for sawing or whatever. <S> Could even attach a small bench vise.
|
A wider tyre is also deeper, so when you hit a pothole there's more give before you pinch flat. From memory of a long time ago, I used to carry 50kg or so on a fairly stock MTB when I weighed 70kg, on fairly rough roads.
|
How to measure pedal axle/spindle size? How do you measure pedal axle/spindle size? Replacement pedals and accessories specify a size like 9/16" or 1/2". How do I measure my current pedal to see what I need? Is it just a matter of putting the pedal threads in a caliper and measuring the outer diameter of the threads across the axle/spindle? Or do you need to measure the solid part, excluding the threads? <Q> They're standardized between different types of cranksets. <S> One piece cranksets use 1/2" x 20 tpi. <S> Three piece cranksets (most bikes) use 9/16" x 20 tpi. <S> Old French things use something else, but these are rare (and instead of being marked with R and L for which pedal is which on the spindle, it will be D and G). <S> If you want, you can measure it like any other bolt. <S> Or, take the pedals to a bike shop and compare them to another pedal. <S> You find one piece cranksets on some BSO's (i.e. bikes you get from places like Walmart), children's bikes and very old American bikes. <S> Otherwise, you should have a 3 piece crankset and use a 9/16". <A> for the most part, if you can identify your cranks as 1 piece of continuous metal, they are 1/2", and in most other cases they are 9/16" unless they came with/require a proprietary pedal spindle system <A>
|
I measured my 9/16" pedal threads at their outer diameter using a caliper, and got .561", which is darned near the decimal of 9/16".
|
Can an individual gear/cog on the rear cassette be replaced? I'm trying to figure out how the rear cassette is put together, and I found this related question that suggests at least maybe the lowest gears can be replaced. I'm trying to figure out if in general any and all of the cogs in a rear cassette can be swapped out with new replacements should any get damaged or worn? I imagine some may be designed to be an all or none deal, but if one's rear cassette supports replaceable cogs what would be the giveaway to do a visual inspection for? This question is also distinct from Is it practical to replace two sprockets on a cassette? where the focus is on practicality of replacement but not so much of how to discover if replacement is applicable to a given cassette. It's also distinct by relating to the whole cassette in general with respect to all of its cogs. <Q> According to the late great Sheldon Brown, yes you can change an individual sprocket in a cassette, at least for Shimano. <S> Some cassettes have small bolts or rivets holding the gears together, but this is for convenience. <S> Most Shimano cassettes made in the '90s or later have a feature called Hyperglide (probably a registered trademark) that enables smoother shifts, by allowing the chain to engage two adjacent sprockets simultaneously. <S> Hyperglide works by giving each individual tooth a more complicated shape to facilitate shifts to and from each sprocket. <S> In order for Hyperglide to work, the adjacent gears have to be carefully matched to each other. <S> So if you change a sprocket for another sprocket with a different number of teeth, then shifts to and from that sprocket won't be as smooth. <S> But as Sheldon pointed out, that's what everyone was used to for decades before the invention of Hyperglide, so that needn't bother you. <S> I haven't been able to find anything on Sheldon's site about changing sprockets for Campagnolo or SRAM, but I would assume that those brands shape their sprocket teeth similar to the way Shimano do, and so similar concerns must apply for those brands also. <S> You're unlikely to save any money or hassle by just changing one or two sprockets, because the vast majority of bike riders change the whole cassette. <S> Most people who want to change just one or two sprockets want a particular combination of gear ratios for specific reasons. <A> The way to check is to remove the lockring and see how much of the cassette has a carrier <S> and/or how many cogs are individual. <S> However, the situations in which this would be beneficial are few. <S> --You have very specific gearing needs. <S> If you are a extremely serious rider and wish your cassette to be tailored to your power profile or something similar, replacing individual cogs may make sense. <S> --You have a very expensive cassette and have somehow managed to damage only one cog. <S> In this case where some freak accident has damaged one cog, but the rest of the cassette is fine, it would make sense on a high end cassette to replace one cog. <S> Those are really the only two scenarios I can think of where such a replacement would be warranted. <S> With proper riding cassettes wear fairly evenly and by the time any one cog is shot, you are better off replacing the whole cassette (and the chain). <S> If you are riding badly and using one gear/cog all the time and have destroyed it, but left your other cogs magically untouched, you should probably consider less expensive components, better riding technique, a single speed or some combination of those three. <S> Keep in mind that many of Shimano's patents are related to tooth (cog) design and ramping. <S> Replacing a damaged individual cog with the same one on an expensive cassette may be easy (second scenario), but changing the gearing ratio on a cassette (first scenario) may cause shift gate misalignment and ultimately sacrifice shifting performance for more individualized gearing. <A> They used to be, but unless you're using something weird like Miche cassettes, they're not really available new anymore. <S> The best giveaway to measure wear is how it does with a Rohloff HG/IG checker. <S> Second best is whether its teeth are blunted and smooshed at the roller contact area.
|
Personally, if a few of the sprockets in my cassette were worn, I would just change the whole cassette (and the chain also of course).
|
Is this change normal? I have recently had my tyres on my bike changed from mountain bike tyres to road tyres. I was also advised by the man who fixed it that my saddle was too low for me and he raised it. Since these changes it almost feels like I am cycling with slightly flat tyres. Uphill doesn't feel massively strenuous but I just wanted to see if this is normal or not? <Q> Re: your saddle being too low. <S> One way to check if it's at the correct height is to sit on your seat, put one foot on the pedal and try to "straighten" your leg - with the pedal at it's lowest point (the other being at the top) <S> there should be a slight bend to your leg. <S> This video's quite informative: seat height <A> Too low a seat height tends to "burn" the thigh muscles. <S> And cause a loss of power - especially on the down-stroke as you come through the pedals. <S> Road tires - even on MTB - are pumped up to a higher psi than off-road tyre. <S> Consequently the contact patch is smaller with the road and the rolling resistance reduced. <S> A side-effect of this would be the sound and feel of your tires on tarmac will be different to your old tires. <A> There is no correlation between tyres and seat height that I know of. <S> Road tyres are not as high, so with them on the bike itself would be a bit lower overall. <S> But that's got nothing to do with the seat. <S> So my 29'er mountain bike and my 700 touring bike both have the same seat height in relation to the pedals, but the touring bike sits lower to the ground and took a tiny bit of getting used to. <S> Both in looking at the pathetically little bit of rubber between me and the road and handling-wise. <S> I still feel happier with the bigger fatter tyres, especially when throwing the bike around. <S> So I wouldn't think this is normal, unless the guy had another reason for raising the seat.
|
Raising the seat height will allow for a more efficient pedal stroke. The main difference by changing from mountain bike to road tires will be the tire pressure.
|
How long can I ride my bike with a worn cassette? I took my bike to the mechanics the other day and along with needing my chain replaced they said that I also need my cassette changed and the front cogs. I was wondering how long I can ride my bike now with a worn cassette before it becomes unridable? The teeth on the cogs seem a bit worn but they are nowhere near as bad as what I have seen on other videos. What can I expect to happen when the cassette does start to fail? Gear slipping? Crunching sounds? <Q> In my experience, skipping in certain gears at the rear is the first sign. <S> Usually in the most used sprocket. <S> Then the chain becomes worn - and perhaps starts to snap - and when you order a replacement - it skips all over the place because it is being run on an overly worn drive-train. <S> You might be able to salvage the old chain and run it for a bit longer - but sooner or later - you have to bite-the-bullet and buy complete new drive-train. <S> But if your current drive-train is happy and not exhibiting any malfunction (keep that chain clean and oiled) - you could go for many many many miles on it. <A> The first sign is a very slow degradation of performance and an increase in friction. <S> You'll not notice this over time, its only when fitting a new chain that the difference is clear. <S> Be advised that chainrings are stupidly expensive, and a cheap big single chainring costs more than a cheap cassette. <S> The Jockey wheels are surprisingly important - if yours wobble side to side, consider changing them out too (they're relatively cheap) <S> Separate matter - if you have doubts about your LBS and their advice, just ask another one. <S> Nothing wrong with a second opinion. <S> Some people just want their bikes to work (top efficiency is not that important) and other people want best efficiency at all times even if it costs more. <A> I found the answer to your question the hard way, many years ago when I was an impoverished college student riding a cheap BSO that I got from another penniless student. <S> It's been so long that I don't remember minor details, but surely the chain chattered a bit, but at the time I didn't think anything of it. <S> Anyway I jumped on the bike and stood on the pedals to take off quickly; the chain ripped four or five teeth off the rear sprocket in an instant, and I was so unexpectedly unbalanced that I flew right over the handlebars. <S> I ended up with some impressively-large road rash spots on my forearms, washing the gravel out was painful, and the bruises hurt too. <S> I couldn't rest my arms on a desk for about five days until the road rash scabbed over. <S> Interestingly, the chain didn't break. <S> I advise you to ride the bike very gently until you can replace the chainrings, cassette, and chain, or get yourself a better bike. <A> If it is worn badly, it must be changed. <S> I have heard stories about people who had serious injuries because of broken chains. <S> Even if the chain is worn badly, it may be possible that a new chain will work just fine. <S> You should simply change the chain first. <S> If you have problems changing gears or chain skipping with the new chain, you should probably change the cassette also. <S> As you can imagine the smallest rear cog usually wears much more, simply because same tooth contacts the chain much more often and it has to transfer more force. <S> Sometimes you may get away with changing the derailleur limits so it wont use the smallest cog. <S> (if you want to save money) Because new chain most probably will skip on the smallest cog.
|
You can either run the whole transmission system in to the ground, and replace cassette/chain/ 2xjockey wheels and the chainrings, or you can change the bits that are worn while getting more mileage out of the chainring. First of all make sure that the bicycle mechanic actually measured the chain using the special chain wear measurement tools. Bad and slow shifts slowly increase, as does chain noise.
|
How can I carry a heavy bag without a rack? I want to buy a heavy 20kg bag of rice and bring it home. The problem is that I only have access to a bike without any rack or formal way to store bags. The bag is too big to fit in my backpack. The distance is about 3km from the shop to my home. I am using a Bixi (Shared bike in Montreal). There are stations near both my home and the store. How can I safely carry heavy and bulky items on a bike without a rack? <Q> Depending on your backpack you may be able to lash it to the outside. <S> I've carried bike wheels this way. <S> I've also carried 10-15kg backpacks while riding, so know it takes some care. <S> You might have to ride quite gently <S> but that's OK over 3 km. <S> Buying a bigger backpack might be a good idea if this is going to become a habit. <S> The backpack I used has straps on the outside running from bottom to top, so a big load can be held between them and the backpack itself. <S> An additional side-to-side strap/rope is a good idea. <S> If you think it feels like it's started moving, get off and have a look. <S> Alternatively, don't take the bike, walk with the sack on your shoulder. <A> Put it on the handlebars, it should be fairly easy since the bag will settle into place and the weight will hold it there. <S> Drive carefully of course. <S> I've taken a full crate of beer on my handlebars in my youth, much trickier to balance <S> and you have to hold it with one hand, but I made it several times with no problems. <S> A bag of rice would be easy. <A> You can set up a hitch and trailer and tow the cargo. <S> This of course requires the equipment and know-how to set it up but it might be a viable option if you can do it. <S> Here is an example of one: <A> Get 3 sturdy bags, and few small plastic ones. <S> Divide rice in small plastic bags and tie them securely so they won't spill. <S> Then divide small bags in big sturdy ones. <S> Put one bag in designated place in front the handlebars (I'd guess it would accept about maybe 7-8kg?) and hook one each side of the handlebars. <S> You can even put some in backpack. <S> Then drive slowly (the bags will make it harder to turn!) or even just push bike to the home (part or all the way) if unsure of yourself (3km is not that much as mentioned bbefore <S> Another option that may be possible if the store has lockers (or helpfull staff) is to leave half the rice in the store and then do two 10kg trips which should be much easier.
|
I'd probably have the sack sideways across the backpack, rather than vertical, as it's less likely to slip between the straps.
|
Identifying an eccentric bottom bracket? I have a bike powered by a Gates belt-drive and a Shimano Alfine 11. It also has an eccentric bottom bracket to adjust the tension on the belt drive, and a SRAM GXP bottom bracket. The other day, just by following videos on Youtube since no other help was available, I tried replacing the old bottom bracket with a new one… and it looks like I ruined the threading on the drive side of the eccentric BB: I can hand-tighten it, but when tightening it further with a wrench, it loosens again, ie. I can never tighten if fully. It looks like I'll have to buy a new eccentric bottom bracket :-/ The issue: How to identify the brand + model of that eccentric BB without taking it out (I'll need to ride it to a workshop to fix it)? There's nothing written on the sides, short of L/R: Also, while I wait for a new eccentric BB, I was thinking of applying some medium-strength threadlock in the hope that the drive-side bearing won't move. What do you think? Thank you. -- Edit: I cut the derailleur + hydraulic brake hoses that run through the EBB, and pulled the EBB. It's just a cheap plastic part; According to the bike manufacturer, it's a Prime Aero from a company in Taiwan. Anybody knows where to get a replacement, with the opening in the middle to let hoses through? <Q> Pulling an eccentric out that's not stuck is usually pretty straightforward once you've gotten the cranks off. <S> If you want to find out the brand and model info (which might not actually be that useful anyway), that's probably the only place you'll find it, if it's there. <S> If this is any kind of mainstream bike manufacturer, where I would start here is calling them up and seeing if they have a replacement they can send to either you or a dealer. <S> If so, that path is going to be about a million times easier than anything else, and probably cheaper. <S> I'll also mention that the framebuilding suppliers like Nova are the main source I've seen for more simple 1-piece eccentrics like you appear to have. <S> Most of what you'll find elsewhere are the premium ones like Bushnell, Phil, and Niner. <S> As for the Loctite idea, with GXP there's not really any place for it to move to. <A> First off, all you will need to buy is a new BB. <S> It is there to adjust the tension on the belt. <S> The part you damaged is the BB cup. <S> You are in good company as many people have done this :) <S> In the future, after the cranks are removed, the solution to removing a BB cup is as follows: <S> Using the appropriate wrench (that is, it has the same number of notches as the BB cup) place a thin piece of cloth (like a t shirt piece) over the bottom bracket. <S> Wiggle the BB wrench into the grooves on the now covered cup. <S> Turn in the proper direction to loosen, which depends on the side you are working on. <S> The shirt removes any slack in the fit between the BB and wrench. <S> You can try this on your damaged BB to tighten it. <S> As far as the BB goes, it is very likely a SRAM GXP BB. <S> They are 25 bucks or so. <S> Most of the GXP's (and I do mean most ) are 24mm if I remember correctly. <S> Good luck! <A> The other option available to the OP is to buy a helicoil kit to fix the damaged threads or switch to a square taper BB to which there are special BBs available to run on a damaged thread.
|
Look up the crankset name and google what BB goes with it. I would never recommend riding on a loose cup, but people do all the time, with the main consequence being noise and play in the cranks. But, if you're going to try to source a new eccentric yourself, you really should pull it anyway to get an exact measurement of the shell's inside diameter. The eccentric shell is not an integral piece of the BB.
|
Clipless pedals for my 9 year old My 9 year old son has a Trek 220 mountain bike and really wants to get clipless pedals because he tried a mountain bike race and is doing a cyclocross clinic that he loves. Problem is that he rides his bike to school and around the neighborhood so needs regular pedals too. What is the best option for him? A clipless pedal that is a flat pedal on one side for normal shoes, Clip less pedals with adapters to make them into regular pedals like fly pedals or, Just change out his flat pedals to clip less when he wants to (although I'm worried we would be doing that a lot). <Q> As a parent who has been through this with two children and multiple bikes, I would definitely choose the dual sided pedal option (sometimes called " campus pedals "). <S> This has the advantage of needing to only change the pedals once, and not having extraneous parts that can easily get lost. <S> I've personally tried the adapters and never found one <S> I was particularly fond of. <S> When dealing with a child's bike, I would want to avoid anything that could easily get lost. <S> The option to swap out the pedals would be my second choice. <S> It's not hard to do. <S> But it does have a couple drawbacks. <S> You are again dealing with extra parts that can get lost. <S> As well, it's easy to mix up the sides, or cross thread the pedals, and now you are dealing with replacing the crank arms. <S> Finally, most 9 year olds lack the leverage to loosen a tight pedal, so you are going to have to be the one switching them whenever they want to change the ride. <S> I actually use campus pedals on my main commuting bike. <S> That way if I ever decide that instead of riding the whole way home, I am going to take the train to the closest stop and just ride the last 2 miles, it's easy to do in street clothes with my normal shoes. <A> There is no right answer - everyone is different with different preferences. <S> Personally I really disliked the single sided clips. <S> It feels they hardly ever in the correct orientation, so you have to look down and shag around with them <S> no mater what shoes you wear. <S> IMHO all they would do is teach you child the bad habit of looking down whenever they placed their foot on the pedal. <S> I would therefore suggest a couple of other options :A double sided clipless pedal with a cage. <S> e.g. the Crank bros mallet or one of the Shimano double sided SPD's with a cage. <S> With the right shoes (Some the tread stops the cleat fitting properly), the only disadvantage with SPD's is a bit of weight, and as flats, they usually have a little less grip and you may feel the SPD fitting though the sole of light shoes. <S> They therefore work really well for short trips in street shoes, and for longer/more serious rides, with proper shoes with cleats, only have a (small) weight penalty. <S> This will largely depend on the risk of bike theft and Rule #12 . <S> If you son is getting serious about biking and even getting into racing (remember Rule #12), he is going to want a good bike for this. <S> For riding to and from school and hanging out, a good bike may be at risk of theft. <A> I recommend pedals that have clips on one side and are flat on the other, like the PD-A530 pedals from Shimano. <S> Not sure if they will be the right size for younger feet/shoes, but they are certainly versatile. <S> Certainly to keep changing the pedals seems like a hassle!
|
Another option worth considering is another bike.
|
Other commuters riding too close I have been commuting to work for a few months now, and generally I enjoy it. Unfortunately I've noticed that on the way back (never seems to happen in the morning - I set off quite early) I will often find someone rides much too close behind me, i.e. within half a bicycle length, trying to draft. I think it is the same person or a small number of people (I ride the same route at the same time every day.) This person (these people) will ride this close for a couple of miles - there's a fairly long main road with an on-road cycle path. I think riding this close to my back wheel is rude and dangerous because I could need to stop for any reason (car turns without signalling, small child runs into road, mechanical failure). I'd much rather he kept back or overtook me, but I feel I would catch up and we'd be in the same situation. I'm not going to slow down because somebody is being rude. For example, I turn off a main road into my village. In one instance I signalled very clearly, well in advance, and after a pause started braking, only to hear the other rider actually skid behind me. That to me indicates that this person is much too close and isn't paying attention enough to do so safely. 1) Is it reasonable to feel that this person is too close and riding dangerously? 2) I'm going to try to say something next time this happens, but I'd much rather concentrate on the road and not look over my shoulder trying to talk to someone who probably can't hear me over traffic. Is there a clear (polite!) signal I can give that will indicate I'd like more space? Thanks! <Q> I don't draft and <S> I'm not interested in someone drafting off me. <S> Nor am I particularly interested in being polite to someone who is interfering with my ride or looking around worrying about them. <S> Waving someone past is a pretty universal hand signal I would think. <S> I use it with cars, cyclists, and anything else. <A> If it is the same person day after day just talk to them. <S> If it was me then I'd say " <S> Hi, I've noticed you follow me quite closely most days. <S> I'm sure that you are a pretty good bike handler <S> but I'm quite average. <S> So you are putting yourself at risk by following me so closely. <S> Please could you just not do it? <S> It makes me nervous and uncomfortable. <S> I'm sure <S> you understand, Thanks" <S> If this doesn't work then next time wait for them to be behind you and then shout "stopping". <S> Stop and let them go by. <S> If they stop and wait for you then just tell them you aren't moving until they go. <S> Keep doing this <S> and they'll get the message. <S> This wastes your time first thing in the morning ( which is not ideal..) <S> but safety is more important than speed, you need to get rid of this nuisance <A> The term for what the riders behind you are doing is "drafting". <S> It's a common, convenient and easy way to work together and minimize wind resistance. <S> Using the search you can read through many other questions and answers about this technique One of the questions that turns up in that search looks at your situation from the other side: <S> Is it considered rude to draft other random cyclists? <S> I recommend you take a look at the answers there. <S> Is it reasonable to feel that this person is too close and riding dangerously? <S> For a rider who has never ridden in a paceline, or actively worked together with another rider against a heavy head wind, drafting can be very uncomfortable, particularly if some random rider just tucks in behind you. <S> Is there a clear (polite!) <S> signal <S> I can give that will indicate I'd like more space? <S> For a riders that have worked together before, there are a lot of non-verbal cues and signals that make drafting easier. <S> Left hand down, slightly extended from the body for visibility, fingers and thumb extended, palm to the back. <S> In addition to making the sign, I would say loudly "SLOWING". <S> You should do this anytime your pace is dropping significantly, whether you want the person to pass you, or you want to turn, or you are slowing because of an intersection or obstacle. <S> At that point you can let the rider pass without comment, let them get a bit ahead of you <S> (only 10 or 15 seconds of slower riding should be enough), and continue on your merry way. <S> If however, after reading the other posts about drafting, you want to try it, I would simply say "Do you want to work together?" <S> If the response is positive, then I would tuck in behind them and ride a minute or so (60-70 pedal revolutions). <S> If they draft a lot they will probably wiggle an elbow or something and pull to the left so you can ride through <S> and they can tuck behind you. <S> If they don't a simple yell of "my turn" should prompt them to let you pull through. <A> You only have three options: to trust other cyclists behind you, or slow down and let them pass you, or accelerate, when riding with unknown people. <S> Just like you do in a car or motorbike, and signal said turns or stopping. <S> Have a bit of trust, nobody wants a crash. <S> Just be aware of your environment and avoid abnormal movements. <S> I mean, this is what we do everyday, trust that other people will control their vehicles, and keep attention focused when o the road
|
It will happen eventually with other riders and I would say that the only choice is to have a bit of trust and actively check before any stopping or turning. It does not seem practical to talk to everyone on your tail. Just wave him past, that's what I do. Probably most important given your example is to use the "Slowing/Stoping" signal:
|
Can I use Shimano 105's brakes with vintage bike? Complete newbie here, looking for better stopping power and less rusty calipers. I have a Nishiki Custom Sport with Dia Compe brakes and I was wondering if I could use the Shimano 105 5800's on them. I've heard conflicting comments on the compatibility with the SLR design and the pull ratio (they state you need "ST-5800, ST-6800 or ST-9000 STIs for correct leverage ratio"). I kind of understand it, kind of don't. My biggest concern is safety so that's what I'm trying to gauge at (that and the recessed mounting). Thanks! <Q> For many years, all brake levers had a cable pull for either traditional sidepull/canti/u-brake brakes or linear pull/mechanical disc brakes. <S> When Shimano came out with their under-tape shift housing routing STIs, they changed their brake lever pull to a higher number, putting it pretty much in between the two existing classes. <S> These levers and brakes are designated Super SLR and they include most of the current Shimano brakes. <S> It's more cable pull. <S> What that means is if you pair Super SLR levers with conventional sidepull brakes, you'll have more rapid arm movement and nice crisp brake feel but less leverage and less power. <S> If you pair Super SLR brakes with conventional levers you'll have the opposite: more leverage but mushy feel and less arm movement, forcing you to have the starting position of the pads very close to the rim if you're going to avoid running out of lever travel. <S> I don't really recommend doing either. <S> The danger of the former is inadequate braking power, and of the latter it's that it can be easy to run out of lever travel, which is also a safety issue, plus the lever feel is poor. <A> A couple years back I put a pair of 105 5800's on a 1986 Centurion Elite RS that had Diacompe brake levers. <S> It worked great. <S> I never even considered that the pull ratio would be an issue perhaps I should have? <S> I have heard of pull ratio being an issue when trying to use cantilever brakes, linear pull (v-braves), or disk brakes with vintage road brake levers, but in my case... my 5800s worked with my 1986 diacompe levers just fine. <A> maybe.. but probably not. <S> Older bikes usually require the calipers to have more reach . <S> 105 or similar have up to 49mm of reach whereas with an older bike you may need up to 57 mm . <S> Shimano make them as do Dia Compe. <S> A good bikeshop should be able to get them otherwise buy online easy enough. <S> Here is a picture of an older bike I rebuilt with new Shimano calipers. <S> Tiagra or 105 would not work as the drop reach was not sufficient. <S> The pads would graze the tyres even in their lowest position. <S> These ones with 57 mm reach are fine and work well with an older set of Shimano 8 speed STI levers..
|
There were small differences between levers but essentially every lever across all bike genres in one camp would work with every brake in that camp.
|
Can adjusting handlebar height help reduce hand numbness? Riding my mountain bike on the roads in experiencing tingling and numbness in my hands, especially the left, after 10-15 minutes. It's intermittent and I can disperse it by wiggling my hand when it's safe to take one hand of the bars for a few seconds. I wondered if adjusting the handlebar height might help? I recently corrected my saddle height by raising it about 3" but maybe that puts more weight on my wrists as I lean further forward? <Q> You aren't the first to have problems with numbness riding, so take heart. <S> You raised the saddle a lot, and that will transfer weight to the front of the bike via your hands. <S> You have several options: Pre-Ride: <S> * Buy some cycling gloves <S> During the Ride:*Move your hands around the bar every so often. <S> Road bikes have a lot of places to grip, and this is one of the reasons If these don't work, then you could go to a bike shop and inquire about a simple fit. <S> You could also do the same and look up how online. <S> * <S> My guess is that the reach from the seat to the handlebars is to short and to steep, which is great for a mountain bike that needs to be yanked around. <S> It isn't the best for the stability and endurance needed in a road bike. <A> The best bet, Look up Ergon grips. <S> They have a platform for your palm that alleviates the pressure and constriction put on your capillaries from the pressure your body puts on your hands https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=ergon%20grips <A> I had the same problem on my commuter bike. <S> That and better padded gloves really helped.
|
* Raise the handlebars until they are comfortable (maybe an inch or so a ride) I installed the Ergon grips with the pads angled up a little to keep my wrists flatter instead of bent back.
|
PSI and tube size I ride a giant hybrid with tires that say SRX4 with 700x40c / 40-622 / 75 psi max. I recently had a tube go bad in the back tire. Today I replaced it with a tube I bought at the bike shop which reads 700x35-40 27x1-3/8. I got it back in and the tire back on. However, when I inflate it, 75 psi seems like no pressure at all, the tire seems flat at that pressure with my floor pump. Am I missing something? 75 seems unrideable, when I put weight on it the tire basically collapses to the rim. Thanks! <Q> The tube size shouldn't affect the feeling of the tire at all (Unless the walls stretch too much and blow out... <S> But that's a different matter). <S> You can test this just by plugging the valve in the pump, does it fills the barometer? <S> If not, the reading you are getting when pumping up is from air trapped (And pressurized)somewhere else than the tube. <A> Take it all off again and check the tyre thoroughly, when this happened to me I thought I'd bought a dodgy Chinese tube, so I got another. <S> The second time I ran my fingers over every inch of the inside while flexing the tyre open and found a tiny bit of wire just barely poking through the tyre into the tube and dug it out. <A> Is it a presta valve? <S> If so, you might have forgotten to unscrew the small nut at the end. <S> This would prevent any air from getting in the tube. <S> It is also possible that you did not push the pump all the way onto the valve (this could happen with any type of valve). <S> In either scenario, you would be pressurizing the pump to 75 PSI, but not putting any air into the tube itself.
|
It seems like something is preventing the air from flowing inside the tube itself and it is being trapped somewhere between the tube valve and the pump.
|
trek road bike puncture and then gears stop working advice needed? I wonder if any one can help me I have a trek road bike, I have had it several years and it has always worked really well gears changing well and never had a puncture. A couple of weeks ago I went out for a ride and back wheel went bang and had a puncture. I took back wheel off and replaced inner tube and put back wheel back on. I started cycling again and every thing seemed fine then I heard a strange snapping sound and when I tried to change gears right shifter would not work so could not change gears. I had to ride home with one gear. When I got home I checked bike and found out gear cable had snapped. Today I replace broken gear cable and other gear cable. I decided to change brake cables as well. When I had finished every thing was working well all gears were changing smoothly, brakes working fine. I decided to take it out for a ride to test. Every thing was going well then I heard a bang again another puncture. I took off back wheel replaced inner tube, pumped up and put wheel back on. I Started riding and every thing seemed fine gears changing fine.2 minutes later right gear shifter stops working again. I have checked over bike and gear cable has not snapped it is fine. gear shifter just does not seem to be working the levers for going up and down dont click when moved they just move around and do nothing. Have I done some thing wrong when I changed the gear cable. Left shifter is working fine. and as I said after I changed gear cables both shifters were working fine and gears were changing smoothly until puncture. Why do my gears suddenly keep stopping working each time I get a puncture.and any advice on what I can do to try and fix. Im beginning to think im jinxed my last bike a carrera kept getting continual punctures every bike ride some times two or 3 times in one ride. I tried replacing inner tubes and tyres. but it made no difference so gave up in the end and bought the trek which has been great until now. Sorry if this is long any advice would be much appreciated thanks in advance <Q> The lever not clicking when moving makes me think your shifter could be broken, but that does seem like an unlikely coincidence. <S> Shifter broken test: <S> The way to test this is follow the cable down from the shifter and at the first place where the cable emerges from the housing, put your left hand under the bare cable and pull on it <S> so there is tension on the cable. <S> With your other hand, shift up and down. <S> The clicks may get more audible, and hopefully you can feel the cable tighten and loosen with each shift. <S> If you feel the clicks in the cable tension, your shifter is fine and you can move to the next steps. <S> Housing popped out of cable stops test: <S> The way to find out is first "shift" your shifter into the hardest to pedal gear to release cable tension, then follow the cable from the shifter down to the derailleur. <S> Check that the beginning and end of all the little plastic-covered pieces of housing are in their cable stops (the metal cylindrical pieces attached to the frame that hold the housing in place).If one of the housing pieces has popped out, pop it back in <S> and it should shift again. <S> You may need to manually push the rear derailleur cage towards the spokes to release the tension so you can get the housing back in. <S> Cable slipped test: <S> Another possibility is the cable has slipped and pulled through the derailleur fixing bolt (the bolt that attaches the cable to the derailleur). <S> In this case, you would again "shift" the shifter to the hardest to pedal gear to reduce cable tension, loosen the bolt, pull on the end of the cable till there is no slack and re-tighten the cable. <S> The shifting should begin to work again. <S> It should be one of those cases, although a piece of housing could have splintered and you'll see small wires popping out of it. <S> If so, replace the housing. <S> Worst case, take it to a bike shop :) <A> Two things to check spring to mind ... <S> You removed the rear wheel to fix the puncture - did you get it back in correctly? <S> That would affect the rear mech. <S> The gear cable sometimes gets knocked around and get unseated in their stops as you take the tension off the cable. <S> Also, I would check for a broken spoke ... as that can cause a puncture, and possible mess with your shifting, if it sticks out. <A> There are two things I would check: First, was the rear wheel put back in the same position in the dropouts? <S> If not, it could cause interference between the rear derailleur and the cassette, and prevent you from shifting to your easier gears. <S> To fix it, change the position of the wheel or the b-tension screw adjustment on the derailleur. <S> That could prevent the inner cable from being able to move and change gears. <S> If this is the case, you could try bending the cable housing back, or you could replace it. <S> (By the way, when you replaced the cable, did you replace the housing too?) <S> Since you mentioned that shifting does not work up or down, I would lean towards the second possibility. <S> The first issue would only prevent you from shifting to your easiest gears.
|
Second, the cable housing that runs from the shifter to the derailleur may have gotten bent, pinched, or otherwise damaged while you were taking the wheel in and out.
|
hybrid bike ... too small? risks? I bought a Schwinn from a big box. I'm regretting it for technical reasons (shifters, brakes), but I'm starting to wonder if the frame is too small. I have the seat way up and going down steep (paved) hills is a bit scary. It feels a bit unstable. It's a hybrid because my wife and I like to go on the C&O canal every now and then, but I am starting to put the miles on the road when riding alone (see the aforementioned hill... we have LOTS). At 6'1", with a 33" inseam, should I have concerns about this 17.5" frame? <Q> There is danger and there is discomfort... <S> you should accommodate both. <S> There is a max insertion line on the seat post - do not ride the bike with the seat post extended beyond that line, buy a longer seatpost. <S> Though I would imagine that a standard 17.5 frame would accommodate a 33 in inseam (is that your real inseam...or the length of trousers you prefer? <S> There is a difference).If the reach to the bars is too short, bringing your hands too close to the hips for your center of gravity, then you will feel that you don't have a lot of steering control. <S> People are usually more comfortable on a larger bike, where they can change position during a longer ride and as the terrain changes. <S> Good luck, and have fun riding! <A> First of all there are TONS of different types of hybrid bikes. <S> You go from cross bikes all way down to coasters. <S> Can you describe more what you have ? <S> It is that easy as look what size of frame you should use. <S> All brands have chard of measures. <S> If it is the right size well then you are fine. <S> It should not be a problem having SLIGHTLY smaller or bigger that recommended size bike some brands have may be 8 different frame sizes for the same model some other cheap ones may have only 3 or even 2. <S> This is where frames have huge differences between them and some BSO users may get the shiniest bike in the store with out knowing if it is of their size. <S> So make sure that it isnt the case. <S> In hybrid bike (like mountain bike but with thinner wheels kind) geometry as far as I know the seat usually it is at same height or slightly over the stem <S> so <S> yes it is weird to have it far higher. <S> They idea is have a more comfortable ride that in a mountain bike and less rolling resistance or roads or gravel. <S> So in theory you should not lay way forward. <S> I dont know/unsure <S> if there any security risk of having a smaller frame maybe if you get your seat post to high it can break the frame because of leverage of your body and you will feel uncomfortable and may develop some joint problems over long period of time if you use it a lot. <A> Everyone's body proportions are different, and every brand's geometry is different too, but even with those taken into account, I'd say your frame is way too small . <S> Back when I was growing up, age 12 and 150 cm, I got a new mountain bike. <S> It had a 20-inch frame. <S> You're over 30 cm taller than age 12 version of me, yet your frame is smaller . <S> Today, I'm 180 cm (5 cm shorter than you) and ride a hybrid bicycle with a 58-cm frame. <S> If your build is anything similar to mine, you should be looking at a 58 or 60 cm frame (22-23,5 inches; L or XL frame). <S> I can still ride the old mountain bike <S> but it is a bit uncomfortable.
|
It sounds like the bike is too small for your comfort - some people like small, whippy bikes and others like to ride much larger, more stable, bicycles. Frames usually are quite big to the point where they looks bigger that same size mtb frames (they both looks quite similar).
|
Standing up, worth practising for a casual cyclist? I have no interest in racing, for me a bike is a mode of transport or a pleasant way to enjoy the countryside. Currently, the only time I ever stand is to accelerate from stationary or for a very short, steep hill... I can't do it for more than about 30s and it ruins my legs! Friends of mine say they never stand, us it something that's useful to practice or really only for racing? Does it perhaps use different muscles so can be used to alternate with sitting on a hilly route or something, or is it fundamentally a hard core skill? <Q> The gains in power is why you see the technique frequently used in racing, but that doesn't mean you can't use it for transportation or casual cycling. <S> In fact it can be beneficial as the human body does not respond well to being restrained in one position for long periods of time. <S> Interspersing periods where you pedal out of the saddle can be a good way to allow your body to change positions, relaxing some of your postural muscles and allows different leg muscles to be used. <S> You do not need to ride long periods out of the saddle to gain some of these benefits. <S> 30 seconds out of the saddle is not a trivial amount of time. <S> I would suggest keeping the period of time shorter if you find your self tired after 30 seconds, but try increasing the frequency of times you ride out of the saddle. <S> This is will help build endurance, without having to turn your legs into noodles. <S> Does it perhaps use different muscles so can be used to alternate with sitting on a hilly route or something, or is it fundamentally a hard core skill? <S> I wouldn't call it a hardcore skill per se, but hard core riders will use the technique more frequently. <S> Even if you are not "hardcore" (whatever that is), it can still be useful to more casual riding. <S> Perhaps you have go for a longer ride than usual, and you are finding you are having difficulty on a hill, <S> Or perhaps you are carrying more weight on the bike than you usually ride with (e.g, a big grocery run), pedalling out of the saddle can help you to get moving and up hills you may encounter. <A> In addition to the valuable points made by Rider_X , I suggest two other reasons for learning to stand. <S> Starting on hill can be difficult if you cannot stand up and pedal. <S> So being able to stand gives you more options for where you can start from. <S> More importantly, it's a safe bike handling skill. <S> Riders sometimes hit a bump that throws them off the bike, or at least jolts them enough for them to lose control. <S> This occurs when the rear wheel gets to the bump, and the seat gives your bottom a kick. <S> It's happened to all of us, but it needn't. <S> When coming to a bump, get your bottom off the seat. <S> Easily done if you are confident to stand on your pedals. <S> By standing, you allow the bike to pivot over the bump without giving you that dangerous jolt. <S> So, not a hard core skill, more of a safe riding skill. <S> More hard core riders also get their bottoms off the seat on fast descents, when they don't know or can't see the quality of the road surface ahead. <S> Hitting an unseen bump at high speeds can easily cause a crash. <S> And jumps are another case, but I digress ... <A> Standing up is also great for increasing your range of vision. <S> I often stand coming up to junctions <S> so I can see over cars, fences, hedges etc. <S> and it means the cars can see you too. <A> Stationary stand on the pedal to lighten a bump is a different story. <S> While standing to pedal yourself up to the hill is a bad idea. <S> Sheldon brown has write something about Standing while Cycling and how to fix it or avoid it. <S> Putting too much pressure on the knee is how people getting sport injuries from bicycling. <S> I just want to add one more point : <S> knee injuries are difficult to heal. <S> The knee Meniscus are not renewable. <A> Like andy256 said, standing can be a good technique for safely handling bumps in the road. <S> It's also much more comfortable than going over bumps sitting! <S> Just stand and let your arms go loose when riding over a bump/sewer grate/curb, and you'll save yourself some painful bounces.
|
As you have found, pedalling out of the saddle can generate more power than remaining in the saddle, but it is also a more difficult position to maintain. standing can help you get over the hill. You need to checkout explicit instruction to train to use the muscle and tendon around the knee.
|
Strange long squeal sound when I pedal hard - how to track this down? It's kinda hard to describe but there's a sound coming from somewhere on the bike when I pedal hard - I can't figure out where it's coming from. It's sort of like a high pitched pig squeal. It started happening randomly really and hasn't stopped since. If anything, it's been getting louder. Any ideas on what it could be? How can I narrow down where the sound is coming from? <Q> This sounds like a bottom bracket bearing. <S> Check for looseness in bottom bracket by wriggling your pedals. <S> Do they move in ways that they should not? <S> When the bearing housing fails, you both lose the glide of the bearing and also introduce bits of 'shrapnel' into the bottom bracket which rub and squeal with each crank, as the bracket deteriorates further, the noise and friction will increase. <S> However, at some point, you'll grind all the shrapnel into shavings and will have scored the interior of the bottom bracket such that there will be more room and it will become easier to pedal and quieter, though it will still be far more difficult than a working set of bearings. <S> Bottom brackets are easy to inspect and replace. <S> Good luck with the repair. <A> I know this is an old thread <S> but I thought I’d add my 2 cents. <S> You might want to lube your rear derailleur jockey pulleys. <S> That’s where the sound was coming from on my road bike. <S> If it doesn’t eliminate the problem at least it eliminates one possibility. <A> From my experience, this sound comes from crankset/crankarm, that is not tightened properly on the bottom bracket axle. <A> This is a hard problem to diagnose since its related to a heavy load on the pedals, then you can't look for the cause with the bike in a stand because it won't exhibit. <S> Some things to try <S> : Test the rear rim brakes (only) by going somewhere quiet and unhooking the rear brake, then try a powerful start and see if it squeals. <S> Then hook your brakes up again immediately. <S> Do you have mudguards/fenders? <S> Check for witness marks anywhere that might be close to a wheel. <S> Look straight down and see how much your frame flexes. <S> This will give you some idea about how much variance it has when you press really hard. <S> I have a bendy steel rigid MTB with home-made mudguards. <S> Under hard pedalling it make a buzz noise as the knobbies rubbed on the plastic used to make the guards. <S> Turned out there was sufficient frame flex under load to make the rear wheel contact the guards, but not enough to find it in the workstand <S> Squeals tend to be brakes or bearings because most rubbing noises sound exactly like rubbing noises. <S> A squeal is higher-pitched.
|
Give your rear wheel a wiggle - it could be a loose axle contributing to some movement. Frame flex -Stand over the bike and with both brakes hard-on put some load on a pedal in the horizontal position.
|
Native BB30 crankset or adapted Shimano? I have a bb30 frame, and I need to change my crankset. However, I am baffled by the reviews online if it is better to get a native BB30 crankset, like SRAM Force 22, or an adapted Shimano Ultegra 5800 with the wheels mfg adapter , which I slightly prefer. Would there be any performance or durability losses choosing the adapting way? <Q> Advantages of using native BB: <S> BB30 spindle is thicker (30mm) and stronger than a gxp (24mm) <S> No extraneous parts Advantages of using adapter: <S> Ease of service - no bearing press needed except for initial install, after which you will have a threaded BB <S> that's easy to remove. <S> BB30 requires relatively expensive tools to service, e.g. Park Tool bearing press and puller, which most enthusiasts don't own. <S> Also, the fact that you only need to service a BB30 once in a while (maybe once or twice a season) makes buying the tools less attractive when one can just take it to the LBS and have them pull your BB30 for relatively cheap. <S> Q-factor - can be an advantage or disadvantage. <S> I consider this less desirable <S> but it's all about the fit. <S> I like a narrow stance. <S> You may have knee pain if your q-factor is too narrow or too wide <A> I would agree with the above poster that if your bike is bb30 thenit would be recommended to stick with a bb30 crank. <S> However, conversion between bb30 and gxp seems quite popular these days and you would not be alone if you go down that route. <S> If you go through with getting the ultegra crank you might also look at praxis bottom brackets. <S> More expensive, but they may be on to something. <A> The Wheels adapters and similar are cheap and simple, but they add another mechanical interface for things to go wrong with and leave you with all the downside of BB30 (creak-prone frame interface and questionably durable bearings). <S> Most of the upside of going with a 24mm crank in the first place is avoiding those problems. <S> They do have their place, but mostly that place is someone who has an existing crank they want to make work cheaply and easily, or a race team that needs to quickly build up a whole bunch of BB30 bikes with a sponsor's 24mm cranks.
|
If the frame is made for BB30 I'd recommend using that. The Praxis conversion BBs have a very good reputation, and the FSA press-in threaded adapter also seems to work well when properly installed (ie generously Loctited in place). Your stance will likely be wider with the adapter.
|
Single speed to multi-speed conversion with internal gear hub I currently have a single speed 52m Crew District. I got it as a commuter once I got moved closer my workplace. I live in a fairly hilly area and I am thoroughly missing the option to downshift and give my legs a break on the way back. Current gearing is 46 x 16 (freewheel) 700cx25 gators, rear brake only, Omnium 165mm cranks. The District is listed as a track bike and geometry. I heard it is possible to add gears without a dérailleur by using an internal gear hub. My LBS seem unreliable and I've gotten different answers. Are they right to try to sell me on a stock multi-speed hybrid or just confused about not using a dérailleur? Which brings me to the internal hub gear wheels. Are they a gimmick, work "meh", or extremely functional? Any experience with them? I'm confused about the axle measurements, where they are or how to find out. Does anyone have know if the Soma-Iggy will fit the District's rear spacing and if so what would be better: 3 speed or 5? Any info would be greatly appreciated. <Q> Are they a gimmick, work "meh", or extremely functional? <S> Any experience with them? <S> I ride internal gear hubs (IGH) only, because they are extremely functional. <S> I definitely prefer them over any deraileur system. <S> Why? <S> Because IGHs have much better shifting than chain-shifts: <S> Ever stopped at the lights with your chain-shift in the wrong gear? <S> Well, duh, you'll have to accelerate with the wrong gear in place. <S> Not so with IGHs: You select the new gear, move your pedals back and forth once (only the pedals, not the bike!), it says "click", and you are ready to rock. <S> Ever found you needed to shift a gear lower on a steep ascend, and didn't have much speed to spare for the shifting? <S> With an IGH, you select the lower gear, you release the pressure from the pedals for a split second (and I really mean "split", like a quarter second, or so), <S> it says "click", and you are in the correct gear again. <S> No need to reduce force until the chain has fully moved to the correct sprocket. <S> On a similar note, when you shift up during acceleration, IGHs virtually eliminate the shifting breaks in power output. <S> It feels like driving a tip-tronic car over a manual shift car. <S> Once you are used to the "click-click" shifting performance, you won't want to go back to deraileurs. <S> The downsides of IGHs compared to chain-shifts are: <S> They are a tad less efficient. <S> That's why racers never use IGHs, they need the last percent of performance. <S> However, that's definitely not an argument for commuting and touring. <S> The spread of gears is a bit more limited. <S> IGHs usually span a factor of approximately 3 between lowest and highest gears, chain-shifts for mountain bikes have a much higher range. <S> I.e. on steep slopes you may find that you are missing a gear or two with an IGH. <S> But it's still much better than having only one gear, isn't it? <A> The easiest (if you haven't done it already) is to swap the complete rear wheel for the one with IGH like Sturmey-Archer or Shimano Nexus. <S> for about €50 and spent one afternoon fitting it. <S> If you would like to keep your rim than you need to source a hub and relace the wheel (probably a task for your LBS). <S> You ask about the experience - mine <S> is positive. <S> I've serviced one SA hub that was about 30 years old (came from early '90s <S> I reckon) - haven't spotted any wear inside. <S> Mine (a bit newer) rides without maintenance for about 1000 km already <S> (no idea how much it ran with the previous owners) and I can hear it needs cable readjustment. <S> RJ <S> The Bike Guy has two videos on servicing those - there isn't any rocket science, only some basic bike mechanic skills and tools: How To Overhaul/Clean/Lube Sturmey-Archer 3 Speed Hub - AW type Overhauling <S> 60 Year <S> Old Sturmey Archer 3 Speed Hub <A> Here are instruction how you can measure your rear fork you would need to find hub with same IGH measurment. <S> Another thing you would need to ensure is that your chain will be straight and not bent left or right <S> (a.k.a chain line should be correct).
|
Once properly serviced those hubs are in fact maintenance free (though you need to adjust the shifter cable every now and then) and last forever. This is actually what I've done on my old city bike - I got a second-hand wheelset with Sturmey-Archer and roller brakes, cables etc. If you find IGH that fits your rear fork, it is usually quite reliable, but somewhat pricey setup, since the cheapest IGH start around 100 Euros.
|
Why is standing more common on hills than on flats? We all know that standing on a hill feels better than standing on a flat. Even pros seemingly only stand up for hills (not counting sprints). What causes this? Here's what I've thought of so far: Often you can ride up a hill without shifting out of the gear you were using before. If you were to stay seated, you would need to shift down. For a long time (road) bikes had such high gears that you had to stand for many hills. That's not the case anymore though, so maybe it's a moot point. When you're on a hill, the bike is tilted backwards. This makes it easier and more natural to stand up, because the bar is "higher" and more reachable than it would be otherwise. But I have a feeling there's more to it than this. These reasons are not significant enough to explain the difference I can feel, or the way pros behave. <Q> Because in the flats you reach higher speeds, and at those speeds aerodynamics become very important, so exposing more of your body to the wind is a drag. <S> The standing in flat is then limited to sprint bursts, or just used to give a little rest to your legs and buttock. <S> Whereas going uphill is usually slow so the power advantage you may get standing is worth the trade-off for worse aerodynamics. <A> One of the reasons for standing on steep bits is weighting of the front wheel. <S> Many riders have choppy pedalling technique <S> (I know I do) and lower cadence exacerbates the pulsing of power. <S> On a local steep climb of 17% I have to stand and lean forward , or else each pedal push raises the front wheel off the ground leading to an instant of no steering and poor balancing. <S> It also feels like you could be about to flip-over backwards, which is an unpleasant sensation. <S> Techniques to help: use clipless pedals and provide a smoother delivery of power ride a bike with <S> a longer wheelbase - longer chainstays mean that your back wheel is further aft. <S> decrease the effective grade by zig-zagging AVOID <S> STOPPING ON THE STEEP BIT! <S> There are grades you could ride, but on which you would have difficulty starting in any gear. <A> Straightening your trunk opens your lungs, increasing your aerobic capacity. <S> The effect ranges from trivial on the more upright position bikes through to fairly dramatic in a TT position. <S> So standing on the pedals increases the available power, at the expense of greatly increasing drag. <S> Going slowly up a hill you can come out ahead by standing up. <S> When sprinting the equation is often slightly different - standing brings different muscle sets into play, and if you're running hard on lactic, using muscles that still have extra capacity can give you a momentary burst of power. <S> What makes this even more complex is where it ties into strategy and tactics. <S> Tactically, if you can win a race without using the above you will be less tired in the future. <S> Strategically, this is usually more important - in bigger races you'll often see pressure to say in contact with the current leaders, rather than to overtake them. <A> Generally, standing climbing requires more energy than seated climbing. <S> In mountain stages, most riders climb most of the time while seated. <S> On flat sections, seated spinning is far more efficient than standing.
|
Because standing requires the legs to support much of the body weight, therefore require more of the riders energy, bulkier riders are less likely to stand, while the more svelte riders may stand much more often. However, there are some riders that do stand for much of the climb.
|
How does weight influence your speed when descending? I have recently bought a road bike and went on a little trip with a friend who is also a novice. We have approximately the same height but he weighs a lot more (I weigh 67-68kg for 1m81 and he weighs around 80-85kg). While descending a road, he outclassed me easily. It made me wonder : Suppose that two people have exactly the same characteristics (same bike, same height, same equipment,...) but a different weight and a corresponding different shape (one is fit and the other overweight or more muscular). If they both ride perfectly (i.e. in an optimal manner), who is going to go faster ? If the road and tires were perfectly smooth and there was no air, physics tells us that these two people would go at the exact same speed. Theoretically, the heavier person has a less aerodynamic shape if his/her additional weight is the result of fat and not muscle, so if the road and tires are still perfectly smooth and if there is air, the lighter person should be faster (assuming that the "aerodynamic theory" is right). Now, add the fact that the road and tires are not perfectly smooth and that I have probably forgotten important factors, how to know which one will be faster ? I could have asked this question in the Physics community but I bet it is something known in the bicycles one. <Q> If you just scale up a rider by a factor in mass, the volume increases in proportion, but the frontal area scales up as the 2/3 power of the weight ratio because the dimension along the direction of travel does not contribute. <S> Both of these mean a heavy rider on a bike with a constant grade will descend faster with no power input besides the hill. <A> If it is harder to get up the hill it has to be easier to get down. <S> Assume <S> you are two rocks of same shape and density dropped from mile up. <S> What the is the relative terminal velocity? <S> Two forces at work that are equal at terminal velocity gravity = <S> c1 <S> * r^3 <S> wind resistance = <S> c2 * <S> r^2 <S> gravity / wind resistance = <S> c3 <S> * r <S> velocity1 <S> / velocity2 = <S> r1 / r2 <S> If one weighs twice as much r1^ <S> 3 / r2^ <S> 3 = 2 <S> r1 / r2 = <S> 2 <S> ^ <S> 1/3 <S> = 1.26 = <S> velocity1 <S> / velocity2 <S> OK you are not a rock and you are on a bicycle. <S> Same forces at work. <S> Going up you pay full price for weight and coming down you only get paid pack the cube root. <A> If you drop a styrofoam ball and the same size rock ball in a vacuum they will fall exactly the same. <S> It's because they accelerate with the same gravitational acceleration. <S> While falling both transform their potential energies into kinetic energies , <S> so: <S> Mass <S> x Grav_accel <S> x <S> Height = 1/2 <S> x Mass <S> x Velocity^2 <S> We can see it does not matter how much weight the object has, because the Mass is on both sides of equation. <S> The Velocity is only proportional to Height <S> so both objects fall the same. <S> Now if you drop them in air environment - both objects will have to overcome air drag . <S> The air drag is not dependent on the Mass of object but only on it's shape, velocity, and the environment. <S> If both objects would fall the same, they would both need the same energy to overcome the air drag. <S> This energy is taken from the kinetic energy of the object to push the air molecules out of the way. <S> But because the heavier object has bigger potential energy from the start (and bigger kinetic energy in the end) the air drag takes relatively smaller part away from the kinetic energy. <S> Mass <S> x Grav_accel <S> x <S> Height = 1/2 <S> x <S> Mass x Velocity^2 + 1/2 <S> x Velocity^2 <S> x <S> Some_constant <S> This is why the heavier object falls faster in drag environment. <S> Now if the objects have same density and one is bigger heavier and the other is smaller and lighter: Air drag depends on the drag_coefficient which largely depends on the Cross section . <S> Mass (when the density is constant) depends on the Volume . <S> Volume of sphere is: <S> 4/3 x π x r^3, Cross section of sphere is π <S> x r^2 <S> This means the Mass increases 1.33 x radius times faster than Cross section for bigger objects, giving them falling advantage. <S> Thats why dust of the same material falls very very slowly and chunks of the same material fall fast. <A> If the heavy person and the light person were identical in all ways except for their weight (e.g., – warning, thought experiment only; do not do this – you, vs you after drinking a litre of mercury), then the heavy person will be faster downhill in a straight line. <S> The reason for this is that there is a greater gravitational force pulling them down the hill, whereas by far the most significant resistive force is air resistance, which depends on speed and shape (which we assumed to be identical) but not mass. <S> This means that, when freewheeling down a hill, the heavy cyclist will be able to travel faster before air resistance balances out the gravitational force. <S> The same is true when you add the force of pedalling to the equation, since we're assuming that both cyclists can put out exactly the same power. <S> However, this picture isn't entirely realistic as I've made a huge bunch of simplifying assumptions. <S> In reality, the heavy cyclist will be larger, so will have more air resistance. <S> I'm not sure what the trade-off would be, there. <S> I've also assumed that the heavier cyclist will have the same rolling resistance as the lighter one. <S> That's not going to be true but air resistance is much more significant <S> so this shouldn't make a big difference. <S> Also, I've only looked at straight-line speed. <S> In real cycling, you have to turn corners, which usually requires slowing down. <S> A heavier cyclist will need to brake earlier because, for a given speed, they have more kinetic energy to bleed off into their brakes. <S> I'm not sure how much of the gain that would cancel out.
|
The heavier person will present more area to the wind, but this is mitigated by two factors: The bicycle presents a fixed area to the wind and the area presented by the heavier person is not proportional because of the 2/3 power law.
|
Rekindling a love for cycling after an accident How can one "start" to love cycling as a hobby again after losing interest in it after having bad experience(s)? — Since having a car-on-bike accident and subsequently not riding for quite some time, I've lost the love of cycling: I'm not afraid/angry/stressed when on a bike (at least not any more than before the crash, anyway), so I don't feel that I have some sort of PTSD/confidence issues . Nevertheless, I don't have a desire to cycle: It just feels like a way to get from point A to point B. My situation is of course in no way unique (cf. CyclingTips or Sticky Bottle ) and is definitely related to accident recovery, so I thought there might be common methods for "learning to love" cycling again — am I right? Background Strangely enough, even before the accident, my love of riding was directly connected with riding my bike-- not just any bike. I even bought a bike which is even "cooler" (to me) than the bike I had before, thinking that it would help get me motivated to ride again, but it didn't work; Might it be possible that I actually never really had a love of cycling per se but rather a love for my bicycle ? <Q> Since having a car-on-bike accident last year due to me performing an Idaho stop, and the driver not stopping at all, I feel like my riding habits have changed a lot, and I realized how bad other people's riding habits tend to be. <S> I don't always put my foot down when getting to an intersection, but I usually come to a stop and do a trackstand for a split second to make sure things are safe. <S> Commuting on roads definitely isn't as fun as it was before the accident. <S> I'm definitely a lot more alert when riding, even though, like you, I don't really feel anxious, afraid, or stressed when riding. <S> Partly because I feel like getting away from traffic is safer, and partly because it's an easy way to pad my trip with extra distance, which is something I've wanted to do anyway. <S> I definitely recommend finding a group to ride with if you don't currently ride in a group. <S> Seeing some friendly faces and having somebody to push you to ride faster/harder can be a great motivator. <S> I think the best thing is to just get out on the open road, away from traffic and other distractions. <S> Having a route where you can cycle for a long period of time without having to stop can be quite enjoyable and relaxing. <S> The rides where I have to stop every 2 minutes for a light definitely aren't enjoyable, and I do them out of necessity. <S> The rides where I'm not going anywhere and just riding for the sake of riding my bike are what really bring out the enjoyment in cycling. <A> I've had my ins and outs with riding <S> and I've found that buying a new bike only sometimes works. <S> What I'd recommend is maybe trying a new style of cycling or finding something to train toward. <S> I recently started training again and didn't buy a new bike, but did get some new GPS gear to geek out over which is definitely contributed to riding/training being more fun. <S> Buying a new bike can work, but I think most often if it is mixed with learning or practicing a new riding style. <A> I've had two slip and slides this year, one on a downhill corner and one turning on ice. <S> The first wasn't bad. <S> but the ice fall was a lot of bruising. <S> The bike was okay both times, a wheel true and brake levers back into position. <S> Upshot is I'm now leery about downhill corners and turning fast in general. <S> My riding has modified <S> so I don't go quite so fast downhill, <S> and I'm an early braker and relatively slow through corners. <S> I have an annual distance goal to meet, logged on strava, and that keeps me going. <S> Next year I will switch that out for a climbing goal of X hundred metres of vertical per month. <S> I don't enjoy climbing and am not very good at it. <S> X remains to be decided. <S> Things, Items, by themselves are not motivations . <S> Instead they're a pit of bad feelings about the cost and lack of use. <S> Every time you see it <S> you feel a little worse, and the bike becomes a ROPA <S> (Ridden Once and Put Away.) <S> My slightly perverse streak is to ride cheap and/or old bikes, and I do a reasonable job of keeping up with the faster chaps on their expensive bikes. <A> Do you have any biker's community where you live? <S> Joining them might be a good idea. <S> I was having health issues and was mostly at home. <S> When I bought my bicycle <S> I was not able to cycle much. <S> It was not about getting from point A to point B. I had bought an ordinary bicycle which would need a lot of effort on my part if it was long distance traveling. <S> However there was this women's biking community that started in my locality at the same time as I bought my cycle. <S> I wanted to be a part of their weekend expeditions which gave me enough motivation to practice riding my bicycle. <A> Hmmm Hi! <S> I'm certainly no psychologist, but from reading the first part of your question, for me it seems like the love that you lost is still where you left it, between point A and B. Logically <S> it makes sense to ride for all the reasons we know, yet the joy comes from the journey. <S> Whenever I'm learning with someone how to ride, I suggest the three rules, 1- look where you want to go ( <S> i.e anywhere except down!). <S> 2- keep pedalling. <S> 3- Smile. <S> Try a little 5 minute pre-ride breathing 4in 6out to regulate and calm your cells. <S> For the second part of your post, I would definitely share that with a professional.
|
Buying a new commuter won't necessarily help you get over being burnt out on commuting, but maybe a new road bike or mountain bike will. This year I've altered my commuting route a bit to stay away from busy roads. Having plans with friends to ride means that it's harder to just cancel if you don't feel like it, because they expect you to be there.
|
Dangers of commuting outside town to work I live in the Canary Islands, more concretely, in Gran Canaria. Our towns are pretty spread on the island, and it is really common to live in one town and working in the capital, which on average is approximately 20 minutes by car. Some of my coworkers come to work by bicycle, they live somewhere near. The one that lives furthest from the office has to make a 30m ride in his bicycle before he arrives at the office. I was thinking about this idea, the difference is that I should make a 1h 30m trip (estimated by Google Maps): Which is this one: Google maps link It involves roads without road shoulders and some parts with a cliff on the right (it has a crash barrier). Being a beginner in long trips (actually never made one that took more than 30 minutes) I don't know if this one is too dangerous for taking it two/three times a week (I work on semi-remote). <Q> I live in a rural area, and I am always looking for new roads. <S> Most of the roads here have no shoulder, and there are some cliffs. <S> The first thing that I do when I'm deciding whether a new road is too dangerous or not is to do a test-drive in a car. <S> I look to see where there is a shoulder and where there isn't, I look for blind curves, I look at the pavement quality, and I look to see how much traffic there is. <S> For me, the most dangerous thing is a blind curve where there is no shoulder; around here, people in cars like to pass me illegally in the blind curve. <S> The danger is that there will be a head-on collision between the car passing illegally and another car coming the other way; I don't want to be hit by the shrapnel. <S> If there are blind curves and no shoulders, then the traffic must be light or I won't use that road. <S> I would recommend that you have a look at your route in a car, and then try riding part of the route as a test when traffic is light, maybe early in the morning on Sunday. <S> If riding part of the way doesn't seem too risky, then try riding the entire route the next weekend. <S> If riding the entire route on early Sunday morning doesn't scare you, then try riding it early in the morning on a weekday. <S> If that is OK, then try your plan of riding to work two or three times a week. <S> I would also recommend that you find some local cyclists with more experience, and ask them about your route. <S> Maybe they can recommend some alternatives around the most dangerous parts. <A> I don't know that route, or indeed that part of the world, at all, so I'll answer in general terms, and with a list of things to think about. <S> Firstly, it's dangerous to attempt to ride too far with no plan B. I'd work up to being able to do the same distance over similar terrain before you do it for real. <S> Bear in mind that you need to get home the same day (not necessarily by bike). <S> The route you've mentioned looks to have some steep and winding sections. <S> You'll naturally go slower when climbing there; how much other traffic will there be? <S> Will car drivers be willing and able to give you space? <S> Is cycling common? <S> If not, it's generally more dangerous. <S> Can you get advice from local cyclists about routes and timing? <A> I commute every day more than that <S> and I live well out of town. <S> The only way to find out is to go ride the route. <S> I tried a bunch of routes before I settled on the ones I use. <S> I settled on them for many reasons, mostly to do with traffic, I'm on a bike, I more likely to run off the road in a car which is wider than a skinny bike <S> so I don't worry much about the road. <S> In terms of safety I find traffic to be the biggest concern, mostly because hardly anyone cycles and the drivers are not the best in any case. <S> I use one route in the morning and a couple of different ones on the way home depending what time I leave town. <S> If I leave early when schoolkids are going home <S> I dodge the route with lots of schools and buses and take a longer route. <S> But I learnt all this by actually riding the routes.
|
Next, I try riding the road when there isn't much traffic. Also be as safe as you can: wear bright colors and have flashing lights, use a mirror on your helmet, carry identification, and tell someone about your exact plans when you ride.
|
Will trailer be my best option? If not, what is? I need to take a backpack with me that's literally wider than my body and about as tall as my torso and neck, it weighs around 15-20kg. What I'm concerned about is roads that aren't so good or places where I might even need to go offroad (I don't know) as well as be essentially having less mobility and being wider. I'm going to travel (mostly on my bicycle) through various countries, which includes central European countries as well as northern countries, including their northern parts (so northern Sweden for example). I'm low on budget though, keep in mind, so it isn't going to be something super fancy. Do you think a trailer will be my best option, and if not, what kind of attachment is? <Q> From your other question - your budget for the bike was 300 euros. <S> You'd spend that much on a trailer alone. <S> Trailers more than double your rolling resistance, and increase your windage area a lot. <S> You might build your own trailer, there are many plans around the web for this, using a square of metal or timber, two wheels and either a seatpost or a rear-axle hitch. <S> Another possibility is a single wheel trailer, which carry a bit less but are more useable on singletracks and narrower roads. <S> Making a trailer with a locking bin could solve your security problem, but it still needs locking closed and locking up to something when unattended. <S> In order of preference, top of the list would be front and rear panniers, then a frame bag, then a trailer, then a rear rack with your pack on it, and lowest on the list is a backpack on your back. <A> I've seen a Czech guy touring with that setup and he seemed to have been doing it for a while <S> (you don't get to the middle of the South Island without riding for a while). <S> He was in Aotearoa and did not seem to speak any English at all, but I have this photo: <S> (via mozbike ) <S> Note that his bike also seems to be a cheap one, but he's had access to a welder to make up the pack mount/stand. <A> I've ridden with a pack that big weighing much more in my younger days (it was full of beer bottles and a struggle just to lift) <S> It's no fun to ride <S> and you have to be very careful because it changes your balance a lot. <S> I actually fell down sideways getting off the bike. <S> Your cheapest option is a back rack, sit it securely on that directly behind the seat <S> and it won't be as high, plus you can use it as a backrest. <S> Everything else I see suggested here is doable, but costs much more money. <S> You'll soon get used to the balance issues and 20 kg + isn't that much.
|
You might be able to get a rear rack to take the pack on one side, with the tent and everything else on the other. Riding long distance with a 2 wheel trailer is unpleasant.
|
Minor but persistent saddle sore - Safe to continue riding? A few months ago I switched from a heavily padded saddle to a Velominati-approved one: http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#61 It was very uncomfortable at first (even with padded shorts), but I quickly grew accustomed to it. My shorts are of the cheaper type, and most of my weight is concentrated on a very specific spot on each of my sit bones. A little more padding would be better, but it's tolerable the way it is. Three weeks ago I did a particularly long ride (7 hours), and it left a small saddle sore on each of my sit bones. Since then I haven't done any long rides. Just my usual 20 minute commute to work (which I do in normal pants, no padding). The sores haven't gone away. But even on my commute, without padded shorts, there's only a very mild (often unnoticeable) discomfort, and I'd rather sit and spin than ride standing. By continuing to do what I'm doing, am I preventing the sores from healing? Am I risking an infection? <Q> I'd perhaps look at your saddle again. <S> Consider getting measured/ <S> fitted. <S> I know what width fits me in the brand I buy. <S> Personally, I think every serious cyclist should know their saddle size as well as their frame sizing. <S> Keep in mind that all your riding up to this point (before saddle change) developed extra padding/tissue/internal callus (whichever) on the contact points of your old saddle. <S> Moving those contact points just a slight bit by getting a new saddle can make quite a bit of difference. <S> Not to be rude, but what is your hygiene like? <S> Always ride in clean shorts. <S> Toward that goal, if you haven't cleaned/showered/bathed recently and go for a ride, you really aren't riding in clean shorts (your skin isn't clean, even though the shorts are). <S> Consider washing before and after a ride. <S> Are you using a chamois cream of some sort? <S> A good chamois cream can help. <S> Some have various antibacterial/anti-infective "stuff" rolled in and can help on multiple fronts. <S> If you are going to look for less padding in your seat, you may look for more in your shorts. <S> Seven hours for most folks goes past stage type training and into endurance riding/training. <S> Ultra light sometimes gets sacrificed for comfort. <S> You may look for touring or thicker winter padded shorts/bibs and opt away from ultra light race padded shorts/bibs. <S> I have done a fair amount of winter endurance riding (100 miles on snow) and sometimes you just forget your prep and end up with a sore. <S> I've lanced my own in the past to speed healing, but that's not for everyone. <S> Once you have one (I have my own set and recurring spots), it's kind of always a preventative fight while you are trying to train. <S> In the end, if all your equipment is properly fitted, proper hygiene and prep (wash before/after, clean shorts and chamois cream) just become a regular part of your training like bike maintenance and proper nutrition. <A> In addition to the good points made by Chris , here are a few other suggestions. <S> To answer your question: I recommend that you stop riding until everything has healed. <S> If you feel you must continue, then try the following suggestions. <S> You can also try them after it's healed. <S> Switch back to the old seat to see if it aids in resolving the current issue. <S> Sounds like it put pressure on a different place, so it may help. <S> If it does feel better then keep using it until the sores have well and truly healed. <S> Check the seat position, fore and aft, height, and the angle from the horizontal. <S> Tilting the noise of the seat a cm (half an inch) up or down can make a huge difference. <S> Test them on a short ride. <S> Hope that helps. <A> Oh, the saddle. <S> THE most important connection point to your bike. <S> Since everyone of us is of different build, have different biomechanics, sit on a bicycle differently, fit on the bike differently, and have different preferences - saddles become a very personal choice. <S> What you have not articulated is whether you are just sore from sitting (swelling or bruising) or you have chafing of the skin. <S> Both are uncomfortable, but can be solved with the right saddle, good shorts, and time in the saddle. <S> Here are a few suggestions. <S> Saddles come in a variety of shapes - meaning profiles. <S> They generally fall into three categories - round, semi-round, and flat. <S> One of these is likely to fit your sit bones and soft tissues better than the others. <S> Your first task is to discover which profile is best for you. <S> You cannot guess at this, you have to ride different saddles to figure this out. <S> The good news is that many bike shops have saddle programs. <S> These consist of loaner saddles that you can log miles on to make sure they fit you <S> and you find them comfortable. <S> This way, you can try different manufacturers and models, different shapes, cut out/no cutout, you can go crazy and even try an Adamo without the nose. <S> You do need to log miles on the different saddles riding multiple days. <S> With this approach you can go back and forth between saddles so you can compare them and come to a good conclusion. <S> As far as shorts go, you should invest in decent shorts. <S> You don't have to spend $100's on Assos, but getting a good, name brand short with a solid pad and that fit right is important. <S> Sales can be your friend. <S> Find what works and buy a few of the same pair. <S> Again, your bottom is the most important connection to your bike. <S> Also consider putting a cycling specific cream on your sit bones. <S> This helps things move around a little easier and both resist chafing and heal it. <S> And there is no substitution for working your way into this. <S> Your body needs to adapt to sitting on a saddle. <S> The more you ride, the more your body will be accustomed and adapted to the weight and the movement. <S> Good luck! <A> Too much padding doesn't mean comfortable as mentioned by Sheldon Brown , as the padding will press against your seat bone. <S> People start long distance cycling tour recommended to use "hard" leather saddle such as Brooks flyer, where the leather slowly break in to follow the sitting shape.
|
Next time you make a change to your bike, or your gear, including these suggestions remember to do test rides before doing anything serious. If your first ride of the season is a century, you will be sore. Get a couple of pairs of properly padded (chamois) shorts. Padding isn't everything and there is a lot to be said for fit/sit bone width. I would recommend making sure to always wash after a ride (commutes included). Part of the problem can be caused just by friction.
|
What type of bicycle parking rack should my company install? Recently there are many people coming by bicycle to our company. I would like to solve the problem about where they should park their bikes. Do you have any suggestion about what type of bike racks are suitable for us? <Q> As someone who rides their bike everywhere I have experienced a great many types of bike rack. <S> In my opinion the best choice is a Sheffield Stand. <S> Image <S> Copyright David Wright CC BY-SA 2.0 ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0 ), via Wikimedia Commons <S> They are cheap, simple and readily available to purchase. <S> When installing them make sure they are far enough apart so that riders have enough room to comfortably part and lock their bike. <S> b|s|b <S> b|s|bi|t|i pe <S> i|t|ik|a|k rs k|a|ke|n|e on e|n|e <S> |d| <S> |d| <S> As others have said, avoid anything that holds the wheels. <S> These provide poor locking options and don't easily accommodate bikes with different sizes of tyre. <S> They can also damage rims and spokes. <A> They have a variety of styles. <S> Alternatively, Uline wave and u-shaped bike racks as suggested by Batman. <S> My personal preference for racks is a bunch of U racks, a 'coathanger' style rack, or a wave rack in that order. <S> I'm looking for a rack that I can ulock the frame to and secure both wheels with a cable and hold multiple bikes in close proximity. <S> When Installing parking racks, be sure not to put them too close to the wall so that it eliminates 1/2 of the rack's capacity. <S> I see this a lot with coat hanger style racks, which can be loaded from 2 sides, but are often butted against a wall, so they have 1/2 the possible capacity. <S> Whatever you do, don't ever get toaster racks like these. <S> There is no good way to use a ulock on them. <S> They wind up forcing users to park bikes in awkward ways to lock securely. <S> Photo by Steve Vance <A> If your company has the space, I recommend allocating indoor space with a double decker style of rack to maximize space. <S> My company took a 20ft x 75ft space and installed a two level rack, lockers, a bathroom with shower and bike work stand. <S> It gets filled up everyday with commuters, no locks needed (the door from the outside needs their office key card), out of the elements and tools to fix any issues. <A> I think you're approaching this the wrong way. <S> Come up with a design on paper that fits your requirements, then find a local fabrication company to weld up what you want. <S> Features <S> you could consider Design - How to protect the whole bike, not just the front wheel. <S> Visitors - is this for just staff or do you have customers? <S> Convenience - spacing between bikes, how to hold funny-bikes like folders, metro bikes, big bikes, fatbikes. <S> Wheel width varies hugely too. <S> Comfort - Is this a roofed area or otherwise protected from weather? <S> Power - Charging an electric bike in the stand? <S> Cage - Some places have a communal bike "cage" with a locked gate. <S> Finish - powdercoating or galvanised or chromed. <S> Beauty - incorporate your company name/logo into the design, and it might be a feature out the front of the building, not tucked away around the back for staff-only. <S> Once your design is finished, contact a metalworking company to price it. <S> They may make suggestions.
|
Security - how will the rack be fastened to the ground so that it can't be stolen full of bikes. One company that our city gets most of it's racks from is Dero .
|
What will the difference in speed be between an endurance geometry road bike and a race geometry road bike? I am looking to get a new road bike and am wondering if there will be a difference in speed between an endurance geometry bike like the Fuji Sportif or Specialized Diverge, and a race geometry bike like the Fuji Roubaix or Specialized Allez. I am looking to go as fast as possible but I also plan on going on 50+ mile rides so comfort is also a factor for me. I also do not plan on doing many hardcore road races.Other info: I am 140 lbs. <Q> The main difference will be increased drag on the endurance model, as it is likely that you will have a higher handlebar position and this will increase your frontal area and in turn drag. <S> However, if it is more comfortable in the more upright position, you may be faster as you are more efficient in putting down the power. <S> If you are not racing regularly, my suggestion would be the endurance model, as you will be more comfortable, and if you want the low aggressive position that can be achieved by moving the stem/spacers around on the steerer tube. <A> If cranks, saddle and bars are in the exact same relative positions on both bikes and all other factors remain the same - then there will be in theory - no discernible difference at all. <S> Bicycles labelled as endurance road bikes are not necessarily any slower than a full-on race bike. <S> And the lines become blurred when you consider endurance race bikes. <S> In general (very general), an endurance bike will have tweaks to the geometry & design features leaning towards comfort. <S> taller head tube shorter top tube <S> Both of these can provide a more upright ride. <S> But fit a longer stem and remove the spacers and you're in the realms of an outright race position again. <S> Such as thinner seat stays which flex and absorb the road buzz. <S> Take a look at the Scott Solace or Specialized Roubaix for examples. <S> Raced on the cobbles but endurance road bikes nonetheless. <S> This is just two examples of many endurance race bikes. <S> I should also add an endurance race bike will maintain the close clearance geometry on rear and steeper head-tube angle. <S> Which will keep the bike responsive. <S> Moving away from endurance race - then the bikes may take on more of a touring geometry also - with longer chain stays, slightly slacker head-tube also. <S> They may also allow for bigger tyre clearance, disc brakes and mudguards. <S> If you're looking to go as fast as possible with consideration for comfort - than it is an endurance race bike you should be looking at. <A> Apart from the different geometries, tires, weight etc, etc there is a main difference between endurance & a pure sport/race bike. <S> It is the stiffness regards bike flex under pedal load. <S> A sport/race bike will flex less because it is designed to flex less in the carbon layup plus usually it is shorter with less tire clearance so again less flex. <S> Will not have a flex seatpost etc as any frame movement between riders backside & pedals translates to torque loss. <S> Basically the stiffer the bike the more torque can be transferred to the back wheel & again the stiffer wheel can then transmit that torque to the tire. <S> Same again for big tires, they flex rotationally under load which is torque loss which is why on a moderately smooth surface the smaller tire is more effecient, leaving out rolling resistance. <S> I personally have an endurance bike with big tires, high front end, high end tripple gears, flat bar etc <S> but i do not race <S> , i value comfort. <S> If you race then you will notice a sizeable pedal torque effeciency difference between a race & endurance bike. <A> Not to focus on those particular makes and models listed by the OP as it would be difficult to show the differences using those specific bike models. <S> Yes, a race bike is characterized by riding position. <S> Traditionally with a slammed stem - steerer tube cut short and long stem angled downward. <S> Seatpost set to near longest limit. <S> Narrower width bars. <S> Head tube is short and head angle steeper and a shorter rake fork making for faster more responsive steering. <S> Tighter rear angles keep the rear wheel neatly tucked. <S> Modern race bikes are now showing more consideration to aerodynamics. <S> Early aero bikes being super stiff but latest ones designed with more compliance and comfort. <S> But they have a pretty focused look about them and may not be the ideal tool for the 90% of the riding you do. <S> So in summary, a race bike is a combination of the bike and riding position. <S> Bear in mind - the ideal race position may not be ideal for you. <S> It's a pretty extreme and brutal riding position but maximizes for all out speed if you can sustain that position.
|
More importantly, an endurance bike may have more compliant ride characteristics built into the frame.
|
Can I intentionally overfill my hydraulic brakes to adjust contact point? I have a bike with SRAM Apex hydraulic disc brakes. They do not have contact point adjustment, but I want the lever to firm up earlier in its travel. Can I just overfill my brakes with fluid to adjust contact point? If so, what would be the best way to do it? I do not want to overdo it and be unable to fit the pads and rotor back in. <Q> No - that would lightly pressurise the system all the time. <S> From https://www.sram.com/avid/setup-guides/hydraulic-brake-setup <S> Note <S> : The Contact-Point Adjustment DOES NOT move the pads. <S> Instead you want to try the reach adjust, and try tweaking the caliper mounting bolts <S> so the caliper is aligned how you want it. <A> No <S> and yes. <S> You could do this, but the brake basically doesn't have any room to give before rub is going to be an issue. <S> If you're having problems with the lever bottoming and using the reach adjust doesn't help, you might try just bleeding the brake(s) <S> if you haven't done so already, in case that helps. <S> If it's easy to bottom out the lever, there's some kind of problem. <S> If the lever isn't bottoming <S> and you just don't like the amount of travel necessary to reach full power, <S> yeah, <S> that's kind of how these are. <S> If you really want to intentionally overfill a brake, I believe that bleeding it with the pistons extended more than usual would do it. <S> I.e., sand some material off the plastic caliper block so it allows more protrusion. <S> You could also try very carefully just pulling the lever with the wheel out and intentionally over-extending the pistons. <S> This is definitely an at-your-own-risk plan though. <A> If you don't have it it means that your levers have been designed and produced only to have one position, and they believe is the best. <S> Never press the brakes when there is no wheel on because the pistons will start to come out, and eventually they'll be pushed out and also the oil; this way you'll loose the oil, have to quickly clean the caliper, and probably the pads will be now contaminated, and you'll have to change them. <S> The pads in fact soak in oil and stop to work/don't brake anymore, and the oil is highly corrosive.
|
No,overfilling the tank/hose will probably or not work because there is already enough fluid, or it will just cause the pistons to be further out and to make the pads rub against the rotor. The best way is to adjust the levers from the adjustment screw next to them (normally a 2 or 3 mm Allen key hole fitting/screw, have a look if you have it.
|
How to fix raised shoulder posture? When riding, I have found myself in a posture where my shoulders are raised (like a shrug). I assume this is a bad posture. When I notice it, I correct myself. However, sometime later I might find myself in this position again. What can I do to correct this, besides just trying not to do it? Is it a bike setup problem? Can I do any exercises off the bike to improve this. <Q> In my experience it may be a lack of core strength. <S> So you end up leaning on your arms more, to try and lighten the load on your mid-torso muscles and lower back. <S> Some stretches throughout your work day and before riding too. <S> If you don't wear cycling pants, consider getting some. <S> They offer support around the waist which I found helpful. <A> After thinking about it, I decided if the stress was cycling related, or external to cycling. <S> I was ignoring the destination and any cares that may be there. <S> At one point I decided that the numbers on my bike computer were causing stress. <S> I was struggling to maintain the average speed I'd targeted, or my cadence had dropped below X, or ... you get the idea. <S> I solved this by taking the bike computer off the bike, just riding by feel. <S> In another case, I had been increasing my training load, which is also a stress. <S> My shoulders are hunched right now, thinking about it. <S> My solution was to back off the training a little, and enjoy it more. <S> Hope that helps. <A> While in bed before sleeping do neck exercises. <S> Lying on your back on a pillow bring your chin to near your chest and hold for 3 seconds and then lie it back down. <S> Do 3 sets of 10. <S> Lying on your back on a pillow raise head slightly and turn it from side to side <S> so cheek is flush with pillow each side. <S> Do 3 sets of 10. <S> Do combinations of 1 and 2. <S> Bring chin to chest then go from side to side without a break. <S> Do this for a few months. <S> It will strengthen your neck and make it easy to hold your head up while cycling. <S> You're shrugging because you're having a hard time keeping your head up. <S> The head up looking straight ahead position is good for breathing also. <S> You'll be able to maintain a high pace for longer. <A> Roadcycling.com says : Handlebars should be shoulder width apart (measured from acromion to acromion across the anterior chest) and comfortable. <S> Handlebars that are too wide may cause excessive trapezius and rhomboid strain leading to muscle spasm and pain.
|
I have had this problem a few times, and found it was due to my stress. When I decided the stress was external to cycling, I made an effort to focus completely on the ride, and on longer rides. Although you didn't mention any pain, I have found myself in this position and on long rides I think it contributes to neck/shoulder pain. So you can try putting your hands closer to the centre of the bars when it's safe to do so, or getting slightly narrower bars. Try moving around more at work, a standing desk might help.
|
Can't get over 50psi in bike wheel I've just replaced my mountain bike tyres/tubes with new 26x1.50 city slicks.Max psi is 80 but my foot pump won't push more than 50 in.Is this because it's a schrader valve, or do you think my foot pump is past it.If it's the valve type is there any work around apart from bying presta tubes. <Q> The valve isn't the limiting factor for the pressure -- you can go well above 80 psi with a Schrader valve. <S> If you're holding 50 PSI in the tire (the tire should feel a bit firm, but you can likely push it in a bit with your fingers), you shouldn't be leaking. <S> I'd try depressing the core (pin in the center of the valve) a bit with a key/small screwdriver/finger nail to make sure its free and try pumping it up again. <S> If you're not holding the air in the tire, you either have a bad valve or a leak in the tube (in which case, get a new valve core/tube in the former case, and patch/get a new tube in the latter case and check the tire for damage). <S> Failing that, I'd try a different pump -- not all pumps are able to reach high enough pressures, but 50 psi is on the low end for the limit of a bicycle pump not specifically intended for low pressure situations like fat bikes (then again, a pump designed to do sports balls only needs to pump about 8-10 psi, so its possible). <S> I'd try a floor pump like this one . <A> Get a high quality pump is my advice. <S> I've had a couple of £15 track pumps blow on me when getting up to 100psi, despite being well within the rating. <S> I ended up buying a £50 Lezyne pump and have never looked back! <A> Batman has good suggestions . <S> Usually I haven't pushed the pump down far enough, or something similar which closes the valve. <S> Let us know what you discover. <A> Two tricks for baulky pumps. <S> 1) You can get a bit more air in by going hard on the pump at the end. <S> Try for at least 3 full strokes per second, faster if you can. <S> A minipump is easier than a long pump. <S> 2) Go slower - Work on a steady stroke, but at the end do a quick hard ram to seat the plunger. <S> This will force the pressurised air through the valve in the tyre. <S> You might want to look at servicing your pump, which means lubricating the plunger seal, or replacing the o ring if its worn or torn. <A> I have a cheap (6£ from Lidl) foot pump and pump my tires to 5 bar front and 6 bar rear without any problems. <S> You can also test on the petrol station. <S> They have those large compressors for car tires, but they can easily go over 50psi. <S> When I'm away from home, or just feel very lazy I use them to pump my tires. <S> Just choose the compressor without any electronics, those more "Intelligent" tend to have sometimes problems with pumping bike tires.
|
I would add from my experience that when a pump seems to have a hard stopping point, like absolutely refusing more air or not letting me depress the handle, it's usually a problem somewhere between pump and tire valve, as a tire would probably keep going till it popped.
|
How to waterproof Shimano dynamo connector? I have a Shimano DH-3N31-NT hub dynamo with following type of connector: Yesterday, diodes in the bridge rectifier of my front LED light exploded. While I was disassembling the light, I noticed that the wires inside of the connector were more than a bit patinated after some 7 months of use. I'm wondering, what should I do to weatherproof the wires? The dynamo manual, as far as I can see, doesn't mention any weatherproofing steps. <Q> I use ShoeGoo or Sugru <S> (you can Google both brand names) for waterproofing connectors. <S> The advantage of both is that they are flexible and waterproof, but also relatively easy to remove in the field without any gooey residue (which tape tends to leave). <S> Nail polish becomes very brittle very quickly. <S> For the dyno connector, I'd use ShoeGoo. <S> Assemble the connector. <S> Put just a very small (lentil pea) size on your fingertip and rub it in like caulking compound on the outside of all mating surfaces. <S> You want to get into all the cracks <S> but you don't want to apply too much and weld things together. . <S> This ensures that you'll be able to still take it apart in the field. <S> The one exception is where the wires enter the connector body. <S> As Daniel Hicks has mentioned, some dielectric grease on the bare wires will help. <S> You can get a tiny squeeze tube at the checkout counter of the auto parts store for under $2. <A> There are a few options: <S> Electric tape (there variants for more waterproof than others) <S> Heat shrink Liquid Electric Tape <S> I'd probably just wrap the thing in electric tape and call it a day though. <S> If I continued to have problems, I'd go for liquid electric tape, then heat shrink+electric tape. <A> A short-circuit or bad connection in the connector should not cause the LED lamp to break. <S> It probably broke for some other reason. <S> But you'll probably want to deal with the corrosion anyway, as it is easier to do so now before it gets too bad. <S> First off you'll want to clean off the corrosion that has already happened. <S> A mild acid is a good option, you can read more in this question . <S> As for sealing, my recommendations would be: 1) <S> Plain old grease (vaseline, silicone spray or even chain lube if you have nothing else). <S> The metal parts will push it aside and make a connection, but it will stay elsewhere to keep water from getting into the area. <S> There are also special greases for electrical connections, which probably work even better. <S> 2) Self-vulcanizing rubber tape. <S> Wrap it around the connector, and it will vulcanize into a seamless tube that stays in place better than normal tape.
|
Or, if you can't find liquid electric tape, clear nailpolish might work okay. I might put some ShoeGoo on the outside of the wire before sliding it fully into the connector to ensure that it's well sealed. I also find it hard to use shrinkwrap to waterproof connections where the diameter of the two parts is more than 1:2 in ratio, because of the limitations of the shrinkwrap shrinkage.
|
Preparing for long term storage (2 years) I have two bicycles - one is an alloy MTB and the other is an old steel frame roadie. I intend to box them and keep them in my parent's garage for the next ~2 years while I will be overseas for work. Selling is not an option (for emotional and real value). I plan to box both bikes as they come from the manufacturer: pedals, handlebar, chain and seat off Rear derailer removed, wrapped in bubble-wrap and tied to the frame Current tires will be sold off and an old useless pair installed with old tubes nicely coated with talc to keep them from becoming sticky. Healthy doses of lube on the cables Plastic wrapping on the MTB brake discs, spacers in the calipers. Box taped down with lots of duct tape. Storage tempeatures will be from 5C to 45C during the year, and humidity will be low-moderate most of the year. Is the above scheme adequate? Anything else I should look out for? Update: Thanks for all the pointers. One point I forgot to mention is that the bikes need to be shipped from my current residence to my parents first. The overkill packing is intended to ensure that they survive the transport and also the boxes can just be stowed till I get back, requiring no attention. <Q> Your plan sounds pretty sane to me. <S> Depending on how tolerant your parents are, I would prefer to leave the bike intact and open to the air, so it can dry if it gets damp, but that may not be possible. <S> I returned from uni, a long time ago now, and dug out my old mountain bike. <S> It hadn't been prepared for 3 years on its own but came out just fine, less a few parts my brother had relieved me of. <S> When you return you'll want to give them a pretty through service but over 2 years nothing much should have degraded. <S> Tires would most likely be fine, if they're tubeless the sealant will have dried out and either disappeared or formed a lump of goo. <S> They'll be flat and may crack along the fold. <S> Some bolts will have some surface rust. <A> This seems a bit too complicated; You only need to remove the wheels (or possibly just the front wheel), handlebar and pedals to box most bikes (and possibly seatpost), and put spacers in for things like the fork. <S> You can usually leave the derailleur and chain on. <S> Also, I wouldn't bother with lubricating cables . <A> I stored six bikes for an overseas trip of about 10 months. <S> For the most part, they were ready to go when I got home - just had to inflate the tires and lube the chains. <S> I did have two more major problems. <S> I ran out of time in advance of my trip, and my MTB and CX bikes had a bit of mud spatter left on them. <S> There are now rust spots where most of the spatter used to be. <S> These bikes are old steel bikes that haven't been babied, so they may be worse off than a bike that started out in better shape. <S> Second, it's a good idea to protect the bikes as if they are being shipped. <S> You never know when something might come up that necessitates moving the bikes. <S> Or someone may just bump into them. <S> I ended up with a bunch of broken spokes on one of my bikes - I think it was due to being pushed into the pointy bed frame pieces beside it.
|
First, make sure to give your bikes a good cleaning. I wouldn't bother with the tire swap unless you need the money, since they won't degrade all that much in a reasonably temperature controlled dark environment like the one you have.
|
Need help with picking right shoes for riding my new bike I haven't been on a bike since I was a child. I have had had weight-loss surgery due to being extremely over weight. I now have a bike but my feet keep sliding off the pedals or just don't feel secure so I've been looking into the different types of shoes. I have a basic mountain bike I can't afford to buy shoes plus new pedals so my questions is what are the best affordable shoes to wear on normal pedals so I don't keep losing my footing? <Q> You may look at changing your pedals, instead of your shoes. <S> Many companies make flat pedals with pins to keep your foot/shoe on the pedal. <S> Keep in mind there are trade offs. <S> Your current pedals may have no grip, but you can probably ride them barefoot, in flip flops, etc. <S> More agressive pedals will most certainly keep your feet from sliding off, but are also famous for causing shin and leg injuries when they catch you unawares. <S> You may also look at cages which will hold your feet in place as well, but are a bit harder to get out of (meaning you may get your foot stuck and fall). <S> Either of these styles of pedals should be purchasable for about the same, or less than a new pair of shoes, and should likely last longer than any cycling specific shoe. <A> Firstly congratulations on the life change! <S> Without knowing what type of pedals you have just now it's hard to advise <S> but I'd go for a pair with pins, ie Shimano saints, Superstar Components, Wellgo. <S> You can get Wellgo's for about £15 online. <S> These and pretty much any shoes will see you right. <S> If you can afford a pair of Five Ten shoes and pedals with pins then you will be glued to the pedals. <S> They are amazingly grippy, and they will make you look very cool (subjective). <A> There are several ways of solving this problem; different shoes is certainly one way. <S> I recommend shoes such as <S> These are really designed for Mountain Biking. <S> The rugged grip pattern also helps the shoes grip the pedals. <S> A key advantage of such shoes is that they are ready for when you want to change pedals to so called "Clipless" pedals (which you actually clip into). <S> When and if you take that step, you will have completely solved the "foot retention" problem. <S> These shoes have a section in the sole that will accommodate SPD pedal cleats. <S> You can use them without cleats though. <S> The picture comes from an Australian website , but I'd expect you can get them or something similar where you are. <S> I have worn an older version of these shoes for 5 years.
|
Like any bike shoe they have a stiff sole, which helps with keeping your feet on the pedals, and stops you hurting the arches of your feet, which can occur with ordinary runners / tennis shoes / sports shoes.
|
What are the disadvantages of securing your foot to the pedal? I understand that there are many benefits when it comes to different methods of securing your foot to the pedal, and how they allow for more power through an entire revolution of the pedal. However I am struggling to find a source talking about the disadvantages of these systems. If you know of any different disadvantages for different types, please explain. <Q> The only disadvantages I could think of are:- <S> However, you can overcome this by going for dual sided pedals. <S> On the bright side, you get to use different muscles while pedaling which make cycling more comfortable. <S> You eliminate the chances of your foot slipping off the pedal and getting your leg hit. <S> When I first started using clip-less pedals, I only fell once. <S> It was because I forgot to un-clip at the end of my ride. <S> Now, if I was going to fall off my bike for any reason, I can smoothly and quickly un-clip my self to prevent the fall. <A> You need to buy a dedicated pair of shoes. <S> Riding is weird if you don't have you specific shoes (I assume that. <S> I don't really know how it feels to ride clip-less pedals with regular shoes) <A> One significant disadvantage is dabbing when MTB riding. <S> I have Keo road pedals only, and riding twisty singletrack is not fun when clipped in. <S> It takes extra time to unclip in order to put a foot down for any reason.
|
You need to carry an extra pair of shoes when commuting. The higher price for clip-less pedals and the need to have cycling specific shoes (which are usually not comfortable in walking)- Not being able to comfortably ride your bike with normal shoes again.
|
Using cyclocross tires for winter riding I've currently got a fixie road bike with some stock road tires. They're fairly low-profile, as in, they aren't knobby, and have low-profile treads. Because my fork and stays have enough clearance for it, I'm debating using some CX tires at least early in the winter, before riding becomes nigh impossible altogether. The two biggest environmental hazards I'd be trying to work around would be the cold (I want to try and stay on the bike down to about -10 or -15 ºC) and slush, which is extremely abundant where I am even fairly early on in the season. I'm not looking to avoid ice; at that point I'll probably look for another means of transportation. Are CX tires generally alright for winter riding? What road conditions would limit their effectiveness? <Q> Considering that you will be hanging up your bike come ICE time... I would say that CX tires can/would be a bit more confidence inspiring that a typical slick tire. <S> Having commuted in an area like you describe... <S> cold wet, more slush than snow, etc... <S> I have had very good luck with inverted tread commuting tires and they can be (are) usually a bit more pleasant on pavement than CX tires. <A> Studs really work on icy terrain. <S> It is the only way to go if you are riding were <S> temperature is below zero regularly. <A> You should also consider using studded tires. <S> While they are bulky, they help to prevent slips on black ice . <S> On two occasions black ice had my wheels slip out from under me, which damaged my wheel. <S> I suppose studs matter if you have a lot of freezing days.
|
However, I don't think that a CX tire would be much better (and likely more expensive) than a nice inverted tread commuting tire like the continental Touring Plus or an equivalent.
|
Can you open the trunk with the Saris Bones 2 trunk rack attached? I'm looking into purchasing a Saris Bones 2 bike rack for daily use (driving part way, then biking the rest of the way to avoid parking fees), and occasional use on long road trips. I intend to keep it on the car most of the time. This is a trunk-mounted rack that bears its load on the rear bumper on two rubber feet. My question is, can the trunk be opened if the rack is still attached to the car? Obviously without a bike mounted on it (but if it works with a bike mounted too, bonus). Will the feet slide off the bottom of the trunk when it is lifted, or is there enough grip for it to stay? Details: I have a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. Because the trunk is held open by hydraulic shocks and not the balanced hinges of most American cars, the trunk does not swing freely and must be pulled open and closed manually. Shutting it requires a bit of force (maybe ten pounds), so it can bear a bit of weight without slamming shut. Apparently the Saris Bones is a pretty well-known and popular rack, so I'm hoping somebody can give me their experiences with it. I've been searching online and can't find a straight answer. <Q> I have a different Saris rack that has one top foot and two lower feet like the one you show, but I didn't find it on their website now. <S> It has six straps, two top, two side, and two bottom. <S> I use it on the hatch of a Lexus CT200h, same as Prius C. <S> The lower feet sit on the bumper for me, not on the hatch. <S> I can open the hatch when no bikes are installed with no problem. <S> In fact, I open the hatch to install the rack because the side and bottom clips are hard to get on with the hatch closed. <S> I had a previous Thule rack with the same experience except that you have to keep your head out of the way when closing the hatch. <S> All the feet of that one sat on the hatch. <A> Based on Ross Millikan's answer, I purchased the Saris Bones 2 from a LBS. <S> The manual states that it weighs 4 kg, which on my car is enough that the trunk stays open (other vehicles may vary, especially if they have an auto-open balanced hinge and not the hydraulic shock variety). <S> You have to be careful that when you close the hatch, you stand to the side <S> so you don't get hit in the gut. <S> Not only that, contrary to what everybody says, opening the boot with a bike mounted on the rack works perfectly fine. <S> Despite all the warnings people gave, no damage occurred to my car, the rack, or my bike. <S> Of course, combined weight of the bike and the rack was probably 35 pounds, but I had no problems with it. <S> Once you close the hatch, tighten down all the straps again, because the rack usually shifts a bit. <S> I'm not going to make a habit of this, but it's an option that's there if I need it. <A> You need to take off the trunk rack in order to open the trunk, lest you risk damaging the rack or the car (this is true of all trunk racks on the market, as far as I know). <S> If you need to use the trunk while having a bike rack installed, you should access the trunk from inside the car or use a hitch rack or a roof rack.
|
I can confirm that you can indeed easily open the trunk with the rack installed. The manual also states never to open the hatch with the rack mounted, but that doesn't mean anything (they're just trying to avoid a lawsuit).
|
Lemond Revolution - Upgrading 9s Cassette to 11 Speed I currently have a 9 speed cassette on my Lemond Revolution trainer. I just purchased new bike which is 11 speed and want to use it on my trainer. Is there a way I can do this? I have looked everywhere for an eleven speed upgrade kit from Lemond, but they no longer make them. <Q> Assuming you own the same model, that is. <S> http://www.lemondfitness.com/files/fetch/revolution/300223-RevolutionOM-RevB.pdf " <A> If anyone is still wondering about this, I recently picked up a Lemond Revolution, with the 10speed free hub. <S> What I did to make it compatible with my 11 speed grippe is: on my 11-28 cassette, remove the 12 tooth cog, and add a spacer on the inside before the 28tooth, and bam. <S> Shifts perfectly, no limit screw adjusting or anything. <A> Get a Campy freehub . <S> Either you're running Campy already and there's nothing to worry about, or you're SRAM/Shimano and Lennard Zinn <S> says that'll work just fine too.
|
The Lemond manual might answer this question with an odd footnote on page 19, which states "11-speed components will fit, but may not allow full use of the cassette."
|
Dawes Galaxy OLN and horizontal dropouts I want to build up a steel framed commuter/light tourer/utility bike with hub gears. A Dawes Galaxy from the 1990s era looks about right to provide the frame. But I want 135mm rear dropout spacing (for hub gears) AND semi horizontal dropout (for chain tension). Looking at bikes I'm getting the feeling that I can't get both. It looks like Dawes went to 135mm OLN at the same time as they went to vertical dropouts. I think all 8 speed (and above) rear cassettes were 135mm. Anybody shed any light on this? Thakns <Q> You have a few options: <S> Buy a different frame, such as a Surly Cross-check . <A> According to Sheldon Brown it is possible to adjust the width of the hub by replacing some of the nuts with thinner ones <S> The Shimano 8-speed hubs have a overlocknut spacing ranging of 132 to 135 mm, as sold: see Shimano's overlocknut spacing chart. <S> http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus8.shtml <S> However I would agree that cold setting it to 135mm would be easier. <S> Dawes Galaxy bikes are built to last and I'm sure it wouldn't be bothered by a bit of stretching <A> Thanks folks. <S> Some Dawes Galaxies have 135 OLN, some have horizontal dropouts, I'm trying to find if there are any that are both. <S> I suppose I'm hoping for answers from Galaxy owners.
|
Find an older steel frame and spread the frame . It is possible to reduce the spacing of the Nexus Rollerbrake/freewheeling models to as little as 126 mm by leaving off the Rollerbrake and using a narrower locknut.
|
Is a fitting worthwhile for me? I'm a guy with banged up knees. I'm trying to decide if it is worthwhile for me to splurge for a high-end bike fitting or go with a more ordinary fitting or skip getting a fitting altogether. Background One of my knees is missing a whole lot of articular & meniscal cartilage. I'm experiencing knee pain while going for relatively short distances (at the beginning of the ride & after 10-12 miles). I ride with Speedplay Frog pedals. I'm turning 49. haven't had a fitting since January 2012. I don't race or do group rides. If my knees were solid, I'd like to do social rides or even go touring. I ride a Surly LHT & use it for commuting & shopping. It is more accurate to say I "used" the bike for those purposes. I'm pretty much not riding now because doctors have told me that knee pain=fresh damage. I have the option to get 1) a run of the mill fitting similar to the 2012 fitting from a well-regarded bike shop or 2) get a fitting from a physical therapist who works with racers, triathletes, etc. I've been to a lot of physical therapists & surgeons without much result at this point. (Most seem have expertise with runners but none have any background with bikes.) My last fitting was useful but I can't say it was ever quite right. I had joint issues back then which likely made the fitter's job impossible. I went back to the fitter a few times without much success. I mean, there are only so many adjustments you can make to the seat position right? At this point, I'm looking to avoid throwing more good money & time after bad. Maybe I should just get platform pedals? I keep seeing posts pointing to clipless pedals as causes of knee issues. Perhaps I should just get a recumbent to limit knee strain? Hi everybody,Thanks for the rapid & thoughtful responses. I was very interested to read about Power Cranks and Highpath engineering's split cranks. Here is some more background & some responses to the recommendations: I have 150 mm crank arms mounted. I am slow on the cadence. My core is weak so my pelvis wobbles at higher RPMS. I’m sure I need work on my pedaling technique. When I try to pull up on the pedals, I end up with tendonitis behind the knee. I’m happy to warm up with a gentle beginning to a ride but I’m getting pain pretty much pulling out of the driveway, before I have a chance to start the warmup. I don’t really trust the physical therapist/fitter I found. He works with a sports medicine doctor I found & both run a “factory” practice. They move you in & out on the clock. I have some complex medical issues & neither showed any appetite for exploring them during a recent evaluation. My sense is they are there to make money & serve racers. I won't get either of them any publicity & so am not useful. I've run into providers like this before. They have the skill to help but maybe not the will. I’d be happy to see someone other than the PT/fitter but have had little luck in finding someone with expertise in both bikes & rehabilitation. I did find a fitter at the bike shop who worked for a couple years as a physical therapy assistant. I could see him as well. Based on the above do any of you have further thoughts? <Q> Once you find such a person, find a second. <S> Sometimes you just don't get along with them. <S> For me, I have to feel I can trust the person, and get honest discussion of the options and the pros and cons. <S> While bike fit may be an issue, it's only one approach. <S> Other things to be considered are gearing. <S> Perhaps you just need to pedal at a higher cadence. <S> power and speed. <S> Perhaps you're just trying to pedal too hard for that knee. <S> technique. <S> Perhaps pulling up more would reduce the load on that knee. <S> crank size and cleat positions. <S> These can both have an effect on knees. <S> warmup and cooldown. <S> Getting symptoms at the start sounds like lack of warmup. <S> Find such a sports medicine specialist, and work with them as they evaluate your options and manage your progress. <S> Following your edit here are some additional points wobbling pelvis and pain at the back of the knee are both symptoms that your seat is too high. <S> just as an idea, you could try a topical warming agent (ointment) to help with the warmup. <S> In an earlier version of this post I suggested Voltaren, recommended for me by my physio. <S> I think that was unwise of me - you should obtain professional medical advice. <S> Voltaren is an anti-inflammatory drug, available under prescription in the US. <S> Some researchers warn against it's use . <A> Trialling a recumbent is a great plan - don't just buy one, find the local users group and explore the options and shapes. <S> They're not cheap sadly. <S> Options like handcycles exist too, which free your knees from strain totally. <S> Also try flat pedals for a bit and see if your feet move around without the clipped bits holding your foot down. <S> Could be your knee needs some freedom? <S> An electric assist bike might be right up your street - you push a little and the bike helps your effort. <S> Imagine an exoskeleton that looks like a bike! <S> Based on the medical nature of the cause, you're indeed in need of physiological input - Matt's comment is right in that you want advice from a medical fitter, not a bike shop targetting racers. <A> I have a bad thigh, knee, and shoulder on my left side from an IED blast in Iraq. <S> I have so much metal in my body that my x rays look like the skeleton of wolverine from the x men, so <S> I hear you on the pain when riding; I don't think a fitting is worthwhile for you. <S> I have a Giant Talon size large hard tail mountain bike with the 27.5 tires that I find to be very stable on and off road and nice front shocks. <S> It cost about 650. <S> I'm not sure if clip pedals would help or not. <S> Lots of aspirin, icy and hot, hot baths. <S> I had to stop the opiates which was hard but good in the end. <S> Physical therapy <S> I find to be of no help. <S> Good luck sir.
|
Alluxx frame is light but sturdy which helps and the low gearing of a mountain bike is great for when the knee pain is bad. My advice is that you consult a sports medicine specialist, for example a physiotherapist, especially one who specializes in knees. Personally I think the fact that you are riding through the pain and have a winning attitude is what's gonna get you back to possibly touring.
|
Are there any clip-on fenders that provide as full coverage as bolt-on fenders? Are there any clip-on non-eyelet fenders that provide as full coverage as bolt-on fenders? I live in Seattle and am buying a new carbon commuting rain bike. Many of the high end bikes do not offer fender eyelets. On the other hand, there are many new carbon gravel bikes that do provide fender eyelets. I am curious how important of a factor is it to consider a bike with eyelets. I understand clip-on fenders are available for any bike. But I read online that some clip-on fenders have a gap in their coverage or stop halfway down the wheel. Are there any clip-on fenders that provide as full coverage as eyelet-installed fenders? <Q> No. <S> In fact the language most have settled on is "full coverage fender" instead of something like "bolt-on fender" for just this reason. <S> Clip-on fenders and Raceblades/Speedez/etc offer a lot less coverage. <S> In particular what they tend to not cover well are your face, your feet, and the bike. <S> There are various ways of making full fenders work on bikes that have the clearance for them but not the eyelets ( <S> this type has become my favorite), and also there's the "reacharound" installation style, which can be okay but is somewhat of a kludge. <S> Honestly it now more than ever makes absolutely no sense at all to buy a bike intended for rain commuting that can't take full fenders. <S> The options just aren't limited like they used to be. <A> I had a set that had a sort of built-in plastic P-clip. <S> I got rid of them because they only fitted up to 25mm tyres (despite being described as for "commuter bikes" <S> - I suspect a mistranslation) and I run 28/32mm. <S> They weren't the Crud Roadracer but were similar (a slightly cheaper copy perhaps). <S> The Roadracer mk2 on ebay apparently only goes up to 23mm(!) <S> but the mk3 should go up to 35 mm. <S> I'm not going to sit through the fitting tutorial to check, but the gallery makes it look like they attach without eyelets <A> Plus they are lightweight and easy to fit <S> But there are two downsides <S> Crud roadrace are narrow so the comparison would be with a Salmon mudguard not a nice SKS P35 <S> As Crud Roadrace are really tight clearance the road dirt rubs on them more than a normal mudguard <S> and they tend to wear out much quicker. <S> Typically they last a few months, SKS last a year or two. <S> If you want a carbon bike do what I've done, get something like a Genesis Datum and fit SKS longboards
|
Yes, Crud Roadrace mk2 do offer as good coverage as a bolt on fender of the same size.
|
How to indicate you are going straight? I live in a country where people drives on the right. Say I am riding my bike like this: - main road vvvv vvvv - narrow path vvvv vv \ \ | | \ \ |* | <-- I want to get here \ \ | | \ \|P | <-- pedestrians crossing \ | \ | | | | | | * | <-- I am here, going straight | ↑ | | | ^^^^^ main road That is, I am going straight and want to continue like this in an intersection. For some reasons, people typically turn to the left in the crossroads (it is the main road), but I do want to go straight (a narrower path). This means that pedestrians typically cross on point (P) without paying much attention to cyclists, despite us having preference. They check the road, though. If I would go to the left I would indicate it with my arm. However, is there any way to indicate that I am going straight? I think on putting my hand straight but I am not confident that this will be understood by my fellow cyclists or pedestrians. <Q> It's difficult to say without seeing photos of the road layout. <S> However, if the road itself continues round to the left, you should indicate right when you're leaving it. <S> In general, you should think about the topology of the road, rather than its geometry. <S> It doesn't matter that you're following a geometrically straight line; you're still leaving the road for a separate carriageway, and you need to signal this intention. <S> The default assumption for someone crossing the road is that you'll continue along the carriageway <S> you're already on. <S> This said, of course, common sense should always prevail! <S> Never do anything that feels dangerous (for you or for someone else). <A> Will's answer is correct - this is to provide an identical example when driving: <S> Source: Google Maps <S> If you are headed northbound on State Road 213, the normal course of action is to continue around the left bend on SR213. <S> However, a fair amount of traffic exits SR213 onto County Road 400 E. (I'm not sure why that little spur of road is labeled <S> SR213 <S> - that's not the case & needs to be fixed.) <S> The traffic exiting SR213 onto CR400 E, should indicate they're leaving the main road by using their right turn signal, even though they are actually traveling in a straight line. <S> (I say <S> should because who uses turn signals these days? <S> I know where I'm going <S> , what difference does it make if you know where I'm going? <S> /rant ) <S> Since bicycles, at least in the US, are supposed to be road vehicles and follow the rules of the road, you would follow the same logic, whether "exiting" straight onto another road or onto a path/sidewalk/etc. <S> I think your biggest challenge is having people understand why the heck is this guy waving his arm about in the first place. <A> I find that on ambiguous roads the best course of action is to point where you're going. <S> It's not a standard signal <S> but I find most drivers and pedestrians tend to pick up on the meaning. <S> Also consider 'taking the lane' in instances like this to avoid cars wiping you out as they turn. <A> This is a right turn. <S> You're entering a node from which you're taking the right-most exit. <S> Going straight means taking the middle exit out of three. <S> Pedestrians P already in the progress of crossing generally have the right of way. <S> (Surely, you don't expect them to decipher your intent and then get off the road and out of your way?) <A> The notion of straight is closely related to the notion of the main road, not to the actual layout of the road. <S> Technically, you are going straight. <S> But if the main road is curved (as it seems to be the case), then you are turning right. <S> Thus, whenever you have an intersection, what you need to think first is what is the main road. <S> If the main road coincides with your direction, then you don't have to do anything (no signal means that you will follow the main road). <S> In order to find the main road, look around you as you approach the crossing. <S> Usually, there are 2 exists from the intersection that do not have a sign (this depends a bit on the local laws) and the rest have a sign that indicate that you need to give way. <S> Those are secundary roads. <A> Point where you're going. <S> Specifically: slow down, point where you're going, and look at the pedestrians until you have eye contact. <S> Calling "Hi!" to get attention helps. <S> Once you see they'll yield to you, you can speed up; if they don't see you or won't yield, slow down and continue when they've passed. <A> If you are in a 'ride on the right' country, you are on the right of the road and can just cycle on, without indicating, as long as you give way to the pedestrians crossing. <S> There are options though: <S> In the Netherlands there are people, me amoung them, who would use the arm on the side of most traffic and stick that out forward, over the handle bar. <S> As in this case the traffic you want to tell what you are going to do is likely to your right, pedestrians, you can use your right arm. <S> If you are in a 'ride on the left' country you should indicate right, as you will cross the main lane of traffic. <S> You can then swing the arm forward, pointing towards the road where you will enter it, to indicate to the pedestrians where you will cross their path. <A> There are MANY of these intersecting ways in Ye Olde Massachusetts. <S> A Right turn signal by the cyclist would be correct and no questions, around here. <S> Even though he was just a New York Yankee, in the words of the great Yogi Berra, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!". <S> Nobody knows, but for some reason, the message is clear: Be careful.
|
If you are not following the main road, you signal the direction on which you leave the main road (in this case, you're leaving the main road trough the right, so you signal right). Pedestrians are not all going to look at your hand signals and understand them; pedestrians can barely be relied upon to understand motor vehicle blinkers.
|
increase highest upper ratio with gear hub I have a 20" folding bike with a shimano Nexus Inter-3 ( most probably this one ), and I find that even on flat terrain (not to mention downhill) the 3rd gear is simply too slow: I often find myself cranking very fast exerting a very low torque, and 2nd gear is good for most slopes (<15%). I mainly use the bike for commuting, on mostly flat terrain. My current top speed seems to be around 20-25 km/h, I would like to be able to do 40 km/h. That means an increase by a factor of two. I am searching for a way to up the gear ratio, my options seem to be: Increase the size of the front chainring (45 currently): This would make folding harder. I would also need to change the chain protector and possibly the pedals. Decrease the size of the rear cog (18 currently): This would increase the strain on the individual cogs and increase the chance of slipping (that already happened) and chain fall-off. Change the gear hub to one with a higher upper ratio: May need to change the shifter and corresponding wiring May not fit in the current frame The current ratio is 1.360, I would like at least 1.8 or even 2.0 I do not really need gears below 1.0, and certainly not below 0.73 (my current 1st gear). Unfortunately most gear hubs concentrate on the lower gear ratios, but I am yet to find a comprehensive table of available gear hubs ( wikipedia's , and Sheldon Brown 's have different flaws). Shimano's 4-speed hub seems promising, but is discontinued. Which solution (or combination of them) do you recommend? If it is the third, what specific gear hub(s) do you recommend? <Q> Decreasing the rear cog is by far the easiest of your options. <S> On road bikes, chain rings of 34-39 teeth and rear cogs of 11 are common, so you would be within range. <S> Slipping probably comes from not having the chain tight enough. <A> I've got a folder and had similar problems with top end speeds. <S> The freewheel I had was 14-28, and that's all that was available in 6 speed. <S> So I rebuilt the rear wheel onto an 8 speed freehub axle and have fitted an 11-32 cassette and 8 speed shifter. <S> If you can fit a larger front chain ring then all your gear ratios will move proportionally. <S> Finally, you can get a very minor improvement in top speed by increasing the rolling diameter of your tyres. <S> Downside this will probably increase their weight too, which won't help. <S> Lastly, consider that a folder is not a racing bike and remember you're still going faster than walking. <A> There is a fourth option, which you have omitted: Pedal faster. <S> By my calculations, at 25 kph you are pedaling at a cadence of 76 to 77 pedal strokes per minute. <S> That's low. <S> By far the cheapest option is to learn to pedal faster. <S> Depending on whose opinion they follow, most road cyclists (ie people who ride road bikes fairly seriously) aim to cruise at 90 or 100. <S> The big downside of what you're currently doing (it's called mashing) is that it can cause knee damage in the long term. <S> The downsides to aiming for a higher cadence are <S> It takes a while to get train to do it, and to feel comfortable. <S> To many people, it just doesn't seem like they're working hard enough. <S> You may find that you have trouble keeping your feet on the pedals. <S> In this case you can do two things: learn to pedal smoothly, and / or get clipless pedals. <S> By my calculations, if you pedaled at a cadence of 100 then you'd be doing 33 kph. <S> But there's a different problem that you are not addressing: <S> how much power does it take to do what you suggest? <S> To do 33 kph takes about twice the power of 25 kph, because the amount of power required rises as the cube of the speed. <S> To go at 40 kph takes more than three times the power that 25 kph does. <S> It costs nothing, and while you're doing it you will build up the muscular and aerobic capacity to get to those higher speeds. <S> At some stage, an upgrade will be required, but you'll still have the money to do it. <S> Happy cycling.
|
I can't speak for the IGH specifically, but increasing the front chain ring size and/or decreasing the rear cog will help with the ratios. So, in the end, my advice is learn to pedal faster. The force on the chain is higher for smaller chain rings, not larger ones. You may be able to move the rear axle aft to tighten it. Aim for at least 90, preferably 100 (or more) strokes per minute when you're flat out.
|
Am I using the crank extractor correctly? I have this X-Tools crank extractor: X-Tools crank extractor tool for removing standard Square Taper and ISIS type cranks. Here's the end that pushes against the crank: Here's my crank: (it's threaded on the inside, but there's also threading on the narrower bit further in behind the square opening, which my crank extractor pushes against but does not engage with those inner threads...) I screw in the crank extractor like so: Then I put an allen key into the crank extractor and try to turn it clockwise, but it's just not budging: The inner bit of the extractor seems to be pushing correctly against the crank. But do I have the right tools for the job? Am I going about this correctly? Do I perhaps just need more torque than I'm getting off the allen key? Follow-up Well, I left what I thought were "dust protectors" off after working on this. During a cycle, my pedal fell off the bike. Here's are a couple of photos for more info: What I thought were just dust protectors, which keep the pedal screwed in: View of the spindle after pedal fell off: The pedal that came off: Now I have to get the pedal on the drive-side off, and will follow up. <Q> I don't know about this this particular crank extractor, but the one I have came with two different end caps, one for ISIS/Octalink and one for square taper. <S> Check that the end cap you are using fits inside the square hole in the crank, otherwise you will just strip the threads. <S> After you are sure you have the right tool, use more torque. <S> Turning clockwise is correct. <A> You're doing it right but not getting enough leverage. <S> That extractor has wrench flats to let you use an adjustable or open end wrench instead of an Allen if you want. <S> The other thing is that when you install the extractor, it's a good practice to tighten it in snugly with a wrench, making sure the tip is threaded out sufficiently first to avoid contacting the spindle yet. <S> This way you're doing all you can to avoid destroying the crank threads. <A> For really stubborn cranks (in my case probably 25 years old, everything steel, not really maintained) you may need to unjam them first even after putting some penetrating oil in there and letting it soak. <S> Get the crank extractor fully screwed in and take up the strain on the extractor screw Working from the far side of the bike, get a piece of wood <S> (2x2 is ideal, around a foot long) and press it against the crank arm as close to the bottom bracket as possible Tap the other end of the wood with a hammer or big wrench. <S> You're not getting to get it off this way, just crack the rust bond. <S> This is easier with 3 hands <S> but it is possible with 2. <S> Obviously don't follow my advice if any of your bike is carbon <S> (in fact that's a good general rule). <S> Even expensive alloy cranks that you want to keep probably make this a bad idea.
|
If you have a piece of metal pipe at hand, use it for extra leverage, or get a longer wrench.
|
Polite way to ride in the dark Sometimes I ride in the park which has no light. There always are dog walkers, runners and other cyclists.So, when I ride towards someone I have two options: dim my light and slow down (since I can't go fast anymore) speed up to to minimize time that I light on those people My front light is: So, the question is: how to be less irritating? <Q> Consider how you feel when a fellow cyclist approaches you will full beam straight ahead. <S> It's pretty blinding, even for a moment, and especially off-road when your eyes aren't used to it. <S> So in a park: <S> Dim your light to its lowest setting (within reason). <S> Put it on steady beam. <S> Flashing is more visible but also more annoying anddisorientating. <S> Physically push it forwards/downwards <S> so it's pointing towards the ground, not into anyone's face. <S> If you do this then it doesn't matter whether you illuminate pedestrians or for how long. <A> When adjusted correctly these allow you to see where you're going without dazzling oncoming traffic or pedestrians. <S> I use a Busch & Muller Ixon IQ (pictured), but there are others . <S> If you don't want to fork out for a new light, you can make a hood for the light to block the light from going upwards. <A> I had to face exactly this on an old commute. <S> Dipping the front light was absolutely necessary in a park and another stretch of unlit bike path. <S> It was a bright enough light to illuminate the road, though not well enough to ride at any decent rate on low power. <S> The solution I found to this was to add a narrow-beam head torch. <S> This can be dipped hands free, and points where you look rather than where the bars are pointing (quite useful when it's pitch dark <S> and you're next to a lake going round sharp bends). <S> Overhanging branches can mean the need to illuminate stuff that's not the road surface, so I tended to adjust the light as I rode much as you'd switch from main beams to dipped beams in a car. <S> The head torch I bought was ~5 from dealextreme, and is 150 lumens nominal -- so not very much ligfht in total. <S> But all that light is in a bike-sized area of road even if it's directed 10 bike lengths away. <S> I tended to adjust the angle such that I had to tip my head slightly up to illuminate as far away as I'd like for ~30 <S> km/h speeds on imperfect tarmac, so that a natural head position was more suited to slower speeds with other people around. <S> In busy areas <S> well-lit <S> I could easily point it almost straight down. <A> You can dip the light slightly (point it towards the ground). <A> In case you can read German, here's a nice explanation how to adjust the bike front light . <S> Summary: <S> put bike 5m from a wall measure distance (height) of the light from the street <S> make sure that the upper rim of the light at 5m distance (wall) is below that height. <S> Official German regulation: center of light beam should be at half height at 5 m distance = <S> should hit the road at 10 m distance Adjust speed according to visible range (just like when driving a car) <A> I wear an adjustable head strap flashlight at night while riding my bike. <S> The one I have has three colors (white, red and green)which allows me to use a less intense color at times, so as not to blind people. <S> As an addition to three colors, of has three level of intensity. <S> It is worth looking into. <S> With this you are able to turn your head slightly when needed. <S> These examples may be of help to you. <S> The one pictured is the style I use at the moment.
|
There are now many bike lights on the market which have a shaped beam with a "horizontal cutoff" giving strong light onto the road or path, but much less above the horizon. Even without considering politeness, you might prefer to illuminate the ground ahead of you, instead of (as you would on a lit city street) pointing it straight forward to be seen as maximum distance.
|
How can I prevent glasses fogging when cycling in the cold with face covered Related to this question: need cycling eyewear, but fogging is a big problem but that is more focused on the eyewear itself, whereas I'm interested in the face covering material. I cycle to and from the train station every day. Only about 20 minutes each way but in the cold that's still quite a time to have a freezing cold nose / cheeks. So I have experimented with scarves, snoods, balaclavas etc when it's cold. However all of them cause my glasses to fog up due to the hot air of my breath condensing inside the glasses. Contacts aren't an option for my type of vision; it's glasses or nothing. I don't want to go for some separate cycling glasses or big goggles. I have enough stuff to carry with me as it is. But I am open to an alternative way of keeping my face warm. What should I be looking for in a product that allows me to wear glasses and still keep my face warm ? I'm not necessarily after specific product recommendations, more about materials / equipment or a specific feature to look for that can solve this issue. Because currently my options are: a) see where I'm going, but have a freezing cold face. Or b) Be all warm, but not be able to see so well. Should I look for woollen scarves? balaclavas with breathing valves? A different breathable material I am currently unaware of? <Q> What you are looking for is a product that covers your face (to keep it warm) seals along the upper edge to your face (to keep breath from leaking up under your glasses) and uses a design to direct your exhalations away from your face (so your exhaled moist breath doesn't fog your lenses). <S> There are actually several products on the market designed to do these things. <S> Many people do cold weather outdoor activities (fat biking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc) have these issues and they are attempted solutions in various manners. <S> Chemical lens treatments, electric heat and or air movement, and design directed airflow are all out there. <S> I'd suggest checking with a local sports store and seeing what they support/use/recommend. <A> Glasses fogging is constant problem in cold weather... the good news we are in the midst of a trend towards more cold weather riding and products are starting to come to market to reflect that trend.. <S> google fat-biking. <S> With that in mind I think there are a few different ways to attack the fogging problem Lens coatings. <S> There are coatings you can apply to your glasses lens' to minimize the fogging. <S> Think rainX for your eyeware. <S> I have not used these products <S> so I dont know their effectiveness other than they exists <S> Glasses themselves... <S> are your glasses cycling specific? <S> Cycling specific glasses are designed to airflow around the lens to mitigate fogging... <S> you can get prescription based cycling frames and lenses but it may be a bit expensive compared to other options Balaclava... <S> this is where fatbiking specific contributions are making headway in keeping your face warm... <S> so I can regulate the heat/moisture that is generated. <S> Rather than specify a brand or make a suggestion just perform online searches for cycling specific balaclavas. <S> Helmets... <S> Winter specific cycling helmets are starting to hit the market as a result of the increased fat-bike market. <S> I always prefer wool but any moisture <S> wicking material should do... <S> Good Luck. <A> I had the same problem when I was skiing: I needed to keep that part of my face warm, without the glasses or goggles fogging, when the weather was very cold and I was sweating. <S> Eyeglasses inside goggles is a poor solution; the glasses tend to fog very quickly. <S> I have astigmatism, but to keep the expense of the contact lenses down <S> I chose contact lenses that correct the near-sightedness, but not the astigmatism. <S> That solution isn't perfect, but I can focus well enough in the middle distance that is so important for bicycling and skiing. <S> Most importantly, the ski goggles stay mostly free of condensation, even with a balaclava. <S> I suggest that you get ski goggles with prescription (vision-correcting) lenses, or wear contact lenses underneath ordinary ski goggles. <S> Keep in mind that preventing condensation is more important than perfect vision correction.
|
These helmets keep your head toasty and may reduce the need for a head/face wrapping that contributes to the fogging problem As far as materials go.. My solution for skiing was to get contact lenses, and wear them under ski goggles. What I look for in a balaclava is the ability to raise and lower the face protection on-the-fly
|
How can I find my wheel size I was wondering if anyone could help me find out what size rear wheel I need to buy as a replacement (wheel is EXTREMELY out of true) as I cant seem to find it. Bike: REACTION HYBRID HPA PRO 400Tyres currently on bike: 28 x 1.65 - 700 x 42c Thanks in advance,Dan <Q> This is actually a mountain bike , despite the name (hybrid referring to having a battery, it seems). <S> You need a 700c (29", ISO 622) rim with a 135 mm OLD hub (a mountain hub spacing) and mounting for discs (your existing rotors are centerlock, so unless you want to use a different rotor or adapter, you should get a hub with that). <S> Width compatibility is another thing to look for -- very wide tire on very narrow rim and vice versa are not good combinations. <S> The freehub should be compatible with your cassette. <S> Note that a wheel that looks extremely out of true can often be made to work well with a bit of adjustment -- <S> unless you're sure the wheel is a gonner, I'd try that first. <A> The size is 700c, indicated by "700 x 42c. <S> " The reference to 28" is in there because a few countries use that designation for the same thing. <A> The other answers haven't referenced rim width. <S> According to this ... <S> your rim width is between 17c and 23/25c. <S> So you need a 700c wheel with a rim width between 17 and 24. <S> You also need a freehub that is compatible with the cassette you already have, and either a suitable disk brake rotor mount, or a rim brake track for any rim brakes.
|
You also need to match the frame spacing of the bike (135mm if it was made in the last 20 or so years), the brake type (rim versus disc), and freewheel versus cassette rear cogs.
|
Does a spinning class fixed wheel bike affect real world form? I just had my first spinning class and hadn't realised it was going to be a fixed gear bike, when the instructor was asking us to get out of the saddle (or half out) the necessary technique felt very unnatural and much more 'bouncy' than what I would do climbing a hill on a road bike. Does that mean bad things about my real world form or are they just very different things? And if so will a lot of spinning change how I ride? <Q> The exercise bike feels different, because it is fixed in place and can not react to your movements like a real bike. <S> On road, the you keep moving at roughly same speed and the bike slows down momentarily to accommodate the change in relative positions. <S> A fixed exercise bike can't move, so you are moving and stopping instead and that is what you feel as jerking motion. <A> It impacts your real world form, but it doesn't necessarily do bad things. <S> The biggest change is going to be out-of-the-saddle riding. <S> As was mentioned, there is a tendency to bounce up and down on a spin bike, and this naturally occurs when we leave the saddle by dropping our hips down and forward or move off the saddle with our chests vertical. <S> Even in these positions you could stop the bouncing by focusing on spinning your feet while keeping your hips in place, but it's going to look goofy <S> and you're going to waste yourself - like Tony Little on a Gazelle. <S> The better spin bike posture is to raise your butt off the saddle and move your hips back not forward, and keep your back straight and flat (parallel to the ground). <S> Now as you spin your feet you will have a better time immobilizing your hips in space because some of your weight is forward on your arms and you don't get wasted controlling the bounce. <S> Also, to the extent that your hips are moving up and down, because your torso is not stacked on top of them, but rather leaning forward on a different plane, the up down movement is not transmitted to your upper body but stops at your hips. <S> If you tried to use your hips to stop the motion while your torso was vertical your hips would be moving radically side to side like a salsa hula dancer. <A> I spend 2 mornings a week on an indoor trainer. <S> It has the ability to change the level of effort up or down. <S> When pedalling off the seat it is important to increase the load or level of effort then back on the seat and using the down button drop the level of effort. <S> To get used to it get off the saddle for say 10 spins then back down for 10 etc. <S> With the higher effort you will be pedalling slower with more tension in the leg muscle groups and you will be gaining better balance skills.
|
Also, when standing on a real bike you rock the bike to keep your body in place, but since this exercise bike does not allow sideways motion you have to move your weight sideways to put force on pedals. When you jump out of saddle, your body moves forward in relation to bike.
|
What are the benefits of joining a team/club and when to join? This is probably a stupid question and the answer is more or less subjective, but when should you join a team or club? I've just started to take road cycling seriously and noticed on my rides there are many teams/clubs out riding where I live. Is there normally a criteria for joining? Right now I go on 30 mile rides and average around 13-14mph. That's somewhat pushing my limits. How far and fast should I be able to go to keep up with and consider joining one of these teams? I will have to wait around 30 years to join the 50 and over club, but truth be told I probably couldn't keep up with them anyway lol. They are no joke where I live. <Q> We can't speak for specifics of the clubs in your local region. <S> Most clubs quieten down in the winter/off months, more so at Northerly and Southerly latitudes. <S> Or they might shift focus to indoor riding if there is access to a velodrome facility. <S> The main benefits are Access to experience and social interaction Motivation to get out and ride On a ride - a target or pace to maintain - gets you that little bit faster and fitter sooner. <S> Bulk purchasing power. <S> One club I belong to can supply consumable parts <S> cheap, cos they keep a stock. <S> Any profits are turned back into the club too. <S> Drawbacks might include Minimum attendance. <S> Some clubs have "members in name only" who don't contribute. <S> So its not totally odd to have a clause like "you must join in at least two rides a year." <S> Its not onerous. <S> Costs - Clubs have to charge subscriptions to cover their costs. <S> While it costs you nothing to ride your bike, the club will have Socialising - Cycling is inherently an individual thing. <S> So it attracts those of us who might not enjoy team sport. <S> Being "forced" to socialise might be perceived as a downside. <S> Ridicule - I ride old bikes, and when I turn up at an event with my horizontal top-tube alloy bike from the 90s, there's always someone who looks down their nose at you for having not-the-latest kit. <S> Stuff'em! <S> Best thing to do then is put in an admirable time, better than last time. <S> Bonus points if you beat Mr Longnose! <S> If you don't want to join a club, that's okay, just ride your bike . <S> Tools like Strava can give you information on your progress and the competitive nature of segments helps. <S> Nothing is the same as keeping up on someone's wheel in real life, and feeling the boost of a draft. <S> Finally - clubs tend to run open days or public-access days where a ride or event allows non-members to participate. <S> Ask about locally and find out if such a thing is happening soon. <S> You can try it without committing. <A> Agree with everything above and would like to add ... <S> The good <S> You learn to ride in a group <S> You make friends <S> You can ride faster / further in a group <S> Camaraderie & banter Can be competitive <S> learn new routes and loops <S> The not so good <S> More chance of mechanicals <S> You're only as fast as the slowest rider <S> You ride at other peoples <S> paces - slow or fast Some clubs / teams are very regimental in how you ride with them <S> Club rides may not fit into your timetable <A> I agree with most statements. <S> Check websites for rides in your area. <S> Check team/club website for meet times and places. <S> Most clubs will let you hang with them, at least for a couple of rides. <S> If you have not done too many group rides, highly suggest a club over a team at first. <S> Where I live there are some regular/weekly rides that are not associated with a club or team. <S> There are also many organized rides (most often once a year) that charge a one time fee. <S> Either check web or your local bike shop. <S> I recently, after 40 years of riding, thought I would try out another club (first disintegrated, after key member got tired of doing all the work, and sponsor resturant backed off a bit on discounts). <S> Last year on a organized yearly century ride I ended up riding with a number of people from the same club, so I though I'd check them out as we seemed to have the same pace. <S> Took 4 times to meet up with them (times/places listed wrong). <S> At the meet place, a local bike shop, inside with coffee and donuts before the ride, I was quite surprised no one introduced themselves or even said hello. <S> Later on the road one guy said the guy who normally does that wasn't there. <S> The club founder gave me wrong information the week before. <S> On the ride, going out was a little slow for my pace, at a rest stop some were going to turn back, some go on. <S> I joined the later. <S> They were much faster, probably faster than my pace <S> but they have a club policy 'no one left behind', so they stop and wait occasionally for stragglers. <S> But on same ride you can get a variety to match your style.
|
Keeping it general - if you're interested and keen on cycling for health or fitness, or you have a competitive streak, then joining a club is a good idea at any age, and at any skill level.
|
What is the proper position for quick-release levers? Is it best to have the front wheel release lever in front of the fork, tailing the fork, or aligned with the fork? How about the rear; ahead, behind, or alingned with the chainstays, seatstays, or between the two? <Q> Rule #41 Quick-release levers are to be carefully positioned. <S> : <S> Quick release angle on the front skewer shall be an upward angle which tightens just aft of the fork and the rear quick release shall tighten at an angle that bisects angle between the seat and chain stays. <S> It is acceptable, however, to have the rear quick release tighten upward, just aft of the seat stay, when the construction of the frame or its dropouts will not allow the preferred positioning. <S> For Time Trial bikes only, quick releases may be in the horizontal position facing towards the rear of the bike. <S> This is for maximum aero effect. <A> Something noone has mentioned is that the QR lever is not to be touching the frame or fork when in the closed position. <S> Reasons for this are <S> the clamping force is not as high as it could be the frame or fork can slowly push on the lever and loosen it a bit more over time. <A> I'd put both of them in a way they can't be hit by rocks or branches. <S> I had no trouble aligning them as described below. <S> For the rear wheel I think two possible and secure options are to point it upwards or align with seat stay. <A> For disc brake bikes specifically, you want to have them positioned in the way that makes them easiest to open without touching the discs. <S> For the front this is easily achieved by putting the lever on the right (in whatever orientation you fancy), but you can also have it slightly in front of the fork on the rotor side (behind also works if it's not interfering w/ the caliper). <S> In the rear, I find that just slightly below the chainstay works best for me, making it easy to brace against the chainstay for both opening and closing. <A> Front QR is to be exactly parallel to the fork arm. <S> Rear QR is to be positioned exactly half way in between the chainstay and the seatstay, oriented to the inside of the frame. <A> Mechanically it makes no difference, since the quick-release work any way you position the lever. <S> The only reason to adjust the levers position is for the ease of use. <S> The best way is to position the front lever slightly behind the fork (not aligned along the fork, otherwise you cant press the lever down completely and its hard to open because you cant get between lever and fork with your fingers). <S> Same for the rear: between the two makes the lever accessible most easy. <S> You can press with the thumb on the chainstay/seatstay and open the lever easy. <A> Personally, I think it depends a little on the design of the quick release lever. <S> I put my front one pointing upwards aligned with the fork. <S> However, some quick release designs will actually contact the fork before they are fully closed. <S> In this case I would place it slightly behind the fork. <S> Again if you have something in the way, you'll have to adjust parallel with the seatstay or even behind it a bit if something is in the way. <S> I've seen some people position them both facing backwards. <S> However, I think this makes them more likely to be opened by some other factor when not riding because there is nothing guarding them. <S> This would be fine if you checked them before each ride, as we probably should, but most people probably aren't consistently checking their quick releases every time they ride. <S> If they are in a position that they are least likely to be opened accidentally in most situations, then that is probably the safest.
|
For the back quick release, I position it between the seat and chain stays. The idea is that they are less likely to catch on something and open as you are riding. So: for the front wheel it should be aligned with the fork.
|
Would a MTB frame be too long if fitted with drop handlebars to build an adventure bike? I would like use a MTB frame to build an adventure bike, for the following reasons: Use disc brakes use wider tyres avoid a using a gravel/cyclocross bike/frame because doesn't allow wide tyres and they are expensive I am worried about the fact that a MTB frame is quite longer than a road bike and a cyclocross bike, and so the top tube will be long and with stem and dropbars will be too stretched and so uncomfortable over a long day on the saddle. Would these factors make an adventure bike on a MTB frame too long, and so too difficult to ride over long distances? Or are there other considerations? <Q> How long is a piece of string? <S> Any bicycle is possible, which is the beauty of a bicycle in general. <S> here's what you need. <S> As an "answer", all I can say now is that you take your frame and your new build to a competent bike fitter and get fitted for the bike! <S> You may find all that geometry might have to be thrown out the window for the sake of your posture, back and skeletal health. <S> Good luck! <A> We don't do product recommendations, but there are a few examples where manufacturers are already producing <S> drop bar MTB's designed for events like the Tour Divide. <S> In at least one case, it features useful features like extra bottle mounts that make it ideal for adventuring. <S> In addition with the rise of gravel bikes, and riders of these bikes looking for ever wider tyres, there are now a few frames available that will accept multiple wheel sizes. <S> 27.5(650b) <S> x 2.1 is a possibility here. <S> You could of course use an existing frame, but it may lead to an overly long reach. <A> Yes, sure. <S> If this fits your riding style and especially on longer rides the drop bars are more comfortable. <S> There are special frames for that kind of bike, mostly steel frames. <S> But it should work with and usual frame too. <S> For inspiration look at this instagram account from J. B. Romanceür https://www.instagram.com/ultraromance/ <S> This is what I understand under MonsterCross. <S> MTB Frames with drop bars, tick tires and a rigid fork.
|
Bicycles can be anything really - roadies, MTB, single-speed, recumbents, even giant A-frame types that have steps to get to the saddle!Your question is very theoretical and will require a proper re-write because you're not being specific to a particular bicycle or size that we could say ok.. You could combat this with a shorter stem (as long as its not a very modern frame already designed with a short stem in mind).
|
V-brake arm not returning to "open" position I have a folding bike with v-brakes and I noticed that when I pull on the rear brake lever, one arm of the v-brake doesn't go back to its original position. I tried adjusting the screws but it still doesn't go back. Although I'm not entirely sure if, when it stays in place, it hits the rim. What could be the likely cause of this? The spring? Lubrication? Thank you. <Q> There are a few possibilities but its fairly easy to isolate the likely problem. <S> Unclip the noodle (where the cable comes out) and check if the problem is in the V brakes or the cable. <S> If its the V brakes, it could be a broken spring, or the brakes need oiling. <S> Without pulling the cable out of the housings, slide the cable back and forward - it should be free to move. <S> If not, check the brake lever is free, or it could be a corroded or kinked cable. <S> If its the cable, a replace is only a few dollars and is the best option (I almost always put in new outers as well). <S> You can try adding some lube to the cable and working it, its usually successful but never as good as new cables. <A> Daniel's comment is right, in addition check the brake lever for stiffness. <S> You should be able to undo the noodle from the noodle-holder, the brake arms should extend out to the sides, and each should have about the same hand-pressure required to close up. <S> There should be a "tension" adjust screw in the base of each arm, although I have bikes with just one and another bike with none. <S> Each brake arm has a spring which can normally slot into one of three positions too. <S> It could be <S> one of your springs has got really weak, they don't tend to get stronger with age. <S> Its a lot of trial and error and tweaking. <A> Another crude (but often effective) hack / adjustment for older or ineffectual springs is as follows: the springs - which are essentially just a long piece of heavy gauge wire that gets tucked behind a protruding peg to hold them in place - can be "untucked" (for lack of a better technical term) and then you can manually bend them out slightly by using a screwdriver, e.g. behind the curvature of the spring arm, for leverage. <S> This is an admittedly rather crude but yet still often very effective "hack" to bring them back to life, provided you don't overdo it to the point of causing more harm than good. <S> This would be a hack to employ after other more "proper" ways of adjustment (e.g. tension screws or what not) have been attempted first. <A> I had a similar problem in the front brake of a Schwinn Loop folding bike, but the arm wasn't moving at all. <S> It seems like it's all rusted inside, because I couldn't even take it off even after soaking it in WD-40. <S> I did manage to move it a bit side to side, but with a lot of force. <S> I'll try heat from a hairdryer in a couple of days when the new brakes arrive. <S> But if it's stuck like that, you might need to change the brakes. <A> I had one of my v-brake arm sticking to the wheel this morning; I wanted to get to work on my bike <S> so this is what I did: <S> Remove the arm, plunge the base for 5-10 min in ultrasonic bath with degreaser solution (if you don't have one, <S> just immerse it while moving the spring hub). <S> On the spring side, drip WD-40 on the hub while moving it until it comes out clear on the other end. <S> Note that on top of cleaning it WD-40 also removes the water contained in the degreaser solution so it does not rust afterward <S> (hint: WD-40 stands for Water Displacement, 40th formula...) <S> At this point the hub should move with very little resistance. <S> Wipe off and put thick oil on the hub while moving it so it penetrates. <S> Reinstall and adjust screws to get even tension on both arms. <S> NB: I did not even bother removing the pad, I only immersed the bottom end with the moving base. <S> Just try not to put any oil on the pad as it'll weaken it.
|
If the brakes are free to move and spring back firmly, its likely a problem with the cable or the brake lever. If the cable is kinked, you may have luck straightening it, but again, a new cable is always a better option.
|
Tick sound on every pedal only for 5 minutes I am having a new MTB Montra Rock 1.0D 2016. When I ride my cycle, for first 5 to 10 minutes, I hear a tick sound on every pedal when my pedal is at 3'o clock to 6'o clock position on my right foot. After few minutes, no noise at all and everything is quiet and smooth. Next day, same happens for first few minutes. I couldn't figure out source of the tick. Also to note that, when cycle is standstill, no tick sound at all when moving pedal with hand, not for few minutes also, means no tick at all and thats what I want. If i ride cycle, then only I hear tick for first few minutes Can anyone help me? UPDATE BIKE SPECIFICATION <Q> Possible cause: Without any further knowledge about your bike <S> (As you mentioned that the sound occurs only when the pedals are in the very same position and when you actually put some force on them, I'd say it isn't caused by something like an unevenly tightend handle bar or loose seat post etc etc..) <S> Since you only hear the clicks within the first 5 - 10 min when riding, I assume this is the time the grease needs to "warm up", as in become slightly more fluid due to the friction it experiences. <S> During this time some of the little balls inside the bearings could cause the clicking noises. <S> Possible solution: <S> Make sure that the pedal bearings arent tightend too much (in caseyou can open them at all). <S> check on your cranks, whether they're tightend properly check on the more unlikely sources for the click (i.e. seat post, saddle, etc.) <S> replace bottom bracket <S> I'd also advice you to do these steps iteratively, so you get to know the source of the problem. <A> If it's not your pedals or bottom bracket, as covered by dru87's answer , it's your rear hub: that was the cause of a similar noise on my own bike a couple of months ago. <S> The reason it only happens at a particular point in your pedal stroke is that that's when you're pushing hardest; the reason it goes away after a few minutes is, as in dru's answer, that there's not enough lubricating grease but, after a little while it's warmed up enough to flow more and cover the whole bearing. <A> I had the exact same issue on my bike last year. <S> Drove me crazy. <S> Only happened when pedaling and rate of clicks depended on cadence, was not changed by gears. <S> Turned out to be slightly dry/loose pedal threads, i.e. where the pedal spindle threads into the crank arm, not the inernal bearings of the pedal itself: <S> Try this: remove the pedals, clean the threads with an old rag, apply a small amount of grease to the threads. <S> Put them back in and tighten up quite firmly. <S> See if clicking disappears. <S> I find I have to do that every 2-4,000 km <S> or so. <S> Don't forget left pedal is threaded the opposite of "normal". <A> It could also be your crank hitting the crimp cap for the front derailleur cable, check if your cable is sticking out a little bit.
|
, I'd guess that the clicking noise has something to make with a grease in either the pedal or the crank bearings.
|
What is better, Average speed or long distance? I am rebuilding my bike fitness and was wondering the effects of slow long distance training vs maintaining a decent average speed. What difference it makes if i choose one of the above? <Q> It depends what sort of bike fitness you are trying to build, your current level, and your riding history. <S> It simply produces fatigue without actually going hard enough to produce significant training stimulus. <S> Long slow distance (LSD) will predominantly build your endurance and your ability to burn fat as fuel rather than carbohydrate. <S> If you are targeting long distance rides then these are an ideal starting point. <S> If you are more interested in shorter events like 90 minute criteriums/XC mtb then building a large endurance engine is not so valuable, and you are better off targeting short hard efforts (2x20's, 5x5's, 30/30s etc) to build your speed. <S> For most people, a combination of both is going to be best to become a strong all round cyclist. <S> There are any number of 'sportive' training plans on the web that will help with this. <S> British cycling have a range of Training Plans for beginner to advanced that are free to download. <A> I think that depends on what you want to achieve. <S> If you want to be able to ride 100 miles then go for distance, if you want to be competitive on your local 10 mile TT then train for speed, if you want to be a fast hillclimber then go ride some hills etc... <S> Outline your targets first, then find out how best to train in order to meet them. <S> They can be very simple, like 'keep up with the base group in my local club', or 'ride to work 5 days in a row', and build up from there. <A> The answer is neither really... <S> Not the answer you really want to hear, <S> but it all boils down to: <S> What do you want to achieve? <S> The core answer is Intervals, Intervals and more Intervals..... <S> Bicycling.com <S> Interval Articles <S> They Hurt! <S> I repeat they HURT! <S> But you will improve in leaps and bounds by doing them. <S> To get a more rounded type of fitness, distance is your only man. <S> Bicycling.com Century Training Plan <S> Please note: I do not work for Bicycling.com, but it is a good reference site for those starting off. <S> Please note this note: If you want to really work it, get yourself a training plan from a Coach and you'll be flying in no time.
|
Distance cycling at a certain threshold will help improve your endurance, as Interval training improves your fitness and cycling strength. I'd start by saying that simply trying to maintain a high average speed is a poor training method for anything, and I think you'd struggle to find a coach that advocated such training.
|
Did my bike frame crack? during my morning ride today, I slipped and fell down, and as a result, a crack formed on my carbon frame. I have checked the entirety of the bike and this is the only crack, but I am not sure if I would need to go repair this. My bike is Cannondale Supersix Evo Hi-Mod Ultegra. Thank you very much. <Q> It certainly doesn't look healthy to me. <S> Better that than it snap later on you. <A> Thanks for the replies everyone! <S> Sorry <S> it took so long to respond; I don’t use this site much. <S> Regarding my bike, I was a student in Japan at the time of the incident and the captain of my bike club referred me to a small bike shop that had helped him repair his own bike. <S> I took it to that shop (the name is Amanda) and dropped off my bike on a Thursday. <S> I was able to retrieve my bike on Sunday and paid 20,000 yen (approximately $200 at the time). <S> To this day I’ve experienced no issues with my bike! <A> If in doubt, get it checked out. <S> A good motto for life in general really!
|
I'd recommend getting that check out professionally by someone with experienced in carbon frame repair.
|
How do I wash a bike indoors? There are many sources describing how to wash your bike but all of them are for people who live outside town with a nice garden and a lot of space. Provably most of people live in small flats in a city block making it impossible to use these guides. How can I wash a bike properly without going outside and having really small space? <Q> I never wash any of my bikes with water. <S> Water, specially at high pressure out of a hose may get to places <S> it shouldn't (i.e. bearings) and thus reduces the life expectancy of your bike. <S> Personally, I don't have a lot of space inside, and this works perfectly fine: <S> let your bike dry completely scrub off all bigger chunks of dirty with an old dry cloth use a cleaning agent (ideally something like WD40) for stains that don't come off easily <S> degrease <S> your chain, also using a bit of WD40 and some dry cloth possibly remove wheels from frame if you really wanna <S> get everything off reassemble everything, grease movable parts using a little bit (!) <S> of chain oil or thicker grease (i.e. motorex) if needed most importantly <S> : repeat regularely , so your bike never becomes too flithy <A> I keep a piece of thick PVC foil, about 3×1 m in size which I spread on the floor in my corridor and put my bike on it (it has a kickstand so it can stand on its own). <S> I spread 4-5 sheets of newspaper just below the bike. <S> I take the chain off (which is easy since I have a master link) and clean it by shaking in a bottle of naphta. <S> I dust off all dried dirt from the frame using a cheap paintbrush (with a wooden handle so it doesn't scratch the frame). <S> What is left, I clean up with moist disposable paper towels. <S> If I'm in the mood, I clean the shock absorbers in the fork with a paper towel sprayed with WD-40. <S> After drying, I put the chain back on and lubricate it. <S> Most of the time, the dirt collected on the newspapers and the foil is completely dry so I can easily pour it over to the trash bin. <A> After a long bike tour through south east Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia totaling ~5000 km) we were flying back to NZ with our bikes. <S> NZ customs has very stringent requirements that no dirt/bugs/diseases comes in to the country on used sports gear, so we got the bikes sparkling clean by smuggling them up to our hotel room and putting them into the shower. <S> Nice low pressure, warm water. <S> Good drainage for the dust/dirt. <S> Soap and a flannel to clean up the frames. <S> No mess to clean up afterwards. <A> In fact, using a cloth to wipe clean the bike dirt are quite eco-friendly. <S> You might use less water if doing it properly. <S> It also reduce the risk of splashing water into bearing,etc. <S> For heavy dirt like mud, first use gardening spray lightly spray to wet up dirt in order to remove them. <S> Just be careful <S> when dumping the waste water, toilet bowl is a good idea compare to bathtub drain. <S> For greasy part, spray grease removal/solvent and use paper towel instead of cloth. <S> Don't feel bad about "saving the tree" on the paper towel. <S> Though cloth are "reusable" ,you will waste water and pouring those greasy dirt into your drainage, which is more harmful to the environment. <A> Put down a thick plastic sheet under the chain and cassette area. <S> Instead of plastic, you can use a few pieces of thick cardboard. <S> Clean the chain with 30 revolutions of the chain, back peddling, using a Park Tool cyclone or similar tool filled with Simple Green or another de-greasing product. <S> Keep the chain and cassette over the floor protection that you put down in step 2. <S> Flush dirty contents of cyclone down the toilet. <S> Repeat steps 3 and 4. <S> 6a. <S> Use small strips of cloth or "gear floss," soaked in de-greaser, to clean between the gears on the cassette. <S> Use a small brush, soaked in de-greaser, to clean the rest of the drive train. <S> 6b. <S> Fill cyclone with warm water. <S> Repeat steps 3 and 4 using warm water instead of de-greaser. <S> Flush dirty water down toilet.6c. <S> Use dry cloth to dry the chain as best you can. <S> Mix <S> a liberal amount of dish soap with water and use the mixture to fill up a spray bottle. <S> Fill another spray bottle with warm water alone. <S> Wipe off with clean cloth. <S> Repeat step 8 with just the water spray. <S> Dry off the entire bike with clean cloth. <S> Remember to lube the chain before you ride the bike after cleaning. <A> I would say it's probably easier / cleaner to take your bike to a friends house who has a garden or to a petrol station or car cleaning place (but don't use the jet wash on your bike). <S> I can't imagine trying to clean a bike in bathtub!
|
Spray soap mixture onto bike to clean dirty parts of frame, rims, spokes, pedals, etc. Put the bike on a bike repair stand inside of a room that doesn't have a carpet or any fancy hardwood floor covering.
|
What brands of handlebar tape match the Brooks B17 Aged saddle? This is kind of a frivolous bike question, but I am rebuilding a 1980s road bike to look like an old French porteur bike. The frame of my bike is a light silver blue color and I'd like to swap out the current saddle with a Brooks Aged B17 saddle. But I can't seem to find handlebar tape that matches the Brooks Aged saddle. Any ideas? I've attached a photo of the road bike (a 1982 Miyata). The drop bars will be replaced with VO Belleville bars and Dia Compe inverse brake levers and, of course, the saddle in the photo will be replaced with a Brooks B17 Aged saddle. Besides leather I'm open to cotton cloth tape and could do a shellac coating but don't know what color cotton tape and shellac to use to match the Brooks saddle. I find photos on Amazon, etc. tend to show one color and when the product arrives it's a completely different color. <Q> Brooks makes leather bar tape for some large amount of money (I think 75-100 USD), which matches their saddles. <S> They also make a cotton bar tape in a similar color (for some large, but not as large amount of money). <A> Many people sew their own leather grips. <A> As one answer suggests brooks makes their own handlebar tape <S> and it is really nice with cork bar end plugs. <S> As also noted it is not cheap. <S> In addition as another answer suggests, you could make your own. <S> That being said, if you don't feel overly creative you could let someone else make them, think etsy. <S> Search "leather handlebar tape" and some really nice options crop up with varying price levels. <S> Here are a few I found with a quick search. <S> Happy trails!
|
It's easy enough to buy an old leather handbag, belt, or jacket at a thrift store that matches the color; cut it into strips; and sew it up using leather sewing thread or cord available at craft supply stores.
|
Can a bike computer be used on the rear wheel? As the weather gets colder and colder, I find myself on a trainer more and more. The only way to gauge my workouts is by time, unless I set up the sensor for my bike computer on my rear wheel. Will the computer work accurately on the rear wheel? Are there any disadvantages having it on the rear wheel? <Q> Totally fine - its a good idea. <S> You'll need to move the sensor and fit a second spoke magnet (or move your front wheel one) <S> Another option would be fit an ant+ or bluetooth sensor and look at virtual ride tools like zwift, but they're not free. <S> Another option is count your pedal strokes and aim for 90 every minute, but that gets boring. <A> Yes you can, although my suggestion is buying another cycle computer rather than trying to re-fit an existing cycle computer as you appear to be asking for. <S> I've always used a cadence cycle computer. <S> Then you have cadence as well as speed <S> and you can put the computer back on your handle bars. <S> From the manual : <A> Short answer: <S> Yes. <S> Not so short answer <S> I have done it when testing the maximum potential speed my gearing could achieve and had to add a rubber to act as an spacer, besides that everything else was virtually the same. <S> As long as you can keep it secured to avoid it getting trapped in the spokes <S> /pedals it all should work smoothly. <A> I have just purchased and installed a B'Twin 500 "cyclometer" from Decathlon (AU$49). <S> It has a gyro device which attaches to the rear hub and communicates to the handlebar readout wirelessly. <S> The instructions are a bit difficult to follow but works well. <S> There are several reviews of this device on-line. <S> Worth checking out.
|
: It depends, since most bike computer sensors (The Reed switch / Hall sensor) are designed for a front fork - spoke clearance and usually this is smaller when compared with the chain/seat stays. The Cateye Strada wired cycle computer connects to the crank arm and the rear wheel.
|
Will a pedelec spoil cycling for me? During the last few years I moved farther and farther away from work. I used to commute by bike a lot when I lived nearer to my workplace, but now it would by about 40km one way. I am thinking about getting a pedelec for the commute, which would allow me to cycle to work at least sometimes, reducing the time to manageable levels, and maybe leting me arrive fresh(er) for work. However, I'm afraid that getting used to an electric bike will take the fun out of riding my regular bike, and make it seem too strenuous. Is anyone here riding both a regular bike and a pedelec? Has this been an issue? My regular bike is a recumbent. Since recumbent pedelecs are rather rare (I don't want a trike), I would probaly take a "upright" pedelec. <Q> I can only say "probably not" as while I've borrowed an e-bike a few times for rides similar to my current commute, it doesn't really suit me and doesn't come close to spoiling my normal riding. <S> Commuting is quite different to riding for fun and most pedelecs are quite heavy and handle very differently. <S> You may even find that your regular bike feels more nimble (though I'm basing this on uprights not recumbents). <S> If you're in Europe (or at least most of it) <S> the motor is required by law to cut out above 25km/h -- which isn't very fast. <S> Similar rules apply in some other countries. <S> Given stopping and starting you'd be unlikely to make your 40km in under 2 hours, which you could probably do on the recumbent under the same conditions. <S> A few things to watch out for: <S> The range isn't always as good as stated even with a new bike. <S> Do you have plenty of reserve between charges? <S> Make sure you get a good test ride, not just 5 minutes in a car park. <S> Decent electric bikes are expensive. <S> Most bike shops will struggle to get e-bike specific parts; I've had to hunt down spokes and motor cut-off switches myself. <S> You might also look into electric front wheel kits (for your existing bike). <S> They're certainly available for 26" and 700C wheels; maybe your recumbent has smaller wheels which might require a custom solution. <S> You would then have a choice of battery pack sizes as well. <A> In my experience, riding a pedelec doesn't ruin the joy of riding human powered bikes. <S> The main advantage of electric assist is that it makes riding in hilly terrain much easier, and riding in bad weather much more pleasant. <S> As pointed out by Chris H, switching to a pedelec doesn't usually make riding long commutes any faster. <S> Now, sporty bikes with electric assist do exist, and they're likely to be faster overall (unless you're fit enough, or your commute is flat enough, to maintain at least 25 km/h up all the hills unassisted). <S> But most people who commute long distances to work regularly are quite fit, they ride road bikes or light hybrids, and don't have lots of steep hills. <S> For commuting, those who gain the most from a pedelec are those who feel unable to commute on a regular bike. <S> For me, the weather advantage is actually the most important. <S> My road bike is more fun to ride on warm summer days, but when it's 5 degrees Celcius and raining (not to mention -10 and snowing) <S> it's just too convenient to be able to dress up with as many layers of warm, rainproof clothes as needed, without no worries about sweating. <S> If I need to wear formal dress at work during a winter storm, I just put on my insulated coverall before I go out — utterly impractical for riding a normal bike, but works really well on my pedelec, even if it looks weird. <A> I am riding both an ebike and a road bike; for various purposes. <S> My ebike takes me sweat less to work in my biz suit 42 km back and forth 5 days a week throughout winter, spring, summer and autumn from my home <S> i a suburb outside Oslo, the capitol of Norway. <S> Through rain, snow and blizzards at temperatures down to minus 15 celsius. <S> My road bike I ride for exercise purposes until snow starts falling. <S> Slim tyres are not suitable for dealing with snowy conditions, and cross country skiing is by far more physically and mentally rewarding during vinter time. <S> However, to me the most charming aspect of ebiking to work and elsewhere (visits, parties, restaurants etc), is that while doing that I stil gain some approx. <S> 60-70 percent training effect of what my super light road bike provides. <S> Without having to change clothes and shower. <S> All the taxi bills, bus and subway fares saved as well, comes as a pleasant bonus. <S> Allowing me to drink better wines...!
|
But if your normal ride isn't particularly joyful, a pedelec can make it bearable, even fun. Many aren't optimised for long periods in the saddle and use unusual components making geometry changes harder. If you spend as much as for a reasonable hybrid (call it £1000/€1000/$1000 within rounding error) you'll end up with something very heavy, with cheap components. If you really like the recumbent then this might prove worthwhile.
|
What are some recommendations for a trainer to get better at going uphill? Right now, I have a Specialized Epic Expert '07 and a set of Bike Nashbar Rollers. It is pretty fun to roll and watch a movie, but it gets boring fast and never feels safe. I was looking into different trainers to do something different and actually work towards a goal which is getting better at hills. I have been looking at Tracx Vortex Smart T2180, Kinetic Fluid Trainer Rock 'N Roll Smart, and CycleOps FLUID² but it seems that there are so many nuances from each. I have a Garmin 520 and do not have a power meter on my bike. I understand that the Tracx is the most smart, but does not provide the road feel of a fluid trainer. The Kinetic is great for getting out of the saddle and getting those extra muscles working out, but it uses a non standard connection to broadcast stats. Is there something out there that would be quiet to use, provide the most road like feel, have the ability for smart functions that my Garmin 520 can use, and get me better for going uphill? <Q> However the main factor it comes down to is <S> fitness - pure power/weight ratio - 200W is still 200W whether its uphill/flat/downhill. <S> Riders that struggle with hills tend to fall into one (or both) of two categories <S> Heavy riders that are held back by their weight and lack the muscular endurance to sustain a high power output over a long period Weaker riders who lack the raw leg power to push the pedals round. <S> Any of the trainers you mentioned should be fine for your needs - find workouts that work on either improving your lactate threshold, or improving the force you can apply to the pedals at low cadence. <S> If you want to more closely mimic hill climbing, then put your front wheel on a tall riser block, ride with your hands on the tops of the bars, and concentrate on pedalling smoothly from the hips. <S> For reference, I use the Fluid² you mentioned, and have seen good gains over the last 12 months doing 2-4 minute big gear intervals (60rpm) to build leg strength and get used to applying force smoothly. <A> There's no home trainer or roller that substitutes well for hills. <S> Riding up real grades is the best solution. <S> There are sloping treadmills which may duplicate the angle and effort, but they won't be cheap, and running treadmills will probably not be long enough for a bike, nor wide enough. <A> The best way to simulate hills on an indoor trainer is to set a target speed (power) for a specific interval. <S> The interval needs to reflect the duration of climbing you wish to improve in the real world. <S> During this interval - you need to match your cadence down to a climbing speed cadence. <S> This would help to simulate the same muscle recruitment you would do in a real climb. <S> Attempt the interval in both seated and out of the saddle - as you would a real climb and use the gears to adjust for this accordingly. <S> Better done with a powermeter - but speed on your turbo will equate directly to a power wattage. <S> The point of increasing resistance to cause a slowing down of cadence is to try and simulate what happens in climbing. <S> Where the legs muscles become engaged in more of the stroke going round as opposed to flat land riding where a high cadence is often employed and the leg muscles are engaged in relatively less of the stroke. <A> Rollers without resistance units will not emulate road like conditions. <S> Kreitler site shows the power requirements for all roller combinations. <S> http://www.kreitler.com/wattage-information <S> The flywheels provide the necessary inertia to simulate acceleration and deceleration and some resistance. <S> The fan provides speed dependent resistance. <S> The config mentioned above will require a power output of 428W at 20mph and 1Kw at 30Mph which is quite difficult to achieve if you are not a Cat 2 or better racer. <S> Weight training will help as well. <S> The other alternative is a smart trainer like a wahoo Kickr or elite drivo or the Tacx. <S> All three of the smart trainers are relatively equivalent. <S> (see the DC Rainmaker's website for specifics). <S> The advantages will be a more realistic simulation of road conditions via applications like Zwift, Trainerroad, and possibly sufferfest. <S> For power Trainerroad software can provide simulated power measurements based on sampled data.
|
Whilst it is true that there are some differences in muscle recruitment between pedalling uphill and on the flat, the main difficulty hills present is an increased power output for a sustained period of time (unless you have a tiny gear of course). If you have the money and time, you can find a pair of Kreitler rollers on eBay and buy a killer headwind unit as well as a pair of flywheels this will provide excellent resistance. Some smart turbos now have a power reading in-built and some software offers calibration for various turbos to convert speed into power.
|
What's the specific use in carrying a pump? I've seen people fit tire/tyre pumps to their bikes. What's the use in that? If I have a puncture it's usually a sizable hole in the tube, such as a piece of glass that pierced the tube. I could image that the pump is for if you also carry a puncture repair kit, plus levers to get the tyre off. Is that the use in carrying the pump? <Q> Most if not all recreational cyclists carry some method of a repair kit because flats happen and it doesn't have to mean the end of your ride. <S> Generally with practice a reasonable time to fix a flat is 5 minutes. <S> Those 5 minutes spent fixing a flat will be much faster than calling an Uber or your SO for a ride, or even resorting to public transit. <S> Better yet spend those five minutes changing a flat and then go finish your ride! <S> You don't need a lot of bike tools—you, just need the right tools. <S> A frame pump is one of those tools... <S> A frame pump can be seen as a one time cost to get air into a deflated tire. <S> Whereas others use a CO 2 cartridge to inflate a tire, but over time a few bucks for one cartridge adds up. <S> A pump and a CO 2 cartridge have their advantages and disadvantages, but in the end the result is the same—fix a flat and be on your merry way! <S> Some satire on the matter can be found here . <A> Generally, most prepared cyclists carry a spare tube, some tire levers and a bit of money or something else that could be used as a tire boot. <S> With these, if you have a damaged tire or tube, you can normally put in a new tube and continue your journey. <S> For tubeless riders, a spare tube is sometimes necessary. <S> A pump or CO2 cartridge is necessary to inflate the tire. <S> CO2 is nice because its quick, and you can reseat a tubeless tire if necessary with one, but it is wasteful and once you're out of cartridges, you have to go to a pump anyway. <S> I carry both, just cause a small pump can be tiring on your arms. <S> A patch kit is useful but usually you end up replacing the tube on the road and patching it at home so that the patch is reliable. <S> Another use of a frame pump is to get dogs to go away . <S> In any case, I leave mine on my bike normally <S> so its always there (its a mini, and attaches to the underside of my rack, so nobody sees it). <S> If I'm riding around town, I won't carry a spare tube or levers since its less of a hassle just to walk the bike home or catch a bus, but when I go out of town, I carry them just cause there aren't many options to get home without fixing the flat myself. <A> I use (tough) touring tires. <S> If I have a puncture <S> it's usually a slow one, from a sharp piece of grit (embedded in the tire) that has finally managed to work a tiny pin-prick through the outer tire, and begin to hole the inner tube. <S> I've been able to get home after discovering a slow leak, simply by stopping to re-inflate every 40 minutes or so (and without even finding and removing the offending grit until after I get home). <S> I also now carry tire levers and a spare inner tube. <S> I don't count on repairing a puncture (hence the spare inner tube): to find a puncture when I'm at home, I need to submerge the faulty inner tube in clean water and look for bubbles. <A> If you have a tubeless setup, punctures can be sealed by your tubeless juice, but still cause some loss of pressure before self sealing. <S> In that case, carrying a pump without a patch/spare is completely appropriate. <S> It allows you to replace air lost while your tire sealed itself. <S> Additionally there are styles of riding to which frequent pressure changes are important. <S> Winter cycling races are a good example. <S> Punctures are of small enough concern during winter racing here that I often don't care a spare tube, but will still carry a pump to adapt tires to changing trail conditions. <A> I carry a spare tube, a pump, patches and glue. <S> Because if I get a flat tyre I don't want to be stuck pushing the bike. <S> Simple as that.
|
Yes , people riding with a frame pump or a mini frame pump will use this in conjunction with a repair-kit (spare tube, patch kit, tire levers). Pumps have other uses as well. Over a long course , it may be well worth it to put additional air in your tires if trail conditions improve or the temperature drops significantly.
|
Hand strain when off road I tried fat biking this week, I've done hardly any off road or MTB cycling before and was very nervous. I found keeping my hands over the brakes in case I had to stop suddenly strained my hands between thumb and first finger, especially as the ground was very rocky. Is this just something your body gets used to or are there techniques I can improve here? <Q> <A> Having recently spent a day MTBing when it's not something I've done before, I'd say most of it is unfamiliar use of muscles (plus <S> you're holding on tighter than you need to). <S> (it's not that they're weak but using the strength in that position is new. <S> As your confidence builds, the white-knuckle muscles won't be locked off so hard. <S> There's bound to be room to optimise your setup as well. <S> adjusting the brake rest position may be an option depending on the brake type. <S> Some people like ergonomic grips, some don't, and if you've got small hands this may not be an option unless you can adjust the brake levers <A> Depending on the kind of brakes you have, and the terrain, you can use some different hand positions when using your brakes off road. <S> The reason is that some kinds of brakes offer much better mechanical advantage, and you can brake very hard without much effort. <S> With caliper or v-brakes, you don't get much help, you'll probably want to brake with at least 2-4 fingers, which means you're only really holding onto your bars with your thumb and your palm, and you'll fatigue quite fast, especially if the ground is quite bumpy. <S> Hanging on for dear life :) <S> With a mechanical disc brake, you can brake harder with less effort. <S> You can probably keep 2 fingers on the bars and brake with your index and middle fingers. <S> This is less strenuous but you'll still fatigue pretty quickly as you don't have a really good grip on your bars so you'll still be squeezing your hand tight to hold on. <S> The best brake is a hydraulic disc brake. <S> When you brake with these, even on very, very bumpy ground you can use just your index finger and still brake extremely hard, maintaining a good grip on your bars with your thumb and 3 fingers. <S> If you're riding downhill on a big bike, and it's proper steep and rough, you're gonna fatigue quickly even with hydraulic disc brakes <S> but that's the nature of the terrain and the kind of speeds you can reach. <S> As with any exercise, you can build grip strength and stamina in your hand muscles if you use them often.
|
Along with checking position on the bike it's worth checking to see whether the reach can be adjusted on your brakes in case you're over-stretching your hand. If you start riding like this regularly, it will get better as your skills improve and as your muscles get used to it Check the angle too - stand behind the bike and reach the bar, extend your fingers straight forward following the line of your arm and adjust the lever to meet under your finger(s).
|
Any fix for a schrader valve that won't open? I have the all too familiar problem of being unable to pump up my tyre :( It's not a problem with the pump (because it works on the other wheel) so I guess there must be something wrong with the schrader valve. I've done all wiggly woggly poking efforts to get it to release air, tightening, untightening the pump head etc. to no avail (I just keep pressurising the pump instead of the tyre). However the valve doesn't "look" damaged (the pin is in place, straight, not obviously damaged). Is there any other possible fix to this that I haven't tried? Some clever tip or trick? Or should I just give it up and buy a new inner tyre? <Q> Sounds like the valve has stuck shut, this can happen if the rubber seal at the base of the valve swells up. <S> If the valve core is replaceable just get the appropriate valve tool and a replacement core, both are really cheap. <S> Otherwise its likely to require a replacement tube. <A> I had a Slime bike tube that leaked into the Schrader valve and really gummed up everything to where no air would release. <S> I replaced the valve with a cheap kit from Wal-Mart ($2.96) and still no success until I attacked the problem by inflating and blowing the "clog" in the other direction and that worked allowing me to deflate the tube. <A> It is very hard to remove an inflated tube, so you need to let the air out. <S> Since the valve isn't working you need to do it another way <S> Puncture <S> the inner tube with something sharp. <S> Go through the tread not the sidewall. <S> You might be surprised how hard this is to do. <S> Use something small so to minimise the hole in your tyre. <S> Bolt cutters - snip the entire valve stem off close to the rim. <S> This will deform the valve stem to squash it back to round before pulling through the rim. <S> Also mind out for a loud PSSSHHT of air. <S> If the tube is flat already just lever the tyre off the rim like normal. <S> If the tyre is End Of Life, just cut the whole thing off with a sharp knife. <S> Take care to not cut your rim or rimtape, and then lever the bead wires off like normal.
|
After removing the valve, no air was escaping so a solid clog for sure in the valve or tube.
|
Does anyone manufacture a seatless bicycle? I need to stay fit and cycling is a great non-impact exercise. I don't see the point in sitting when cycling, instead I rather standing as such as it creates a better form of exercise. Are there any bicycles that are designed without a seat specifically for this purpose? <Q> Most trials bicycles are designed without a seat. <S> However, they are likely to be uncomfortable when ridden for long distances. <S> You may want to consider what what you mean by "stay fit". <S> Fitness must have goals to be obtainable. <S> Cycling is generally consider to be cardio exercise that improves aerobic fitness. <S> Standing while cycling is more of a strength training exercise that is less maintainable over time. <S> I don't know of any manufacturers that produce a bicycle meant to be stood on all the time and intended for distance. <S> It's not something people try to do often, so <S> if their is one, it would be very small, selling to a niche market. <A> You can get a trials bike. <S> They often do not have a saddle or seatpost, by design. <S> They are meant for doing tricks, jumps, balancing, etc. <S> This doesn't sound like what you are doing <S> but if you must not have a saddle, or post, this might be an option for you. <S> This is what they look like: <A> I would be willing to guess if ridden correctly equal amounts of exercise could be made from standing up versus sitting down. <S> However.... <S> BOOM problem solved. <A> Some options which existed before, but apparently disappeared. <S> Both are essentially a fold-down scooter with pedals+chain. <S> Occam Cycle <S> http://www.greatscottech.com/ <S> Micro pedalflow <S> http://www.micro-mobility.com/en/products/micro-pedalflow-white Pedalflow is still available in some countries for about $400 USD. <S> Impressions: <S> The small front wheel and high center of mass imply a particularly front-tippy ride <S> , should the rider find a pothole with the wheels, or otherwise have to make a quick stop. <S> The Occam cycle raised about a third of its kickstarter target, and was not funded.
|
You might want to just use a regular bike and stand up instead as it will probably ride better for normal riding while standing.
|
handlebar light (or mount) with ball and socket joint Is there a handlebar light or mount that uses a ball and socket joint or otherwise allows complete freedom to change where it points? I like to adjust my light depending on a # of factors. For example, as I approach someone on the trail, I'll adjust the light down and to the right to avoid blinding them. Sometimes I'll want it more up (in areas with branches at head level) or to the side (for an upcoming turn). And so on. I've been unable to find a product providing this kind of adjustability. In contrast, handlebar mirrors often have such joints. Currently, I rubberband a flashlight to the back of my mirror at night. The mirror joint has enough strength to hold the additional weight of the light and yet lets me adjust it just by pushing. No tools required. I've been doing this for a while so I could continue but it takes some attention - rubber bands only last a few days in the sun so I have to check them before each ride, and strapping it on is a bit of a nuisance. I'd prefer something that I could just snap on/off. Or maybe I just need to find some kind of "better rubberband" that is more reliable and stands up to weather? (I've looked for that too without success. Velcro won't work - it has to have some stretch because the mirror doesn't mate perfectly with the flashlight.) Please don't suggest a headlamp. (I avoid headlamps. I've tried them. I regularly ride/run with others and they are frequently blinding me and each other, etc.) <Q> Philips Saferide came with a ball and socket mount. <S> The light has been discontinued though. <S> Possibly you can get replacement mounts and adapt them: <S> Philips page for holder . <S> Adjusting the Philips ball and socket to work that way, instead of setting aim once and then tightening to lock, could be tricky. <A> Something like this might be better. <S> Ball joints tend to fail when subject to vibration, and more so when on the end of an arm/pole. <S> These things rotate 360 degrees and work fairly well. <S> Personally I'd use a wrist strap around the handlebars as well, as a secondary fastening. <S> This one found at http://www.dx.com/p/bicycle-lamp-silicone-clip-flashlight-holder-black-434542 <S> but there are heaps of similar things. <A> I have a Light and Motion headlight similar to the one below. <S> It attaches to my handlebars with a rubber loop. <S> It's nothing fancy, but does what you want. <S> It swivels left and right, and can move up and down by twisting around the bars (the strap grips the bar pretty tight, but it's easy enough to push down to turn your "high-beams" off). <S> I think I paid 65 USD for it. <S> I was a bit hesitant to spend so much money on something I didn't really need (at the time), but it was totally worth it, much better than a flashlight and duct tape, or a headlamp.
|
Personally I'd look for something that uses a rubber strap to hold it onto the handlebar, loose enough that you can move it to point up and down, but tight enough to stay stable when moved. I suggest using a light designed to be attached to a bike, instead of a flashlight.
|
MTB Hardtail preventing flipping backwards on steep gradients When climbing longer 40-50% gradient sections my front wheel starts lifting even at cadences around 70. Leaning forward doesn't help much, I am already balancing myself on the rear wheel. Today the bike suddenly got out of control, I flipped and fell on my bum. Longer stem? Saddle forward? Can you shorten the front suspension? What can I do to shift weight forward? <Q> Here's the actual climb in question, according to OP. <S> So if you are out of the saddle, clipped into pedals, and have your hips to the stem and are bending forward at the waist, then there's little more you can do to balance the bike. <S> Consider not wearing a backpack. <S> Try the climb again, while recording on strava. <S> Then use the Compare function, or a link like this <S> https://www.strava.com/segments/4354748/compare/MzU0NzM3Nzc4NSwxNTgzODc4OTU0NA== to compare your best segment effort to someone else's. <S> The top time was only doing 1.4 km/h on the really steep bit at 0.7 km into the segment. <S> And if you stop, you're stuck. <S> If you're there, try and watch other people ride the same track. <S> See how they approach the same sections and where they push hard. <A> Don't just lean forward... move forward such that you are sitting on the pointy nose of your seat... <S> that's right position <S> it <S> so it feels like you are about to have your rear impaled. <S> It requires leaning forward <S> but it also lowers and shifts forward your center of mass. <S> Here is where I get all nerdy. <S> Imagine an ellipse whose ends are defined by the front and rear tires contact points with the ground... <S> the sides (or width) of the ellipse would be a function of speed, terrain surface, and a riders comfort leaning into turns... <S> so we have this ellipse... <S> when climbing if a line projected from your center of mass (gravity) to the ground along the earth's gravity vector falls outside your ellipse you are in an unstable position... <S> So get low, get forward, and keep two wheels on the ground. <S> Have fun out there. <A> I think its the steep turn that is stuffing you up more than the grade alone. <S> Consider this instead, go around and out along the ridge. <S> Then turn around on the slight crest, and nail it in a straight line back up the ridge-line. <S> If you get out of the saddle I bet you won't have a problem. <A> I don't have a section that steep <S> but I have a front wheel lifting problem on the last part of my commute since I have a lot of weight in the back pannier. <S> No amount of leaning forwards stopped it when I'm fully loaded. <S> So I drape a toolbelt over the handle bars which makes a big difference. <S> The toolbelt weighs around 7 kg. <A> if you are pulling up on the bars then it will obviously encourage the front wheel to lift. <S> Instead, think about trying to pull backwards on your bars - so imagine that you're trying to pull them towards your knees.
|
As well as the suggestions already mentioned there is one tip that may help - when you are on a steep climb you will almost certainly be pulling on the bars - You might be able to vary your track on the path by zigzagging, or taking a slightly less head-on approach. Generally the answer is momentum, and lots of it.
|
Cheap solution to vertical bicycle stand I would like to know if there is a cheap way to put up my bikes vertically on a wall (like a hanger that I could put my bikes' wheels on). I am doing this because firstly they are taking to much space just being parked there... Secondly I have heard people say that the tire gets destroyed if the bike is left for a little while unattended, which is the case. I have three bikes that I use. The one is used every third day or so, the second one once in two weeks and the third one, almost never... How do you suggest I build this vertical stand for three bikes for under $20? I have googled this to see if someone has found a way but I only saw some really complex stands and hangers, as well as expensive products. <Q> Free wood from pallets could easily be fashioned into racks that can be fastened to the wall with butterfly bolts. <S> Also, consider looking for solutions at http://www.bikehacks.com/ <A> We have a number of bikes hanging in the garage by their front wheels. <S> They are against a wall so that they don't swing about. <S> We just have eye hooks screwed into the roof with a velcro strap around the wheel to attach it to the hook. <S> But I would'nt do that for especially heavy or nice bikes. <S> For my families "posh" bikes we have a stand on the floor which was simply a 200x10x2cm piece of wood, with blocks of pine nailed to it in pairs such that they could grip a wheel. <S> If you space the blocks 5cm apart for a normal road bike wheel then it works quite well. <S> Obviously there needs to be at least 40cm between the pairs of blocks, depending on handlebar width. <S> We have it placed about 30cm from a wall which means the wheels are behind the plank of wood that sits on the floor, and are against the wall so they wont roll anywhere. <S> I would get a picture, but I'm away from home for another couple of weeks. <A> These hooks work well enough. <S> Downside is they have to be into a wall-stud, and the bike pokes out from the wall not hanging flat beside the wall. <S> You also want something between the bottom wheel and the wall. <S> Note - picture shows screws that are WAY too wimpy for this task. <S> These are approximately $10, but I picked up some big solid steel ones for $20. <A> I did this to two bikes and they both fit under a single bed. <S> Took a few seconds to take off the front wheels, Dollar cost = zero. <S> If it was a lower bed (and I wasn't so lazy) <S> I'd have taken the outside pedals off as well. <A> Have a look for the "clug bike clip". <S> This is a small clip designed to hold your bike in place against the wall. <S> http://www.getclug.com/
|
If you hang them outside, then the bike blocks access to the screws so its a moderately secure fastening if you chain the bike's frame to the hook.
|
automotive lubricants (ATF, manual trans fluid, or heavy motor oil) as bike chain lube? Good afternoon, I'm quite mechanically inclined (formerly an auto mechanic and currently an engineer) but relatively new to cycling. Compared to other contexts I'm familiar with, I've noticed that bike chain lubricants, for example the Park Tool chain lube ( https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Synthetic-Blend-Bottle/dp/B000AOA290 ) or the Finish Line wet chain lube ( https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Bicycle-Chain-Lube/dp/B000WYCD5O?th=1 ) are very expensive per quantity compared to automotive lubricants. I'm wondering if anybody has extensively tried any of the following as bike chain lubricant: -Automotive Transmission Fluid (ATF) -Manual Transmission Fluid / Transfer Case Fluid / Gear Oil -relatively "heavy" motor oil, ex. 10W-40 In my general experience I've found that ATF is usually the best lubricant for almost any purpose, for example I've found that ATF lubricates air tools better than air tool specific lubricants. I'm planning on trying ATF out before I spring for another bottle of Park or Finish Line chain lube. Has anybody else tried any of the above for bike chain lubrication? <Q> That happens for three reasons: <S> The chain is totally exposed in a performance bike. <S> You have dirt coming from the ground, the wheels, the air... <S> You legs are surprisingly close to the chain, and may rub it quite easily. <S> The situation where your chain snaps from the crankset and you may have to reinsert it manually in the crank teeth is not quite rare. <S> That is why there are a great variety of chain lubs. <S> You can go from minimum dirt attraction (wax) to the maximum (wet). <S> I would say that if you are perfectly happy with a wet lub, a switch to an ATF one would not pose a big problem. <S> What you do not want to you use are solvents, most notably WD-40, they do not act as a lube long enough. <S> Do not use thicker oils, as standard engine oil: they will render your chain a mess in not so long and they won't penetrate deep enough in the links. <S> On the other hand, if you want to minimize dirt attraction, something I prefer personally, I would use a bike chain specific dry lube or wax. <S> As a bottom line, you know that a 120mL bottle lasts like forever? <S> You have to apply only one drop per link, meaning only 0.05mL per link. <A> You can use almost anything you like as chain lube on a bike as anything is better than a dry squeaky chain. <S> However for chain longevity, lasting lubrication and lack of oil flinging.. <S> Specific stuff is in most cases better. <S> When I used to motorcycle and motoX I ended up using a chain lube called PJ1 Blue Label, it was awesome stuff especially as when used on my immaculate road <S> bikes the lube wouldn't fly off and coat my rear wheel in grease. <S> It goes on from the straw like bubbling thin oil and is quite tacky, then it thickens up. <S> I always wiped off the excess whilst it was still thin. <S> It was soo good <S> I transferred its use over to my pedal bikes too and it worked like a charm. <A> It takes more time, but you will get 10x <S> the number of rides as the "proper" chain lube. <S> To lube the chain with gear oil: <S> Remove the chain from the bike <S> Thoroughly clean the chain with a de-greaser, wash with water and immediately dry with compressed air. <S> Be sure to blast air in each roller to push the water and left over de-greaser out. <S> In a left over card board box, stack the chain on itself with about 10 links per row. <S> This should make a rectangular shaped chain stack, similar to how a new chain arrives in the box. <S> Lean this stack on the side of the box. <S> The box side will hold the chain shape during the rest of the process. <S> Drip gear oil on the top of the stack. <S> It should start traveling to the bottom of the stack like a "plinko" game. <S> You may have to do several coats before it gets to the bottom of the stack. <S> The box will soak up excess oil. <S> Leave it overnight. <S> Wipe the chain with a clean towel until no more lube comes off. <S> Put it back on the bike and ride. <S> Because you have thoroughly wiped the chain, <S> the gear oil that is left is inside the rollers, where you want it. <S> In addition, it will not attract dirt because it is trapped inside the roller. <S> Because gear oil is thick, and gets thicker the longer <S> it's outside, it will not fling off easily. <S> It will last far more rides and washes than normal bike chain lube. <S> The other benefit is that you do this off the bike, so the excess lube does not get on your chainring(s) or cassette cogs. <S> The biggest downside is the time it takes to do this. <S> Personally, I don't mind the extra time if it means I don't have to worry about lubing the chain all the time.
|
In my experience, the objective of a good chain lub for a bike is to maximize lubrication time while minimizing dirt attraction. This may not be a popular answer, but I recommend 80-90 weight gear oil.
|
Parking a bike with wide tyres in a narrow bike rack I park my bike at work in a rack like this: At the moment I have 26 x 1.9" knobbly tyres and the wheel just squeaks into the rack. However I'd like to replace these with 26 x 2" Schwalbe Marathons for a smoother ride and better puncture resistance, and these almost certainly won't fit. What's the best way of putting my bike in this rack if the tyres won't fit, preferably without annoying colleagues by taking up more than one space? So far I've thought of: using the lock cable to 'tie' the wheel to the side of the rack - possible but a bit of a faff fitting the bike with a kick stand so it doesn't need the rack to hold it upright - not ideal getting the 26 x 1.75" tyres instead - would work but I'd prefer the wider ones for best grip as my ride is partly on offroad paths and a cobbled street (and nothing to do with thinking the wider ones look better, honest). But are there any other techniques or products I haven't thought of? (Security of this type of rack is not a big concern, incidentally, as the rack is inside a shed with a code lock.) <Q> The solution in my particular case turns out to be that the 2" Marathons are actually no wider than the 1.9" knobblies - when fitted on my wheels and at my current inflation pressure of about 3 bar, at least - so the bike still fits in the rack. <S> This won't help anyone whose tyres actually are too wide to fit in a narrow bike rack, but it may help someone in a similar position to know that tyres may be slightly narrower than their nominal width. <S> In a year of riding on the Marathons, incidentally, I've had one puncture, compared to about one a month on the standard tyres. <S> I also found the difference in rolling resistance compared to knobbly tyres was surprisingly noticeable. <A> If your current tyres are knobbly right out to the shoulders and your new ones much smoother you might get away with it. <S> But you won't know until you try it by which point you've bought at least one tyre. <S> Other options: an equivalent tyre from a different brand may be available in a 1.9 or even 1.95 fit a 1. 75 on one wheel and a 2 on the other; slot in the narrower wheel. <S> There are a few questions here about running different size tyres in various circumstances. <S> While these racks aren't ideal (including for security as you can't lock the frame to anything with a solid lock) they're often all that's avaliable. <S> I occasionally put one of my bikes in a rack narrow enough that it takes some pulling to get it out. <S> The bike (including tyres) doesn't appear to have suffered at all. <S> Update 2017 <S> : I've now tried to park a bike with even wider tyres in the same rack and the only solution is to put the front wheel next to where it's supposed to be, which means the locks have to hold the bike upright and access to unlock is tricky is the next slot is occupied. <S> If I only had a mountain bike for commuting I'd run a commuting wheelset; as it is I can generally choose another bike. <A> You can either put the back wheel outside the rails and use your lock or a velcro strap to hold it in place. <S> If someone has a real need, consider using a jack or two crowbars to spread the rails of one parking space and leave that one for those with wide tyres. <S> They can still be used by narrow wheels too. <A> I cannot comment but here is an idea: did you ask your workplace to install a more versatile bikerack? <S> I know it is far fetched but sometimes people surprise your if you ask nicely. <A> Try to use the end position of the rack, your wheel outside the rack and your bike on its own stand, idealy leaning over the rack. <S> I have to do this with my own bike often, as my mudguard is getting damaged with a lot of the standard bike racks. <S> In some cases I can also do it in the middle of a rack, but only if just every other space is used. <S> (As so often happens these days when bikes are wider than the racks allow for.) <S> If you can not angle the bike, you might consider a two legged stand, which will keep your bike upright. <S> Again, an end position will be ideal and you will still need to keep your wheel outside the rack, but you will not bother your co-workers.
|
The same width slot is often used in double stacker racks where it's not the only support for the bike and the risk of damaging anything is much less.
|
How to gain confidence with new "big" bike? I just aquired for the first time a 29er mtb, the 2017 cube acid! Although it is the right size for me, no19 for my 1.81m height, I feel it's HUUUGE for me, a whole lot of a bike, and I actualy feel afraid ! of it! Will I get used to it and feel safe and comfortable with my new bike? Any method to gain confidence with it? <Q> Not to be trite, but: Get out there and ride! <S> I just tried out a 29 Plus mountain bike a few months ago, first time on a MTB in years. <S> Felt really weird and disorienting at first, so I just rode on smooth gravel pathways for a while. <S> Once I started feeling a bit more confident in it, I started going out of my way to run over small rocks, twigs, branches, etc., to get a feel for how the bike responds. <S> Quickly built up to "cinder-block" size rocks (breeze-blocks if you're in the UK). <S> It was really fun "relearning" - it's the first time in a long I've felt like a little kid on a bike. <S> There's no rush, nobody's going to appear out of the bushes to laugh at you when you decide to go around a larger obstacle that you're not yet confident rolling over. <S> It's not clear from your post what your level of experience is, but if you're feeling really nervous and cautious, just ride on a pavement for a few days. <S> Try rolling off curbs (check for cars first!). <S> Try rolling along on some grass. <S> Have fun with it! <A> The answer by SSilk is a good starting point. <S> Once you have a little confidence, visit a few of your local bike shops ask if they have regular "shop rides" for MTBs. <S> Also ask if they have a "no drop" policy (so you don't get left behind). <S> It's by riding with other, more experienced riders that you'll see how things are done, how the same situation is handled differently by different riders, and what skills they use. <S> A particular thing to watch is what route they choose in a given situation. <S> Be sure to ask questions. <S> Of course you'll be the newbie, and get some good natured joking, but persist. <S> You get respect for turning up, and coming back. <S> But also try different groups, you'll learn more. <S> Its easy to follow a more experienced person through difficult terrain, because you're not making all the decisions. <S> But you do have to practice what you've just been shown. <S> Enjoy. <A> You call that “a huge bike”? <S> I think you have never seen this one. <S> http://bestadviser.net/mountain-bikes/helpful-mongoose-mountain-bike-reviews/ <S> When I was looking for an MTB, I came across this article and saw this Mongoose monster. <S> Later on I saw it in my town <S> , it’s really fabulous <S> and as I realized very comfortable. <S> That’s why it doesn’t matter how it looks, it’s important for you to feel that it is yours, it suits you well. <S> Place a saddle lower, it changes a lot. <S> Or choose another type of bike, there are lots of them! <S> I’m sure you’ll find the one you feel safe and comfortable with.
|
Try other mtb, maybe the problem is not in you but in the bike. One last bit of advice: be careful when riding on your own, as you practice what you've been learning.
|
How to protect bike frame mounted on the carrying rack? The ropes I fix the bike with on the rack and the rack itself (although covered with a plastic layer (an old inner tube) make marks on the frame. I would like to avoid using extra pads, sponges or foams that always gather dust and dirt or fall off the correct place. Is there any special trusty method? <Q> Pool noodles, cut lengthwise and held in place with gaffer tape (or hockey tape if you're so-inclined) <S> Bonus marks for colour-coordinating with your bike and car. <S> Do the whole length of the rack upstand, not just the contact point. <S> Like this but on the upstand too, not just the tines. <S> You could put the protection on the bike, like this, but its more likely to fall off. <S> Velcro cable ties can help here. <A> This isn't exactly what your are looking for but it is simple solution. <S> It is easy to put on/take off, can be used many times and it is really good to prevent collisions of parts if you transport more than one bike on the rack. <S> Those pipe insulations come in lengths of usually 2 meters, with various wall thickness from 9 mm do 2 cm so you can choose ones which will fit your bike frame or rack. <A> I used to have a Saris Bones rack and ended up wearing right through the paint in several spots. <S> I learned that simply wrapping a sock (or other cloth) around the tube/spot in question and tightening it in with the strap eliminated almost all the rubbing. <S> For longer trips I would secure the padding with a zip tie or tape. <A> With some racks, especially racks that hang the bike from its frame, Rack-Rash is a thing you learn to live with as its practically impossible to prevent. <S> The price of cheaper racks is often (but not always) cosmetic damage to bikes. <S> In my experience, to prevent bikes getting trashed in transit, they need to be supported by the wheels using a quality rack design. <S> Google "Wheel Support bike rack" for some good examples. <S> I like ones such as the Yakima FrontLoader or Thule 594XT Sidearm that hold the wheel, not the frame - similar setups are available for rear racks.
|
I use cheap foam self seal pipe insulation of various diameters and put them on parts of bike that can be damaged during transport (fork, top tube, chain stay, etc) or you can fix it to your bike rack . Pool noodles and pipe insulation are great, but be careful when the foam degrades or is in high heat (think black foam on a sunny day) as the foam can melt and stick to the bike (had this happen once)!
|
Practical way to park many bicycles in one garage for everyday use? I have seven bicycles, four of my personal use, and three for each one of my wife, stepson and nephew, all of them adult-sized. My lifestyle involves one or two short daily commutes and a lot of daily errands with one of three bikes (cargo with rack and fenders, wide-tire full suspension, and skinny tire fixie, depending on mood). Eventually my stepson wants to ride and takes his bike out, but this is like once a week. And my nephew takes her bike once a month or less. My wife usually goes out with me on the weekends, so we take her bake and one of mines out). In my former home, I stored all of them "stacked" beside one another inside the house, so when I had to take one of them, usually I should move all the bikes in front of it, take the desired one out, then put others back, usually ending up with often-used bikes behind less used bikes. That made the youngsters sometimes give up on a short leisure ride out of sheer (justifiable) lazyness to take their bike from behind the "stack" Recently, I moved to an apartment that has a garage, measuring like 3 meters wide by five meters deep, and about 3,5 meters tall, so now I am free to use it to organize the bikes, plus some cabinets with tools, hooks for the helmets, a tool hanger in a wall, etc. So the question is - do any of you suggest a way to organize the parking of these bikes in a way that: Makes the everyday bikes very quick to take in and out for me, and the less used ones easy enough so the young ones don't have to think twice about the mess when they feel like taking a ride; Completely avoids the need to hang or lift the bike. I am sure there is enough space so that moving the bikes around can be achieved by rolling them, either forwards or backwards; [edit] The bikes' positions could very well be swappable, since there is seasonal variation on the most used bike; Possibly requires the need to move the bikes around a bit to take one of them, for example using two or three stacks of bikes, or whatever. Here is a poor photo of the actual garage with the bikes already in it, but surrounded by a lot of junk, some of which will be taken out, some of which will be rearranged in cabinets, drawers, etc. (for size reference, the old doors in the back are leaning against the wall). Notice the stacked configuration on the right, where one of the bikes leans against the wall, and the others lean against it successively. I would like to avoid or at least streamline that. <Q> You don't say what other uses you have for the garage, but lets presume the floor space is a premium, otherwise a row of bikes racks is the obvious, cheap and best solution. <S> 7 bikes will fit into 5 meters, and stick out about 2 leaving plenty of space . <S> But you have 3.5 meters high, use it.... <S> Rope pulley from the roof for as many bikes as you need to free up floor space. <S> These bikes would probably be less used ones. <S> One or two bike stacker might be worth looking at e.g. A wall hanging system such as Or <S> One thing I would say is get it sorted - theres nothing worse than trying to get out for a ride and having to move a million bikes before you get to the one you want. <S> With kids, having a place for their bikes gives you a valid reason to 'tell them off' when you trip over a bike left lying around randomly at the door way. <S> Once you have a place for everything, everything will be in its its place. <S> The other thing I would say (from experience), is don't procrastinate, over think it and try to get it perfect first time, do something, if it does not work well, change it. <A> I use simple metal hooks insted of expensive constructions. <S> I agree, that the best will be to leave yours three bicycles on the floor, placing them into low front-wheel grips for instance. <S> But be sure that kids will be carefull with bikes placed there, because that construction do not give enough stability, so that bicycles may fall over and be damaged or someone may be injured standing near. <S> Speaking about hooks on the wall it really saves place, but children may need your help to take their bicycles off. <S> For adults it's ok. <S> So I would do two kinds of "parking places" but think properly where to put which bike. <A> If you want to keep all the bikes on the floor, you can get wooden pallets, cut them in half and attached the one half perpendicular to the other one. <S> Make sure to align the slits so the tires will fit.
|
I would look at floor mounting for daily used bikes and hang/suspend from ceiling ones used less often. While you at it, have a place to store helmets, gloves, pumps, car racks etc that is easy to access and setup so each item has its place.
|
Do 27.5" wheels fit a 29" mtb? Do 27.5" wheels fit a 29" mtb? The 29er is with disc brakes. If they fit, is there any other problem <Q> They fit, in the sense that you can install them in the frame (if the axles are correct, hub width is correct, etc). <S> The problems are: <S> The bike stands a few centimeters closer to ground. <S> Which means less ground clearance for obstacles and cornering. <S> Frames designed for smaller wheels take this into account Less trail at front, which affects steering Lower gearing because of smaller wheel radius <S> You still have the long rear fork of frame designed for 29" wheels and the associated weight distribution and clumsiness. <A> Yes and no. <S> Installing them with normal sized (2-2.3") tires will result in that much less ground and pedal clearance as well as tweak the geometry of the bike. <S> So that's not likely to work out well. <S> For example, there are now bikes intended to be swappable between the two, and conversions have become common on older bikes. <S> Many 29er frames and forks have the clearance to take a 27.5+, although it's something you'd have to experiment with yourself. <A> You can install almost any smaller wheels so long as the axles aren't too wide, I rode this 29'er bike around for a few days while trying to get my front rim fixed. <S> But brakes would be misaligned if they're rim brakes, and since the bike is not designed for other sizes it's not ideal. <S> But it will work.
|
However, 27.5+ tires (2.8-3") get the tire outside diameter into the ballpark of normal 29", so the bike's geometry and clearances still work as intended.
|
Selecting a drivetrain for touring bicycle I am planning to build a touring bike with a Surly LHT frame. I'm looking for some advice on selecting a drive train. My requirements are: Reliability - I am planning on doing weeks or months long tours. Ease of repair if necessary in remote locations, including in the developing world. Ability to get parts in the future, I am building it to last 10+ years. On my current bike I have a Shimano 7-speed drive train. I am quite happy with that. I tour around the UK over all terrain without problems. But 7 and 8 speeds are becoming less common now. I don't fancy going above 10-speed, it doesn't provide any advantage but make it less reliable. Should I go for 8 or 9-speed? If so what drive train group set is good?Any recommendation will be appreciated. <Q> As other posters already mentioned: Rohloff seems the way to go... <S> Super reliable and sturdy, but: hard to service for yourself "on the road". <S> On the other hand: if you have a Shimano (most common) 9 or 10 speed Deore XT drivetrain, it will also be hard to find (and thus service) spares in the middle of Africa..:) <S> If cost is no subject: forget the Surly (albeit a nice platform), and go for a rim-brake Pinion bike. <S> Why?:Super reliable, more then enough spread in gears, it enables you to switch wheels (obviously not possible with Rohloff without losing your gears..) and the rim brakes don't make it a pain in the A@% when your wheel is broken <S> and you want to use an alternative.. <S> Maybe not the straight forward answer you were looking for, but if "the Ultimate touring bike" is required this might be the ticket! <A> I've looked at several maintenance logs published by long distance tourers and drivetrain failures are exceedingly rare. <S> Carrying replacement chain(s) and cassette should be more than enough. <S> Worst case scenario would be to change your drivetrain and shifters to the local standard. <S> More likely, you'll limp to the nearest larger town and wait for spares. <S> Even more likely, your drivetrain will age gracefully. <A> that being said after more than 30 years of cycling, I have never had a shifter fail. <S> Chains have broken, cassette bodies have stopped racheting, cassette clusters have worn, etc. <S> but I have never had a shifter give up the ghost. <S> If you are interested.. there are a couple rear hub models that support tool-less cassette body removal and servicing. <S> If I was on my way around the world I would be looking to get the right hubset before I looked to get the perfect shifter. <A> Final remark: <S> if you do want a straight forward answer.. <S> Then go Shimano 9 speed (LX/XT..), <S> odds are that this is the best shot you have at beeing able to service on the road, get parts in third world regions and be able to get parts for the next 10 years.. <S> That, and Shimano 9 speed is not overly-sensitive to be abused with "McGyver" repairs..:)
|
For Ultimate durability I would go with downtube or bar-end shifters that can be switched to friction mode if things go horribly wrong...
|
Replacing a 1950s or early 1960 solid rubber 20" bicycle tire How can I replace a '50s or early '60s 20" solid rubber bicycle tire? I have been looking everywhere. The wheel measures 17" by 1 1/2". New ones are too small to fit. Any information would be appreciated. <Q> I suspect it is a 16 x 1 3/4 tire. <S> I think they are still available. <S> These tires are replaceable. <S> You cut off the old one with a hacksaw. <S> Mount the new tire by first soaking it in hot water for about 20 minutes. <S> The heat will make it larger in diameter and more pliable. <S> Work it on the wheel with your hands and if needed careful use of a screwdriver. <S> I rubber mallet will help seat it. <A> My guess is that this is either for a child's toy bicycle or for a bike trailer, since those are really the only products that would use a solid tire (ouch ouch ouch) in that size. <S> As you've found, it's going to be very hard to find a new, replacement solid tire. <S> Remember that you need to match the diameter, width, and rim shape. <S> Even if you did find the right size and shape, you're going to struggle to put it onto the wheel. <S> Many solid tires were molded onto the wheel or glued, so getting the old solid tire off and putting it on will be a challenge. <S> Find one with a wheel in the right size -- that takes modern pneumatic tires. <S> Use that wheel - and get a new tube and tire if necessary. <S> If you're restoring a vintage bicycle and need the original product, I think you're out of luck unless you can find someone with the same bike who is willing to part with a wheel/tire. <A> You might consider an antique toy restoration company. <S> My company has mounted 100s of solid tricycle tires of all sizes. <S> Our exclusive process insures that the tire will not tear during mounting, and guarantees a tight, snug fit. <S> www.hoosierboyrestorations.com <S> Hoosierboy Restorations is a full-service antique and toy restoration company dedicated to the art of restoring and preserving items from the early to mid-20th century. <S> We specialize in metal and wooden items primarily made in the U.S.A. <S> We treat every artifact with the utmost care, and respect it deserves to insure its original authenticity. <S> At Hoosierboy Restorations, we combine traditional "old-time” craftsmanship with the latest restoration techniques of today. <S> This is all to provide the highest-quality, finished product that you will be proud to share, and will enjoy for many years to come. <A> It would help if you mentioned what unsuccessful searches you've done so that others don't have to repeat those steps. <S> I didn't find much for 17 inch solid tires. <S> Google shows results for 16 inch solid tires and 18 inch solid tires . <S> If those don't help, then one solution is to make your own. <S> I have <S> not done this, but there are resources out there that may get you started <S> Freeman Manufacturing & Supply O Rings USA <S> Versimold <S> Let us know how you go.
|
Measuring the wheel diameter will not give you the correct tire size. My own suggestion would be to go to Goodwill, junkyard, bike coop, or somewhere that has a large assortment of old children's bicycles.
|
There is a grinding feeling at the end of my pedaling at high speed I bought a road bike about 6 weeks ago, but I just only realised it now that at the end of my pedaling (when either foot pushes down), I can feel a bit of a drag/friction/grinding on either pedal. I don't know what's the cause. It just feels unsafe, like something's about to come lose. The closest thing to describe this friction/grinding feeling is if you imagine going on to a grated bridge. It feels like that. I noticed that I only feel this at high speed and high gear (about 20+kmph and ~50 cadence). I can't pin point what's causing this because I can only feel it when I'm travelling at high speed and so it is really hard to try to look to see what's the cause. Is it "normal" to feel this "friction/grinding" at high speed. This is my first road bike so I'm not too familiar on what's "normal". Could it be due to low/high tire pressure? The tire says 130 PSI... but my pump gauge is broken so I just put as much air as I can and as much as the tire can take before it won't take anymore (using my body weight to pump the last few inches of air into it). What should I be looking for to troubleshoot this problem? Update I've put the bike on an indoor trainer. I took off the pedals and then apply pressure to the cranks by hand. I can still feel a "grinding". So not the pedal. I then took the chain off to see if it's somehow related to the chain tension. I spun the crank slowly, and I can feel a slight grind - not very noticeable, but it has the same rhythm of the grind when pressure is applied. So it's not the chain tension, it has something to do with the crank. That is, the grind is more noticeable when pressure is applied to the crank. It might have something to do with the bearings of the crank. But because this is a new bike, I'm questioning if this is suppose to be normal and whether I should put up with it? When you spin the crank should it be completely smooth without any noticeable grind? If so then I need some tips to rectify this problem because I've never worked with a bike before. More update After weeks of inquisitively monitoring the bike, and doing bits of adjustments. I re-greased the pedal bearings, which helped. I can only feel the vibration slightly at high speed and when applying pressure. Not as bad as before. It appears that the pedal bearings were either too tight or too loose which caused a vibration when pedaling. Now the problem still persist, but slightly less so than before. I cannot regrease the bottom bracket bearings because it is a Shimano Hollowtech and so would mean I have to buy a new bottom bracket if it is the cause. However, I've done more research and found that the wheels can be out of "true" and cause a wobble/vibration when riding at high speed. I spun the wheels and monitored the brake calipers. My back wheel is definitely way out of true. It appears to be rocking from side to side about 1mm apart. So I've ordered a spoke wrench which should arrive in a week or two in hope to "True" the wheel to fix the problem. Will update when I've trued the wheel. BTW, I've learned my lesson not to buy anything bulky/expensive online, because it's hell when something goes wrong. <Q> I would say: pedalbearings? <S> Seems that when you apply pressure, the bearing gets pressurised, causing this "rough" feel. <A> Sounds like the bottom bracket bearings are worn or failing. <S> The bearings could be pitted or have become oval over time giving you a tighter/rougher feel in the pedaling stroke. <S> This will become worse as time goes on, so a new bottom bracket is advisable. <A> A grinding feeling can be caused by all sorts of things. <S> It could be a chain in need of lubrication or replacement, damaged rear derailleur pulley wheels, bottom bracket bearings grinding, lose cranks causing the innermost chainring to rub on the chainstay, misadjusted front derailleur rubbing against the chain, misadjusted rear derailleur, the tire intermittently rubbing or something else. <S> To begin, move the chain out of the way so that it is disconnected and not interfering with movement of the cranks. <S> If there's still grinding without the chain attached then it's probably somewhere with the cranks, chainrings and bottom bracket. <S> Are the cranks firmly attached to the bottom bracket spindle and do they move together if wiggled? <S> If not only of your cranks may be loose and if it's the drive-side the chainring could be rubbing. <S> If you wiggle the cranks do they move in any way other than the spinning that they're supposed to do? <S> That would mean that you very likely have a problem with your bottom bracket. <S> If the chain needs to be attached for the grinding, is the upper pulley of the rear derailleur causing strain on the chain against the sprockets on your cassette or freewheel? <S> That would mean you should adjust your rear derailleur. <S> Does it matter which gear you're in when you experience the grinding? <S> If the gearing matters, do you notice any rubbing of the chain specific to that gear, for example against the front derailleur cage? <S> If the gearing doesn't matter, does each link of the chain move freely or do some bind? <S> It's possible that some links could be roughly passing through the rear derailleur or elsewhere and causing a grinding sensation. <S> Does the grinding happen only when pedaling forward (i.e. the wheels are turning)? <S> If so, does any part of the wheel or tire rub against the bicycle? <A> If there is a grinding in the crankset with the pedals and chain removed, it most likely looks like you bought a bike with a bad bottom bracket. <S> Modern bottom brackets are sealed cartridge units which turn smoothly with no grinding or free play (due to preload). <S> Any grinding means that there is debris inside the cartridge (such as metal shavings), or poor quality balls (not almost perfectly spherical with a ridiculous tolerance, as bearing balls must be) or imperfections in the bearing surfaces over which balls roll. <S> But, one small thing check for is: are any of the chain rings coming into contact with the chainstay member of the bike frame? <S> That would cause grinding; you'd be surprised at how you can miss this kind of detail if your focus is somewhere else. <S> If a ring which is on the verge of touching the frame is slightly out of true, then you can get an inconstant rubbing <S> when when a few teeth make a light contact with the frame, once per revolution; you would feel a light grinding on the bike stand, which might get worse with frame flex (actually pedaling the bike under load). <S> This rubbing issue is in fact more likely to happen on a road bike, like yours, when the crankset has only two rings, because the inner ring closest to the frame is large (often 36T or more; e.g 52-39 setup). <S> With a triple crank (some road bikes, most mountain bikes and hybrids), it's less likely for this rubbing to occur even with a spindle that is too short, because the inner ring is much smaller: as little as 22T up to around 28T.
|
Rings rubbing on the frame would be caused by installing the crank on a bottom bracket with too short a spindle length for the frame: incorrect "chainline".
|
Two spokes broke in 10 days interval on rear wheel, should I worry? I am the proud owner of a Commencal FCB 2016 and I haven't had to do much maintenance since I've bought it a few months ago. But that was until two weeks ago. I decided to change tyres to better fit the current weather, and in the middle of the process, I noticed that a spoke was broken. I had it repaired and I think it may have been caused by fixing the tool to extract the tyre to a spoke the wrong way, but no way to be sure. Yesterday, when I arrived home, I noticed a noise coming from my rear wheel, and here it was, another spoke broken. The first time, I brought the wheel to a shop and they changed the spoke and took a quick look at the other spokes, which seemed okay for them. I haven't changed my bike riding style lately, but the road I ride on is under maintenance, so my ride contains a few spots where the quality is very low. But I try to avoid most of the holes and that's pretty much it for the recent changes. Is it just bad luck or is something possibly wrong with my wheel ? <Q> In general - even if you will hit a few "small" holes it shouldn't damage your wheel. <S> For road bike wheels - when one spoke is broken you should braid all the spokes again as tension in road wheels is much bigger. <S> For the "not professional" bikes - you can replace one spoke as tension isn't so big and as important as in racing wheels. <A> One broken spoke is bad luck, but increases the stress on the rest, which may have caused the second to go (especially as you only have 24 per wheel). <S> I suggest you get the second replaced and the wheel trued rather than just looked over. <A> I have a racing-style bike from 1998 with 36-spoke wheels. <S> My weight has fluctuated quite a bit since I bought the bike. <S> Ever since my weight has gone above 95 kg / 209 lbs / 15 stone, I've been breaking spokes fairly frequently; perhaps five spokes over the last 800 km (500 miles). <S> On a long ride, it's not uncommon for me to discover two broken spokes at the end of the ride, rather than one. <S> The spokes always break on the freehub side of the rear wheel, of course. <S> If you're heavier than the average rider, weight might be your problem also. <S> You could get sturdier wheels, or just learn to live with it. <S> I've found that riding over large bumps like railroad tracks is a bad idea, so I try to walk the bike over large bumps now. <S> If you're a do-it-yourselfer, replacing a spoke is a fairly simple repair. <S> You'll need a chain whip, cassette tool, crescent wrench (an adjustable wrench big enough for the cassette tool), and a spoke wrench. <S> I recommend keeping several spare spokes on hand; it seems I always discover the broken spokes when I want to ride on Sunday, when the bike shops are closed. <S> I can replace a broken spoke and re-true the wheel in ten or fifteen minutes, now that I've had plenty of practice.
|
If spokes continue to break it's often cheaper to replace the wheel than have it rebuilt with new spokes, assuming it's nothing out of the ordinary. Because I rarely broke spokes when my weight was less than 90 kg / 200 lb / 14 stone, it seems as though my weight is the problem.
|
Wrapping alloy brifters for cold weather I have a bike with alloy brifters that get very cold during winter season riding. I wear a nice pair of gloves and the cold comes right through because my hands are wrapped around them and usually in constant contact with some part of the alloy brake lever or the alloy shift paddle (Rival 22 Hydro). This gets uncomfortable, as I'm sure many others have found while riding in the cold. This is not a problem at all when I'm riding my bike with carbon and/or plastic brifters. I know why this happens and my question is what and how can I wrap the levers with in order to mitigate the conduction from them to my fingers in cold weather? I'm concerned with interfering with the motion of the paddles and levers. I don't want them to be sticking or missing shifts because there is some bulky tape wrapped around them. Are there any materials and methods others have used successfully? Also, I'm not really interested in bar mits as a solution. <Q> Do you care about originality ? <S> Consider changing the brifters for something made from plastic or carbon because as you've noted, they don't suffer the same issue. <S> Likely to be an expensive solution. <S> So, can you paint your brifter's outside surfaces with an acrylic enamel paint? <S> you'll need many thin coats to build up a thick layer that won't abrade easily. <S> Avoid painting "under" the brake lever where it faces the gear change lever. <S> Instead of paint, you might choose to use a product called Plastidip, which historically was used for dipping tool handles, but more recently comes in a spray can and has been used for car wheel rims, etc. <S> This stuff comes in multiple colours. <S> You can also get sticky-backed cork tiles/sheet which is under 2mm thick. <S> Some creative pattern work <S> and you should be able to put some heat-insulating cork between you and the cold bits. <S> Leather is another valid alternative to cork. <S> Finally, you wear gloves already, so assume they are full-finger. <S> You could add heating wires to the gloves and run them off a small USB battery in your back pocket, or add heating wires to the brifters themselves and mount the battery on the bike frame. <S> If you do get a choice of colour, I'd suggest black, or as dark as possible to increase heat insolation from any sunlight. <A> There's a self-setting, moldable plastic called Sugru <S> that many folks use to mold their own grips. <S> It's very heat insulating and is good to very hot and cold temperatures. <S> Since you can mold it your fingers before it sets, you can control the thickness and form. <S> I used to wrap the grip of my brass water hose gun as it got too cold to grip on early spring days. <S> The Sugru home page gives many other examples of its uses. <S> Google images gives examples of people using Sugru for bars and brifter hoods <S> but i didn't see any brifters themselves. <S> Disclaimer: no relation to sugru except as an avid user. <A> It adds about half a millimetre to the underside. <S> This might or might not work, depending on the shape of the brake lever's underside and the gap to the shift lever. <S> Why I think none of these solutions will solve the problem: <S> The real difference here is not the temperature of the metal levers but the much greater heat conductivity in the bulk of the material compared to polymer levers. <S> Even though the specific heat is lower. <S> The small extra layer of insulation will make not much difference when one uses a much thicker insulation layer on the gloves already. <S> Any insulation will only slow down the cooling out of the levers slightly. <S> The high heat conductivity requires that a larger volume of the material has to be warmed when touched by ones hand. <S> This might outweigh difference in specific heat considerably (compare the example values below). <S> Specific heat c <S> (kJ/kg K): Polyamide (PA6): 1.7 C, graphite: 0.71 <S> Al: 0.9 Heat conductivity k <S> [W m -1 <S> K -1 ]: <S> PA6: 0.3 C, <S> graphite: 168 <S> Al: 205 Note : These values only ought to give an idea of the orders of magnitude, they depend on temperature and composition. <S> The graphite values ought to give an upper boundary for carbon fibres, lengthwise. <S> Fibre reinforced composites for such parts often use short fibres, which leads to more isotropic mechanical properties, but also thermal conductivity. <S> One can assume that the polymer matrix (PA6 is only an example here) dominates it for the composite. <S> sources: google, engineeringtoolbox , data sheet
|
Sand between coats and add some clear coats as the top layer. Do apply sealant/varnish to the cork to protect it from the cold. One might use heat-shrink tubes .
|
Are electric bike speed limitations set in stone? I'm thinking of getting an electric bike, and like most, it states the speed limit at 25Kph, which also happens to be the speed I typically cycle at. My question: is this speed set in stone? Is there a limiter of some kind preventing me from going faster? If there is, is this limit defeatable? <Q> The limit is set by law depending on the country. <S> There's nothing to prevent you from going faster if you can pedal harder. <A> However many electric bikes aren't built to be a fast ride - they're often heavy and have a frame geometry aimed at comfort rather than efficiency. <S> So you may have to pay more than you'd like for a limited benefit. <S> The other option is a retrofit kit (usually the front wheel). <S> There are some ridiculously powerful ones on the market which are legal to sell but not to use on public land (the rules apply to the bike not components), but sensible kits also exist. <A> You can buy kits to mod the regulator between the battery and the motor. <S> This allows you to modify the acceleration curve of the bike. <S> Kind of like re-jetting a carburetor. <S> This curve sets the maximum acceleration at a given velocity, which can get you into and out of tight spots faster. <S> Electric motors are capable of instant maximum torque, which just spins the wheels if not regulated (cool, but impractical). <S> Obviously does not change the power rating of the battery or motor. <S> Violates the warranty, though ;) <A> I live in the State of New Hampshire, U.S.A. <S> I can tell you that there is a federal law ( http://www.iloveebikes.com/distributorfiles/fedregulation.pdf ) that basically defines an electric bicycle as something that goes less that 20m.p.h. <S> If it looks like a bicycle chances are you won't get caught, unless your going insanely fast (like 30 or 40 MPH or more) <S> but if you do you could very well get ticketed.
|
If you typically ride at 25km/h there may still be benefits to a compliant electric bike: being less tired, acceleration, and hill climbs. You can make them go faster through tinkering, but if it goes faster than that it's considered a Moped, and must be registered to drive on (or beside) any roads. As long as you do not modify the maximum velocity, then it is still legal. The limiter just cuts off the electric assistance above 25km/h, so you'll have to rely on pedal power alone above that speed!
|
Road Bike or Mountain I have a 2014 Apollo Evade mountain bike that I have upgraded to ride on the roads for long journeys and commute. This bike now runs like a dream pretty fast for a bike that cost me £120 new plus £30 each for tyres (schwalbe city) and £50 each for lighter sports wheels. I roughly ride about 150 miles a week on average and have completed about 10k miles in 2 years. everyone I have spoken to suggest I should now upgrade to a road bike as it is more suited to my journeys but other than being lighter and quicker, what other advantages are there to me spending 5 times the amount that I have spent on my current bike? And I can cover 20 miles in 1 hour 10 mins on a MTB. And because of my good health and fitness I don't even feel tyred (ha ha) afterwards for riding something that quoted to be slow heavy and supposed to be used on mountains. What do you think is the best option stick with my MTB or go for a massive upgrade to a quality road bike? Please advise. <Q> Salesman: <S> Certainly you should upgrade you bike. <S> You will go faster, further and leap tall buildings in a single bound. <S> Woman will throw themselves at you, men will be intimidated by you masculinity. <S> Financial Advisor: <S> Buying a bike worth 5 times as much to do the same job your current bike does is not a prudent financial investment. <S> I cannot tell you who to listen to. <S> What I will say is <S> £120 is a pretty cheap bike (BSO) and it would almost certainly be better to spend money on a better bike than upgrading it further. <A> If it ain't broke, don't fix it! <S> While the bike works and suits your usage, keep using it. <S> Keep in mind that a cheap bike (which 120 pounds for an MTB certainly is) will need more service to keep it safe and functional. <S> You'll likely want to upgrade once you start to wear it out. <S> You'll have a better idea what to look for and (if you start saving now) <S> a bit more money. <S> What that next bike should be like is up to you, but for commuting and longer trips I'd go for a touring bike - a rack and fenders make the bike way more comfortable to use <S> and it will still end up faster than an equivalent MTB. <S> Also, don't buy a bike you cannot afford have stolen and get a good lock ( <S> 10% of the price of the bike is recommended). <A> I would advise sticking with the mountain bike. <S> I commute on one and a tourer which is basically the same thing but with road wheels. <S> I tried a road bike a couple of times, and it's not as comfortable and didn't seem all that much faster. <S> And I just need a workhorse to get me from A to B, so <S> comfort is a bigger factor than speed, I'm not racing anyone <S> and I believe that I get just as much exercise as from a road bike if not more.
|
If you are happy with your current bike, I suggest start saving for a new one then ride the old one until buying a new bike is less about worry about what it costs and more about looking forward to riding a better bike. You should stick to the bike you have that is working perfectly well for you.
|
What are the advantages of bikepacking bags? It seems that bikepacking bags are all the rage these days (frame bags, handlebar rolls, big saddle packs). To me it seems that they are prone to moving around and getting in the way, and it also seems that they make the centre of gravity very high. I can understand it if using a bike without rack mounts, but otherwise - what is the advantage of using these things over a traditional rack and panniers? <Q> They usually keep the bike narrow, suitable for trail riding where branches might snag panniers. <S> They use soft attachments (usually), so extreme vibration doesn't make undue noise or wear things out. <S> There are people with damaged racks simply from plastic pannier clips bumping along on them for months on end. <S> Cheap "bikepacking" (with scare quotes) bags are cheaper than cheap panniers plus cheap racks. <S> They're also suitable for rental bikes, when you're away from home. <A> For road bikes, bikepacking bags are better for going fast since they are lighter and keep the bike narrow which helps with aerodynamics . <S> This may make a significant difference going fast and far, as for example in Mark Beaumont's record-breaking speed run from Cairo to Cape Town in 41 days. <S> Having toured on a road bike with both types of bags, I would add that the vibrations from a traditional handlebar bag can be quite annoying at high speeds, especially on rough pavement. <S> By contrast, a bikepacking handlebar bag tends to be more snug against the bars. <S> While being faster, lighter, and more portable, I find bikepacking bags to be less straightforward to pack and access, and they typically don't fit as much kit as panniers. <A> I hang a tool belt over my handlebars because I can easily reach things in it, and because there is a definite advantage to having some weight on the front for steep climbs. <S> Another advantage is it's easy to take off whenever I stop <S> so no one can take my expensive tools <S> and I don't need an expensive lockable pannier. <A> Using a bikepacking bags is always depends on your choice. <S> There is no rule that says you must or must not use a handlebar bag. <S> But for those bikers who are planning to spend weeks, months, or years on the road, having a handlebar bag can really come in handy. <S> If you want to keep your essentials like camera, smartphone, your touring guidebook etc, a handlebar bag is the must for easy touring.
|
Bikepacking bags also help packrats reduce their load, simply by being more constrained than large panniers.
|
Starting off with shimano gears I am completely new to multi gear bikes, the last time i rode a bike was in 1965.My question, what gear combination do i need to start off on level ground.If i try to back pedal just a bit, to get the pedals at 12 and 6 o' clock to get maximum leverage to start off, the gears won't let me do it.What combination will let me back up the pedals?Thanks,Mike <Q> You need to be moving (and pedalling) to change gears on a bike with derailleurs. <S> So you should try to change down before stopping, to a small gear at the front and a big gear at the back. <S> The front gear are often labelled L... <S> H for low to high, while the back gears are 1...8 (or anywhere between 5 and 11 depending on how many cogs you have) -- again low to high. <S> You can lift the back wheel and spin the pedals in the normal forward direction (by foot or hand, whatever's easier) to change gear while stationary. <A> You have a bunch of chainrings (gears in the front, attached to the crankset which contains the pedals) and a cassette/freehub which has cogs (in the back, attached to the rear wheel). <S> Using a bigger chainring makes it harder to pedal. <S> Similarly, using a smaller cog will make it harder to pedal. <S> Both of these choices raise the gearing. <S> The relevant quantity is the gear ratio -- # of teeth on the front chainring divided by # of teeth on the cog. <S> Higher = harder, lower = easier. <S> Try shooting for a ratio like 42/16 ish or something to start. <S> Or experiment -- most people will be in the big or middle (if there are 3 rings) in the front, and somewhere in the middle of the rear to start. <S> Note that you do need to be moving to shift on most bicycles out (though you could just lift the back up and pedal and that would give you the movement easily). <A> What combination will let me back up the pedals? <S> It depends: whichever gear you were in when you were last (most recently) pedalling, is the gear in which you can back-pedal. <S> When you change gears and pedal forward, the chain slips onto the corresponding cogs. <S> When the chain is on the corresponding cogs (the cogs which correspond to the current gear selection) then you can also back-pedal. <S> The one thing you can't do is: Select any gear <S> Pedal forward <S> Stop Change gear <S> Pedal <S> backwards <S> What you can do is: <S> Select any gear Pedal forward <S> Stop <S> (Don't change gear) <S> Pedal backwards <S> For that reason you might want to change down to a lower gear (and pedal forward a bit more) while you're slowing down: so that you're already in the lower gear when you start again. <A> The problem you describe mostly happens when you stop, then change gear and then reposition the pedals. <S> With derailleurs you need to select the low gear well before you come to a stop. <S> You might find hub gears (e.g. Shimano Nexus) <S> more to your liking <S> You can change gear when stopped. <S> Fewer controls (no front derailleur to control). <S> Fewer gears (typically 8 or 11). <S> Less maintenance (especially when coupled with belt drive). <S> Note that a bike with 24 gears actually has fewer than 24 useful combinations because the ranges of ratios selected by the front derailleur overlap considerably. <S> For most people, a hub-gear with 11 gears is equivalent to a typical "24-gear" derailleur set. <S> You can also still get single gear bicycles with a free-wheel hub.
|
If you try to select a different gear and then backpedal before it engages the drive train can lock up; this is probably why you can't backpedal if you changed down without pedalling forwards.
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.