/BQG/ bike questions general

You're freaking silly desu. Smooth out any sharp edges and readjust your brake pads (if indicated) to minimize uneven wear.

At what point does the law of diminishing returns hit hard for groupsets?

Tiagra or 105?

I figured since it's black friday it might be a good time to find a trainer, the biggest issue though is that I live in an apartment and would prefer something that was as quiet as possible, any suggestions?

>>1028644
Sand the sharp part smooth and you will be okay. The brake pad will noticeably "grab" that part of the wheel though so braking will feel pretty uneven forever on that rim.

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How do I drag my bike inside the house without dragging filth like dog shit that is on the wheels too?

A tarp? Any fancy thing like a wagon/roller, but specifically for bikes?

>>1028658
claris

>>1028687
a series of ropes, hooks on ceiling tracks and pulleys

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whats up bitches its ur boi shimano sora

>>1028697
hnnnnnng

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>>1028697
>FIRST = WIN

>>1028697
Is that big flat crank looking like the new dura ace?

>>1028697
Hey Sora it's been a while but I gotta admitt you grew up a fine young woman.

>>1028734
pretty much all shimano groupsets now look exactly the same, STIs and cranks do at least

>>1028658
Right between Tiagra and 105

anyone run mix n' match cogs in a cassette? Does it fuck up the ramps and shifting and stuff?

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help me out >>1028799

>>1028800
you could try sanding the pads a bit if you're cheap . they get glazed over

The rear brake probably works better because it's not nearly as worn because the old owner knew what's up.

>>1028800
What do you mean by "they lack contact"?

>>1028801
>you could try sanding the pads a bit if you're cheap . they get glazed over

thanks, I already did that, glazzing wasnt the issue. Both pads are in similar condition, but there are different rims F and R, It brakes OK on the dry but even then you feel like something isnt right with the contact feel on the F.

>>1028805
>What do you mean by "they lack contact"?

when the front rim gets even slighlty wet, you feel like appling oil to oil. I mean, its not the problme with caliper flex but the front rim feels very slippery compared to rear one (front looks like new btw, rear has seen plenty of use).

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>>1028801
>>1028805
this is the front rim. even by the looks of it it seems slippery

>>1028813
They actually look like they don't have a braking surface at all.

>>1028813
The best solution would be to get a new front wheel (or rim if you don't mind relacing it yourself), preferably a nice chromed one (especially if that's what you have on the rear). If you don't want to spend money and don't care too much about aesthetics I suppose you could try sanding the coating off the sidewalls, however that could take quite a bit of work and potentially thin the sidewalls too much.

>>1028814
>>1028815
>They actually look like they don't have a braking surface at all.

yep, that is what im dealing with...and they used to be a high end rim back in the days - its probably like braking on carbon (never tried carbon rims but can relate).

Could I gain something by putting more expensive pads on the brakes?

>>1028817
There are likely pads that are more suited to anodised rims but it's never going to be as good as chrome or even bare aluminium.

>>1028818
>but it's never going to be as good as chrome or even bare aluminium.

actually I own a bike with steel rims and the brakes are long reach flexy crappy calipers - the braking in the west is quite good on them.

bare aluminum is fantastic in all conditions, I really dont see a need for discs brakes if you use modern bare alu rims on road bikes.

Ill look up some specific pads for the MA40s - thanks! can you recommend me smth?

What's the best way to engrave the serial number onto the frame?

I just cut a ride early and slow pedaled home because of Achilles tendon pain. It was sharp, stabbing pain, not soreness. However, I noticed soreness when I got home from a century on Saturday. Today was the first time it ever actually hurt. What should I do for quick recovery? I'll probably kill myself if I can't ride my bike.

>>1028658
The new Sora is pretty much feature complete. After that it's grams, feels and bling. And one or two more cogs.

>>1028813
Those are """ceramic""" (actually hard anodised) brake tracks. They're supposed to last longer if you believe Mavic, but what sane person would. Infamous for coming of in patches with uneven, juddery braking as a result.

Try different pads. Salmon Coolstops or some other top of the line rubber. If that fails; chuck the frog rim and buy a proper one.

>>1028877
>Those are """ceramic""" (actually hard anodised) brake tracks.

ah yes, that was the term somone reffered to them. braking is absolutly rubbish on them - you feel the caliper pushing on them, but you dont feel the stopping. When you really push in wet conditionions, brake starts "jumping" on them as you described.
Also a recipe for overheating - I actually got a front blowout on them while descending around 50 kmh, fun times, but I reamained in one piece.

Ill try the coolstops. Thanks very much!

>>1028876
And durability, shifting smoothness, and better cable routing

>>1028888
Cabling routing is the same and the other two points are debatable.

>>1028889
Ok, hadn't seen the most recent Sora
I'd definitely argue those other two though.

>>1028877
>Salmon Coolstops or some other top of the line rubber.

Ive just reseached it a bit, it says that for ceramic rims, KoolStop makes green compound (Z-Chromium ) pads, should I go with green insted of salmon?

>>1028896
Yes

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>>1028906
going for the green! thanks for the help!

Can I put good brake pads on a road bike with caliper brakes to make it work well in snow, or do I need disc brakes?

>>1028918
Yeah. Hydrodicks can have problems in freezing weather, and mechanidicks aren't a whole lot better than good calipers/cantis with quality rubbers.

>>1028924
Mineral oil brakes (Shimano for example) will be good down to about -15c, DOT brakes can go even lower. Even cable discs are better than any rim brake however in cold weather you can have problems with water freezing in the cable housings.

When tires are sold online, say Amazon for instance, is the price shown for a single tire or is that actually a set? Looking at some Schwalbe Marathons and $40 seems too low for a pair. Just wanting to be sure.

>>1028924
>>1028927
It regularly gets to below -25c where I live, and -40c isn't unheard of.

>>1028928
Unless it specifically says it's a pair it'll be a single tyre. I don't think I've ever seen them sold as pairs outside of deals/special offers.

>>1028929
Well that sucks for you, but that doesn't apply to everyone. It doesn't need to get anywhere near that cold for it to snow so for a lot of people hydraulic brakes are fine.

>>1028931
I'm just saying, I guess I shouldn't get anything with hydraulic disc brakes, and in that case maybe cantis are good enough

>>1028932
You're the guy that was asking if you should get discs? If that's the case then don't get hydros (or do some research to see if DOT fluid is good for -40c), however you could still get cable discs. They're not going to be any more likely to freeze up than rim brakes but they'll perform a shit load better.

>>1028890
If you haven't even SEEN, let alone USED the latest sora, how can you claim such things?

>>1028949
some people seem to approach the internet with the mindset that everything is waiting for their input.

>>1028955
I agree 100%

>>1028813
The answer is a dual pivot front brake. single pivot calipers are vastly inferior.

I had excellent braking for years with mavic open4cd (also ceramic track) and 600 dual pivot calipers.

be aware of the change in brake mounting standard, traditional nutted- recessed nut style. There are many workarounds.

300 pound anon here.

Just lost 10 pounds the past month at least partially due to my riding.

Anyone know how I am supposed to move to the left lane for a left turn? Not sure what road etiquette is with a bike

>>1029010
Wait for gap
Hand signal
Take the lane

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>>1029010
Merge, use left turn lane and go or

COPENHAGEN LEFT MOTHER FUCKER

not picture is the Michigan Left, where you make a right turn and flip a bitch (u-turn) to get back on track.

It really just depends on your confidence and what intersection it is. I tend to Copenhagen more through the day when traffic is high but I know the intersections where fuckers want to turn right without slowing down so sometimes I just flip a bitch and make sure I leave some space for the cars upfront in case they aren't signalling their turn. Staying at someone's bumper is better than getting right hooked.

Figure out how to trigger the left turn light if you are in front, there are pretty obvious marks on the road where you need to be, sometimes leaning the bike over helps trigger it as well.

I got a Cycle ops Fluid Trainer 2 and it sounds super loud. Should I get it replaced?

>>1029029
Yeah I keep my head on a swivel, look for a gap, and then merge left with my left arm held all the way out. If I can't find a gap, I can always bail to the Copenhagen left.

If the intersection has signaled left arrows, sometimes the Copenhagen left is *faster*, so knowing the lay of the land is good.

>>1029033
Yes, sell it and buy a Wahoo kickr today!

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If I want to make a touring/hybrid (I don't know what it would be called other than an abomination) bike should I use a road frame and put wider rims on it or should I get an old rigid MTB and put slicks on it? Are there advantages to either? I already have a steel frame that is identical to the picture and most everything that came with it.

>>1029058
also what the fuck is the little bump on the headtube?

I have a 70's steel roadbike with 25c tires. I am considering switching to a 40c front and 35c rear tires (they do fit). The rims are double walled aluminum and the spokes 14awg.

Will larger tires add extra rigidity to the wheels for jumping curbs and absurdly wide(1m) speed bumps?

I've found a great mountain bike on Craigslist but the frame is a bit too small. Would a longer seatpost take care of the problem?

>>1029058
hard to give a solid answer to that. Depends on the geometry and also if there's rack/fender mounts for the rear and front.

A road bike would probably be best, but you don't want something more aggressive and race oriented. Touring frames are usually kinda inbetween mtb and road as far as geometry goes. Closer to road tho

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>>1029058
Rigid MTB with slicks if you want wide tires. You probably won't be able to fit a tire wider than 25mm (maybe 28mm) on most older road bikes.

>>1029059
Pump peg for mounting a frame pump. They were super common on roadbikes prior to the (?)90s before going out of fashion (they're making a comeback with the hipsters, though).

>>1029071
Depends on how much too small. I've gone that route before, and I also needed a high-rise stem to get the handlebars high enough. Looked a little dorky, but it worked OK. Honestly I'd recommend that you keep looking for something in your size, unless it's a spectacular deal.

>>1029059
It's a peg for a frame pump.

>>1029063
The tires won't actually strengthen the wheels, but they will absorb more of the force of impact on landing, so they will reduce the likelihood of wheel damage.

>>1029071
Maybe. If you're going to ride the bike like a mountain bike (read: not going to sit and pedal much of the time) then it's okay to go a little small, but if you're going to use it for commuting or pretty casual riding around, then you'll run into fit problems.

>>1029059
peg for holding a frame pump

>>1029058
Depends, how wide of tires would you like to run, and will they clear the frame you already have? Beware that the geometry of most old rigid mountain bikes requires sourcing a very long and tall stem if you want to use one of those frames with drop bars and ride it like a road bike.

>>1028918
Rim brakes do fine in snowy conditions, but just like in rain, you have to apply the brakes a little early to allow the pads to scour moisture from the rims.

>>1029071
Nope. You still have the length of the top tube, you'll feel weird and scrunched up on the bike. Plus the saddle will be too high up relative to the bars. It's not worth it if it doesn't fit.

>>1029033
That's the nature of trainers.
Some are pretty quiet. If noise is important, some of their magnetic resistance trainers are pretty fucking quiet.

>>1029063
I wouldn't use the word rigidity. but it will smoothen out the rough stuff, yes.
honestly i never got this whole "jumping off curbs!" meme. i run 24mms and go off curbs no problem all the time.

>>1029077
>honestly i never got this whole "jumping off curbs!" meme. i run 24mms and go off curbs no problem all the time.
they not really curbs, things like 30cm tall dirt ramps with 60cm gaps. but some flat drops are similar to curbs

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>>1028959
>The answer is a dual pivot front brake. single pivot calipers are vastly inferior.

Im kind of partial in keeping the componenets as they are so Ill take the option of switching the calipers as a last resort (rear single pivit brake feels pretty solid).

You really think dual pivit will improve braking on ceramic rims? Im not feeling like these single pivot shimano 600 are weak at braking but the problem is at the contact? If I howere change calipers to dual pivit, could I use the same (standard) pads or should I switch to ceramic specific by Kool Stop?

>>1029074
>Pump peg for mounting a frame pump.
wait you have pegs for putting a frame pump on top of the frame instead of below it? is that how it's supposed to work?

like i realize from a functional standpoint it probably doesn't matter, but i wouldn't want to put my hand down onto the top tube and find i'm grabbing a relatively unsecure pump

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Looking to upgrade the suspension fork on my mtb. Right now i'm looking at some from around the early 2000s (bike is 2006). Do these forks degrade over time? Should I just get a newer fork?

>>1028929
Make a fixie with a 1:1 ratio if brakes won't work

>>1029177
>Right now i'm looking at some from around the early 2000s (bike is 2006).
Well why in the fuck would you do that? Do you not think bike suspension has moved ahead at all in more than a decade and a half? Any new ~€150 2016/2015 fork you could buy would be vastly superior to an old piece of junk like that - even if it was top of the line at the time.

>>1029177
There are very few reasons to get such an old fork, all I can think of is period correctness, because it's unique or rare in some way, or because you need a 1 inch threadless fork.

Anything that old will almost definitely need a service and more modern forks can be had so cheap that you're not saving any money. A more modern fork is also going to perform better, and as you say you're upgrading I'm going to assume that is of some importance to you.

Personally I wouldn't buy anything older than about 2004 and at that age I'd be expecting to put some work into it (and have the skills and knowledge to do so), if I wanted something that had a possibility of being okay without a service for a short while I'd be looking at something like 2006 and newer.

>>1029224
thanks, I had a feeling this would be the case

>>1029177
what kinda bike, how much travel, what wheel size?

are overweight bike mechanics trustworthy

300 pound anon here

Should I join a cycling club or at least join a riding group that I have near me?

Is it okay for an overweight, slow rider to join these?

Are there any bullhorn equipped shimano metra equipped bikes available yet?

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>>1029353
i though that was the target consume to begin with?

>>1029351
Do it faggot, plenty of fatties on my casual group rides
>>1029355
I think they just meant if they were available by now.
>>1029349
FUCK NO

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Can anyone tell me what model of cannondate this is?

>>1029360
nvm, just noticed that shitass dent in the chainstay.

>>1029361
>dent
m8

>>1029362
Is it not?

>>1029362
You right. I'm retarded. It just looked very exaggerated by the shadows and such. Any idea on the model then?

>>1029358
>>1029355

Yes, does anyone actually have them available for purchase yet?

>>1028644
Don't ride it. It's too shitty now.

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Is this a good U-lock?

>>1029383
No
Get Abus, Kryptonite or OnGuard

>>1028687
Pick it up?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR2oLA9mSXw&feature=youtu.be

Is 27.5+ a meme? Obviously this guy is a super good rider but the shit he does on a hardtail is a bit surprising.

Is it okay to ride a short segment of a casual bike session if I don't have the stamina for a full 50 mile ride?

Figured since it was black Friday I'd go hunting for a quiet trainer, any recommendations?

>>1028697
>Bangkok
That's a "boi" allright.

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what are the best pads to use on Ceramic coated rims?

Blue Swissstop or Green Kool Stop? Any other brand that makes ceramic specific pads?

>>1029349
meh, I mostly do my own stuff but if I need a mech, the person I go to--out of several I've used in my area--is actually a plump middle-aged woman. best overall shop vibes and she's great.

>>1029469
>plump middle-aged woman
i-is she single?

I feel like there is a limit to it though, I would be wary of trusting a morbidly obese person to work on my bike just because, would they be able to test ride or are they asking someone else to test ride it? The guy I go to is a chubby bro but he loves to ride and always leaves my stuff in such good condition so I always drop some beer off when he's done with it.

>>1029458
Are you the same anon as before? Google tells me blue swissstop are for alloy, green kool stop for ceramic. Your path is clear, anon.

>>1029562
>Are you the same anon as before?

yep.

>Google tells me blue swissstop are for alloy, green kool stop for ceramic.

with koolstop Im in the know, with swissstop Im not sure wather blue will work, altouhg people told me blue swissstop is like green koolstop, noone is sure, and my front brake has not hold in the rain.

I ordered a new wheel with alu rims, even cheaper that blue swissstop set lmao

>>1028673
Bumping my question, long story short: Looking for a quiet bike trainer for the cold months.

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Would 45mm Bluemels be good fit for 700x28c / 700x32c tyres, or should I go for 53mm ones, (provided that there's enough frame / fork clearance for either ones) ?

>>1029597
You should be fine with the 45mm, IIRC fenders are supposed to be 10mm wider than your tyres.

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>>1029597
I'm shopping fenders atm too. Have a look at a few Jan Heine articles about them.

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/fenders-for-different-tire-sizes/
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/why-we-dont-need-rain-bikes-any-longer/

The man has an interesting perspective on cycling but don't treat his dogma as gospel (the same goes for sheldon or grant peterson etc)

"Here is a list of Compass tires and recommended fenders:

700C x 26 mm tires: Honjo smooth 700C, 41 mm wide.
700C x 28 mm tires: Honjo smooth 700C, 41 mm wide.
700C x 32 mm tires: Honjo 700C, 45 mm wide, smooth or hammered.
700C x 35 mm tires: Honjo smooth 700C, 51 mm wide.
700C x 38 mm tires: Honjo smooth 700C, 51 mm wide."

Where this leaves me with 24.5mm rims, 35mm of paselas, ~45mm of fender clearance, a cross bike, and plans to ride some trails, i am unsure.

TL;DR get 45mm fenders

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I want to do the cabling for my lights. I have a hub dynamo.

pic related is what everything on the internet tells me I should do, but my front lights FUCKING ONLY HAS 2 CONNECTIONS

this pisses me off. What am I supposed to do about this? I tried putting them in serial by connecting like so:

dynamo- into front-
dynamo+ into back+
back- into front+

as far as I can tell this should be a closed circuit, and even though it's not optimal (one light fails both will go out), it should have both lights burning. but only the backlight burns.

could someone please give me some advice? preferably I want them in parallel so that if one light fails the other continues, but if I need special equipment for that I'd settle for serial right now.

>>1029678
I should add that both front and back lights work when connected directly to the dynamo

>>1029678
you can't wire them in series. on the schmidt lights atleast, you cable the front light to the dynamo, and then the rear light to the front one.

>>1029680
>you can't wire them in series
why not? what is the physical reason preventing me from wiring two light bulbs serially in one big circuit?
and why in the hell would adding the backlight to the circuit (which imho should just act as some resistance in the wire) stop the front light from glowing?
can some electrician explain this to me? Im sure it's very obvious but I dont get it

>you cable the front light to the dynamo, and then the rear light to the front one.
yes, like in the picture I posted, and as I already mentioned: my front light only has two connections.

for the cabling you (and my picture, and everybody else on the internet) advocates, one would need 4 connections on the front light.
I only have 2.

I should also add that I have hallogen lamps, not LEDs, so getting + and - right isnt that vital I just tried all permutations of a closed circuit with + and - switched in front/back and always get the same result: only the backlight burns.

and I dont know if it's relevant, but I did notice that my front light has significantly more resistance than my backlight.

>>1028896
>Ive just reseached it a bit, it says that for ceramic rims, KoolStop makes green compound (Z-Chromium ) pads, should I go with green insted of salmon?

MA40 are not ceramic rims, they just have an "HA" (hard anodized) finish that will wear off with dirt and sand. KoolStop salmon pads are the right match.

>>1029678
ok, here is what works:

dyn- to front-
back- to front-
(this also connects dyn- to back-)

dyn+ to front+
back+ to front+
(this also connects dyn+ to back+)

so basically just connect everything to the front using the 2 connections I have there. And since at these connections everything comes together, this should be parallel.

but I still dont get why
>dyn- to front-
>dyn+ to back+
>back- to front+
didnt work (only backlight burning). out of curiosity: can somebody explain this?

>>1029687

Mavic Ceramic rims have "Ceramic" stickers on them. The ceramic braking surface has black dull matte appearance which doesn't wear off like anodization but the ceramic can chip off if the rim is dented.

Koolstop salmon pads work on ceramic rims but they will leave a residue that reduces braking in wet conditions. This effect is minimized by periodically cleaning the rim with rubbing alcohol. The Koolstop green pads supposedly don't have this problem.

Mavic's ceramic rims sold for about double the price of their non-ceramic equivalent. They've been discontinued for a while. Maybe they got too expensive, or offered too little benefit for the cost, or just became irrelevant with disc brakes.

>>1029689
>v=i*r
>ohms law
bulb1 (front) 6v 2a = 3ohm
bulb2 (rear) 6v 1a = 6ohm

>V[i] = V[t] * R[n] / (R[1]+R[2])
>volt drop = volt total * load resistance / resistance sum
>Equation for voltage drop
bulb1 is V[i] = 6 * 3 / (3 + 6) to 6*3/9 or 6*1/3
bulb2 is V[i] = 6 * 6 / (3 + 6) to 6*6/9 or 6*2/3

bulb1 V[i] = 2v
bulb2 V[i] = 4v

your front bulb needs to be brighter so it has a higher amperage and lower resistance. this causes an unequal resistance which causes an unequal voltage drop.
in a series circuit, (no matter which way you route d>b1>b2 or d>b2>b1) bulb1 is forced to consume 2v and bulb2 consumes 4v
in a parallel circuit, both bulbs consume use 6v

>>1029349
mtb wrench or road wrench?

monkdawg was a fat little duder and one of the GOAT mtb wrenches.

roadies? fuck, i don''t know. i mean, 'never trust a roadie' is a thing for a reason i guess?

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Has anyone here bought chinkshit cycling clothing from aliexpress, specifically arm and leg warmers? How is it?

>>1029689
>ok, here is what works:
NOPE. FUCK MY LIFE

as soon as I attach the front light to the frame, it stops working (presumably because Im shorting the circuit, since the + wires touch the frame).

the fuck am I supposed to do about this? seriously, I feel this should be MUCH simpler

>>1029699
>in a series circuit, (no matter which way you route d>b1>b2 or d>b2>b1) bulb1 is forced to consume 2v and bulb2 consumes 4v
but wouldnt that just mean the front light is dimmer?
it isnt dim, it's off. there is no light, no flicker, no nothing

>>1029707
>it isnt dim, it's off. there is no light, no flicker, no nothing
bulbs have a minimum voltage before filament heats up and produce light.
bulb2 wouldn't be able to illuminate if bulb1 didn't still have current flowing through it. the circuit would be open.
flickering in this situation would be caused by voltage spikes or lose connections.

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>>1029704
i bought a jersey from a chink seller on amazon for like $12 and it seems to be a real northwave. The pics didnt show the name brand but it had real tags and everything. Also the chink shorts are a decent quality for a cheap price butt the hard part is finding your size.

Do any of you know a good source to buy (online US) a replacement cable stop bolt/nut/whatever else for shimano 5600 front derailleur? The cable broke a while back and I didn't bother replacing it immediately and somewhere along the way the bolt and nut managed to rattle their way out I guess.

Can't seem to find anything on amazon, and I want to make sure it fits, but obviously don't want to pay too much since a new 105 front derailleur is only like $35

>>1029730
lbs will prob give you one

>>1029731
Guess I might as well give it a shot, LBS around here is pretty shitty though.

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>>1029410
They are more expensive than my bike.
Is this a good U-lock?

>>1029746
>They are more expensive than my bike.
All my beater bikes have cost me less than 50 bucks but I still use a lock that cost me 100 bucks.

This is nothing unusual, go for one of those brands and stop fucking asking about locks in here already.

>>1029758
>All my beater bikes have cost me less than 50 bucks but I still use a lock that cost me 100 bucks.
Why you do this?
If your lock costs more than your bike, you could not buy the lock, and buy another bike when yours is stolen.

>>1029762
Why? I like to ride around and look for yard sales and buy up and fix old bikes. I say beaters but most of them are 90s bikes either rigid mtn or 12/14 speeds.
I've never had a lock cut or a bike stolen and I usually just donate the bikes at the end of the year.
I don't really get your logic, I still try all the anti-theft techniques I know like locking next to nicer bikes or bikes with a shittier lock. My locks have had marks where people have tried cutting them and figured they take the easier options nearby. I've used the same Fahgettaboudit lock for the last four of my bikes and it's pretty nice. If I did what you said and lock up where I usually do I'd be having to buy a new beater every week. Most thieves around here only carry enough shit to break crappy padlocks or cut through cables or shitty thin u-locks.

In my mind, since the lock has lasted me a few years with multiple bikes, it's like if I bought a shitty u-lock for each of the bikes I've owned but with less security, I'd rather force those assholes to carry cordless angle grinders to cut my lock just for a beater bike. It took a little awhile to figure out that most of the bikes stolen here the thieves weren't using power tools and most of the time it was tweakers. Plus I use the same lock on my fly rides too and the 100 bucks it cost me is not even 1/10th of the cost of those nice bikes. So while I understand where you are coming from it still doesn't make sense to me why I wouldn't get a really nice lock and use it for multiple bikes even if they cost less, at the time, than the lock did.

>>1029762
You can use the lock on multiple bikes for a long time, you know.

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I've had these heavy (I think just the wheelset itself weighs well over 2000g) Bontrager Race wheels on my bike since I got it, and would like to upgrade before racing starts in February. I've thought about getting some aero tubs, but seeing as this will be my first season road racing I think I will just try to get a light set of alloy clinchers. This should also make a fair difference in day to day riding as I live in a very mountainous area and fancy myself as a climber.

There are so many options out there that it is kind of hard to decide what I should get, so I'm asking you guys for some recommendations. Budget is $550, new or lightly used.

>>1029806
Those shouldn't weigh more than 2000g (wheels are weighed without the cassette), more like 1800g. Still quite heavy, but make sure you weigh them yourself before buying anything as it'd be a shame to spend a bunch of money only to find out your new wheels aren't as much lighter as you thought.

Rim-brake 700C/29er rim: Velocity Atlas, Mavic A719, DT Swiss TK-540, other? Discuss.

>>1029845
Those three are all quite similar, I think you'd be okay with any of them. The only ones I've personally used are the Mavic A719s, I built a set of touring/utility wheels a couple years ago with them and they've proven to be strong and dependable. Always heard great things about Velocity rims too.

>>1028839
you need to rest your tendon for a couple days at least, that's one part of you you don't want to fuck up
aside from that, you need to check over your bike and figure out what's causing that pain, because soreness is normal but pain isn't

my guess is your pedals are not wide enough where your foot makes contact or your shoes aren't rigid enough, so there's too much leverage on your foot

I just rode 6 miles on my first long tour of my life and my entire body is burning up. Are you proud of me?

Oh, and I got a flat thanks to a stripped road. How much does it take to fix it?

>>1029962
Takes about 50$ to get the materials. Do it yourself, you'll save a lot. You'll need to fix a lot of flats at 300lb

>>1029962
>6 miles
>"long tour"
Nigga I hope you meant "60" instead of "6".

>>1029976

>60 miles
>long tour

lolwut

I've known fat little old ladies to knock down a 60 mile ride with their church group for a charity event.

>>1029962
Its not worth fixing, just get a new wheel

>>1029976
for a 300 pound dude that's impressiv

>>1029981
Aw shit no, I'm not implying 60 miles is anything close to a "long tour" (its more like my regular Saturday ride), but I'd forgive a beginner for thinking 60 miles was impressive. 6 miles is just sad.

>>1030005

Yall niggas need to quiet down and cut the big dude some slack. He's taking initiative and that's all that matters.

>caught myself wearing goggles with a half-shell
i think i might be an endubro what do

>>1030018
Exactly. Even the strongest riders started somewhere

>>1029573
cycleops makes some great trainers. i have a magneto that's quite good, but maybe a tad louder than i'd like for an apartment. look for a fluid trainer, i've heard those are really quite.

cycleops has a sitewide sale for black friday, though i'm guessing you can find better deals if you shop around.

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

I am going to try 10 mile in a few rides.

My goal is 60 miles for sure, but I was scared by losing my leg power 3 miles in.

I did bring a coffee jelly, but I wasn't sure it was enough. I wonder what more I should bring next time

>>1030030
I wouldn't worry too much about taking nutrition with you on these rides for now, so long as you're not going out before breakfast. Just make sure to have plenty of water.

>>1029956
I think my seat was too high which caused me to extend my foot too far.

>>1030030
Bring plenty of water. More than you think you'll need.

Once you work up to >2 hours on the bike, start bringing some food along, and eat something every hour even if you don't feel hungry at the time.

>>1030030

Nigga, I know that its smart to take it easy, gradually build up riding time and all that but you're overthinking shit. You need to go all out, don't save anything for the trip back. Go as far as you can. Know how far you can go and work towards that current limit. The pain is necessary - it will either make you or break you.

>>1030071
t. ethan hawke

>>1030073

Its a good movie nigga. Entry level anon should watch it.

Stupid question but let's say I order tyres from Amazon, do I have to put 2 quantity or does it usually come with 2 tyres. For example, if I ordered the Continental gatorskin, would I need to order 2 for both wheels?

>>1030079
my bike is recently having puncture so i ordered a tires off amazon and i got 6 tires, so i returned 3 keeping 1 tire for spare and the tire vendor sent me an additional 1 tire back again because apparently tires must sell in multiples of two so i had to return two more tires because i cannot afford four and then i was receiving 2 additional tires every fortnight because i mistakingly joined to an mail order tire scheme, it's maxing out my credit card and i don't know what to do for all these tires where to store them, at first i was have been buying some more bikes on craigslist for each tires but now i have so many bikes my mum is getting angry and i have to keep borrowing money from her to pay for tires and bikes to store them on, it is really maybe you can take some of these tires off my hands it is really ruining all my relationships.

>>1030081
Okay.

So it is reported that police have arrested someone who was riding e-bike with pepper spray for driving without license and that guy is now facing jail term up to 9 months. How to ensure safety when riding ebike?

>>1030092
The simplest solution is to ride an e-bike that falls within your local laws - be it speed, power or activation methods.

Not carrying an (illegal?) weapon certainly can't hurt. That's what u-locks are for.

>>1030093
local law: any vehicles driven by electric power except for wheelchair are counted as "car", be it ebike, e-skateboard or those "hoverboard", and thus require driving license and vehicle registration. But transport department refused to give any ebikes the necessary vehicle registration even if you want to. Apparent even those children toy cars selling in Toys"R"Us are also illegal, just that they haven't arrest them yet.

And that guy being caught did not caery any weapon either, just that he try to flee from the scene when police see him

Is Louis Garneau considered a good road bike brand?

>>1030119
Where do you live? That's ridiculous and sucks.

>>1030122
I think they might be ok, but you might also be paying a little for the name.

>>1030123
Hong Kong

>>1030119
So e-bikes are effectively illegal, and running from the police makes them chase (and hurt) you? Maybe don't ride an e-bike then.

How's 1x11 for a roadbike that's going be used commuting?

No intention to go faster than 30 km/h at any point.
Also I live in the Netherlands, flat as a pancake. No need to have gears for climbing.

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>>1030122
They make bikes? I thought that they just made meh-tier clothes and helments.

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>>1030128
>perflat
>no climbing
fuq gears get some NJS in ur life bro

>>1030128
get a 53/39 crank and a junior racing cassette with atleast no 11, 12 and 13t cog, it will have nice close gaps.

>>1030128
i'm commuting a 1x8 with 46 chainring. it's cozy

>>1030092
Just have a license bro

>>1030142
government refused to license them

>>1030128
get a fixie, they are fun as all balls, and not terrible for commutes

>>1030146
No thanks.

Why are trigger shifters half the price of thumb shifters when thumb shifters are the less complicated shifters?

>>1030151
your fault, ur missing out on a great load of fun and excitment

>>1030153
Market share and volume. Producing small-but-industrial quantities of anything is expensive. And hipster tax.

>>1029787
I only have 1 bike.

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>>1030128
>How's 1x11 for a roadbike that's going be used commuting?
commuting - I'm more concerned with meeting the local regulations for bike lights and having fenders to keep my clothes clean and a rack so I don't always have to carry a shoulder bag or backpack.

>No intention to go faster than 30 km/h at any point.
Much of my riding in Amsterdam was governed by the speed of everyone around me, which was fairly slow.

>Also I live in the Netherlands, flat as a pancake. No need to have gears for climbing.
I would get a used opafiets bike (because I could buy a used car for what these bikes cost new) or a used english three speed type bike. Opafiets for carrying extra weight, English three speed if you like riding a 30-50 year old relic.

>>1030178
The commute is 17 km each way and I have to do physical work.

Opafiets is a bit slow

I got two bikes, one is a 10 speed Campag equipped TCR which is real nice for going fast. The other bike has Claris 2400 on it, which I bought for commuting...however I really like the sportive geometry and a great frame and I can see myself riding it just as much as the TCR for training.

Now...the Claris bike has Tiagra hubs. So if I wanted to upgrade to Tiagra in the future when something wears out, all I would need to buy is Tiagra rear mech, shifters, and a 10 speed casette right? Would that work with my FSA compact crankset and Claris calipers provided they haven't worn out by then?

>>1030030
fuck yeah, good luck with the 10 mile ride my man
just keep powering through it and think about how good you'll feel when you relax after the ride

>>1030183
>Would that work with my FSA compact crankset
Yes.

Provided the Tiagra set you buy is with a 2 speed front derailleur.


>Claris calipers
Also works.

I do recommend replacing the pads on the brakes for better quality ones.
That's the biggest upgrade when it comes to brakes, 2nd comes the calipers themselves but it's much more minor.

>>1030186

Thanks man. Yeah ive already swapped over the pads on the brakes...they weren't too bad to begin with though!

>>1030172
a lock will outlive your bike though
in theory a lock should last 20 years at least

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Can anyone point me to what freewheel I need for a shitty-tier Mongoose MBX 21 speed?

Got it at a yard sale for $10 b/c the rear wheel wasn't engaging and the shifter cable was broken.

Bike chain just says 'HP', 'KMC', '2', and '3J'.

>>1030191
21 gears will be 3x7, so you need a 7 speed freewheel.

Looks to me like the bearing cone has come undone and I wouldn't be surprised if the bearings have fallen out (unless you've done that).

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>>1030192
That was me, I was a bit rowdy getting it off.

I figured the 7 speed, but am stumped on the gear range and tooth options. Jenson is offering 3 different 7 speed freewheels with
>13-28
>14-28T
and
>14-34T
options.

Given the circumstances, would the free hub likely be bad as well?

Just I just take it into a shop, tinker with it myself, or give it away?

>>1029821
You want good alloy wheels? The Shimano ultegra wheelset is a great way to go.

>>1030193
imo it's not even worth it. even if you fix it it's still garbage. the cost of fixing the thing up is too much.

>>1030172
So far

>>1030172
better to get a nice lock now then to get a garbage one now then need a nicer one later and buy that

saves you money if you just buy one and that's all you need

>Buy B'Twin Triban 500 FB
>first ride
>Microshit front derailleur is already having problems going to the middle gear

Otherwise fine bike, although a bit rough with the steel front fork.
And it's very aggressive for a flat bar, but that's nice.

Is adjusting it easy?

>>1030232
I've never had great luck with front triples, if I had one I would go for a bar-end or downtube friction shifter? adjust the high/low stops and be done with it.

Brand new to cycling. Should I buy a cheap bike like a Schwinn or ccm or something from Canadian tire or buy something better but used off craigslist? My main concern with used is I might miss a flaw in the bike when im looking it over due to my inexperience.

>>1030236
I've also thought about maybe replacing the triple with a compact.

Or just remove the front derailleur and stay content with the middle gear / or getting a single speed crank for it.


I already had a fear that the front derailleur would be the Achilles heel of the bike.

>>1030199
>imo it's not even worth it
I've bounced the idea around as well, but for less than $50 total, I wouldn't mind a beater bike for light offroad use or to give to a kid in need.

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>>1030202
>that's all you need
The Beatles told me otherwise...

>>1030245
>Love
i was told concrete loves compression
>https://youtu.be/4faYv3tiM5s?t=26m50s

>>1030240
triples aren't black magic, just have some patience and adjust it properly

>>1030193
14-28 or 13-28 would be fine

>>1030249
WTF? I love concrete now!

>>1030238
a cheap department store bike will fall apart. shit isnt safe.

get something used
here's advice on how to check it out
https://www.reddit.com/r/whichbike/comments/1h5tzs/a_brief_guide_to_buying_a_used_bike_by_a_prio_lbs/

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mtb related:

what kind of monster does this shit

http://nsmb.com/skull-saboteur-sentencing-videos/

New crankset, old deraileur issue.
It appears the cage is too large/shifts are too small no matter how I tune the limit stops.

What are my options? Do I bend the cage to make it smaller? Do overspend even more and wait another week for a new one?
Any other options?

>>1030495
Lots of things to rule out first - details and pictures might help: are you sure the derailer cage is aligned with the chainrings? Are you sure you have the right width BB for your new crankset? Are you testing the FD by pulling the cable by hand or could the problem be on the shifting end? Are you trying to use a derailer made for a triple crankset with a double or vice versa? Are you using a large chainring much smaller than the curvature of the derailer cage?

>>1030510
>are you sure the derailer cage is aligned with the chainrings?
I... think? Tried many different heights. How can I tell for sure?

>Are you sure you have the right width BB for your new crankset?
Yes.

>Are you testing the FD by pulling the cable by hand or could the problem be on the shifting end?
Could be on the shifting end. Will investigate.

>double/triple or triple/double
It's a triple/triple.

>Are you using a large chainring much smaller than the curvature of the derailer cage?
Large chainring seems to align well with the curvature of the cage; the deraileur was also formerly used (with success) in combination with a smaller chainring which is why the whole ordeal is utterly confusing.
It is possible that the deraileur was designed for smaller chainrings, but this doesn't seem to be the case (judging by the lack of symptoms associated with trying to fit a too-small deraileur).

>>1030516
Height is the easiest thing to set - you want the cage to clear the largest chainring as closely as possible when it swings out, about an 1/8th inch gap is good. You're much more likely to have issue with getting the angle right - the cage should be inline with the rings, but this can be difficult to judge with heavily profiled triple FDs. If you get it wrong, you're most likely going to have problems on either down or up -shifting, but not both at the same time.

Also, you should double check that your cable is routed correctly through the derailer, that's an easy way to end up with a derailer that can't move far enough.

>>1030521
height with a triple is not always this simple as there is often a groove in the middle of the plate which is meant to match the chain off the middle ring

>>1030495
be patient my nig, keep working at it.

>>1028658
>At what point does the law of diminishing returns hit hard for groupsets?
FWIW: Ultegra is where cable routing goes under bartape.

I don't know whether it's really worth paying extra for but my buddy has 105 and his cables stick out like antenna, I can imagine getting tangled in them occasionally, at least it's one more thing to fuck around with in front of the bars and who wants that?

@DesignatedSchwalbeShill

What's the difference between Marathon and Active tiers?

>>1030561
Shut up if you have no idea what you're talking about.

My front wheel is super squeaky all of a sudden

Is this a serious problem?

>>1030571
Yes, you're going to die from cardiac arrest

>>1030571
If you don't have the proper wheels to withstand your weight your hubs are going to wear out more quickly.

Get ur shit serviced

>>1029597
I just got the same fuckin fenders installed in me [spoiler]fugi tourist[/spoiler] sporting 32c and they work good.
On a side note: the spot where the back fork (chainstays) meet the seat tube extension behind the cranks is a bit narrower to properly accommodate them fenders. I niggarigged them up with ziplock.
Will this suffice?

>>1030521
>>1030523
Still unable to get more than one upshift/one downshift working.

So can't even get the height right (if just the angle was wrong I could at least double upshift or double downshift).

Pulling the cable by hand won't work, way too tight. Only shifter has enough leverage to pull it.

Still think deraileur is not extending far enough, but if I tighten the cable as far as it goes it'll hit the limit and the shifter won't even take on the highest index.
I'll try completely freeing the high stop limit next time I get my hands on it, but I'm slowly running out of ideas.

I found the cage indentation that's meant to align with chain on middle chainring but it seems too high, and lowering deraileur further will make its cage hit the chain when it's on the largest chainring (unless the deraileur extended further, which once again seems to be the solution to all my problems).
Going lower against all odds and hoping this will make the deraileur extend further also seems like a thing to try.

Nothing to ask really, just an update that am still working on it. It's probably gonna take a while considering how little free time I have.

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How good are coaster/ back pedal brakes? I ask because a type of bike I'm interested in has them and I'm trying to decide if it's a big enough deal breaker to justify spending more on other variants


Picture unrelated

>>1030613
Not great. I'd only recommend them on beach cruisers and slow-riding pub crawlers. Anything faster than that and you're asking for death

>>1030615

Single speed but I'll be going down mild but long inclines so picking up some speed for which braking will be necessary plus I need them to weave round pedestrians who think cycle are just walkway extensions

>>1030597
Stop saying fugi you colossal fagget

>>1030636
fucl off, fugi is love fugi is life

>>1030639
Fungi

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>>1030640
fun guy

>>1030521
>>1030523
>>1030612
Update: I did it.
All that was needed was patience.

Turns out the culprit was high limit stop, as it was restricting deraileur protrusion range.
After loosening it to zero the deraileur immediately started extending properly far, and in consequence started working on all upshifts and one downshift, and the final downshift was just a matter of adjusting the angle and low limit stop.

Thanks for making me stay at it!
You guys never disappoint!

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hey first time posting
i have a rigid mountain bike from the early 80s i think. I ride about 30 miles a week on city streets with a ton of potholes and i recently noticed the tires have been worn down and are almost smooth. i want to upgrade the tires and maybe get new wheels while im at it. does any1 have any suggestions of where to buy them online? thanks

pic is the bike i have

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>>1030660
looks like the fork is made out of chillis in the thumbnail

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>>1030660
Don't upgrade the wheels unless you have to. New Wheels will probably be worth more than the bike. Getting them trued & the bearings greased by a bike shop is a good idea though.

For tires, chain reaction cycles, wiggle & amazon are all good. Get some new tubes too. (i assume you have 26" wheels) You want to upgrade to some 26" slicks (no knobs). They will roll much better on pavement, and the tire width/ volume/ inflation dictates how plushy the ride will be and how well it will deal with rough roads, not the tread. You'll have completely adequate grip on gravel etc with wide slicks.

>>1030660
Can we see the whole bike?

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>>1030673
thanks ill get some tires then
>>1030680
see pic

Got my first pair of winter gear. Top is fine, my question is about the bottom. How do you know it's too tight. Thigh area feels like the shorts, ankle area feels a little too warm, is this normal?

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Could I tour while wearing these? If not, what is appropriate rain proofing gear for shoes?

>>1030613
For a leisure bike? Fine. For commuting, dangerous. Your feet need to be in the right position to brake, and you really need a front brake for quick stopping.

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>>1030312
>setting potentially deadly traps on heavily used, extremely technical mtb trails
>because 'damn kids always riding their wheelie-doos down ol' fromme. i'll show them!'

crucify her.

also that reads like the cop shot one of her dogs. bad beats for pupper, but thats what happens when you're out in the middle of the night man-trapping a downhill course because you hate fun.

>>1030710
I mean, you could but it would probably be rather uncomfortable.

First thing you need: full length fenders with a mudflap that goes down almost all the way to the ground.

Then get some booties or whatever they call the waterproof shoe covers.

>>1030710
your feet would be a sweaty hot mess within minutes

goretex booties work okay if you have limited funds. if you have the means get sidi breeze or diablo shoes. if you don't have clipless pedals then shoes like mizuno ld40 would be good

Lads, for winter riding, conti gatorskin or grand Prix 4 seasons? Probably won't ride in the snow or rain but may on those sunny days after a snow storm.

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I'm asking in the cheapo bike thread too, but hopefully I can get some help here too. Beginner biker looking to graduate from a shitty 20" folding bike. Not a huge budget and honestly I only bike 2 miles a day. Is this bike a piece of shit?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01858V9BM/ref=twister_B018NWU48O

>>1030613
How good? Meh, I rode BMX bikes with coaster brakes when I was a kid but I wouldn't ride one now. What's wrong with just a SS setup with f/r brakes? Just to be safe, you'd still want a front brake on a coaster brake bike in case of failure.

Being able to reposition your pedals without moving forward, activating the brake or picking up the back of your bike to do so is nice.

Shit, I'd rather ride fixed with a front brake than ride a coaster brake, I can skid/skip stop one in around the same distance as a coaster brake equipped bike but I'd probably have more fun because of
>muh fixed feel

Idk, I have more trouble trying to justify riding a coaster brake than a single speed with caliper brakes. You're just asking to wear out your tires more quickly, that's a good reason for coasters to usually be cruisers that aren't going fast.

>>1030730
Shit bike with crap components indeed.

What's your used bike market looking like? I can grab a single speed near me for 120-150usd
You're going to be replacing shit on that bike until you finally buy a decent one and it probably won't be fun. Just buy someones ss/fixed conversion or an OTS. Craigslist is honestly a lot better than Amazon. My last beater bike purchase was a rigid mountain bike with city tires I got for 60 bucks and I've been using that for the last year or so with some light maintenance.

>>1030636
Not really addressing my concerns, but w/e.
Cheers.

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>>1030726
Get 4000s II, they're tough enough, and ride a lot nicer than either tank alternative.

I'd only go 4 seasons if you're riding much snow, gravel, or slipping your rear wheel sprinting up wet 10%+ climbs. The wet grip with them is really amazing, but 4000s is also great in the wet. Get memeskins if you're not prepared to inflate your tires, hate riding nice tires, like shitty wet & dry grip and you ride through fields of glass every day.

Michelin pro4 service course is another great road tire in the wet, but they don't have great puncture protection and they aren't durable (where 4000s II is fine for underbiking, i've blown a sidewall on a new service course riding gravel). So yeah, if you don't mind changing the occasional puncture, they're great, and the teal color looks cool.

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So I'm hopefully getting a new touring bike for Christmas (pic related) but since I've never owned anything but cheap or second-hand hybrids in the past I was wondering how many years I could make it last? Anything I can do to prolong its lifespan?

>>1028644
Surly cross check or soma double cross disk

Note that this will be for cargo biking. Lraning dc because it has straggler fork and slightly smaller

>>1030770
Technically speaking nearly everything but the frame is eventually a consumable, but you can prolong the life of stuff.
>drivetrain
Degrease, clean and relube with some frequency. More often if you ride in the wet etc
>wheels
Don't ride through potholes if you can avoid it. Check the brake blocks every now and then for debris which can wear down the braking track.

Also if you plan on going shopping or running errands on it for Sheldon's sake get a decent u-lock and cable. Theft will be the quickest way to end its lifespan.

>>1030772
Thanks m8. How often would you suggest cleaning/oiling (riding say 70 miles a week)?

>get a decent u-lock and cable
Yeah, I learned that the hard way a couple of years ago. Won't make that mistake again.

>>1030770
>>1030772
Also check your brakes every few rides to see if everything is still fine.
V-brakes sometimes need to be adjusted if they aren't centred anymore.

Replace brake pads if they're starting to wear out.

You may even directly replace the pads, they're very cheap and a good set can be tremendous improvement over the generic ones that come with your bike.

Brake and shifting cables also stretch out after use so they need to be readjusted after a while.
But that's something you'll notice.

New cables are also cheap as fuck.

>>1030774
Chain maintenance is a pretty contentious issue, and it depends a lot on the conditions you ride in. Based on that distance I'd say once a month would probably be fine, but if the drivetrain starts to be noisy/squeaky sooner then move it up the list.

>>1029707
just to report back on this: all I had to do was switch the polarity so that on both front and back the negative wires connect to the frame and it worked.

I think the mandatory frame connections are there if you want to use a single wire system. with two wires it's just a nuisance

What's the drawback to using a rear mech with a larger capacity than necessary? Is there any?

>>1030673
>New Wheels will probably be worth more than the bike

Don't bag on old Ross frames man, they're good stuff.

>>1030843
there's some aesthetic drawbacks imo, but thats all subjective
the main disadvantage is that depending on your derailer hanger and the derailer itself, it may not be possible to loosen b-tension adjust screw as far on a long cage derailer, mainly because they're expected to be used with a wide range cassette

it may shift slightly less smoothly than a short cage with the shift wheel really close to the cogs

>>1028658
The 4700 Tiagra is better than the 5700 105.
And the 105 used to be the gold standard for cost/goodness ratio.

So I'd say either the R3000 Sora or the 4700 Tiagra.

Unless you really want an 11 speed.

What is the most budget lefty fork? 26/27.5/29 doesnt matter. Is there even a variety?

>>1030763
Nice, thanks.

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I have a frame with a 1 inch ahead fork and headset and a noraml 1 1/8 inch stem.
can anybody point me into the direction of a adapter all I can find are the threaded 1 to threadless 1 1/8 adapters

>>1030876

no wait i found one.

What's the difference between an MTB and a road groupset?

Noob here. I need a bicycle for commuting. I ride on the sidewalks. What are some good brands that cost ~$150 that I can find?

>>1030878
1. the type of handlebars the shifters are designed to attach to
2. Road groups are designed for relatively larger gear ratios with closer spacing, mountain bikes need lower gear ratios and spacing is less important, this means that MTB groups are designed around smaller chainrings and need rear derailers that can take up a greater length of chain

>>1030846
i roughly hop on and off curbs and dont oil or clean it. i dont think it can b saved rly

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Im trying to install some SKS bluemels mudguards onto my road bike, which requires the brake caliper to be removed and slotted on, with the brake calipers to be refitted on top.

All was going well, until I removed the brake caliper. Instead of the recessed nut coming out of the bridge, as I turned the allan key it stayed in the bridge and pushed the caliper through bolt out away from it. I then tried to unscrew the nut but started rounding the head, so I abandoned ship and awkwardly had to screw the bolt back into the nut from the other side.

The brakes are Claris (I know. Winter bike). Any advice on how to get this nut out? Assuming its smooth like the left caliper pictured, should I try pliers on the outside and just yanking it?

>>1030896
Wait so the recessed nut turns?

Unscrew it until the brake caliper is pushed forward a bit, then tap the caliper back gently with a rubber mallet. This will eject the recessed nut.

>>1030904

Yeah it turns, the first few turns on the allan key were tough and I heard a cracking sound. Im assuming now that this was the galvanic corrosion cracking up and now it just has a bunch of mashed up crud stopping it from falling out. I'll try this thanks. As you can tell this is my first foray into removing a brake caliper...I wish I carried on now, guess I'll do it tomorrow, and I'll probably need a new sleeve nut.

Im glad this is the rear one on an alu bridge. Im worried the front one is gonna be the same, and im kind of scared of doing any tapping on a carbon fork.

>>1030913

Better not ride over anything but perfectly smooth roads if some very slight taps on a carbon fork crown with a rubber mallet are making the fear happen

Bought a carbon frame bike with an alloy seat post, should I grease the post? Is standard lithium grease ok?

>>1030985
carbon assembly paste, or nothing imo
use a torque wrench

>>1030985
>>1030988
What he said.

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can I run caliper brakes with something like specialized 33c x700 tracer sports ?

they clear the frame fine but I don't have break lying around.
can I somehow use cantis or will calipers clear.
are there any caliperbreaks that are better suited than others ?

I want to buy a cycling GPS. I mainly care about being able to upload routes to the device easily and being able to upload my rides wirelessly to Strava.

Is the Garmin 510 my best choice? I had highly considered the 25, but it seems like uploading routes to it is a pain in the ass as it is not compatible with TCX or GPX files.

>>1031123
You're probably going to need centerpull calipers.

>>1031123
I agree with previous anon that centerpulls are a safe bet, but it's possible that a long reach dual pivot caliper would work as well. There are definitely long reach single-pivot brakes that clear 33mm tires too, but I wouldn't recommend them because all the examples of those I've come across have been flimsy.

>>1031165
>>1031161

freat thanks for the input.
are there any cheap modern center pull caliperbrakes ?

>>1031171
No. But any medium/long drop side pull caliper will work. Avoid the short drop road racer calipers. Center pull calipers aren't magically stiffer than side pull. Any long drop brake will be flimsier for a given weight. Only Heinefags argue such nonsense.

Measure bolt-to-brake-track distance to know how much drop you need.

>>1031171
Also, please note that if the heinefags recommending centre pull mean the two point mounted type then they don't even fit the same frames as side pull. I'm guessing you have a frame with a drilled fork crown and no fork blade pegs, as you were asking about side pull calipers to begin with.
First priority is being able to mount the brake to your frame...

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The bike shop keeper said that I should replace my bike march exchange system. Here you can see the shitty march controller I have.

The keeper told me that they don't work with un-indexed systems anymore. Is this bullshit or not? I don't like the idea of being forced to buy all components from the same manufacturer. It looks like vendor lock-in.

>>1031184
>Is this bullshit or not?
they might not have anyone trained on archaic hardware.

why not service it yourself? if you want to be a retrogrouch, do it all the way.

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Related question: my bike shop keeper told me I should replace my cantilever breaking system by a V-Brake.

Really should I do that?

>>1031187
Since you obviously can't install and configure a cantilever to (literally) save your life - yes, you should definitely get miniV. And a vasectomy.

>>1031184
If it works keep it, simple as that. Why _should_ you replace anything if it works? If you aren't satisfied then there is reason to replace, or else there isn't. If its about keeping it working but it may faces its death, then you are good to go looking at Ebay for some cheap hardware and replace it yourself

>>1031184
>>1031187
1. I can see from your picture that your current cantilever brakes are setup poorly, you probably need new pads too. I wouldn't upgrade to V-brakes unless you can get them very cheaply, because if you do replace your cantis with V's, you'll have to change the brake levers too.
2. Your old friction shifter, unless it's somehow broken, will likely continue functioning for decades. And friction shifters can be made to work with more modern parts if you want to upgrade, but this can be complicated so you shouldn't do this unless you can find someone in real life to explain the process to you in detail.
3. You should find a different bike shop, whichever one you went to did a terrible job of explaining things.

>>1031178
I meant the center mounted ones. You can get older Weinmann and Dia Compe units wicked cheap. If you're putting cross tires on, you're probably hitting mud or snow. Side pulls tend to gunk up easier, and if you have fenders they tend to pinch them.

>>1031189
>you obviously can't install and configure a cantilever to (literally) save your life
Could you please tell me more about how obvious is this?

>And a vasectomy.
I'd like even to be castrated, but It' not allowed in my country. I don't meet the vasectomy requirements either...

>>1031184
>>1031187
>The keeper told me that they don't work with un-indexed systems anymore.
Hilarious. Working on non-indexed shifters is such a piece of cake. Of course, this begs the question - why can't YOU work on it yourself?

Mini-V brakes are great. "Normal" v-brakes won't work with your brake levers. Also, who the hell set up your cantis; everything about it is atrocious. That super-high straddle cable, the wide angle with the pads stuck way out, shit pad angle... Do they work at all???

From the two pictures, your bike kinda looks like a rusty, crusty heap that's never been taken care of. A bike shop isn't going to be able to work miracles; some of those parts are going to have to be replaced if they don't work anymore. Unless you find a shop that specializes in old bikes and stocks a lot of used parts, you're going to have to accept some modern upgrades.

Or you could learn to take care of your bike and maintain/repair it yourself.

>>1031190
>Why _should_ you replace anything if it works? If you aren't satisfied then there is reason to replace, or else there isn't.
I don't know if the V-Brake works better, or is of better quality. For example, the cable tends to be smashed, on the cantilever, on the place the screw holds it.

>>1031189
>you should definitely get miniV
Why mini, and not mega, or a normal one?

are fork lowers the same throughout a model range? like are Pike lowers on 140mm air spring+stanchions the same as Pike lowers on 160mm so that i could increase or decrease the travel by swapping out air springs, etc. depending on what kind of ride i'm going to do?

>>1031207
Sometimes they are, sometimes they're not. Usually they'll be the same if the model and travel length are the same (so the internals could be different, for example air vs. coil spring).

If the travel length is different then it may just be the stanchions which are different (or maybe identical with something internally that limits travel) or the lowers could also be different with more clearance for the stanchions to go further into them.

Either way you won't be able to increase your travel in the way you're imagining. Best case scenario is you can just remove an internal limiter, worst case you'd need to replace so many parts (uppers and lowers) that it'd make more sense to just get a new fork.

>>1031201
>mega v
We're being trolled, boyos

>>1031209
apparently you can do this on Solo Air forks by swapping out the air spring.

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>>1031197
>From the two pictures, your bike kinda looks like a rusty, crusty heap that's never been taken care of. A bike shop isn't going to be able to work miracles; some of those parts are going to have to be replaced if they don't work anymore. Unless you find a shop that specializes in old bikes and stocks a lot of used parts, you're going to have to accept some modern upgrades.
Hello. It's true I was not caring about maintenance, until 2016! But now I'm starting to care, otherwise I would not show up on 4chan to discuss this. I already replaced the wheelset (it's not the one shown on pic related), the rest isn't much good, and is the same as the picture shows.

I think it's not as bad as you described it, anon.

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>>1031248
Maybe the angle on this one shows it better?
It's just some minutes older than the previous photo.

>>1031248
>>1031250
>That saddle angle
No need to worry about the castration pal, keep riding like that and your dick will be busted in no time.

>>1031260
1) I don't want to eliminate my dick, just my balls;
2) if I lower the angle, I slip from the saddle, and the springs on the back of it don't work. I like them bouncing me many times after passing through a hole on the street.

>>1031260
> freds who've never ridden upright bicycles

>>1031281
The bars are about level with the saddle, that's not a super upright position. If that does result in an upright position for him then he either has the arms of an orangutan or his saddle is too low for efficient pedalling.

Regardless, even with an upright riding position the saddle shouldn't need to be pointed that far upwards.

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So I just bought a pair of Ultegra SL wheels with Conti GP tyres for less than 130 USD. Catch is, they have a slight dent in the rear rim. Other than that, they're pretty fucking true. Did I dun goofed? Will I be able to rebuild them once the rim wears out? Picture quite related.

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>>1031316
Close up of said dent.

>>1031316
Honestly I don't think thats to bad of a deal, I personally wouldn't have made it but they will work.

>>1031316
It's ok because it's the rear. Rear failure isn't necessarily catastrophic and marks on the rear brake track aren't so bad because you won't use the rear break very often.

>>1031318
>>1031319
Sweet. Thanks, anons.

Still, why would it fail? Are those kind rims really that fragile? Do you think I'll be able to find 16/20h rims and rebuild them once they wear out?

>>1031323
I don't think you'll have any trouble sourcing parts

>>1031317
It might be problematic for breaking...

If the surface is rough then it'll overuse your breakpads. It could also result in uneven breaking power. But it's hard to tell with a picture.

who here rides w a front basket.

i thought it would be great but not being able to see the wheel is disconcerting af

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>>1031342
how do you think the cat feels?

>>1031369
That looks awful for the kitten.

>>1031369
Despite all my rage I'm still just a cat in a cage.

>>1031342
>who here rides w a front basket.
I do all the time. Great for groceries or riding to the laundromat. Much more convenient than panniers.
>i thought it would be great but not being able to see the wheel is disconcerting af
I keep my eyes ahead rather than staring down at my front wheel, so this has never bothered me.

>>1031342
I use one. keep all my EDC commuter stuff in it: tools, pump/tube, raingear, bandaids etc. there's room left over to put stuff I might pick up from the shops in it. use one of those bungie net things to keep everything from flying out.

>>1027140

Can anyone recommend some cycling clothing that is good for sun protection? I'm thinking a cycling jersey that has long sleeves but designed for hotter weather?

Hi guys, newfag here,

I just moved to Norway, first time in a cold country. I don't have a license and the nearest store is a couple of miles away so I wanted to get a bicycle. My fiance's mum was happy to lend me one but it slips everywhere on the icy roads. One road in particular is a dirt road, with lots of ice and uneveness.

Are there some tires I can get that will help me adhere to the ground and not slip sideways all the time? I read a guide online but I have some serious doubts about the recommendations because some look exactly like the tires I already have and they a shit for ice. Help appreciated.

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>>1031551

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>>1031123

okay here I am again.
I've been thinking this trough.
I hate myselfe for it but I'm a huge fan of weird solutions.
how viable would road to canti adapter be ?

my plan would be to buy a set of canti breakboosters, maybe cut a hole in there so I can screw them into the frame like I would a caliper break.
then cut a hole and threads into the back of modified canti bosses , the one you get for brazing on frames and screw those onto the break boster.
finaly fix the brake booster on the seatstays via something like hose clamps.

another option would be to lasercut custoum " breakbooster with the holes need to tenison v brakes and all that.

how stupid is that on a scale of 1 - 10

>>1031551
Something with studs. I like Nokian/Suomi tyres. In their lineup you can pretty well predict the grip and rolling resistance by the number of studs. W240 has 240 studs and will grip so well you dont need to worry about ice at all. Like riding on a gravel road in summer. W106 is a good compromise for price, grip and rolling in my opinion.

Schwalbe marathon winter is good on ice too, but not as good on snow.

Continental top contact winter is the only studless tire I'd recommend but dont expect it to grip as well as the studded ones.

Cheaper brands might use lower quality studs that are good enough when new, but wear out super fast.

Oh yeah and dont bother with the articles that recommend recommend regular tires for winter. They might be fine in london or whatever, but absolutely not suitable for nordic countries.

>>1031570
>this one goes to eleven
So you want to run CX tyres. They're not even that wide m8. The rules say max 33mm, and the touring folk run +40mm tyres with long drop calipers just fine. You're introducing a whole new class of problems and pitfalls to solve a problem that doesn't even exist. And cantis aren't any better that linear side pulls.

>>1031589

yes I know that.
but it's nice to hear that from somebody else.
I think it would be highly unfeasibly financialy too.

for some reason I just like to think about stuff like that.

>>1031551
part of it depends on what type of ice snow/ice/gravel you're riding on
if its hard packed, think sludge, then you need proper spiked tyres, but its best to avoid those if you don't need them because they are beyond shitty on roads that have been plowed or when weather is better
if its loose snow, then knobbies are okay
if its kinda wet/slightly frozen water on a smooth road, then even regular tyres might be okay

a lot of it is how you control the bike when it starts to slide
your gut reaction will be to grab the breaks every time you start to slip, don't do this
just let the bike go where it wants to go and don't fight it too much

>>1031666
>if its kinda wet/slightly frozen water on a smooth road, then even regular tyres might be okay
No, that's when you really need the studs. On sludge the spikes have nothing to grip onto and are no better than knobblies. Studs are for ice. Black ice is ice.

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>>1031191
>I wouldn't upgrade to V-brakes unless you can get them very cheaply, because if you do replace your cantis with V's, you'll have to change the brake levers too.
Why? Here is my brake lever.

>>1031191
>Your old friction shifter, unless it's somehow broken, will likely continue functioning for decades.
Nope, this model is a piece of shit. The plastic theeth inside the shifter control on the pic worns out quickly, needing replacement every year. In some moment, the plastic inside just breaks and leaves me without one of the shifters.

That's not the point. I just want to know if I really should abandon un-indexed systems, and pay them to install an indexed one. I believe this is vendor lock-in, but I want opinions.

>>1031238
Just explain why Mini-V instead of V then!

>>1031197
>Also, who the hell set up your cantis; everything about it is atrocious. That super-high straddle cable, the wide angle with the pads stuck way out, shit pad angle... Do they work at all???
The shop that wants to replace it by V brakes.

>>1031890
Because they work with the existing canti levers.

>>1031893
Could you please show me the difference between V-Brake levers, and mini-V-Brake levers?

>>1031899
Mini V levers are the same as what you have, V brake levers have a longer cable pull. You can usually tell by the location of the pivot on the lever body, the longer the pull the closer to the handlebars the pivot will be.

>>1031899
Mini v's just have shorter arms that the brake cable pulls on, so less cable travel for the same brake pad movement. If you take the levers that you have and use them with regular v-brakes, you might not even be able to brake at all because the pads won't be moved far enough.

>>1031888
Vs (except mini Vs) have a different pull ratio than cantis do, so you'd need new levers

>>1030561
I have tiagra and the cables go under bartape

>>1031937
Tiagra 4600 was the last version to have the gear cables come out the sides of the shifters afaik. After that they inherited the design of 105 and up where they route under the tape.

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>>1030770
Spray some rust inhibitor in the tubes annually.

I use pic related, there's also a bicycle specific 'frame saver' product and a few others that all do basically the same thing.

I've seen quite a few old frames rusted from the inside out. You'd get 10 years easy from a new bike without spraying it, but a good steel frame should last 100 years.

by chance. Do they have a website where you can find parts based on the bike you own, rather than just a page full of stuff? I don't know anything about my bike except it's a raleigh mtn bike and it needs stuff. but I don't have a clue what to get for it

Are there any advantages to bar end shifters for a steel CX bike that I use as a commuter and also for occasional road training? It currently has a set of Sora brifters (the older kind with the thumb lever) that I hate. Should I change them for a nice pair of bar ends and a 10 speed cassette?

THREAD IS PAST BUMP LIMIT, ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS SHOULD START A NEW THREAD

>>1032277
The only real advantage of barcons over STI levers is that they're easier to operate in cold weather when you're wearing thick gloves.

Barcons are also less vulnerable to damage and grit in the long term, but unless you're going on an extended touring trip this is unlikely to matter.

Poorfag

Am I better off buying a new aluminium bike that weighs less, or buying an old cheapo steel bike that weighs a fuck ton but I can maybe buy a better groupset for?

Looking at racers. Really I'd want a cyclocross but I can't find a single one second hand so it's not really possible.

Owned my first bicycle for about four months now, for the last two months it's been making a sound exactly like this; https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x7r_S69dkeI any suggestions on how to solve my problem would be appreciated, thanks.

>>1032543
If it's a cheapo 'fixie' then it's probably the low quality rear hub. If it's a fixed conversion or has been built up from parts by someone then it could be the chainline. Could also be chain tension, try sliding the wheel into the dropouts a bit.

>>1032545
I bought the bike new for £350 so I'm guessing its the former, how much would a decent rear hub cost?

We're over limit, all hands abandon thread

new thread:
>>1032571
>>1032571