Pain on bottom foot when freewheeling for a time in a gravel descent One of my favorite touring routs is on a rural route. It is 15 km* long, I take about an hour to complete it since a part of the first half is sandy and I need to dismount to traverse it.
At the 10 km mark there is a steady descent which is mostly between gravel and crushed stone. I don't pedal and slightly press the brakes so that I keep a safe speed between 20~30 km/h. It takes 3 min until the terrain is level again.
The thing is: After the 1st minute I start to feel some discomfort in my left foot, which is the one corresponding to the lowest pedal — for some reason I have better balance if my left foot is in the down position when coasting, and even though I want to exchange the position, I don't want to relinquish balance. After the 2nd minute the discomfort gradually becomes a light pain, and when the descent is over I am glad I can pedal again, which causes the light pain to quickly go away.
Is that discomfort and pain I experience on the down foot something expected or known between cyclists?
As far as I know I am healthy and otherwise experience no trouble when cycling, though I am no "serious" rider either, rather lazy on maintenance (e.g. no clipping pedals or special clothes, never wash my bicycle, no odometer or any GPS whatsoever, ...). I wonder if it is because of the constantly shaking on the gravel descent and the left feet having to absorb it or something else.
Further info: My saddle height is appropriately set, namely knee is only slightly flexed when my feet is in the down position. The air temperature is totally comfortable (25 °C). Shoes are definitely not tight. If I can give any more useful information, I'll be glad to edit the question.
*Time, distance and speed are all to my best estimate, they are not totally accurate.

It's generally a good idea to change position regularly (at least slightly) during any ride. If you get used to just one position, your body learns to keep that position no matter what, and it'll do that by stiffening up if the bumpy descent tries to shake you out of it. But stiffening is the worst thing you can do in such a situation: it'll cause the stresses to concentrate right into the most exposed joints and muscle sections, instead of being able to harmlessly distribute it over the whole legs. What's more, having the left foot always down is a recipe for pedal strikes in left turns. A pedal strike at high speed can lead to a very nasty crash. So definitely get rid of the left foot down habit.
One easy way to train flexibility is to slowly back-pedal (on the straights; in corners, always keep both pedals level or outer foot down). But I wouldn't focus only on the pedals – the whole body position influences the forces on hands and feet.
It helps a lot for body flexibility to have the saddle in a really low position on descents. A dropper post is super useful for this reason (now standard on most mountain bikes). With a low saddle, you can stand up without needing to stretch too high, move your body weight far over the rear wheel when it gets steep, balance the bike side to side underneath you etc.. And when sitting down, neither leg will be stretched at all, so the knees have plenty of freedom to move.
Of course, MTB suspension also does a lot to make rough descents more comfortable, but it really isn't needed for gravel. It does make sense to use relatively wide tyres and low pressure though, and some bikes a more compliant than others. Steel or carbon fibre tend to be better than aluminium in this regard.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, in my experience it also helps to clip in, because then the legs can relax even more without risking to slip off the pedals. So clipless pedals & shoes (I recommend Shimano SPD) are perhaps a good investment, if not a dropper post and/or suspension fork.

Ligaments hold all your organs in place, you may find that the nerve ending is on the receiving end of those ligaments. A basic way to look at it, the boys in ww2 on the landing craft would get terrible stitches and vomit not from sea sickness but from there organs being held in place while there bodies and knees would be bounced around in the rough sea. You may be having mechanical stress and feeling pain from that. Just a no medical persons look at transfer of force.


How can I remove very stuck headset spacers (alu/carbon) Working on a bike that has had significant indoor turbo usage, (i.e. a lot of sweat has run down the headset) and corrosion has bonded the aluminium spacers to the carbon steerer. The steering is stiff and notchy such that the bearings must be replaced, but the spacers are well and truly stuck in place.
I have tried getting some boiling water on the spacers, wrapping a boiled cloth on there, I spent a few hours dripping lemon juice down the gap (I think I read that on Park Tool), I've tried WD40 and have tried turning the top spacer with slip joint pliers (water pump pliers) as hard as I can, but no progress.
I will not want bang on the top of the carbon steerer any harder and the alu piece on top is proud because the bung is seized in place also (still functional). My experience and exploratory taps say that no amount of hitting on top will free this headset up.
How can I remove these very stuck spacers without damaging the frame or fork? I'm hoping for a proven answer because if I continue but damage the spacers further without getting them removed then I potentially make the bike unsafe and so unrideable.

Update:  I am still looking for an answer. Nothing forthcoming just yet. I'm thinking that somehow cutting through just the spacers, maybe with a rotary tool, would do the trick, a-la DavidW's answer in the first comment.  Maybe cutting not quite all the way through and then forcing the ends apart to pry them off. I asked in my trusted local shop at the time and they said they would do something similar but were too busy to take it on.

I went ahead with the rotary tool (Dremel) and general cutting disc. I cut two grooves side by side in the top spacer and prized one of them open with a flat screwdriver. Once the aluminium is thin enough, it will snap open with a little click, so it isn't necessary to cut all the way through. I carefully cut a little deeper each pass and tested with the screwdriver, managing to find the point it would snap open with the tool never touching the carbon steerer.

The top two spacers were removed in this manner, but I didn't want to cut through the silver spacer or conical spacer as they would be awkward to replace. That meant I couldn't cut vertically through the third spacer using the 38mm cutting disc. See below, I cut vertically as far down as I could and then ground away the spacer with a horizontal cut until enough was removed to snap open the spacer. That was the hardest part with the rotary tool to avoid damage to the steerer below but with patience it was doable.
It looks a little rough photographed up close, but it was careful and patient work with no damage to any carbon parts and minimal nick to the silver spacer.

Now I could remove all the spacers and had just the compression ring to remove. This had seized onto the steel inner race of the top cartridge bearing, meaning the whole assembly was still stuck together. I tapped the steerer tube down to raise the ring up and cut through the steel race, minimising touching the compression ring to preserve it. I didn't want to drive the fork all the way down in case the metal would gouge the carbon. The ring did get a little roughed up by trying to prise it up beforehand, so this was treated afterwards with a file to remove the burrs. They were really stuck together and even off the bike it took some force to separate them.

I don't think the spacers were bonded to the steerer by corrosion, but rather the gap that would let them spin was packed with the white yuck, so they were jammed in place. Once the spacers were prised open they slid off quite easily. If they were bonded on it would have taken much more force. The compression ring however was (galvanic?) corroded into place and meant that tapping down the steerer would have been futile while spacers were still jammed on.
The old bearings were removed and everything else cleaned up nicely. New bearings and spacers went on and the steering felt like new again.

To me it looks like your compression plug inside the steerer tube is expanding the tube to a point where the spacers got stuck.
Have you tried removing the plug? Usually there's a 6 or 8mm allen bolt inside you can loosen. As it might be tight from corrosion I wouldn't recommend unscrewing it completely but just a few turns and then try to pull it out before loosening again. Otherwise you could drop the lower part of the expander into the steerer tube and that (from my own experience) sucks.


Making my dream bike come true my name is Benjamin and for quite some time now i have been riding my bicycle to college and other places. The bike i have now is only very simple but has saved as a great alternative for transport and is just simplify great to ride. Having ridden my bike so many times for so long i have now started to grow a taste of what kinda bike i would like to have, my dream bike. The features i would like for my next bike to have would be as followed:

(27 gears) making going up hill much easier and going down hill much faster.
(Efficient front and rear brakes) ensuring full controller over the bike.
(FOX XTD REMOTE LEVER) to adjust bikes suspensions for any journey ahead.
(Remote lever seat post) for maximum comfort when riding on rough terrains.
(Generated back wheel) to supply power to front and back lights.
(large rear rack) to allow for transportation such as bags.
(Onboard lock for back wheel) to allow for added security.
(Onboard portable pump) to ensure good inflation for tires.
(reflectors including wheels) for added visibility.
(battery powered lights) for having to stop in dark where path is not available.

Crazy i know! but as you can see with me wanting such a pasific bike with all these features finding such bike is just impossible leaving me to this question.HOW IN HELL DO I GET SUCH BIKE? is there some place where this beast of a bike can be made? or would i be better off buying a bike and instilling these upgrades my self? if i do take the second option how would i have to go about it and what would i have to do step wise and be wary of?

Super exited to hearing what you guys have to say to my questions and thank you.

Honestly i have 2 of what you describe with a few variations - for gearing you don't need more than 2X11.  Light i would consider looking at a dynamo hub like SON 28.  Rear rack look at Thule, bike pannier rack (use to be called Freeload).

Suspension and dropper post these days come almost standard on most bikes and you don't need to go spend $7k plus to get one either.

I would buy an out of the box bike and change that you want to change by sourcing parts from Chain Reaction Cycle or get your local bike shop to custom build you one.


How to reduce pedaling resistance I brought my hybrid bike to Evans Cycles recently to get the rear gear mech replaced after I broke it.

When I got the bike back, it was significantly harder to pedal. I tried moving my gears lower but even then the amount of effort required to maintain the bikes speed is higher than before, considerably, which is making my commute exhausting which it never was before.

I notice that it is harder to change the gears now on my bike - twisting the handle feels harder and the gears move very snappy. Could it be they have over tightened something? What do you think it could be?

Thanks!

I think the problem is with the bottom bracket. Sometimes, when the crank arms are removed, they can be put back really badly, thus causing the pedaling system to be very hard. Or some other times it's just the bottom bracket that needs to be replaced. Once I replaced my bottom bracket, the pedaling system was better than ever!


Shimano crankset is near end of life, can I use a Tiagra 4700 replacement? My road bike was bought in 2015 with a mix-match drive train: my derailleurs and shifters are Tiagra 4600 but the crankset is a Sora 9 speed (50-34). The large plate teeth are now quite worn out and I am foreseeing a replacement in short term. Tiagra 4600 is now discontinued, as it has been many years since the release of 4700. I do want to buy a new crankset, in that price range, going second hand is not cost efficient (my personal take). Can I just buy a 4700 crankset? The botton bracket is a hollowtech 2. I know that shifters and derailleurs are not compatible between 4600 and 4700 because of a different pulling mechanism, but the crankset should be compatible as both are 10 speeds. No?

Yes, you can slam the new 4700 chainset straight in there. It should be as simple as that if the ring sizes are the same, though you may need to subtly adjust the front derailleur.
Your other option is to buy a pair of 110bcd 5-arm chainrings from TA, Middleburn, Shimano, etc etc, which is usually nearly as expensive.

"The definition of insanity is doing (nearly) the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

You have observed cheap Shimano Sora chainrings to wear away rapidly.
The solution is to not replace the crank assembly with Tiagra with Tiagra chainrings, because Tiagra chainrings have the same flaw: they're not made of 7075T6 aluminum.
So you'll note the Tiagra chainrings wear away quite rapidly too. In fact, the next time you probably switch upwards to 105 chainrings, but they wear away very rapidly too. Then you switch upwards to Ultegra chainrings, noticing they have a tendency to wear as well. In fact, it probably takes upgrading all the way to Dura-Ace until you notice chainrings don't wear rapidly anymore.
There are component manufacturers such as Specialites TA that make reasonably priced 7075T6 aluminum chainrings. If you have noticed your chainrings have worn away, you can buy replacement rings from these companies. Two quality 7075T6 chainrings from manufacturers selling reasonably priced 7075T6 rings probably cost as much as a low-end crankset, but the low-end crankset has rings that wear very rapidly, meaning you'll encounter the same problem very rapidly again.
Don't buy chainrings unless the manufacturer specifically has stated that the very rings you're buying are 7075T6 (or 7075T651).
Buying a cheap crankset having non-7075T6 rings might be a good idea to get the cranks, but then you'll have to budget some amount of money for eventually replacing the rings with quality 7075T6 components.


Safest way to store bike outside (city) I bike commute and just moved to a tiny third floor walk up. I was willing to give up some of my precious space to store the bike, but it turns out that the narrowness and curvature of the stairs makes it extremely difficult to get the bike up and down. If I was going to store the bike outside, what is the safest way to do so in terms of lock configurations? There's a thick lamp post that I can see from my apartment that I'm considering locking it to. Thanks!

EDIT: The bike is fairly expensive (~$1000) and I use it for both commuting and amateur triathlon racing, so I don't think a folding bike is an option. The cellar of my building is even less accessible than my apartment. Based on everyone's advice, sounds like making some small modifications to get it up the stairs and stored safely is the way to go.

Not answering your actual question, but this might be useful to you.

To get a bike through narrow or awkward spaces, hold the handlebars and pull it up onto its rear wheel so it is pointing straight up. It relatively easy to balance a bike like this and push it around on its rear wheel while holding the handlebars. In this orientation it's about as wide as a person and can be turned in place. It's easy to go down stairs and it's even possible to go up stairs by walking backwards with it. The rear brake can be used to stop it slipping backwards.

If you use this technique you may find you are able to more easily get the bike into your apartment, which will be much preferable to locking it up on the street, with respect to both theft or vandalism and the effects of weather.

Don't select the most secure location available if storage is for the long term. That makes your bike an easy vandalism target because it's isolated. I once stored my second cheap bike into a traffic sign in an area where nobody stored bikes. It was targeted by vandalism.

Instead, choose a location where there are plenty of bikes outside and just leave your bike as one among the many. This is the solution I chose for my third cheap bike after the second cheap bike was targeted by vandalism. The third cheap bike did not experience any vandalism.

The truth is, if there are 10-20 other bikes around your bike, you don't even need to have a fixed object you can lock your bike to. Just put the lock to your frame so that it prevents the wheel from rotating. If you absolutely want to lock your bike to a fixed object, try to find a long cable lock, use a U-lock to lock the spokes of your rear wheel and use the cable lock to lock your frame to a fixed object. If the cable lock is long enough, you can in some cases both have your bike as one among the many and also have a fixed object to lock your bike to.


Are there real-life alternatives to the chain+derailleur combo? I was reading an article about the CeramicSpeed’s Driven concept and, while not interested in the efficiency part, the chainless system reminded me of something I was wondering for some time: are there real-life alternatives to the chain + derailleur combo?

By "real-life" I mean a solution which is reasonably commercialized. I realize that there is nothing obviously replacing them as I do not see them at my Decathlon shop but there may be something a bit less mainstream which is still in use.

My main concern is the complexity of the derailleur system  coupled with a chain which breaks - and all of this requires maintenance.

An analogy would be the engine in petrol cars together with the mechanics to bring the couple to the wheels vs a Tesla solution where a small, one-block electric motor sits directly on the wheels axis (Note: I am not thinking about replacing the power source (that is me) by an electric system, just to show how the complexity has been reduced in a tesla vs my regular car. I still want to pedal, less the maintenance and system complexity)

Belt drive + Internally Geared Hub is a popular combination.

Existing systems are based around a gates carbon belt drive. See the Breezer Beltway series bikes. Also Reeb Cycles began offering belt drives for mountain bikes when they first came to market.

Also, now there is a breakable belt system called Veer that doesn't require a frame cutout (though uses cogs somewhat different from older belt drive systems) which could be used in configuration with an internally geared hub (when their new pro-version comes out). Currently it appears to be singlespeed only.

Though this is still rather similar to a chain drive system, there is less regular maintenance needed to keep the drivetrain clean as wear is not as damaging on the belt drive system. Performance is different with an IGH hub though.

There are also shaft driven bikes which engage with a standard internally geared hub (instead of a cassette like mechanism). See related SE question with some detail. Any experience with shaft driven bikes?

Several solutions have been presented here, but I'll offer my take on this. The answer is no. There is no alternative to the chain/derailleur combo that would offer all of the benefits of a chain/derailleur combo.

Shaft drive, belt drive, internally geared hub, all of them suffer from the same fundamental problem: fixing a flat rear tire is difficult on those.

At least on an internally geared hub, all of them must have some lever against the frame to provide a point of torque, as the hub must be able to convert low torque (and high speed) to high torque (and low speed) or vice versa. The requirement to disconnect and re-connect the torque lever adds to the complexity of fixing a rear tire flat.

Similarly, internally geared hubs must have horizontal dropouts, to be able to adjust chain tension. Adjusting the chain tension on horizontal dropouts is time-consuming. You don't want that to complicate your flat fixing. Also, wrapping the chain around the sprocket is time-consuming. On a derailleur system, you just bend the rear derailleur a little and push the rear wheel in.

Not only that, but what do you do if a chain link breaks? On a derailleur system, you just make the chain a bit shorter using a portable chain tool you carry with you in your emergency toolbox (using a special pin, if using a Shimano chain -- the special pins are so lightweight you can carry several with you).

Also, what if the internally geared hub breaks? Everything on a derailleur is able to be temporarily fixed with just allen keys, chain tool, etc. Even if the chain tensioner breaks, you just select what gear you want and use the bike as a single-speed bike for the rest of the journey. If front or rear derailleur breaks, you use the remaining one that is still functional.

What if one of the only two sprockets (one front, one rear) on an internally geared hub breaks? On a derailleur system, you have at least two sprockets on the front and multiple on the rear. You can use one of the remaining sprockets. On an internally geared bike, you don't have any option.

I don't think any other solution allows the easy temporary workarounds possible on a derailleur system, the easiness of fixing a rear tire flat, the ability to make the chain a link shorter in case a chain link breaks, etc. About the only problem a derailleur system doesn't solve is a freewheel failure. Usually, freewheels give an early warning before completely failing.


Does my fixie need a chain tensioner I'm building my own fixie (almost a cliche, sorry) and I debating whether or not to buy chain tensioners.  I will be riding my bike with a fixed gear most of the time.  One of the reasons I ask is because I see a lot of fixies without them.  So I was wondering whether or not I really needed them.  Personal preference is welcome.

You don't need a chain tensioner (by this, you presumably mean something like the Surly Tuggnut and not a pulley which will snap on a fixie). This article from Lennard Zinn (or equivalently, the one he cites from Sheldon Brown) covers how to tension your chain.

If you have an elliptical bottom bracket you won't need a tensioner. Ditto for dropouts that allow horizontal movement.

If you are very lucky even a vertical dropout frame won't need a tensioner but as chains stretch over time this probably won't hold true for long.

When the chain is too short you will have parts of the crank rotation that are very stiff. When the chain is too long it risks coming off and jamming the wheel causing a dangerous skid. In this case a chain tensioner (which could be an old junk derailleur) is a good idea.


Is there any way to remove a rear cassette WITHOUT a cassette wrench? I've tried to and tried, but just can't do it. Can anyone help me with a way to remove my crappy old 7 speed cassette and install a brand new 11 speed without using a cassette wrench? I'm not rich enough to own one.

Use the correct tool.  There really is no other good answer.

Bodges that could get the old one off, maybe

a hammer and cold chisel - likely to upset the threads on the freehub.
a grinder and cutoff disk - guaranteed to damage the freehub, plus throws sparks and metal shavings into the mechanism.   I've actually done this to a cheap bike where all I needed to save were the spokes, and not the freewheel or hub.  Most enjoyable.
a gas axe/torch will definitely cut the lockring off, but you'll also damage the hub and spokes, and possibly the rim too.

Practical Alternatives

You need a cassette lockring removal tool.  As per comments they're a few dollars from China, or about 10x that from your local bike shop immediately.

Park FR-5, likely to last decades.

You will also need some way to hold the old cassette to undo the lockring.  The correct tool is a Chain Whip

Park SR-1, again expect 30 years service out of this tool.  It costs three times as much as the locknut tool.  I have managed to bodge this by using a length of worn old chain and a pair of vise-grips.

What can I do?

There exist Bicycle Co-operatives who exist to help you with your bike.  They're generally free or donation-if-you-can levels.  And they will have these basic tools for you to use, and may even run workshops.  For me locally, RAD (or Recycle-a-Dunger) is a good service, and can be found at http://www.radbikes.co.nz/

Another option is any kind of "mens shed" which are global, and tend to be populated by some very handy chaps.  Example  http://www.kinrossmensshed.org/what-we-do.html

A third option is to ask around anyone you know who cycles.  Worst that can happen is they say no.

Lastly, you might be able to take your (clean) wheel into your Local Bike Shop and ask for help.  If you're a customer, a LBS might be able to help by quickly slapping it through, for minimal or even no charge.

I did once by blocking the freewheel backward motion.

Put some rubber in the bearings, like eg. a party air balloon, and let it lock so you can unscrew it. It won't work by pedalling backwards, as it needs a lot of torque, but should work with a plumbers wrench or alike.


Schrader tubes in Presta configured Rims? My 26" mtb rims support presta sized tube stems, however can I drill the diameter of the holes in the rims bigger in order to support Schrader stemmed tubes? what is the proper way to do this, is there a kit?

In case you really want to drill, the only thing you need is a 10mm drill bit, and a sandpaper to give a smooth finish.

It is true that the rim gets weaker, and very narrow rims should not be drilled, but I have performed this enlargement a couple of times and rode the wheels some honest hundreds of km in every kind of terrain, with no problem.

I did this because I like the ease to get at any gas pump to top tire pressure after trails, and also because schraeder tubes are more avaliable and less expensive where I live.

Open hole with tapered reamer nice quick no filings to clean up


Homemade bicycle degreaser liquids Does anyone have a recipe for a homemade bicycle degreaser solution? I'd like to make my own degreaser solution instead of buying one. I have read about using lemon juice and various types of alcohols - white spirits, etc.

EDIT: I should have actually explained I was looking for a homemade bicycle degreaser liquid, not just cleaning liquid. I have now edited the title and wording. Sorry for the wrong title.

I am an industrial chemist, and manufacture commercial-grade degreasers and other cleaners.

Firstly, there are 3 main parts to a degreaser:

Alkaline booster, to increase the pH, allowing the dirt, grease and grime to be effectively removed, for faster cleaning
Solvent, to cut through tough grime and grease, as well as extract grime and grease from hard-to-get areas
Surfactant, to hold grime and grease in the cleaning solution, preventing it from depositing back on the bikes surface once lifted off by the solvent and the alkaline solution

(there are also other components in professional degreasers, such as water softeners, hydro-tropes, anionic and ionic surfactants, specific application solvents, etc...)

The main source of the above 3 parts can be from using baking soda as a alkaline booster, methylated spirit as a solvent (I would use methylated spirit because it is water-soluble), and a small amount of dish-washing liquid as a surfactant.

An example formulation by volume would be:

50% Methylated Spirit
40% Water (H20)
5% Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
5% Dish-washing Liquid

The methylated spirit and the sodium bicarbonate will work together to extract and lift the dirt/grime/grease, and the dish-washing liquid will work as a surfactant to stop it from depositing back on the bike again.

The dish washing liquid will also act as a wetting agent and a foam booster.

EDIT ----

Please also note, that the methylated spirit will prevent (or nearly prevent) any foam or the like from forming. If you want foam, you will have to substitute the methylated spirits with a mild solvent that is hydrophilic and not oil-based (lipophilic).

The best degreaser is simply a rag.

Disassemble the parts, rub them briskly with a rag, re-grease/re-oil and re-assemble.

YMMV depending on how far you let things go before servicing.


How to encourage people close to me to become cyclists? Sometimes you try to help somebody get into cycling (buy girlfriend a bike, fix up a
friend's bike, give a bike to family, help friend shop for bike) and they never
really get into it and fall back into the previous non-cycling habits.

Other times you do even less work and it "takes" and they get into cycling
and stick with it.

It's not clear to me why some attempts succeed and others fail.

What have you found worked to get somebody into cycling? What have you
seen work with others? What worked to get you into cycling? What techniques from other areas have you seen work that you think could work with cycling?

In my experience, a good first step is simply setting a good example, but we're looking for more than just that.

This started as a rewrite of What tactics other than 'setting an example' successfully encourage friends/family/others to become cyclists?
discussed at How can this question be improved?

Set a good example

In my experience, this is the baseline for almost any personal cycling advocacy.

Be available to help

Make it clear that you're available (but not pushy) to help any friends/family with cycling.

A challenge to get them in the habit

My regional bicycle coalition does a Team Bike Challenge as part of Bike to Work Day/Month. They change the rules each year, but basically your team earns points the more you use a bicycle for transportation.

A couple years ago, I "captained" a bike to work month team and got a few of my co-workers onto the team.  This requires identifying people who are likely cyclists who could possibly be convinced to bike commute regularly.  My team also had another person who already biked to work regularly during good weather. A couple of those team members are now regularly commuting to work on their bicycles, and one of them helps out at the local bike co-op type place now, too.

I think the two key aspects of this are:

Making it competitive provides motivation to do it day after day
Doing it day after day makes it a habit. Once you're in the habit, it's really no harder than riding to work.

A very close personal relationship

(borrowing a bit from moz's sexier answer on the original version of this question)

It can take several years. It's a very slow conversion process. Seems to have worked with freiheit♦'s current girlfriend, and with 2 of moz's girlfriends.

I think the fact that it's an activity you can do on your own, with your life partner, or with random acquaintances helps a lot.

Find a potential mate/girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse who is a potential cyclist
Through years of relationship, set a good cycling example
Help them get a bicycle (buy for them, help them shop, whatever) when they indicate interest (don't push)
Help them with any issues that come up. Fix a flat now and then, work on the bike (or get it to a shop) when maintenance is needed. Help them get the right accessories, etc.
Help them get that second bicycle when they figure out that the first one wasn't quite right
Help them get that third bicycle when they think they've finally got everything figured out just right.
etc.

Start early

Put your children on a bike as early as possible, first on a child seat on your bike (as soon as their head stands, 8/9 months) then on their own bike (3/4 years). Go to school by bike with them. Sooner or later, their mother will be converted as well.

With friends the subject of cars and traffic is bound to come up in the conversation one way or another, that is the time to say stuff like :

I don't remember what a traffic jam feels like.
The last time I put gas in the car, was it last month or the month before ?
There is always a free parking spot right in front of where I'm going, that's convenient...

At the restaurant, while the girls eat their salads, and you ravenously chomp  barbecue ribs and french fries, casually mention that you lost XX kilos of fat on your bicycle.


Is there a reason for levers to be reversed on bikes with hydraulic brakes? I recently bought a MTB with hydraulic disk brakes, and am finding really hard to adjust to the braking system. From the very beginning I was cycling with the front lever on the right. But now it’s reversed, and it’s really confusing me a lot.

I asked my mechanic about this and he says front brakes on the left is the European style of braking. So I should get used to it.

But, why exactly are brakes reversed on such bikes? And to add up, my mechanic claims that the brakes cannot be switched. Is this true or, am I just being punked?

It's not for hand signals. "Left hand only" signals were originally designed for cars. You couldn't use your right hand out the window, so you could only use your left. Using both hands to properly signal on your bike is far more clear. It's used on motorcycles due to the fact that the throttle is on the right hand, so you want to keep that engaged at all times.

Reversed brake routing (front on the right, back on the left) is called "moto" routing and is primarily used in MTB and cyclocross bikes. On a CX bike, it's done so you can have greater controlled braking with the left hand on the back brake while your dismounting your bike for a barrier and your right hand is on the top tube. The front brake offers more power, while the back offers easier minor speed control while approaching a barrier.

To answer your initial question, there is absolutely no reason the brakes cannot be switched on your bike. Either the mechanic is lazy or doesn't know how to work on hydraulic brakes. In either case, you should take it to another more capable shop.

1)  I can't think of a reason hydraulics can't be swapped however it might be that your particular brand comes one way or the other from the factory.  The hydraulics on my motorcycle can't be swapped but they involve steel braided lines and a front suspension and such.

2)  Another reason for "moto routing" -- and why some of us prefer it -- is that we also ride motorcycles.

Left hand on contemporary motorcycles is the clutch, right hand is the front brake.  When you take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) class you learn to do a controlled emergency stop using the clutch to disengage the engine (left hand), the front brake (right hand), and a wee bit of the rear brake (right foot).  (MSF ==> "Motorcycle 101", usually cheap/free, and it gets you out of the written exam in most US states.)

So my safety training is all about the right hand == front brake, swapping my cable brakes to moto was pretty trivial.  I've had to "emergency stop" on all my two-wheeled vehicles and I'm pretty happy that I haven't replaced "emergency stop" with "high speed low side drop and a trip to the ER".


How can I store my extra wheels on the wall efficiently, without hanging them by the rim? I have 5 pair of extra wheels, which I would like to store on the wall efficiently.

I am a little skittish about storing them using the rim since some of them are carbon wheels and I don't want to risk scratches. Any suggestions?

While I agree that there are no real risks to string your wheels by the rim, there are a number of DIY and commercial wall mounted racks for hanging wheels at the axle.

Wheelzrack makes one good option, and even integrates a storage shelf for shoes and helmets. They support up to for sets of wheels, which may be a good option in your case.

Feedback sports used to offer a Wheel Arm system, which had a bolt-to-wall mounting option (note: the Wheel Arm is no longer listed on home page but they sell alternate models).  These are designd for shop displays, but will work in the home as well, assuming your significant other is tolerant. :-)

Hope that is helpful.

I've been making these for about 6 months now. Check them out at http://www.foothillproducts.com/buy/offset-hook


Glossary - types of riders I'd like to create a terminology index for the types or categories of riders, similar to this question. By types of riders I mean the categories that pro racers are often identified as being part of or self identify as, i.e. sprinter, climber, time trailist ...

Rules

Answers should include:

One type of rider per answer - i.e. the answer title is "Sprinter"
A description of the the archetype of the rider
An example of a pro who embodies the archetype
A picture of the aforementioned pro that shows body type

Sprinter

A sprinter is a type of rider who is known for explosive power and acceleration.  They often have a large build, usually with massive quads and strong upper bodies.

Since they are relatively heavier than other riders their speed advantage is often limited to flatter sections and they can and are often dropped in hilly terrain.

Sprinters are know for drafting in the slipstream of teammates (usually the domestiques) who are sheltering them, before launching into a sprint in the final meters of a race.

Some sprinters are stronger in hillier terrain and cobblestones, and are sometimes categorized to be Puncheurs.  They often excel in the classics races.

Mark Cavendish

considered one of the best contemporary sprinters, he has 43 stage wins in Grand Tours, 25 of which were bunch sprints in the TdF going head to head with the best sprinters in the world.

A road rider sprinter .who is known for explosive power and acceleration.sprinter are known for drafting. this often excel in the classic races. sprinter is a professional bicycle.


Stopping interference between LED lights and wireless cycling computer My LED lights seem to be causing my wireless cycling computer to not pickup the signal (suggested by the manufacturer and verified through tests at home).

What strategies/options are there for reducing the interference outside of repositioning the computer (since I've tried all available positions)?

Because the items are going to have to remain in close proximity, it's unlikely that there is anything that will completely solve your problem, but there are a couple of things you can try.

If the lights are wired, it is possible that the wire is working as an antenna, and you can use a Ferrite Choke or two on the wire.

Tape one near where the wire leaves the battery, and another to where the wire lead plugs into the light.  The can be found at stores like RadioShack for a few bucks.

If the lights are wireless, aluminum and tin foil is an excellent reflector for this kind of Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI).

The first step would be to see if foil will help.  Try wrapping the outside of the lights with foil and repeating the tests you did before.  I doubt you can add foil to the computer because this will interfere with it picking up the wireless signal from the sensors.

If that reduces the interference you can tape the foil to the lights, carefully cutting away the foil around mounting brackets and buttons and see if the EMI is still reduced.  If the lights can be easily disassembled you can try taking them apart and lining the interior with foil as well; take care not to short out the internal electronics.

Good Luck.


Is 25 km/h average speed good? What speed should I aim for? So, I recently got into road cycling and have been riding for a few weeks. My average speed for most of my rides is around 25 km/h for the first 40 km and drops to 15 or 20 km/h for the next 20 or 30 km. I want to know if the speed that I'm riding at is considered as "slow" or "walking pace" or is the speed that I'm going at pretty good. I'm not sure what speed I should be aiming at.

Note:

I am preparing for long distance rides, mostly flats more than 80 km. So I want to know what speed I should be aiming for, not to win, but the speed that one should ideally be at.

There is no such thing as an ideal speed you should be aiming for.  It doesn't matter how fast you ride, there will always be faster riders, and there will also be slower riders.  The main thing is that you give it your best and try to enjoy your ride.

At events here in the UK it is typical to see riders averaging from 16-35km/h and everything between.

Edit: Advice above is for a typical sportive ride - if you have intentions to race things are a bit different and you should expect to need to be able to hold a bunch travelling at 35-40km/h for 2hrs for entry level road racing.

I am 74 yrs of age and ride a selection of bikes, mainly modified,Cannondale,Giant, Gary Fisher, here in the flat remote padis of Central Thailand .My preferred bike is a Giant onto which I have grafted the front end from a 125cc Honda Nova, dis brake and all, laced into a s/steel 700C rim..I have fitted a single chainwheel of 60 teeth,a modified recumbent item .
I can manage one lap of the Bueng Chawak Lake perimeter road (16km) in 42 mins .
This feels pretty fast , but of course by Olympic standards this a mere snail's pace .
Nevertheless for me, maintaining 22-23 km on such a heavy bike and at such an age is undoubtedly fast . Everything is relative is it not ?....


Which foot to put forward when coasting or track-standing? I am mostly concerned about track-stand here, because it requires much balance, so the question on "which foot to put forward" seems important enough.

This tutorial says "stand up with your strong foot on the forward pedal" (at time 0:46).

This tutorial says "the lead foot, which is the foot you're most comfortable putting in front..."

This strikes me very odd, because my right foot is stronger, but i feel much more comfortable with the left foot in front. When i am standing on my pedals, i mostly stand with my center of gravity behind the point where the cranks are attached. So it makes sense that my weight is mostly on the back foot, and it should be the stronger foot. However, other stuff i found in the Internet (example) invariably recommends putting your "strong", "good" or "dominant" foot in front.

What am i missing here?

Did i get used to a wrong technique, and should break my bad habits now?

Or is it not important enough, and i worry too much?

Just trackstanding on a flat road, mountain bike or other regular situation, just use the foot you feel most comfortable with in the forward position. The real key to performing a good, solid trackstand is to find a balance of forward pressure with your front pedal and resistance with either your brakes or your rear pedal (if you're riding fixed gear).

Another key to help out that I've found particularly useful is to try to keep the balance of the bike so that you can turn your handlebars in the same direction as your lead foot. This helps equalize the forward/backward pressures. Additionally, it helps prevent a tumble due to toe overlap, which isn't as big a deal on mountain bikes as it is on track bikes and road bikes because the front wheel is further out in front of the bike.

If you're trackstanding on an actual track in track racing - like a match sprint race - you'll want to have your right foot forward and turn your bars to the right. This allows you to use the banking of the track as your reverse resistance and your lead (right) foot as your forward pressure. Doing the opposite will make it much harder to control as gravity will want to pull you down to the middle of the track.

This same school of thought can be applied to a hill or other grade when mountain biking.

I have a little trick to find out which is strong foot.

On a regular speed, slam your front brakes. The foot you use to withstand the brake force is your strong foot.


Healthiest bike posture for slower long rides I'm looking for some evidence on bike posture and overall best positioning for healthiest rides that might be "long" (say around 30km) but also where speed is not a concern - think of bikepacking or bike touring.
It seems like the default is drop-bars because if speed is your concern that's obviously the most efficient. But looking also at upright bikes like Dutch bikes I wonder whether touring in such position can be better for your back/shoulders/ass on long distance.
Does anybody have any data that compares a few of these variables like "Upright + 30km + 15km/h" vs "Drop-bars-30-degrees-bent + 30km + 20km/h" -> "more bum sores in first one but less back strains" etc.

If you are looking for the most ergonomic riding position, you should give some kind of recumbent bicycle a serious consideration.
I don't have any references to data, and soreness is subjective. But in my personal experience, the recumbent and velomobile riders on longer rides (Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 km, London-Edinburgh-London 1400 km and such) are the riders reporting the least amount of posture-related problems.
You can still get sore on a recumbent if you overload your knees and leg muscles. But a reasonably fitted recumbent bicycle is probably the most ergonomic ride you can get: Your weight is spread out over a proper seat, your hands and arms are neutrally positioned and don't carry any load, and your back is supported. Also, almost every recumbent seat has a slight turn at the top to support your neck, and many have an ergonomic headrest (preventing problems like Shermer's neck).
I ride recumbents myself for longer brevets and touring, as well as "regular" bikes. The different in comfort on longer distances is noticeable, and the most interesting part personally is that you can increase your distance remarkably fast without soreness penalties. I have finished both 300 km sportives and longer brevets (up to 2100 km), and while the legs muscles feel quite worn, and I may look forward to some sleep and rest, my back, wrists, and seat does not hurt.
If you give recumbents a try, you should check the angle between your shoulders, hips and the bottom bracket. A large angle, with the three above almost in a straight line, is similar to an upright "city bike" - and may limit your power output, as well as put a bit too much weight on your seat. This could be the case for some older recumbents like the Tour Easy.
A sharper angle between shoulders, hips and bottom bracket is more similar to a typical road bike position, just rotated backwards and supported by a seat. This is typically found on short-wheelbase higher bottom bracket recumbents, like the Bacchetta highracers or the HPVelotechnik Speedmachine.
(a Schlitter Encore high bottom bracket road recumbent pictured below)

To reduce resistance to air currents, the person on the sports bike sits almost horizontally, bending over to the handlebars. The saddle is raised well above the handlebars and the handlebars are pushed forward. This position cannot be called physiological. The load on the arms, back, and neck increases. The center of gravity shifts forward. Athletes are accustomed people, but ordinary mortals get tired quickly. To somehow fix this, they lower the saddle and ride on bent legs. If you do not know what it is, then try to walk squatting or half-sitting for a hundred meters. A small digression for beginners. The foot on the pedal in the lowest position should be completely straight. If you, while sitting on a bike, confidently reach the ground with your toes, then you need to raise the saddle and do not need to be afraid to get off the ground. This is a very important point!
It is more comfortable to sit when the handlebars are higher than the saddle. In this case, you will not lose much in speed. Unfortunately, on sports bikes, the handlebar height is not or only slightly adjustable. Therefore, it is difficult to adjust the bike to your height.


My left pedal keeps falling off My left pedal keeps falling off, I think it's loose, or I'm not tightening it properly, but every time I ride my bicycle it gets loose.

There’s a best case scenario and a worst case scenario. Neither is too terrible.

Best case scenario: Your pedal is just loose. You can tighten it with a pedal wrench (some pedals can use a hex wrench) — however note that the left pedal is left-hand threaded so it’ll be the reverse of what you are used to. Thus, you have to screw it counter-clockwise to tighten it.

Worst case scenario: is that the crank threads themselves are badly damaged. This can happen if you pedaled on it while it was loose — because the crank is usually soft aluminum and the pedal is hardened steel. If the crank threads are worn, then no amount of tightening will work. Instead, you’ll have to take the pedal to your local bike shop where they will drill out the threads, tap slightly larger ones, and insert a helicoil. This will allow your pedal to go back on. It shouldn’t be too expensive, usually one-half hour of shop labor plus the cost of the helicoil (5-10 eurodollars).

So neither scenario is too terrible. Good luck!

P.s. don’t ever use thread lock to try to retain a loose pedal. Pedals by design are always tightening themselves when pedaled normally.  If a pedal is loosening itself, it’s not because of screw loosening forces, it’s because the crank threads are bad, and threadlock will not help. However, if the threads are still good then threadlock can cause the pedal to bind terribly such that the pedal won’t ever come off. Instead, you should grease the threads of pedals rather than ever use threadlock.

Wal Mart has been causing lots of pedals to come loose because they don't follow the manufacaturer's instructions and use a torque wrench when they install them. They don't follow instructions by the manufacturers. This has caused many pedals to come loose and many people to be badly injured. Huffy continues to use Wal Mart because Huffy is making money, and it puts up with the shoddy work of Wal-Mart.


How to prevent my chain from breaking? After my chain has broken what should I know about buying and maintaining a new chain (apart from lubing it and replacing when it 'stretches')? Do you keep a spare chain, or a spare link?

I have a commuter bike (a Kona Dr Dew) with Shimano dérailleurs.

The first chain was replaced "worn to at least 100%" after the first 6 months/5000 km. The cassette seems OK and not worn. This was the second chain, replaced two months ago. I noticed occasional slipping gears but don't know whether that was the chain, or the indexing of the gear shifter.

The chain (the replacement chain, which broke) is an SRAM PC-951 which Google says is "our most economical chain".

Update - it wasn't the removable SRAM link, it was one of the factory links that broke. Because it had been skipping and the previous chain worn more than 100%, I asked to replace the chain and the cassette (even though he agreed that the cassette didn't look really worn, he said 5000 km is too far for a chain); and got a chain stretch measuring tool, if replacing the chain every 6 months isn't often enough. Anyway it's tight again now. The new chain is a more expensive SRAM PC-991 (which cost more than the new SRAM 950 cassette). The original parts I think were all Shimano.

To keep your chain from breaking, keep the derailers properly aligned, ease off of pedaling when you shift, and don't "stomp" on the chain when it's not fully in gear.  (Folks who don't go back to the non-indexed days probably never got into the habit of coasting while shifting, but it wouldn't be a bad thing to practice a bit.)

Broken chains are exceedingly rare, and are almost always the result of putting load on the chain when it's not fully in gear.  The other likely source of damage is having sprockets that are so badly hooked that the chain gets sucked into a knot.

Update -- 6/14/18

An observation I made this week, working on a bike for Christmas Anonymous:

The bike (a 26" full susp BSO) came in with a mangled chain, a mangled rear wheel (half the spokes were broken), and a broken rear derailer.  The chain had actually been twisted 90 degrees at one point (amazing that it didn't break), something I'd never seen before.  It seemed like the chain had gotten twisted up in the rear cluster perhaps, after the rear wheel had gotten mucked up.  (Perhaps a garage accident -- hard to tell with such things.)

So I found a new rear wheel, a new rear derailer, and a new chain, and put it all together.  The rear derailer worked fine, once I got it adjusted (involved some cussing), but then as I tried to get the front derailer to work (blasted twist shifters, plus a cable that was routed so that it collected rainwater) I started having trouble with chain suck on the small front ring.  I could see that this chain suck likely caused the chain to knot up and twist, and it was only after that that the garage accident occurred, taking out both wheel and derailer.

Since the chain suck was consistently on two teeth a one point on the small ring, I was able to use a round file to smooth out the teeth and eliminate the problem.  I'm guessing the teeth had burrs from when the ring was manufactured, and the bike never got used enough to wear them off.

Whatever it is I do I guess.  I've never had one break.  I don't even worry about stretch.  If it's dry, I oil it, but otherwise I leave well enough alone.  I don't even bother to clean my chains.


Why does the glue in a puncture repair kit dry up so quickly? With puncture repair kits, generally you get like 6-8 patches and a tube of glue.

The only problem is I can really only use the glue for the first patch because once it opens, it just ends up drying up. Am I putting the lids on wrong or something?

I have plenty of the patches left. It's pretty much the glue that makes me keep having to buy more kits. Why do puncture repair kits only have one tube of glue? Is there anywhere where I can buy just the glue in bulk?

In my experience:

You only need to apply a drop of glue a bit larger than a pea (about 7mm diameter) per patch;
Glue inside eventually dries. If you only have a puncture once a year, most probably the glue remaining from the last puncture would be dry "no matter what". Also, there is an expiration date of around two years, but I think it's two years if you didn't open it yet;
(IMPORTANT) When you attach the cover of the tube, BE SURE TO REMOVE ALL THE AIR INSIDE by pressing its bottom untill half a drop shows up in the opening, otherwise the glue will evaporate inside the very tube (happened to me a lot of times until I figured it out...).
These glues have a volatile nature. I wouldn't buy it in large amounts, but rather to buy new spare glue tubes (without the whole patch kit). The kind of patch I use also have this problem: the patches (a small roll I have to cut with a scissor) last much longer than the glue.

Well, hope it helps!

1) It is correct that the glue dries out soon after first use. Many glues does that and the makers do not provide solutions to the problem because it will reduce sales.

2)All farmaceuticals today are sold with small quatities individual packed (each pill packed separately).
It would be the easiest thing to do with glue. But see 1).
Lars Bryndum


Switching from 118 link chain to 114 link chain - problematic or no big deal? My (trekking) bike has 9 gears (9 sprocket wheels at the rear wheel / Shimano Acera). I just wanted to replace sprocket and chain. I correctly bought a 9-speed chain but the length is wrong. My old chain has 118 links and the newly bought chain 114 links.
There are two reasons why I'm wondering whether I can still use the 114 link chain on my bike:

because I have it already
because 118 link 9-speed chains seem to be in short supply

So, what happens if I just put the 114-link chain on the bike? I assume this will make it necessary to readjust the gearing. Or is this not possible at all?
What are my options?

Bonus question: is there a qualitative difference between 114 and 118 links? Or is it just a different length and that's it?

Sometimes the length as provided (114, 116, 118) happens to be the exact length needed, but the norm is to size it down by removing some number of links.
The optimal length is determined by the size of your big back gear, your big chainring, and your chainstay length, with some length added on top of the minimum those factors will allow depending on the derailleur in question. If you go too short you can break your rear derailleur, derailleur hanger, chain, and/or or frame by shifting into a gear combination that overextends the rear derailleur.
Nine-speed trekking bikes can be outliers for chain length. The usual scenario for this is a 48t large chainring, 34t or 36t cog, and long chainstays, i.e. 450mm+. That bike setup being a mainstream entry in some regions is basically the biggest reason 118 link chains even exist. It's very possible you can't get away with 114.
Kindly request to buy a cut-off segment of new 9-speed chain from a bike shop plus two two-piece master links to splice it in, or Shimano pins if it's a Shimano chain and segment and if you're confident with that. (More finicky). It's not pretty but will be fine. In practice the SRAM and KMC two-piece links work with whatever 9-speed chain (except Campy) without issue, don't worry about that part.

My (trekking) bike has 9 gears (9 sprocket wheels at the rear wheel / Shimano Acera). I just wanted to replace sprocket and chain. I correctly bought a 9-speed chain but the length is wrong. My old chain has 118 links and the newly bought chain 114 links

Most likely the new chain is way too short.
A trekking bike sounds like a bike that:

Has a triple crankset with 48-tooth big ring as opposed to tiny "big" rings typical of MTBs
Has decent length chainstays as opposed to road bikes that often have ridiculously short chainstays
Has a rear cassette where the big sprocket is perhaps 32, perhaps 34 teeth.

For example, I have a touring bike with 48-tooth big ring, 11-30 cassette and 47 cm chainstays. The chain length calculator tells that it requires 116-link chain. I could have put a 11-32 cassette or 50-tooth big ring there but either choice would necessitate a 118-link chain and finding such a 8-speed chain with low shipping costs from an online store that has something else I may want to order at the same time is hard, especially if I limit myself to only Shimano chains as those have the superior reinforced pin based connecting system. Of course there are 138-link chains but such chains are so expensive I am unwilling to pay the price. In contrast, 116-link 8-speed chains can be easily bought from many different online stores. So that's why I limit my big ring and big sprocket sizes.
Unfortunately, we live in a world where those with the money buy predominantly bikes from either the "MTB" category (where the biggest chainring is so small that it's wonder why the bikes make any forward progress at all) and "road" category (where the chainstay is so short that anything larger than 23 mm tire will jam as it touches the seat tube). Those with the money won't purchase bikes from the "reasonable" category. So we are in a world where it's all too easy to buy a chain that is too short, but very hard to buy a chain that's the right size for a decent bike.


What would be some good and affordable mountain bikes for a beginner? What would be a good bike which would be low priced and work for a rookie?

Forget about chain store big box stuff  - cheap, nasty and comes with no support, They typically ride like pigs, and are usually exceptional heavy.  You get exactly what you pay for  - I won't put by 10 year old on one.

Cheapest is second hand, next cheapest is last years model on 50% mark down. Either way, go visit the LBS's around you and find one that has lots of kids bikes - its a sign they know about tight budgets. They also tend to be keen on the returning customers (kids grow out of bikes really quickly), so tend to give good service despite you not putting downs $1000's on a flash bike.

Do not pay sticker price. negotiate.... You will also need things like pump, helmet, spare tube etc. The LBS will also make sure you get the right sized bike.

If they are still out of your price, ask if they will check a second hand bike if you bring one in. A few dollars spent doing this and you will end up with a better bike for less money than a chain store bike.

If there is a Target or Walmart near by I would recommend simply buying a cheap, 250 or so dollar, mountain bike from them.  These are cheap and work great for a couple of years or so depending on how often you like to ride.


suggestions of affordable clothes for beginner rides? I am new to riding.  I have done some research, and found out there are plenty of guides telling people how to pick up cycling gear.

But I want suggestions for affordable, good quality clothes. I need advice from someone who actually bought the clothes. I don't need expensive cycling clothes like alpha, as I only ride once per week.  Any tips for beginners are welcome.

I need suggestions for both summer and winter. I am a man. I've been thinking about around 20 miles at the beginning.

For a beginner, as long as all the required naughty bits are covered, and you're comfortable standing and walking in those clothes, then they're generally fine for cycling.

A beginner is anyone tootling 3 kilometres/2 miles each way.  If you're regularly doing rides of 16 km/10 miles then that's about where cycling clothing will come in handy.

There's no need to go silly with race gear.

The first specialist items to consider are

Padded pants or shorts or bibs  like http://www.dx.com/p/top-cycling-cycling-silicone-cushion-underpants-for-men-black-l-258557#.VnPkpW_4ugo for $10 US or bibs like  http://www.dx.com/p/2012-bike-bicycle-cycling-padded-bib-shorts-black-size-xl-125561#.VnPioW_4ugo   You're after something between your backside and the seat, and ideally pants to give some compression on your knees.
High visibility top (NOT BLACK!) like http://www.dx.com/s/NJ600  Under $20 US  or http://www.dx.com/p/spakct-stylish-sleeveless-cycling-jersey-t-shirt-fluorescence-green-l-227832#.VnPknG_4ugo
Gloves, I just wear $2 white gardening gloves from the local hardware shop.

I have bought all these things and they work fine for me.  My longest ride was last weekend were I did 118 km.

Other than that, check this site for "what tools to carry on a ride" and nutrition/hydration questions.  However that's bike gear not clothing so only a brief reference.

I would recommend skipping why cycling uniform all together. Start riding and skip all the details shin pads, knee pads and all that stuff is pretty pointless unless you know you'll be riding at really high speeds near traffic.

After you've started riding for a while you'll feel good investing in an outfit.


How is this damaged aluminium frame likely to fail? I had an unplanned collision with a car yesterday (everyone is fine, thankfully) but my bike – a Giant Revolt 1 – now has a lovely new pair of dents.
I cycled it home from the collision (~6km) and it seemed “fine” although I was probably still in shock.
Looking at it today, and having looked at several other questions regarding dented aluminium frames, I’m trying to ascertain what the most likely failure is?
Is this frame likely to continue degrading/cracking over time (i.e. I might get several more months from it)?
Or is it more likely to fail catastrophically and fold in on itself?
I exclusively ride on paved roads although there are often small potholes.

How is this damaged aluminium frame likely to fail?

Sorry. It's not going to fail, it has failed. It's no longer ridable. The head tube is near vertical making the steering very unstable and the front wheel has been pushed back and will overlap with your toes. The frame tubes are not dented they are buckled and severely weakened. If you ride it the frame will catastrophically fail (either when you hit a bump or brake hard) resulting in a nasty crash.
I hope that if the car driver was a fault you got their details.

Safety wise, the entire bike is now a write off, The pro's would say that other parts of the frame can now crack unexpectedly after such a shock.
Personally I would do a 1 day repair using carbon fiber. you'll have to cut the top tube to bend the whole thing straightish.
Use more carbon fiber than this image, about 5mm CF wall thickness.

The advantage of carbon fiber is that it doesn't undo the crystals in the aluminium frame, because the entire frame is heated to 400 degrees and left to cool in high-spec ASTM standards.
Carbon fiber also costs 25 dollars, and it is stronger than a weld and than steel, but it will add 500 grams to the bike.
I have fixed a cracked aluminium frame using carbon fiber, it held up fine for 3 years until the suspension bearings wore out (centurion, german bike)
The problem with epoxy-carbon bonds is that they can be unstick, you have to research the best epoxy for aluminium, and perhaps treat it with acid first to take off the oxide, even after brusing it, and straight away after the acid is removed, put on some epoxy resin, and afterwards wrap it in carbon, then when it's all wrapped, heat it over a radiator for a few hours to waterproof the epoxy. Total work time is about 3 hours, one hour to prepare the frame, one hour to wrap the epoxy and carbon.
You have to make some dents and grooves in the frame to ensure the epoxy grips the frame like steel.


Spongy brakes/ deeper brake press My hydraulic brake (both left and right) has gotten weaker. I don't know how to say it, but it's like my brakes can now be pressed deeper. My front brake is so bad that it is touching the grips. I got this problem after a crash I had. Can someone help me find a solution to fix this?

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

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

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

What brand of brakes are they? If they are SRAM/Avid then they need to be bled at least once every year or they DOT fluid breaks down the internals and they feel like garbage. Another variable could be if they already is air in the line somehow. Lastly, are the brake pads completely worn out?


What are the benefits of drop bars? I come from a mountain biking background but I've also done a lot of cycle touring but I chose to go with flat bars and bar-ends vs drop bars.

I've also seen bikes that are designed for 'bike packing' such as the Salsa Fargo sporting drop bars.

Recently I've done more road biking but I still don't fully understand the reasons behind drop bars. Can you tell me what the benefits area?

The main advantage is more hand positions. With a regular flat bar, you hold your hands at the grips (with possibly about one more hand position available if you have bar ends).

With drop bars, you can hold at:

The brake hoods (on top of the brake levers)
The drops (the bottom part of the bar)
The tops (on the left and right of the stem)
That place between the hoods and the tops
Possibly others (or less of these, depending on who you ask).

For long rides, this makes a difference due to hand fatigue.

A secondary advantage is you can also change how aerodynamic you are and your body geometry with respect to the bike by shifting around and using different hand positions relatively easily. For example, when you're in the drops, you're in a more aerodynamic shape versus sitting straight up with your hands on the tops.

Drop bars aren't for everyone and do require proper setup (as do all bikes) and acknowledgement of the geometry of the bike. In particular, racers will likely set their bike up differently than tourers will (e.g. higher bars than racers), where its primarily a comfort thing. If you like doing long rides with flat bars and bar ends, more power to you. But for most people, the same bike won't work well with drop bars and flat bars because changing the bar changes the riding geometry.

There isn't.  Only time you use them is if you want to go  for balls to the wall speed or for aerodynamics.  Most of the time you're riding in the upright position. Even with the perfect bike fit when you're riding in the upright position on the horns eventually your back and neck hurt and hands goes numb from leaning over. Not fun. Stick with handle bars that give you an upright riding position. Only time you need to use drops is if you're a cyclist racing against the clock or other cyclists.


the thread for screwing in the pedal has been stripped on right side. Any way to avoid buying a whole new crank? Put a new pedal in, and followed advice not to screw it in too hard. Unfortunately, I made it too loose... and the thread on the right crank is now almost completely stripped because the pedal was moving around and abrading it.

Is there any way to replace just the right arm?

Cranksets are typically sold with both arms, not just one of them, so the exercise of finding just a right arm that is compatible is mostly academic (the only case I can think of that's somewhat reasonable is a parts bin at a bike co-op or shop which has one, but this is still unlikely). You're more likely to find the whole crankset instead, in which case there isn't really a reason to not install both of them.

That being said, on a square taper bottom bracket, you can install different square taper crank arms on the left and right (different sizes, different makes, etc). You can mix hollowtech 2 crankarms on the left and right as well. So on, so forth -- the compatibility is determined by what type of crankarm you're running.

If you have an autoshop nearby or a bike shop, you can also try to helicoil the crankset. This puts a new set of threads on for the pedal.

Also, note that if you don't have a crank puller, you're going to have to borrow one or likely go into a shop unless the crank is self extracting.

This is entirely doable, but if you don't have the equipment already, or a reason to do it again, it may be more expensive than buying a new crank arm.  Also if you're as unfamiliar with mechanics as you imply, you may have trouble.  Note that there's actually a lot of spare metal around the pedal thread.  To solve, pick a diameter about 4mm above the current hole.  Get a tap (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_and_die) of this diameter.  Drill out to the suitable diameter for that tap (online charts in same link). Tap (make a thread in) that hole.  Buy an aluminium bar of the tap diameter.  Use a die (same link) to cut an outside thread on that bar.  Screw the bar into the hole using thread lock compound.  Cut off the ends.  Drill a hole for the pedal thread centrally in the bar (web will tell you correct thread for pedals).  Tap that hole also.  Finally screw pedal in as before.  Unfortunately you will have to buy 2xtaps, 2xdrills, tap holder, aluminium bar, die, die holder and thread lock, and drill perpendicularly.  On the bright side, tapping and drilling aluminium is relatively easy.


Could the E-bike drivetrain wear down till needing replacement after 400 km? The drivetrain (chain? gears?) of my E-bike started to make loud clicking sounds, with the impression that the chain is skipping over teeth. The gear switching itself still works well.

I have tried to regulate the rear gear mechanism by adjusting the position screws but failed to make any improvement. The chain seems positioned properly.

I started to think, maybe some parts would require replacement. Could this possibly be for the bike that has been traveled only 400 km so far? It was rather cheap for E-bike from the other side, and on flat terrain it was mostly used on the same (fastest) gear.

Could some parts be already worn if low end? If so, which parts are likely to be?

I have tried to regulate the rear gear mechanism by adjusting the position screws but failed to make any improvement.

That's almost never the adjustment that the rear derailleur needs. Those screws are called the limit screws, and they set how far in and out the derailleur can move. All they do is stop the derailleur from moving the chain all the way off the cassette on either side. There's basically nothing that causes those screws to move on their own so, assuming they were set correctly when the bike was built, they should almost never need to be touched. The symptoms that do mean they need adjustment is that either the chain is falling off the top or bottom of the cassette (derailleur able to move too far) or that gear changing is just fine, except that you can't change into the smallest or biggest cog (derailleur not able to move far enough).

The correct adjustment is to use the barrel adjuster to get the correct cable tension. That very often is needed on new bikes, because the cables tend to stretch a bit after they're installed. Argenti Apparatus has already posted a video so I'll not go into more detail than that.

Take the chain off and thread it through the rear derailleur properly.

It happened to me - there is a small guard near the top cog and the bottom of the rearderailleur, I threaded my chain on the outside of it (easilly done) chain slipped as described.


Is there such thing as a 28 inch wheel? I'm looking at puncture-resistant tires and I see Schwalbe Marathons* listed for size 28 x 1 1/2.  Are there 28 inch wheels?  If not, what size is that meant to fit?

( * Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS 440 Wire Tire)

Schwalbe is one of the few brands that lists tire sizes this way. Their 28's come in two ISO's. Tires listed as a decimal size such as 28x2.0 are a 622mm ISO, while tires with a fractional size such as 28 x 1-1/2 are a 635mm ISO.

635mm are an uncommon size to American markets but can be found on

  "English, Dutch, Chinese, Indian Rod-brake roadsters"

from varying manufacturers and production dates.
From Sheldon Brown

622mm are commonly referred to as 29 and 700C sizes, which are commonly found on current production mountain and road bikes. 29 and 700C tires are interchangeable as long as the rim width can support the size of the chosen tire. For example a 700 x 50 tire roughly equates to a 29 x 2.00 , or in Schwalbe terms 28 x 2.00"

*Answer has been edited thanks to people paying more close attention to the question than I did.

Yes there is.  He is a picture of one from another SE post which is directly related to your question and shows the type of wheel.


How can many people move a car -trailer with bicycles? I need to move a trailer like this one here but with 4 wheels (two on both sides). I have no access to cars. The distance is about 100km or more, and I am a bit unsure how I am going to move it:

where I should move it on pedestrian way or on car road?
How should I do it?
I am ready to buy any bike to move this type of things so some recommendations for this type of cargo moving with bike? Diamond-framed may not be the best option. I have some friends on the journey so I have considered to hack a dandem or tri-bicycle or weld old touring bikes together to form one larger X-cycle.
I have noticed that my bicycle brakes are not really enough to move larger cargos, any ideas how to upgrade brakes in bike or some hack to the trailer? Or how many bicycles would be enough to stop this at least 1.3Mg beast?
I think we are going to move during night anyway but we may need to use some car roads - what kind precautions should I do with the trailer besides installing a lot of blinking lights and reflectors?

The first question is what the legal situation is. I am fairly sure that in Australia that trailer would not be a legal bike trailer because of the overhang past the rear axle, but the police would stop you because it's too large (they generally don't know this part of the law very well). Either way, I doubt you'd get far before they took an interest.

If you can tow it legally, I'd look at how to activate the brakes in the trailer. You will need to be able to do that relatively easily, because those will be your only effective brakes. That trailer will push a bicycle with it's wheels locked up quite easily. So, make the trailer brakes work.

Then I would build a quick semitrailer-style load tricycle, either a tandem or triplet. Somewhere on the net are photos of a bike shop move (in north america?) where they built a couple of semi-trailer style trike+trailer units for the heavy stuff (workbenches at 200kg+). Broadly, a solid axle between two wheelbarrow-style wheels, one side driven, very low geared, upright trike. You would probably want gears in there, but the main thing is to mount the towball as close to that axle as you can. Have the rear rider operate the (trailer) brakes, and the front rider operate the steering and gears. I would fit brakes to the trike but only for legal reasons and so it can be ridden separately from the trailer.

Depending on the weight of the trailer and the slope of the hills, you may find that you need a few extra riders to help push the trailer up hills. Either way, walking speed is a fair guess at how fast you'll go. Partly because you don't want to go faster than that down hills either.

You will probably have better luck if you do it as a charity ride - it doesn't really matter which charity, just pick one you kind like who will let you use their name and start advertising "fund raising ride - five idiots pull a big trailer from Here to There using a tricycle". With a little effort I'm sure you could even make enough money for them to be really happy :)

Depends on the weight of the trailer and how hard it is to hook up.  (Your link no longer shows what kind of trailer.)

Look at the amount of weight pulled by single riders in the pictures here.

Now that the link has been replaced by a photo, I would definitely think one bicycle is not enough.  :-)


How do you shift your weight when leaning on a turn? When I turn I usually shift my weight on the same side I'm turning to. To ease the discussion let's assume we are turning left, on a paved road (no mud/gravel/potholes/grease/oil/ice/door traps).

I would lower the right foot, move my bottom to the left and this is sufficient to tilt the bicycle to the left.

However I have seen other people doing different things (remember we are turning to the left):

some people do the same as I do, but in addition they stick their left knee sideways. I tried (when nobody was watching) but don't see any advantage.
Some other people instead move their bottom to the right and then (I think using their hands) they tilt the bicycle to the left.

Having given this context (but feel free to add more styles/methods) I wonder what's the best way to take a turn, primarily in terms of speed, but I'm also interested in safety, when I can activate my brain enough (sometimes happens).

I think this relates quite nicely to motorbikes where you corner at very high speeds and I'll give a run-down of the techniques, why they are useful and how they apply, and how they might apply to cycling.

So when turning left:

You shift your weight over on the seat and tilt the bike left. This allows the centre of gravity to be slightly lower, aiding in stability and keeps the contact patch of the tyre to road more central.
Sticking your left knee out also. This is done for two reasons, firstly (if you're wearing knee protection) it can give an indication of when you're leant over too far (your knee touches the floor). Secondly it works like an air brake (for additional braking) and also will start pulling you towards the direction you are going slightly. You have to be going pretty fast for this to be effective, but it can help if you're racing.
I can't see any benefit of tilting the bike over whilst staying more upright. Higher centre of gravity, less control. It might be a sub-conscious impulse to not falling over low-side.

Another tip for cornering fast:

When going into a corner and you feel like you may run wide, or want to tuck into the apex a little more, turn the handlebars in the opposite direction to the turn (right) just a little. This is called 'counter-steering' and will cause the bike to tip over more and turn in a little harder. This can be a life saving technique if there is a car coming the other way or is overtaking you. Don't over do it though ;)

Also, ultimate safety tip: never brake and turn at the same time.

Source: I've been riding high performance motorcycles for about 5 years.

Tip 1. Cyclist should never take tips from motorcyclist about cornering. The physics are completely different. EG. Moto GP has a combined weight minimum of 150kg of which 50-60kg is high sitting rider (thats why those guys are small and skinny) and 90-100kg is low slung motorbike. Cyclist completely invert that ratio. The same rules for rider/bike positioning do not apply.


Disadvantages of Riding Larger Frame Sized Bike than Reccomended Frame Sized Bike I unconsciously bought a bike which's frame size is larger than recommended. (My height is 163cm bikes frame size is for people 174-190cm) (I dont have any problems with reaching ground with my feet when I stop)
Bike is BMW M Cruise bike's large frame

My question is will this bigger bike cause orthopaedic problems and will it really differ my handling if I go for a proper sized bike?

Thanks beforehand

Actually knowing if a bike frame is the correct size based on height is nearly impossible, they are best guesses. When looking at fitting a bike there are so many different things a fitter will look at.

First lets look at what changes on the bicycle when you change frame size:-

Top Tube (TT) - this is normally measured as a theoretical as this tube is not normally straight, see the below diagram. This determines how far you have to stretch on the frame
Head Tube (HT) -  this determines how long the steerer is, this is how far down the stem could be mounted as a minimum, but also usually means that they can be mounted higher as well, simply the longer this is the higher the bars tend to be.
Seat Tube (ST) - this determines how low you can get your saddle, and how high - the longer the seat tube the higher your saddle can be as a minimum, and the higher as a maximum.

So lets look at what all this means for you.
If you happen to have short legs and a longer torso/arms, this could mean that a larger frame could be better, as the length of all the tubes increases. To break it down. The top tube length will help as the reach will increase, and usually no one has short enough legs to need seat post all the way into the frame.

If you happen to have very long legs and a short torso, its actually more difficult to size and then fit. This is because you have a short reach, which means you need a smaller frame size, but you need to have all of the seat tube out of the frame, this in conjunction with a short head tube means you will have a larger saddle to bar drop (great for the pros, horrific for those not flexible enough, or used to it!).

Having a frame too small and large also has an effect on handling, a larger frame is more cumbersome but much more forgiving and much less twitchy. A smaller frame the opposite is true, much "flickable" and maneuverable, but with the downside of being twitchy.

This is before we even get into the micro adjustments like stem length, angle and position; saddle position and angle etc etc. Which all again have an effect on handling and comfort e.g. a long low stem makes the bike feel great at high speed, but like a bus at slow speed.

The key points for you as a rider, are the points of contact with the bike and ensuring they are in the correct position. This will affect the overall comfort of the bike. i.e. while a stretched-out, super-low position might be fast, for a prolonged period it can be uncomfortable. And the converse is also true, an upright comfortable position may suit, but this can be slow.  The aim here is to find the compromise of comfort, speed and handling.

  (I dont have any problems with reaching ground with my feet when I stop)

This is only important in so much as ensuring when standing over the top tube you can put both feet flat on the floor.

Falling off the bicycle would be far more dangerous when the frame is too large. Especially if you ride on ice, cross-country, or use clipless pedals.

You posture also should be grossly wrong given the stated size difference.


Replacing bottom bracket on 98 trek 820 I'm trying to replace the bottom bracket assembly on my 98' trek 820.  The current one grinds and needs replacement.

The bracket that came in it is a shimano bb-ct92.  I've looked online and can't find it for sale...what should i do to replace a minimum of parts and get this bracket changed out?

The dimensions are 68x116, but apparently because the front derailleur attaches to the bottom bracket, or complicates things.

Any suggestions?

Out of curiosity, how difficult/costly would it be to move to a normal style derailleur?  One that would allow me to use a standard style bottom bracket?

TL;DR - Just about any square taper bottom bracket that has a 68mm shell and roughly 116mm spindle should work fine. You should be able to find one for very little money at either your LBS or online.

As far as I can tell, the derailleur mounting to the bottom bracket doesn't make a lick of difference in selecting your bottom bracket. I've never actually used one, but from what Sheldon Brown says and the images I've found, it seems like it's just a ring that is held in place between the bottom bracket and its shell.

There are four things to worry about when replacing your bottom bracket:

The threading
The shell width
The spindle type
The spindle length.

Your bottom bracket appears to have standard English threading. This is by far the most common type of threading on the market. Just make sure that they one you buy has English threading (or, at least, doesn't list some other type of threading) and you'll be good on that front.

The shell width is the "68" in that 68x116 measurement that you mentioned. 68 and 73mm are the most common shell sizes. Many bottom brackets are sold to fit either one, some are specific to one or the other. The universal ones have a spacer that you just leave out for a 68mm shell.

Your bottom bracket appears to be a square taper bottom bracket. This means that the spindle is square and tapered. Sheldon Brown has an excellent image comparing different bottom bracket spindle types. You're lucky in that square taper bottom brackets are both common and inexpensive. There are also varying lengths of taper. Yours appears to be a JIS square taper, which is again, incredibly common and inexpensive.

Finally, you need the spindle length to match (more or less). The spindle length is the "116" in your measurement. I say it needs to more or less match because often have some wiggle room on a geared bike. Whether or not you have wiggle room, and how much you have, will depend on a lot of other factors. If you can, it's easiest to get an exact match.

For the sake of completeness, I should mention that there are also external bottom brackets. But those are a whole different ball of wax designed to work with a completely different crankset and probably not worth worrying about in your present situation.

It appears that the BB shell is the 68mm English standard which means for very little money you can replace the bottom bracket and most likely crankset. A quick search on Jenson USA brought me this, which should come in a size that will fit your 820. If you'd like more details on the bike's specs for sizing, I'd recommend looking at it's page on bikepedia.


What to do with a frozen bike? My bike was outside and it snowed. I thought it was ok because it was undercover but the tarp broke and now my bike is covered in snow.

I had 3 locks on it, 2 of them came off but one is frozen. I moved it inside now and am wondering what I should do?

I want to protect the bike from rust and corrosion. I'll start by knocking the snow off it, then wiping it down with a rag. I have a space heater that blows hot air I can point at it. Any parts in particular I should look out for, like cleaning the chain? It's a road bike.

Let it air dry (and/or wipe it dry as much as you can) and move on with your life. Don't put it near a heater, cause that isn't good for the rubber stuff. Re-lube the chain.

What gets you in winter is not so much the snow/ice, but the salt (which doesn't affect your bike if its just standing there). In this case, if you have the time and space to bring the bike in for a prolonged period of time (say, overnight), you can wipe down the frame with a damp cloth, maybe clean+lube the chain and drivetrain and other parts you would do routinely (e.g. brake pivots if you're using V-brakes; I usually have to take the v-brakes off and clean the posts and what not at least a few times in a winter).

Also, note that you can't rust out an aluminum bike, and this shouldn't really have caused a problem for a steel bike. A lot of people have bikes (steel or otherwise) which they leave out through winters and salt and survive fine for decades.

Some WD-40 might help for the frozen lock once it has thawed. For the frame, you might consider putting some car wax on it for some extra protection. Don't forget to remove the seat to and grease the seatpost.


Are there better tires for heavy riders? I have upgraded the backwheel on my hybrid bike to one suitable for a 285 pound rider. Are there tires suited for 285 pound (130 kg) riders?

I would go as wide as your frame and fork will allow. The increased volume will support the weight better than a skinnier tire at higher pressure.

My suggestions would be go for the broader ones with advanced polymer (synthesised ones) with larger tread blocks for a better grip on the roads.


What is the theory behind a gravel bike? As I understand a gravel bike, it's basically a road frame but perhaps with a slightly more upright riding position. It has wider tires with much deeper treads and a stiffer rubber than standard road bike tires. What is the theory behind these changes? I had always thought that the thicker and stiffer tires were to prevent small bits of gravel from pinching flats, but is the theory instead that the deeper treads and wider tires are supposed to increase traction? And what is the rationale for the upright riding position?

GCN had a funny take on this recently: Gravel bikes exist because mountain biking is now boring. Or to give slightly more nuance, mountain bikes make it so easy to ride over difficult terrain that they remove the challenge.
Coming at it from the opposite direction, road cycling may be losing some popularity because A) roads in many places are poorly maintained due to austere public-works budgets, and B) motorists are motorists. Which creates some demand for something that you can ride on bad roads/roads that motorists don't drive on.
Gravel bikes generally are designed for a little more comfort and stability than a road-racing bike--more in line with a road "endurance" bike. Hence the more upright position and slacker angles. Some people ride gravel bikes with fat slicks—I don't think you can make any sweeping judgments about tires, other than they're fatter than road tires.

As I understand a gravel bike, it's basically a road frame but perhaps with a slightly more upright riding position. It has wider tires with much deeper treads and a stiffer rubber than standard road bike tires. What is the theory behind these changes? I had always thought that the thicker and stiffer tires were to prevent small bits of gravel from pinching flats, but is the theory instead that the deeper treads and wider tires are supposed to increase traction? And what is the rationale for the upright riding position?

Gravel bike is a road bike done right. I personally think that what is currently called "road bike" should be called "racing bike", and what is currently called "gravel bike" should be called "road bike". But, you cannot change the existing terms so they had to invent a new term.
The upright riding position allows you to actually enjoy cycling without suffering from pains during and after your ride.
The wheels of a gravel bike are more likely to have the full number of spokes (36 per wheel). Such a spoke count makes a more durable wheel, and a 36-spoke wheel does not instantly go completely out of true if one spoke breaks.
The tire clearance of a gravel bike allows you to avoid the excessively narrow 23mm tires that many racing ("road") bikes must use because even 25mm tire might not have enough clearance to work with e.g. a broken spoke or some room for mud if riding on muddy roads. In contrast, you can pick some reasonable tire like 28mm or 32mm tire -- the 28mm or 32mm tires can be pumped to usage pressure in an easier manner by a pump that you can actually carry with you in case of punctures, and less likely to pinch-flat than 23mm tires. If riding in a location that has a true winter, you most likely are able to find studded winter tires that fit a gravel bike, whereas you cannot fit such tires to a racing ("road") bike.
A gravel bike is more likely to have possibility to fit pannier rack and fenders. Very useful if you actually use your bike for useful transportation like going to a grocery store instead of going for a 20km bicycle ride starting from your home and ending to your home, and then afterwards driving 10km to a grocery store by a car and driving back the other 10km.
A gravel bike is more likely to have disc brakes even though such brakes are becoming more common on even racing ("road") bikes. Very useful in the rain.
A gravel bike is more likely to have an actually useful rear cassette. In contrast to the current trend of 11 or even 12 sprockets in the rear, which makes the gear changes excessively small if you have a racing-style cassette with very small biggest sprocket (a hill ahead of me? click... click... click... oops nothing happened, oops I forgot that I have a 12-sprocket cassette with fine spacing so I must click three times more for a total of 6 times!), a gravel bike is likely to have a cassette where the biggest sprocket is actually so big that the gear changes actually do something. Not that you need a big sprocket, but it's because the current trend of 11 and 12 sprocket cassettes necessitates a big sprocket in order for gear changes to do actually anything that you can feel at your feet. Of course the best way to solve the gear count problem would be to go back to 6- or 7-sprocket drivetrains, but that cannot be done due to marketing reasons. You cannot reasonably today sell a bicycle with 6- or 7-speed drivetrain, as nobody would buy it.
A gravel bike is less likely to contain lots of carbon fiber in e.g. the frame, fork or load-bearing components. In contrast, a gravel bike is more likely to have a reasonable frame and fork material (i.e. butted high-strength chromium molybdenum steel or other similar high-quality steel alloy). You don't have to purchase that $100,000 X-ray machine and find some location in your home to install it and supply electricity for it so that you can inspect your carbon fiber components every time for damage after you fall. In contrast to carbon fiber that can suffer invisible internal damage after falling that is only detectable with methods such as X-rays, metals always fail at the surface so after falling you can just keep an eye on developing cracks at the surface of the metal. Most cyclists buy carbon fiber and skip buying the all-important $100,000 X-ray machine and only hope for the best after falling, because a carbon fiber component is expensive to replace. My approach for avoiding the $100,000 X-ray machine problem is to avoid carbon fiber.
A gravel bike is less likely to be excessively lightweight and emphasizes durability over light weight. This is very useful, because an excessively lightweight bike fails in no time, perhaps in a dangerous way.
Some time in the past cyclists wanting a reasonable bike had to buy a drop bar touring bike (oops, it has a too low bottom bracket), or a cyclocross bike (oops, it has too low handlebar position). No need for that anymore, as you can purchase a gravel bike with neither of these problems.
About the only problem with gravel bikes is that the preinstalled tires are gravel tires (they have to be, otherwise you couldn't name the bike "gravel bike"). You can fix this problem by removing the gravel tires and installing high-performance slick tires, if you mainly ride on pavement.
I recommend selecting gravel bike as your only bike. If riding often on roads having soft (muddy? snowy?) surface, of course you might benefit from a second bike (MTB? fatbike?) with even thicker tyres.


How can I repair a swollen tire allowing visibility on the inner tube (picture provided)? I have a new problem on my bike which occured after patching my inner tube. Since I put the patch on, my tire is pushed out away from the rim near the intake valve (not near the patch). In the picture below, you can see the inner tube between the rim and the tire (partially hidden from view by snow). This is the case only on that spot, and only on that side. I can still ride the bike (I've been riding it like this for two days) but I can feel a small bump every time my wheel make a full rotation. Mostly, I'm afraid it will break soon.

The question: What's causing this problem and how can I solve it?

The picture does not make the situation totally clear, but it appears that tube is not centered in the tire, and the tire is not centered over the rim.  This tends to happen especially near the stem, because the thicker part of the tube gets caught between tire and rim and prevents the tire from sliding into place.

Deflate the tire, then press the valve stem in about 1/2 or 3/4 inch while you wiggle the tire to get it around and under tube.  Inflate slowly, and if you see the same thing again, repeat the process.  It may take two or three tries to get things lined up..

(If, on the other hand, what we're seeing is the sidewall failing and the tube pressing through the sidewall then the tire's toast.)

As pointed out in other answers, the true solution is to get a new tire but you can for a short time reinforce the worn section of the sidewall with a folded dollar bill.

Just fold the bill into thirds and place it between the tire and the tube.  I am not sure why (or if) a dollar works better than other materials but this is what I was always told and this is what I have always used.