Locomotive vs Multiple Unit

What are the considerations needed to make between choosing a locomotive or MU to power a train?<br>I know passenger trains in Europe tend to be MU but freight is always locomotive hauled.

Freight is usually loco-hauled for convenience and flexibility reasons: one day you could be dragging coal wagons, another you could be pulling oil tankers around. For passenger trains, reliability and track access charges are usually the deciding factors.

Regarding reliability: if the engine fails on a loco-hauled train, then it'll block the line for everyone else, in the freezing cold or the baking sun, with the toilet tanks filling up, until it can be rescued by another locomotive. Lose an engine on a DMU and it'll be a minor inconvenience, as there will be two or three others that can pick up the slack: or, EMU stock that was built this century will have redundant duplicates - two pantographs, multiple transformers, and so on.

Regarding track access charges: it's like how HGVs pay more road tax than a Fiat 500, because they tear up the roads more. Multiple units are only a little more heavy than a standard unpowered carriage, and the overall weight is neatly spread along the length of the train, so they'll be cheaper to use on the rails than when all the weight is concentrated into a single locomotive.

Then there's stuff like, MUs are quick to accelerate because they've a dozen powered axles up and down the train all transmitting the 'oomph' to the rails, rather than just the four on a locomotive, and all those powered axles then make it possible to perform tricks like regenerative braking.

And, from an operator's perspective, a MU means you can fit more passengers into the space where a locomotive would be, or a buffet car, or whatever. BR used to use the empty space inside locomotives for parcels and bikes, and in less enlightened times that's how the handicapped had to travel; but these days parcels and bikes aren't profitable compared to bums on seats.

>>1991490
This is completely wrong. Locomotives have fewer elements prone to failure than EMUs, and when one EMU element breaks down the whole train stops working, often it won't even be possible to drive a multiple composition with a broken down EMU, maybe it can run under its own power to the next station but more often than not it sti has to be towed by a different EMU or a locomotive. Then once broken down you lose a whole train, while a broken down locomotive can be swapped and the rest of the train stay in use while the loco is repaired.

The truth of the matter is EMUs are preferred over locomotive-hauled trains for a sinple reason: shunting. Train companies hate shunting railroad cars, it requires workers, it requires shunting locos, it requires track space for moving cars around, etc.. With freight well fair enough you can't really get around it, but with passenger trains it's avoidable and rail operators will rather deal with the countless drawbacks of EMUs rather than shunt cars around.
EMU drawbacks include
>when it breaks down the whole train is out of service
>all the same, any small breakdown means full EMU out of service, not just the one car
>breaks down more easily than a locomotive
>awkward space distribution because of mechanical parts having to be fitted
>more noise and vibration in passenger compartment
>little flexibility, you can only couple together whole EMUs and not single cars (eg. either 8 or 16 cars with no in-between)
>you can't combine different trains like maybe through cars or a train section from another country (this is common in Europe) so you still need locos for that

tl;dr EMUs are inferior to loco-hauled trains except operations are simplified

>>1991494
>when one EMU element breaks down the whole train stops working, often it won't even be possible to drive a multiple composition with a broken down EMU, maybe it can run under its own power to the next station
it stops working altogether but also it can carry on, and bluntly i don't think you know what you're talking about, at all

Each setup has advantages and disadvantages. I think it comes down to what each operator feels better about operating given their own territories and constraints. Personally I'd rather ride behind a conventional locomotive than on a DMU just because the engine noise and vibration is annoying. With EMUs that doesn't matter.

>>1991490
>all those powered axles then make it possible to perform tricks like regenerative braking
You can do that and dynamic braking with locomotives as well

>>1991506
>You can do that and dynamic braking with locomotives as well
Can you think of any that do?

>>1991508
>Can you think of any that do?
I'm not familiar with all locomotives around the world but in North America dynamic braking has been standard on locomotives built in the last 50 years, barring switchers

>>1991506
That's one of my main complaints with DMUs.
Travelling back home from Nottingham, the Voyagers were loud and rattled when stopped in a station. The HST was silky smooth in comparison with very little noise or vibration.

Though a Stadler FLIRT might be a good compromise. It's an EMU that can be converted to a DMU by adding a power pack that has all the diesel engines. That also allows for enough space to lower the floor and have level boarding in the UK.

>>1991582
That's an improvement. Can you walk through the power car?

>>1991527
Fair enough. Still, I'd expect it's easier to get the motors' tractive effort down to the rails via a dozen powering axles, compared to just four; ditto braking and recovering energy with a dozen axles with motor generators on them.

i mean we joke and all, but 'engine noise and vibration, loco: SOVL, engine noise and vibration, dmu: SOVLLESS' gets tiring when it becomes clear people genuinely believe this

>>1991494
>Locomotives have fewer elements prone to failure than EMUs
[citation needed]
>and when one EMU element breaks down the whole train stops working
[citation needed]
>breaks down more easily than a locomotive
[citation needed]
>little flexibility, you can only couple together whole EMUs and not single cars (eg. either 8 or 16 cars with no in-between)
this isn't a problem because you don't actually need to hyper-optimise the number of cars
>you can't combine different trains like maybe through cars or a train section from another country (this is common in Europe) so you still need locos for that
unless you're running an absolute shitton of through cars this isn't a problem because emus can be made compatible which each other

also you didn't actually address any of his pro-emu arguments

>>1991605
>[citation needed]
Not him but you don't make convincing arguments either

>>1991494
>>1991494
>when it breaks down the whole train is out of service
Not the case at all.
>all the same, any small breakdown means full EMU out of service, not just the one car
The motor car that's effected is the one that is out of operation the train still works, especially with newer EMUs going away from a dedicated motor/trailer set to ".5" motor sets.
>breaks down more easily than a locomotive
You could argue this but new emus are built around redundancy where this isn't an issue.
>awkward space distribution because of mechanical parts having to be fitted
What do you mean I've never had any issues with this unless it was older stock that had to have an ATS cabinet moved inside the train.
>more noise and vibration in passenger compartment
Only in motor cars but it's not even that bad.
>little flexibility, you can only couple together whole EMUs and not single cars (eg. either 8 or 16 cars with no in-between)
Cool the kururi line runs 1 car dmus in the middle of the day and at rush hour they hook up 3 of those 1 car DMUs together. Keikyu runs 8+4 emus in rush hour and uncouples them at shinagawa until there is enough of them on a storage track and runs them 4+4+4 all abound for different stations.
>you can't combine different trains like maybe through cars or a train section from another country (this is common in Europe) so you still need locos for that
JR tokai runs 211,311,313s together in trainsets. Jr Hokkaido even has multiple working on the Kiha 201 dmu with the 731 series emu.

whole load of I Don't Like It So There (crossed arms, pouts) itt

>>1991585
Yeah, but it's narrow so you wouldn't want to squeeze through with luggage or in a wheelchair

>>1991646
I knew keikyu coupled up their 8+4 trains at kanazawa bunko, makes sense they'd split them apart somewhere too. Do the 12 car trains terminate at shinagawa platform 3? I'd imaging trying to decouple cars on the through tracks would be tricky during peak with them essentially being a metro line. Or maybe they run out of service to the layup tracks above the portal to sengakuji before being broken down?

>>1991646
>>when it breaks down the whole train is out of service
>Not the case at all.
bruh literally no place anywhere ever runs a broken down EMU hooked up to a working one.

>The motor car that's effected is the one that is out of operation the train still works, especially with newer EMUs going away from a dedicated motor/trailer set to ".5" motor sets.
Or an EMU where one of the motor cars is broken down. It gets sent to the shops right away. So your whole argument is pointless.
>You could argue this but new emus are built around redundancy where this isn't an issue.
"Redundancy" is a strange way of spelling "added expense"
>>awkward space distribution because of mechanical parts having to be fitted
>What do you mean I've never had any issues with this unless it was older stock that had to have an ATS cabinet moved inside the train.
The only EMUs with level floors are high-floor ones. Low-floor ones need to make space at the end of the cars for the motors and all that.
Double-decker EMUs will have long, narrow corridors at the end of the cars where the mechanical elements are housed.
>>more noise and vibration in passenger compartment
>Only in motor cars but it's not even that bad.
You said yourself that EMUs are moving away from dedicated motor-trailer sets
>Cool the kururi line runs 1 car dmus in the middle of the day and at rush hour they hook up 3 of those
This only works in a extremely low-capacity situation, as hooking up a bunch of small EMUs/DMUs ends up simply being way more expensive and requiring more maintenance than one loco and a bunch of cars.

tl;dr you're wrong and I am right.

>>1991483
Locomotive for long distance train, EMU for commuter train and HSR.

>>1991735
>bruh literally no place anywhere ever runs a broken down EMU hooked up to a working one.
and where are these places that are constantly swapping out failing loco-hauled passenger cars?
>"Redundancy" is a strange way of spelling "added expense"
do you think choosing multiple units instead of locomotives is the financially wrong choice to make
>This only works in a extremely low-capacity situation, as hooking up a bunch of small EMUs/DMUs ends up simply being way more expensive and requiring more maintenance than one loco and a bunch of cars.
he literally gave an example of 4-car units being used and split on a busy commuter line
>as hooking up a bunch of small EMUs/DMUs ends up simply being way more expensive and requiring more maintenance than one loco and a bunch of cars.
again, where are these places that are constantly removing and adding cars to meet demand?

>>1991764
>and where are these places that are constantly swapping out failing loco-hauled passenger cars?
Locos don't fail because they're built better. After all, they're purely tractive vehicles, not a combination of tractive and passenger car.
>do you think choosing multiple units instead of locomotives is the financially wrong choice to make
Depends. But I'm ok with spending more on railways if it creates local jobs in operations rather than in manufacturing train parts in Chyna or something.
>he literally gave an example of 4-car units being used and split on a busy commuter line
You didn't get my point. The smaller your trains, the more flexibility but the more expensive overall. Two 4-car EMUs are more expensive than one 8-car EMU. That's the point. In Switzerland they're using 8-Car EMUs now for some trains. Meaning composition is 8 or 16 cars. Limited flexibility. Having 4-car EMUs would increase expense, and in the end you'd be shunting almost as much as loco+cars.
>again, where are these places that are constantly removing and adding cars to meet demand?
Switzerland. They used to adjust compositions all the time for different lines, with trains anywhere from 5 or 6 cars (I even remember riding a 3-car train once) up to 16 cars, either single deck or double deck. They still do this, just less so. They'd even set up longer trains for holidays and such. Or add a few extra cars during peak hours. They could also add or remove restaurant cars. Now the EMUs will often run with a closed restaurant car when it's not operational on that route.

I'm not even saying that EMUs don't have their use, they're good for local and commuter trains because of better acceleration. They're just not better for long distance trains. Trying to argue reliability is the dumbest argument ever. There has never been a train in Switzerland so unreliable as the new flagship long-distance EMUs. The old locos from the 60s have better reliability and are even used on commuter trains.

>>1991781
>Locos don't fail because they're built better
oh ok well if we're just declaring things as though they're objective universal facts,

Trybo Bike Tech

>>1991483
Freight traffic is almost entirely loco-hauled as it has been proven time and time again that it is best to move tonnage at moderate speeds and loaded to the brim. There were some attempts of making freight EMUs, but all were unsuccessful. Which, of course, makes sense - as it is better to have a strong lead vehicle and lightweight ( relatively ) freight cars. You both get flexibility and only once maintenance heavy vehicle.

For passenger trains - except for some few exceptions - lightweight, distributed powered MUs are superior.

1. Locomotive does not take space at a station. EU stations are, increasingly, built for 200 or 400m long trains and it is best to have all that 400m available for boarding.
2. Distributed power allows for higher acceleration. In a highly trafficked commuter system, this might save you 5 seconds at every start/stop, but that adds up quickly if you have 40 stops on a line, or need to stop every mile or so.
3. Maintenance costs depend on speed and axle load - so you want your 200-300km/h trains to be as lightweight as possible. For this reason, french LGVs are limited to 17t and Japanese go as low as, if I recall, 12t on Shinkansen lines. This is expressed in infrastructure access costs, where it is relevant. In EU running an emu with 12 ton axle load will be cheaper than running a train of equivalent weight, but with a 22,5t axle load loco at the front.
4. Plain physics - while in fright trains you can get a 4:1 net-to-tare ratio, it is much worse for passenger trains. This is especially bad for shorter trains - as two double-decker car train weighs just a smidge more than a locomotive pulling them. You can get the same capacity of an emu with half the weight.
...

>>1991939
Locomotive pulled trains only make sense for:
1. Night trains, where it is common to mix/match/shunt trains midway to allow more connectivity and traffic is not speed sensitive.
2. When you need to run longer trains on non-electrified territory. Larger diesel engines are cheaper to maintain and operate than an equivalent power in smaller ones.
3. You run really, really long trains - like India-level 10-15 car ones, and you already have a bunch of wagons to do it.

Also - the flexibility of loco-hauled trains is grossly overstated. Firstly - it is rarely needed. Secondly - with a fleet of EMUs of varying lengths ( pic rel - PESA elf series can be had from 2 to 6 section versions ) you can respond to traffic changes just as well and day-to-day savings from running EMU will overwhelm benefits of this mythical 'flexibility'. There is a reason why MU took over. People who run passenger trains are not dumb.

Anonymous

>>1991781
>Depends. But I'm ok with spending more on railways if it creates local jobs in operations rather than in manufacturing train parts in Chyna or something.
well if you're pro-make-work jobs i don't see why you're complaining about lack of flexibility with emus
>Switzerland. They used to adjust compositions all the time for different lines, with trains anywhere from 5 or 6 cars (I even remember riding a 3-car train once) up to 16 cars, either single deck or double deck. They still do this, just less so. They'd even set up longer trains for holidays and such. Or add a few extra cars during peak hours. They could also add or remove restaurant cars. Now the EMUs will often run with a closed restaurant car when it's not operational on that route.
And what's the problem with running with extra cars?

>>1991734
They're pretty good most of the time, the experience is far better than DMUs.

>>1991964
>And what's the problem with running with extra cars?
No problem when they're running and providing needed capacity. The issue is the extra money spent on maintenance and storage. There's a point where the benefit of spare capacity is outweighed by the increasing cost. Admittedly it's lower with coaches than EMUs but it's still there.

>>1991995
Metra runs 6+ car trains nearly all the time but only opens the first 2 or 4 cars to save on conductors. I guess yard operations are more expensive than the added wear on the cars. I'm not sure when they actually use all the cars because even during festival weekends they don't use the full train length.

>>1991995
but the additional cost of having a car running in a train as opposed to being stored somewhere is basically nil
>>1992021
>Metra runs 6+ car trains nearly all the time but only opens the first 2 or 4 cars to save on conductors
that's because american commuter rail has insane staff bloat

Why aren't Jacobs bogies more of a thing with coaches? I can only think of the TGV as an example of a locomotive + articulated coach set. They seem to be a neat idea, you can save weight and increase capacity for a given train length, lots of EMUs (like pic related) use the configuration.

I understand that freight wagons might have issues due to axle loading limits, but coaches are far lighter.

>>1992021
That's weird, maybe they're in a coach 'set' of 6 that are semi-permanently coupled together?
I'd imagine that disconnecting & reconnecting the cab car would be a pain so it's just easier.

>>1992150
It's wasted energy and there's still wear and tear to consider. Though as you say that might be negligible.

Gears

>>1992346
>Jacobs bogies
main downside is that cars sharing a bogie are a bitch to seperate, while the whole point of using sperate cars instead of an integrated multiple-unit design is to be flexible in their combination.
Btw, I've seen similar designs (not sure if technically a jacobs bogie or if there's special terms for it) in car-transporters and container train cars, making two-car consists with 3 or 6 axles respectively.

Anonymous

>>1992370
I've always heard them referred to simply as articulated cars, jacobs bogie I only hear in reference to passenger equipment. Articulated autoracks are two cars, articulated well cars can be up to five cars, at least in US. 3 and 5 car articulated well cars are very common. I don't see it as much with autoracks.

Trybo Bike Tech

>>1992346
>Why aren't Jacobs bogies more of a thing with coaches?

When going through the trouble of Jacob's bogies, it makes no sense to have them on 'dumb' coaches. If you want to keep the axle load in check, the middle sections will get about half the capacity of a full coach - or even less when vestibules are considered. Jacobs bogies are also troublesome to rearrange the train, if it's not an EMU, then why limit the inherent flexibility of the wagon consist?

This is why they are popular on EMUS, but not traditional coaches.

However, this does not mean there weren't any. A famous example was British Silver Jubilee coaches originally pulled by A4 Pacifics. Pic rel is a German-made four-car set of Polish railway's double deckers which were phased out a few years ago. Those have three axle Jacobs bogies and were being used as two, three and four car sets. Romania, I think still uses these.

Anonymous

>>1992370
>>1992472
I'm only asking as it seems like most passenger trans are made of coach sets where you have a number of them coupled together for a long period.

The axle loading doesn't shoot up nearly as fast as you might think, a coach is an air-filled with some seats, racks, etc inside. Also, each section in an articulated set is shorter to reduce overhang inside the curves, but there's a reduction in the number of bogies over the whole train length.
The overall weight of the train goes down too, as each bogie is heavy. Maybe ~6 tons each for a lightweight design, which adds up. E.g. for a train of 8 coaches that could be a full coach's weight.

I get that this is probably more of a consideration where acceleration/ high speed performance is needed. As you say, for Amtrak and other long distance/slower services the consideration changes to reliability and easy maintenance.

Gears

>>1992460
Germany definitely has some 3 axle two car autoracks, while the container cars have 3 bogies of two axles instead due to weight.

>>1992558
Indeed those consists usually remain as is throughout the day, however from a maintenance standpoint single cars are a lot easier to handle given the facilites used for that.
Single cars can just be decoupled and then spread throughout the maintenance yard with these funny side-swiching bridges they use, while consists with jacobs bogies can only be handled in their full length.
Having properly seperate cars also allows all sorts of switching around when one is due for a service or repair. Up to just running the train without it.
For serious acceleration it's almost always just an EMU anyways, due to better ratio of tractive weight to total weight.


/bqg/ - Bike Questions General

Anonymous

Quill stems are pretty edition

Read this:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog<wbr>/repair-help

Old >>1991219

>>1992272
I do it routinely on my garbon bike with 32mm tires, but I'm not really going out of my way, it's just that there's a fucked up intersection on my regular route where if I took the normal path it would be more dangerous and slower so I cheat sometimes depending on the light timing. Unless hamplanet I wouldn't worry about it

Has anyone flared their bars successfully? I'm really struggling to get a good enough clamping force between two pieces of wood, but my vise is really shit. Heat maybe? Bars are aluminum. <br>Just trying to spread each side like 1-1.5cm, nothing crazy.

>>1992363
Heat treatment is the reason aluminum bike frames don't crumple like soda cans when you ride them. Probably not the best idea to intentionally de-temper your bars just to get them into the shape you want

>>1992363
I mean Origin 8 makes bars of all styles for pretty cheap. Also check ebay for used, bars and stems I'm always gonna buy used unless I specifically need one type.

Wanna take my bike in to get it tuned up, new tires and maybe swap the handlebar for a road one. Is that a reasonable thing to do or should I just get a whole new bike?

>>1992379
I'm a good guy and shame on you If you are trolling.
>get it tuned up, new tires
It can all be done by yourself, but take it "in" if you want
>swap the handlebar for a road one
this is a pain to do even by yourself an lbs would prabably screw you with the price of an entry level road bike.
if you change your handlebar to a road one, you will need road bike levers (inb4 yes there are some hipster wide handlebars with drops and normal levers but I guess you don't want that?)
and that's a cost. 40 bucks will get you a couple from aliexpress, at least a 150 bucks for super basic shimano (that is if you have mechanical disc brakes, double that price if hydraulic). but then you would have to change either front or rear deraileur or both (this depends if you are a 1x crankset fag or not)
this is doable but, as I said, a dishonest lbs would probably screw you. hell a dishonest lbs is probably going to screw you for some basic tuning and swapping some tires

>>1992379
>>1992385
oh shit I forgot I'm on /n/ and you probably have some 20th century brake system

>>1992379
Get a proper road bike and keep the other one for errands. If you want to save money make it a used road bike- there's always good deals around because the bike industry is great at selling freds new pointless features that don't actually make you faster.

>>1992399
shimano mt200's are cheap and work

>>1992371
unfortunately the 25.4 b135 in 390mm basically does not exist anymore, and there are no clones of it that i like. had i been able to find something with a 90mm reach and a 2cm flare on each side then i would have bought that. not changing my stem because there are no 1" 31.8 stems i like nor any that are drilled for cantis. not going with a steerer hanger either because my stem is slammed.
i wouldn't be doing this if i didn't have my reasons

anyway i managed with a couple of really long half inch extensions, stand on one end and pull with the other. little tricky to get even but it worked out.

>>1992388
unracers actually, unironically believe that comfort and reliability are pointless

>>1992399
i just find it ridiculous that you would rather get an entirely new brake - even a hydraulic one like >>1992406 suggested - than replace the fucking barrel adjuster.

I've asked before about front forks and was told to get the Markhor. I can't find the one for my size bike.
>27.5 wheel
>9X100 hub spacing
>1 1/8 straight steer tube

Can anyone suggest a fork that I can buy now? Preferably under $300.

>>1992421
Also I'm changing my tires from 26 inch to 27.5. Rear fit good, but despite doing the measurements I'm rubbing on the front tire by like 1/2 inch.

>>1992421
>>1992422
Looks like the rockshox judy is probably my best option unless anyone knows something else.

>>1992416
the screw is sheared off and inside the barrel housing with the thread seized, which is part of the caliber proper. It's cheaper and faster to replace the caliper.

>>1992425
Isn't that a short-pull caliper? Does your bike have drop bars?

>>1992423
Changed my mind. I'm going with the Rockshox Recon Silver RL. Little more heavy duty with 32mm vs the judy 30mm. $221 seems to be a good price.

>>1992445
>GOLDEAL TOOPRE JACO CYCEARTH
eye cancer

>>1992442
well if your bike has drop bars, then the other anon's suggestion of the Shimano MT200 brakes doesn't really help. The cheapest options are probably going to be the same caliper, a couple of Promax options (Render R DSK-717 and DSK-300R), or Avid BB5s. Some of those come in both long pull and short pull options, so beware. Or you could just get the barrel adjuster out and replace it. Hell, send it to me, I'll do it.

how retarded would it be to spend the same amount that would buy you new xt hubs on 90s black lx hubs? i just hate the disc mount...

>>1992456
who cares? if you want them and they're in good shape, get them.

>>1992357
How do time atac pedals compare to spd for touring?

>>1992459
ya i guess
some guy from italy just posted a bunch of nos 36h on ebay, last time i looked i couldn't find very many

should i sell my city bike? i have a belt driven nexus 8 giant anytour cs 2, but ever since i bought a road bike (caad optimo 4) i haven't ridden my old one at all, it's pretty decent for urban areas and has comfy wide tires, but it just feels too slow now. or should i go as far as to sell both and buy a gravel bike for increased tire clearance? the optimo only supports 25mm which feels a bit too slim.

>>1992477
You're Satan, it's so obvious.

>>1992481
You aren't a real person like I am. That's why Satan is speaking to me and not you.

>>1992477
i would just say it depends on what you use them for. the giant sounds like it would be nice for around town and commuting, but if you're just not using it for that anyway, then you may as well get rid of it. and then if you only had the cannondale and wished it had larger tire clearance, then it would make sense to sell that also and get a gravel bike.

>>1992484
yeah i put commuting equipment on the cannondale like fenders and lights (sue me lycrafags), and it's way faster, only downside might be maintenance since they both sleep outside by necessity. i was thinking of getting the merida silex 400, the GRX and hydro disks seem pretty good, although it might be more of a target for theft than a rim brake bike. i'll mostly use it on paved surfaces although some of them will be a bit rougher uneven.

do you tighten your screws to the "max" torque listed on your bike? or do you go slightly under?

I just want a simple bike for getting around town. Should I get a top of the line steel single speed or fixed gear OR should I get an entry-level road bike like the Domane A2 rim? They both cost about the same.

>>1992461
probably better cuz there's more float, but the cleats will wear faster if you walk around in them since they're made out of brass or sum shi

>>1992496
I think you should get a downhill mtb

>>1992477
I did that after my job went office-optional and I quit the "nice" gym by my work in favor of the cheaper one by my apartment. I had the steel barge from the "virgin commuter" meme with all the meme commuter bits. Tubus, ortlieb, SKS, you name it. Also had obtained a legit (carbon) road bike the year before the pandemic when I became fredpilled. I do, in fact, ride it on interstates, but not often.

So at a certain point I'm like, why do I still have this commuter. My groceries get delivered. If I commute to the office, it's like once a month and I'm not going to shower and change. And it's just not fun anymore to ride a clumsy steel barge, especially since I can just citi bike if I want to be slow and wobble around the neighborhood and make drivers scared I'm some incompetent noob who will crash into them. So I sold it (the whole package including the panniers) to some kid studying to be a nurse or something.

I do have decent tire clearance though - I run 700x32 (tubeless like the KOM crush chad). My fred sled is more comfy than the barge ever was. The crabbon frame absorbs the road noise more, plus it's more agile if I want to steer around something.

tl;dr get rid of the barge, and don't look back. You won't miss it. I don't. The only thing is, chicks dug my barge because it was "pretty" and everyone thought it was "custom" lol. But I'm a raging faggot I do not require "chicks" (who do not appreciate my fred sled at all)

What size nipples do I have?
The spoke is 2mm at the threaded end and 1.85mm along its length.
The nipple is 3.2x3.2mm and 10mm from the tip to the start of the bulged head (the part that is exposed when fitted)
Is it 14G?

>>1992501
i suppose both my bikes are commuter barges, i do use them daily with all those accessories and they weigh about the same. in fact the cannondale looks pretty much identical to the meme. but yeah, i don't see any reason to keep the giant.
>>1992503
>lust-provoking image

>>1992477
IMO, you just noticed that belt drive and "low maintenance" are memes. Are you really hurting for space? Having a 2nd bike handy is great for surprise or even scheduled maintenance, if you ride a lot. Just install a hook on the wall and hang it somewhere.

>>1992501
Front racks are great, though. That's why I keep my barge, so I can strap a duffel bag to the front and warm up a little on the way the gym.
But I concur with you in the sense that even if you want to go shopping on your bike, having something like a burley travoy makes more sense than having 2kg of racks on your bike even when you're not loaded, and lets you have just one nice bike for everything.

>>1992507
>i don't see any reason to keep the giant.
Reminds me of the time I sold one of my bikes only to realize that it was my only winter beater months later

>>1992508
>Are you really hurting for space?
yes they're both out on the street, i don't have anywere else i can put them sadly, also i do my own maintenance
>>1992510
that makes sense, though i suppose the distinction doesn't matter that much living in a place that rains year round and doesn't have any snow in winter

Now that Kona's owner laid off pretty much every employee and only has a skeleton crew of salespeople to clear out the inventory, should you buy any Kona bike? They've also stopped paying their suppliers, so it's extremely unlikely they will have the parts to honor manufacturer warranty in the future.

>>1992496
if it's flat where you live a single speed/fixed could be ok but they're no fun for climbs . I personally love gears, but when I lived in flatland I had a single speed and I never noticed it . but then I moved near the mountains and fighting the hills made a completely different riding experience

is this bad?

I feel like it's either fucked or it's literally nothing.

>>1992512
>Kona's owner laid off pretty much every employee and only has a skeleton crew of salespeople to clear out the inventory
>They've also stopped paying their suppliers
What? Really? Kona's going out of business? That's sad.

>>1992496
if you value your knees, get something with at least some gear range. mashing up hills is a fun challenge but is not something you want to do every day.

>>1992512
no. they were always overpriced. there are plenty of other brands to choose from.

>>1992519
>thinks he needs hydraulic brakes for pedaling around the suburbs
how fat are you?

>>1992524
I weigh 110kg and I ride rim brakes on a hilly city, lol. I eat through a front rim every 2 years, no biggy.

>>1992524
>>thinks he needs hydraulic brakes for pedaling around the suburbs
He didn't say that. And the other post didn't say anything about suburbs anyway.
how retarded are you?

>>1992520
Looks pretty sus but I ain't know shit

>>1992363
Ideally if you're trying to clamp tubes you want a fractal vise or a vise made for said tube.
Additionally, I'm sure you know, but aluminum hasn't the capacity for mutability that steel has. Doing what you suggest is possible but fiscally irresponsible desu
>>1992385
>anti lbs rhetoric
>ali
For fuckin shame man. You and tarkroaches are what ruin the "culture"
>>1992482
Based knower.
>>1992489
I say fuck it and just guess; but if your shits nice enough to have torque specs wynaut follow em? Your call bud
>>1992496
Oh hey, Satan again. Buy an ad.

>>1992489
I just tighten them enough
>>1992520
Hit it with sand paper/steel wool in the rusty section to see what's lurking beneath

>>1992525
ya it would be cheaper to replace a rotor though.

>>1992526
>defending the guy that posts >cable dick in every thread

>>1992532
here it is cleaned up from a few angles, it looks like there's no holes or cracks.

>>1992524
I live in what you people call the "inner city", and I'm thinner than you

>>1992536
Go ride. Hit it with some primer and just check over the spots ever year or so.
To me? it looks fine, just some damage from prior use.

>>1992540
Cheers anon, appreciate that. It's on old MTB so the tubing is going to be pretty robust, also it's fairly close to the dropout where the butting will be thickest.

Just wanted a second opinion.

Bike shop quoted me $250 to replace rear wheel, replace brake pads, and to cut new threads in derailleur hanger

Worth it? Seems like the other option is to just get a completely new frame (re derailleur hanger)….

>>1992542
My bike is probably worth about $400. But idk what else to do really

if i'm going from 8sp to 9/10 speed, does the spacing between the chainrings actually matter? friction i would imagine no, but i saw most of a 10sp 105 group for sale and was considering picking it up. (brakes, rd/fd, shifters, no cranks)

>>1992542
you can get a m10x1.0 tap for like ten bucks, an el cheapo wheel for pretty cheap, and some brake pads for like ten bucks also. depends on the wheel, but they're probably just going to be giving you the shittiest oe style wheel, so no, probably not worth it.
why and how are the threads and wheel destroyed?

>>1992542
totally agree with >>1992547
give us some context. your derailleur hanger is not repleaceble (is it welded to the frame)? I'm not sure but maybe you culd use some threadlocker and a T-nut, with a M10 x 1.0 as suggested on park tool.
I'm not trying to be mean but we are all (at least biologically) men here, don't you have some curiosity to repair it yourself? this is totally doable, just give us some context.

>>1992547
>>1992548
I do have the curiosity, but I don’t really have the space. And I’ve attempted to fix some things on my own, and half the time just screwed it up worse. I’m tired of not being able to ride. The wheel is cracked in multiple places just from a long period of use I guess, and the hanger threads are stripped just from the bike being like 25 years old? Idk, I bought it second hand.

>>1992546
You can usually go +/- 1 speed without problems. Anything beyond that and shifting gets finicky and chains are prone to dropping.

>>1992551
i mean a tap is like 8cm long or whatever and requires an adjustable wrench and you can replace your pads with whatever multi tool you carry. but threads don't just strip themselves, did you take the rd off at some point and strip things putting it back on?
spending a hundred bucks or so is probably more attractive than $250 or even more for a new bike.
you can get pretty cheap wheelSETs from velomine

>>1992551
ok sorry. So I guess 250 would only be (somewhat) worthy if you really like your bike and you pretend a good wheel and an excellent thread repair from your bike shop.
If not, better buy another second hand bike and try to sell this one.
If you do it by yourself, Changing the wheel would mean at least having the tools to unmount and mount the cassette (chain whip and tool). So starting from zero let's say 100? bucks for the cheapest built wheel and tools. then 10 for brake pads.
Are you sure your derailleur is welded and not replaceable like picrel? If not you would need a T-nut (5 bucks) and a drill, or a tap AND a coil. (maybe 20?) If i'ts repleaceable you could get a new derailleur hanger for 10.

>>1992546
chainring spacing should be the same.

>>1992552
im running a 12 speed crankset with my 8 speed groupset. shifts fine and doesn't drop the chain. front derailleurs are very simple.

>>1992559
oh ok i wasn't sure if the pull was different with the fd/shifter or not

Did my first bike race of the season and had to drop out because my bottom bracket came loose after about 1000 meters of climbing. So loose that the chain kept getting bumped off.

Kinda sucked because I was doing pretty well.

>>1992581
ah man that sucks to hear
hope you can get it sorted for the next race

>>1992592
>>1992598
Pretty bummed because I was 3/4 thru. Somehow when the chain came off it pushed the FD into my cranks and snapped it. The BB probably loosened because I was torquing the shit out of it because I had inappropriate gearing.

Pretty sure all the Freds were relived that I DNF'd because I was in the leading group the whole time. Might have been embarrassing to lose against a dude in a t shirt on 1980s bike while riding carbon. There's always next race....

>>1992623
get your bike in order. you disgust me.

>>1992628
Gonna get a dura ace FD and a velo orange sealed BB (I hate to cough up the $50, but its french threading) so I don't have to worry again.

>>1992633
>its french threading
oh, my apologies. i thought you had just been neglectful towards your bike, i wasn't aware that it's just defective

>abandoned bikes guy joins a race
>almost causes a massive crash/pileup because his tow rope with a milk crate full of rusted bike parts gets snagged in the freewheel

what else falls under the same vein as the h plus son archetype? 700c, wide, rim brake. just wondering if there any any better options.

>>1992649
hmmmm maybe a dt swiss r460?
Thinking back I can't think of a ton of semi-aero rim brake 700c rims. sun ringle cr-018 is similar width and weight, but not aero.
Mavic cxp pro seems to be aero and similar weight.

I have to admit aero alloy rims are pretty cool.

>>1992650
cxp pro looks good but more narrow than what i want
>aero alloy rims are pretty cool
maybe i really should just go full aero with something like the h+son sl42....
only like 130g heavier but then again, very narrow

>>1992652
those sl42's are pretty wild. One of these days I will lace up a wheel with either those or the cheaper velocity deep v's.

>>1992654
25 bucks more than the deep v, but also 10mm deeper. the colored sidewall is a plus, while it lasts at least. retrogression does have nmsw deep v's in lotsa funky colors, and it's kind of tempting to get a pair to build something horrendously color matchy and gaudy.

pacenti forza looks better spec-wise between width and depth for something more shallow, but the h+son archetype just looks so much cleaner.

If I switch crank sets, 3x to 3x, will I need a new bottom bracket? Are there slightly different widths related to the crankset itself, or is it negligible?
I’m changing the drivetrain on an old bike from late 80’s suntour to early 90’s Shimano deore lx, but keeping it 3x7 overall
Currently the bike has a 125mm wide spindle, but documentation I see for the deore lx m560 set shows it came with a 113mm bb?

Or am I just gonna have to install it and measure for any difference?

>>1992649
The Archetype is a great rim for the niche it fits in and it's difficult to find a direct competitor since the other rims from other manufacturer that compete in its market segment aren't as wide, the only wheel better than I can find are Velocity A23s, 5.5mm less aero but 0.5mm wider internal width, same 23mm wide outer width. Any other commonly available rim like the Mavic CXP or Open are 19mm wide with 15mm internal width, very narrow compared to the Archetype or Velocity A23s, however, Mavics do come with spoke eyelets. H Plus Son TB14s come close to the size of Archetypes minus the aero, however, it does come with spoke eyelets. It's been thrown around that the TB14's smaller box shape rims are a stronger shape than Archetypes but Archetypes are already an overbuilt design for road wheels. From what I've read, SL42s and Formation Face has a big aero and speed advantage at a weight disadvantage. I've also read annecdotes when I was wheel shopping that SL42s and Formation Face aren't as a strong design as the Archetype because both don't have the internal dome on the inside of the rim like the Archetype has. Then there's also the Hydra if you want a super wide 25mm rim and are running tubeless and disc brakes or brakeless. I think I covered most of the obvious entry to mid level alloy options. Anyways, I love my Archetypes, I have 28s that mount to 30mm wide and it's super duper extra comfy

>>1992658
also, Formation Face and SL42 have much narrower internal widths, not a problem if aero is more important than comfy.

>>1992657
Make sure you get the same type. So if square taper JIS(shimano) get another square taper JIS compatible crank. If you get a campagnolo crank that uses ISO square taper spindle it won't fit right.

Really it's best to get the crank, see how it fits, and if the chainline is off estimate the spindle length required and get a new BB.
It's one of the only downsides to square taper.

>>1992657
If manuals sais that, then You'll need a 113mm to have the correct chain line. But then again You'll have to check also What's the chain line of your currentl front derailleur. You may have to add or subtract to that 113 to fit your front derailleur.
But I don't know maybe in those dinosaurs time there weren't different chainlines.

>>1992658
They look good but other than that there's no reason to buy them instead of DT Swiss RR411 or Kinlin XR22T. Cost more, weigh more and no tubeless compatibility

>>1992658
The fuck? I ain't reading all that.

>>1992729
>DT Swiss RR411
Thinner rim tho so might not be as strong, same inner width as A23s so I'm sure they're comfy

>>1992758
wow that is really tiny you weren’t lying

>>1992729
>Kinlin XR22T
Now this one is an interesting option if widemaxxxing for road

>>1992775
i bought some of these on sale for $7 each and dude they are W I D E, but weigh 666g.
Probably going to get some cheapie hubs and see how they do. not too many (cheap) options for 28h 100/130-135 it seems.

>>1992787
I totally forgot about these being on sale. After doing 2 wheels it's fun and easy.
hmmm might dip in for 2 since I have some 28h rear hubs laying around.

Happy to hear they are wide and heavy.... as a big boi those are the rims I need, otherwise I go 36 spoke.

Not surprised they are wide... most of my vintage rims are 18 or 19 OD and 15 ID.....

>>1992791
What hubs do you have? Think I might get some Ambrosio Zenith hubs, 80 bucks shipped is about the cheapest I've found for anything.

Is there an actual advantage of DIY alloy wheels at this point? It doesn't seem like you save any money if you want something that isn't bottom of the barrel,, plus it's floppier than crabon and they're all so narrow

>>1992824
It's the only way to get a new 26 inch wheel that isn't completely trash.

Need some new brakes for an old mtb.
Anyone running with magura rim brakes?
Regular V-brakes would probably be enough for me from what I've read the maguras are pretty much set and forget which is a big plus for me.
How is the modulation?

>>1992824
Eh, only advantage for DIY is for obscure setups (example: 650b size fixed-track wheel) or >>1992846 Just like building a bike from frameset usually costs more, I doubt there's much to save building a wheel yourself. Also, rim brakes, I wouldn't ever run a carbon wheel with rim brakes.
>plus it's floppier than crabon
material has no real effect on stiffness of a wheel, it's directly related to spoke tension

>>1991949
>>1991844
>>1991845
>>1991853
>>1991858
Thanks, I took a closer look at it today and the rear wheel seems to be badly out of true. It's hard to say with a bad wheel but the dropouts might as be out of alignment as well. There's a local bike shop near me that does some frame work, I'm gonna take it by there and see what they think

I am a 185cm gentleman and all the metrics suggest me to get a bike sized L but I think I can get a size M according to this chart the difference is not extreme what do you think? Can I get an M?

>>1992891
Every manufacturer and every bike model has different sizing. You actually have to get on the bike to get a good idea of whether you fit on it or not.

>>1992891
You've done research, received recommendation but chosen to ignore it. At that point, what does the opinion of some anonymous rando on a Chinese cartoon internet forum matter? You can get whatever you like. No one is going to stop you.

>>1992891
In my experience, if you're at the lower end of L, get the M. It's easier to make a smaller bike bigger than a bigger bike smaller.

That being said, it all depends ya know?

>>1992851
i hate these things. all the downsides of hydraulics (cost, difficult maintenance, bleeding) without the benefits of hydro disk (performance, modulation). and adjusting them fucking sucks.

>>1992851
>set and forget
unlike v-brakes? they only remind you that it's time to switch pads, pretty much, which is a good thing.

>>1992925
You probably want to adjust the cable tension fairly regularly, the pads will also wear unevenly unless they have the parallel feature. So you will have to be fiddling with them a bit more than with the maguras. I recently bought a used set of HS22's for 30 euros, haven't installed them to anything yet but looking forward to.

>>1992891
The m is kinda small, but you can always run a lot of seatpost and a LONG boi stem.
>t. 182cm 87cm cycling inseam
>>1992851
Looks cool.
>>1992824
I get satisfaction, enjoyment, and custom choices.
Also what else am I going to do with 2 28 hole freewheel rear hubs from the 126mm era?
Could sell them on ebay since one is a campy record and the other is a cartridge bearing mavic hub.
Saves me money since the hubs are better then 80% of the modern shit. Most of us don't need 1200g (asploding carbon) wheels, and I like having rim brakes on aluminum rims.
>>1992813
Those are nice looking hubs. Ambrosio used to make some of the best rims back in the day.

I want an older road bike, but I don't know enough about this shit to keep myself from getting ripped off. Haven't rode a bike since I was a teen. The modern stuff I see online is all way out of my price range. I would like to put a rack on the back and strap shit to it occasionally. Miyata, Puegot, Bianchi, Cannondale, Trek, these all look like they'd fit the bill alright. Should I be looking for those brands in my size on Craigslist and Ebay? I don't want to overpay, blah blah. Sorry if this isn't a great place to ask.

>>1992957
craigslist for sure, definitely not ebay. facebook marketplace if you make a burner, but i've noticed some people dont want to respond to you.

Do they make steel rims for fat fucks?
I keep bending my aluminum ones
also are there road tires that can handle really high psi? like 140 plus

>>1992967
velocity cliffhangers come in a 48 spoke
maybe just go for a stiff sidewall tire like a marathon plus or something
how much do you weigh?

>>1992967
steel rims will bend more easily than aluminum rims. If you're worried about being a fat fuck and destroying rims, then you should use the widest possible tire that you can. More air volume = more "suspension" between the road and your rim/rest of your bike.

>>1992896
what an astonishingly unhelpful response. Anon did some research and is now doing further research on this azerbaijani SFW snuff masturbation webpage on the assumption that people here might have helpful experience to share.

>>1992957
sure craigslist is good, but i would try and get a friend who knows about bikes to help if you can. i've located a whole bunch of craigslist bikes for friends and they've always been happy.

>>1992891
i'm the same height and the road bikes i've had align closest with the XL on that chart. there's more to fit than just your overall height, but that's just my personal experience.

>>1992970
DT swiss does sell rims that support 170-180kg (340lb = 150kg), like the U663, for disk brakes.

In general, look for touring bike/e-bike/cargo bike/tandem bike rims with 36 spokes, at least. And use a big, fat tire.

>>1992978
I got the U663, can recommend. It's 180 kg certified while still 32 spokes. So sturdy it actually trued himself from my subpar wheel building. It's 25mm so you can have quite a good range of tires.
Guys don't fall for the 36 spokes meme in 2024. Using double butted spokes achieves nearly the same level of spoke stress reduction on vertical loads.
This advice is of course for people buying and building new, I don't know what to say to dumpster diving weirdoes.

>>1992970
I would look for 26in ridgid mtb's with 32+ spokes.
They do make steel rims, but they have bad breaking so they are ill advised.

You could go for DH mtb wheelsets on a ridgid mtb. I know sun ringle mtx 39's are known as "bomb proof", and me and my dad ran a tandem with sun ringle rhyno lite's. I was 130lbs and he was 200lbs. 26in rims with 36 spokes.

You want a custom built wheel by a guy who knows you are 340lbs. Also, as the other anon said fit the largest tire you can. That aids comfort and reduces rim damage.
>>1992979
There is no downside to more spokes when you are heavy.

>>1992979
>So sturdy it actually trued himself from my subpar wheel building
lmao, now that's tough

>>1992980
Yes the downside is you have less choice in new hubs, and if you have 36 spokes as a priority you will have a very limited choice in rims internal diameters (giving you less choice in tires) and manufacterers. Leaving you with just a couple models if weight certified (kinda) Ryde or maybe Velocity if you are murigan. As I said my advice wasn't for vbrakers and steelisreelers.

>>1992957
post a link to your craigslist so anons can help

>>1992496
>getting around town
You dont want something like a Domane because it will be stolen if you leave it locked up unattended. Too exoensive of a bike.
Single speeds and fixies are for fags.
Get an 80s or 90s road bike on craigslist. Unironically.

>>1992992
I live in the sticks of Virginia and pickins are a bit slim. Wouldn't be opposed to driving to https://richmond.craigslist.org

>>1992989
yeah I misread like a retard again. Admittedly I have run from 20 spoke bontragers up to 36 spoke road rims and I always find it's all about tension, tire, and use case.

>>1992996
https://richmond.craigslist.org/bik<wbr>/d/richmond-vintage-schwinn-bike/77<wbr>40106009.html
might be good if its your size but faggot seller doesn't have size listed. And chances are it will need a fair bit of work since the seller seems clueless. Modern Schwinns are shit but Schwinns from back then are good.
Other than that one, I don't know if old used bikes are just more expensive where you live or if they have just gotten more expensive the past few years. Maybe another anon who knows more than me can give some recommendations if you want to look at the several-hundred-dollar ones.
https://richmond.craigslist.org/bik<wbr>/d/henrico-1961-antique-royce-union<wbr>/7735435160.html
looks cool to me and its your size and seems to be well taken care of by someone who knows his stuff, but I dont know anything about that brand, and while I know 70s-90s road bikes tend to be great, I dont know if something as old as 1961 is worth looking at.
But again hopefully an anon who knows more than me can add input

>>1993000
That Royce does look nice, thank you so much Anon

>>1992957
idk why there was no bike buy general up currently, but there is now. >>1993003 should be of help

>>1992994
jesus dude it's like one guy has co opted the entirety of your craigslist. there are some nice bikes, but these prices are a bit much.

>>1993005
Thanks
>>1993000
Raleigh NC is a bit over 2 hours from me. Would it be crazy to drive that far for something like this? Maybe I can talk the fellow into meeting me closer..
https://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/<wbr>d/raleigh-vintage-lotus-with-shiman<wbr>o-600/7730457070.html

>>1993005
bike buy general was converted/merged into bike buy/build general >>1991676
if not maybe it makes to combine them no?

>>1992967
there's a good chance that the rims you bent weren't built well. if the tension is off, then they can get out of true, which throws the tension off more until they're badly bent.
.
if you're sure that's not it, then the solution is more spokes

>>1993049
fat people will buy a BSO with half the spoke nipples not even under tension, warp it immediately, and conclude that when they save up for their first big boy bike it needs to contain 64 spokes minimum and when they see someone on normal wheels they're like pish posh that's fine for you feather weights but not for me, ever since I upgraded to this 64-spoke wheelset I haven't needed to fix my wheels unlike my last bike haw haw haw

Bikebros I recently bought a Marin Bobcat 5. Not for trails in general, but rather for XC and also for city roads, some of which are complete crap. But when i was riding, i felt so damn slow can't even describe it.<br>Tell me, in your honest opinion, did I make a mistake in choosing a bike? Or can I make some changes for better speed? Or there's no chance

>>1993087
yeah, you should have bought a gravel bike with 52mm tire clearance and two sets of tires/wheels

>>1992967
You want double wall rims, and a high spoke count, and a vegan diet, fatty.

>>1993050
More spokes do make a “stronger” wheel but yeah it is 100% coping in the modern age. There are plenty of fatasses running carbon rims with 28h successfully, and going for some non-standard hole count just lowers your choices of rims (meaning you can’t get the latest high-tech unbreakable rims, and are stuck with a shitty 90’s weinmann hoop and 36 spokes that still can’t save it)

>>1993087
For xc mountain biking it looks like a good bike, but it is not even remotely suited for medium or long distance rides on city streets regardless of how shitty they are. For that you don't want suspension, suspension adds a fuck of a lot of weight and if it doesnt have good quality lockout then the bob will also make you a lot less efficient.
Keep the bike for mountain biking and get a different bike for city riding.
If you REALLY needed a single bike that can do city biking on rough roads and also mellow mountain biking, you'd need to go with either a cyclocross bike or a rigid (no suspension) 80s or 90s mountain bike. But the former will underperform on mountain bike trails and the latter will be slow on city streets (though a wheelset with city tires would help in that regard).
What I would do is keep your mountain bike, and get an old (70s, 80s, or 90s) road bike for the city riding, just make sure before buying that it has enough clearance for fairly wide tires (28mm or 32mm), put some Panaracer Pasela PTs on the road bike (700x28c or 700x32c tires, or if its a 27" bike then 27x1-1/4 or 27x1-1/8 tires). Such a road bike will cost like $200-300 on craigslist, less if you get a lucky find.
Marin is a great company that makes great bikes, so there is nothing wrong with your bike, its just going to be slow and inefficient on roads, paved trails, and gravel trails. Its meant for mountain bike trails, not pavement or gravel.

>>1993106
If we were on X and I was Ylong Ma I would reply with a "100%".
Nowadays even 32 spokes are unusual for road bike rims and hubs.

>>1993123
and consequently they're rated for ~100kg riders.
whereas the discussion is about some dude who weighs 150kg.

>>1993107
I really liked your advice, i still have a spare frame for gravel probably with 27.5 wheels.
But can you recommend 29' city tires for Marin please? I was thinking about a Schwalbe Hurricane or a Continenta double fighter 3, but im not quite sure coz no experience at all and afraid that they'll be too soft for the road. But in the future I want to buy a tubeless Vittoria Terreno xcr

>>1993126
not him but 29 is the same as 700c, the recommendation of paselas is good. can find em pretty cheap sometimes.

>>1993124
you're right but buying rims with 36 spokes both old and new doesn't mean they can support more weight, it just means that the spokes will stay true longer and break less often.
do you really think 4 spokes more means 40kg more?

>>1993132
>you think mags are cool, what about my CARBS?

>>1993137
what, you can’t lift 11 pounds or something?

>>1993132
4 spokes for ultra maximum safety

>>1993087
all it takes is more strongness and taller gears, you can easily upgrade your gearing for cheap with a bigger chainring, if you want to min-max even further, replace the tires with slicks. That'll get you really close but if you feel like going full biketism, upgrade to rigid fork but really, that's overkill. Just get fitter, people get disappointed buying a nice bike and not realizing it wasn't their old bike that was slow but because they're unfit lmao

how the hell do i accurately measure my tire pressure? i checked with three different gauges and got three different results, with like +/- 5-10psi

>>1993152
go ask this shit on perplexity

>>1993127
>>1993107
>>1993142
Oh, i somehow didn’t read it carefully, but now its clear, and thank you very much for the advice guys. Now its more clearer to me what i can or need to do.
Its just that i used to ride a bike, but now, with a new one, i realized that i dont understand anything at all. What a shame.
Im just little lost with new bike because with my old i was able ride 100-110 km in 9 hours. But with Marin im not sure i was able ride even 60 kek

>>1993157
Little mistake, not 9 hours but more like 11 or something

>>1993152
Someone here once told me that if you can't tell the difference while riding, it doesn't matter.

>>1993158
some ai chatbot that could answer your autistic question.
you want so much to get an accurate measurement? get a nice gauge. You don't want to spend big bucks on a nice gauge? get the average value between those three. 5psi tolerance is nothing if you are not preparing for the tour de france, you want to do like normal people? just respect max and min psi and then get your ass on the bike and regulate by hand based on terrain and use. that was my answer

>>1993158
here's Claude 3 answer. tell me which one you prefer and consider if you should bother humans with autistic questions.

Accurately measuring tire pressure can be tricky, as you've experienced with getting different readings from multiple gauges. Here are some tips to get the most precise measurement:
Use a high-quality, calibrated digital tire pressure gauge. Digital gauges tend to be the most accurate compared to analog dial or pencil-type gauges
4
. Look for one that is rated for the pressure range of your tires (e.g. 160 psi for many RV or truck tires)
1
.
Check the pressure when the tires are cold, before driving, as heat from driving can cause pressure to increase and give a false reading
1
. Let the tires cool down for at least 30 minutes after driving.
Compare the reading from your gauge to the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in your vehicle, if equipped. TPMS is generally accurate to within +/- 1 psi according to AAA testing
5
, but may not alert until a tire is 20-30% below the recommended pressure.
If you get significantly different readings between multiple gauges (4+ psi difference), one or more gauges may be inaccurate
1
. Take your gauge to a tire shop that has a calibrated master gauge to compare against for the most precise check
1
.
Don't rely on gas station air pump gauges, which are often abused and inaccurate
1
. Invest in your own quality gauge.
Even if readings vary slightly between gauges, the most important thing is to consistently use the same gauge, check pressure regularly, and keep tires inflated to the manufacturer's recommendations for your vehicle. This will maximize tire life, handling, and fuel efficiency.

>>1993152
Just use the same gauge so it's consistent. It doesn't matter what actual pressure you have unless you are comparing them.

>>1993152
just pick 1 gauge to use every time and it really doesn't matter if the reading is different on another gauge. figure out what feels best, measure it, then set it to X every time.
i have a little handheld gauge with a bleed valve that works well. the gauge on a pump is harder to read and in my experience less accurate.

>>1993161
yea i mean i was basically asking for a product recommendation

>>1993167
i think it is pretty obvious if i want an accurate reading i'm asking for a good tool to do so with

>>1993168
well now you got three human replies telling you that an industrially accurate reading it's not really the most important thing and an AI reply telling you to buy a digital gauge, you choose

>>1993168
Meiser accugage is $5 and says “accurate” all over it (and the physical, “inflated metal cylinder” style of pressure reading retains accuracy better than the “miniature weight scale with a piston” style most modern ones use)

I need recommendations for a headlight. Are there any decent ones around $20-30 from the chinks or am I forced to pay premium for anything decent?

>>1993203
how bright? what kind of riding do you want to do with it? i'll shill Niterider lights all day long. Their Swift model comes in 300 and 500 lumen for $30 and $40 respectively. They're small and solid and are from a reputable brand.

>>1993203
Newboler LIG113

I've been using it since november on another anons rec.
It's a reasonably good headlight to see by. Not quite as good as my edelux, because of the beam pattern, but it can be brighter. It's blinding to pedestrians if you're throwing the light very far ahead.
Dim and flash modes are good.

Most importantly the battery lasts a long time and the warning light works. USB C charge. Nice metal housing.

The mount is solid but I had to shim it a lot which was annoying. You wouldn't want to shift it between bikes.

It's a good combo with a smaller rubber strap light as a flash or backup.

I like nite rider and the trek ion pro RT, but beware the new treks because they're st**zo style to appease the bike karens of europe, no not the netherlands but g****ny

>>1993217
>stvzo
does that mean they can't flash?
because a shaped cutoff and specific beam merely not projecting a trillion lumens flashlight style into people's eyes has the unintended side affect of also illuminating the road better.

>>1993222
among other things it means you can't hang it from below your bars, they have to teeter precariously over the bars like a clueless boomer wobbling around on a front suspension hybrid, unless you aim to point all the photons into the sky.

also upside down issues aside, illuminating things above the knee level is actually a good thing unless your riding is restricted to children's parks and segregated bike paths. road signs for example. motorist's eyes and rear view mirrors. I'd say "you get the idea" but I have my doubts where st*zo apologists are concerned. and flashing has its place.

>>1993224
nonsense. lights can't and shouldn't be upside down but they can have top mounts.
best place for a light is on the front of a front rack or fender anyway. Try riding with a light that doesn't shine in YOUR eyes when standing, you will enjoy it.

>>1993225
>lights can't and shouldn't be upside down
yeah nah. didn't read anything else.

Even Germany realizes stvzo is an inferior light source, but it doesn’t annoy people driving. Just accept the one advantage it has (politeness) for what it is and get a real light if you don’t care about bothering drivers

>be me
>ask thread about what front fork to order
>no response
>find a fork
>came this week
>find tools I need to cut it and install the star nut
>tools coming tomorrow
>oh cool I can ride the mountain bike trails over the weekend
>realize it is going to rain all weekend
>realize that I need an adapter cause my disc brakes are now front mount to fork instead of side mount
>I'll never get to the trail
>life is suffering

>>1993233
one brake should be fine, just squeeze harder to compensate for the lack of a front brake

>>1993204
Early morning ride for just 2-4hours until sunrise.

>>1993215
Neat. How long does it last on regular mode?

if you spend $200 on lights you are guaranteed to not have issues

I like niterider lumina's. On the lowest setting.<br>Think I have a 720 and it lasts around a long ass time.

>>1993249
true
>>1993251
low isn't always the best option if you live in a rural area with no streetlights. my 500 lumen light is like the bare minimum to see well, and if i ran my cygolite ranger 1400 on low, sure it will last all night, but i really can't see shit.
get a bright ass light with a big battery or nothing. get two of them, actually.

>>1993249
I've had some pretty expensive lights and the only difference seems to be the battery. Granted I've never gone crazy cheap (like under $90) but outside the bottom of the barrel, you still have all the same issues like mounts, overheating, and the gaskets eventually going bad and the light dying from water ingress (since I started covering all possible entry points with electrical tape, my lights have lasted a lot longer)

>>1993252
Kinda the other way around, you want powerful beams for city conditions, because your night vision is going to be fucked from car headlights and street lamps, but there will still be dark spots you need to see.

Is there a 700 to 27.5 conversion rule of thumb? I was going to pick up a surly midnight special but buddy has a vaya frame set that's like 2 years old and has only been ridden once. By my math I think I could stick 27.5x2.1 on it and be good to go. I prefer the vaya geometry and I already have a 27.5 mtb wheelset to throw on but I'm as little worried about having a super low bb. Someone validate my poor life choices.

>>1993292
you can get a rough estimate by taking the size of the wheel and adding the tire width twice to it, do it for both wheels then compare the two diameters against each other until you're close. Example:
700c = ISO 622mm so 622 + 25x2 for 25mm tires = ~672mm overall diameter with tire
27.5 = 650b = ISO 584mm so 584 + 53x2 for 2.1" tires = ~690mm overall diameter with tire
I think the 27.5" with 2.1" tire might be bigger overall than a standard road wheel

>>1993292
if you go on bike insights you can pick your bike and tire size and compare

>>1993293
afaik that model can take 700x45 by the specs on the website

>>1993295
I'll check that out thanks

>>1993292
look into 700c to 650b conversions. Common in the old road bike to randonneur builds and 650b is 27.5.
Generally you can go from say a 700c x25mm to 650b x 42 depending on clearence.
So if it's disk brake and either the fork or chainstay/seatstay is wide enough you can run some 27.5 x 2.0(51mm) tires.
Or you can run smaller tires for technically easier gears.
>>1993252
Yeah that's true about rural or offroading. I used to do that with my high school club and we would run one helmet light and a bar light, mostly at medium to high power since it was so dark when offroading.
OTOH now I mostly do night time road training rides and it's pretty bright out there+ I am slow on the ascents.

Can I replace a shimano MF-TZ31 14-34t with a MF-TZ500-7 14-34t?

>>1993141
installed on a softride for maximum retardation. love it.

https://youtu.be/f6WojQO-nDY?t=321<br>wait, the dumpster diving spares guy is real...?

>>1992357
I just returned a roscoe 8 that I bought for $1000 off because it had a chain creak from the shop
was it a mistake? I feel like a 2.4k mtb shouldn't be fucked from the moment I got on it
the store wasn't happy but they were nice about it (trek)

thinking of buying a used pos instead that needs fixer upping

>>1993470
>chain creak
are you saying they couldn't fix it, or you were just like "fuck this I am out"
Either way a decent used mtb for 1k will go far.

>>1993480
said fuck it
also the tubeless rear kept going flat, all solvable problems but for the retail of a roscoe it seemed like a bit of a lemon

>>1993481
1000 off, but I understand when buying new you want that shit to work.
Honestly I find tubeless that's just an issue sometimes. Some wheels I swear they lose 1psi a week with a certain tire+tubeless setup.
Others it's like 5psi. Old setups can be 30psi a day..... which is when you know it needs love.

Well, let us know what you are looking for in particular and post your craigslist. For 1k you can get a good older full suss, newer hardtails from xc racers to hardcore hardtails.
Can even get enduro bikes for that price or DH.

should i buy a brooks swallow for 150<br>i have chonky legs so i'm thinking my legs will rub less or something...maybe....

>>1993488
I heard brooks were "ass hatchets" but I know many love them after breaking them in. I only have 25in quads halfway down the femur and I ride pretty much any saddle as long as I wear thin shorts/pants.

If you can run flats allow your feet to sit wider so the q-factor is wider. Thus allowing less saddle nose-thigh contact. MTB cranks do this too since they have to clear the wide chainstays.
One of the reasons I like riding mtb's for comfort since I have wider hips.

>>1993490
i have pretty narrow hips and 22" quads, but my femurs point inward.
i have a b17n and it's comfy, butt kinda clicks in. 150 is just a pretty good price for a swallow and i think it looks pretty sleek in comparison, plus i'd have a more aggressive riding position.

>>1993493
I am going to say the swallow might help if you are getting rub issues. Just saw the swallow vs b17n and the b17n seems to have a longer "skirt'/whatever the fuck you call that section that goes down towards the bike.
It seems to flare a little too, where as the swallow seems to tuck in so it's narrower.

Would ask on other forums like bikeforums classic and vintage section or somewhere else if you get no other answers.

>>1993500
yeh, i mean i have read some people either trimming or punching and tying up the wings or whatever. i'd rather not punch/cut a new saddle and mess with the inherent characteristics unless i knew it would be beneficial.
i'll check

>>1993438
i question if that pole thing is actually useful for dumpster diving

>>1993420
yes, absolutely. they're both 7 speed freewheels.

>>1993438
I'm so intolerant I really have to work on myself when I see this stuff I seethe and seethe. I'll spere you my comments on having all that weight on a lil weel, the tiny back tire with the suspension seatpost, how this could only work on flat paved roads because at the first pothole (you can't even see the road) you're going to break everything on your "reliable" titanium bike, etc, etc, . muh anticapitalism, muh dumpster diving. And of course you see this kind of people where they can show off, hey at least he did't spam his patreon. sorry for my bad vibes...

>>1993569
he said he broke everything that didn't work and what he had was what wouldn't fail.
so I think he's probably fine, he's been coast to coast, if something didn't work I'm sure he'd know at this point

>>1993569
he has been across the united states, I think he hit plenty of potholes.
Unironically who hurt you? and it may be time to get over it. Letting go is the best

do stores usually accept saddle returns<br>you cant really know proper ass compatibility until riding few 100 kms

>>1993658
Some stores have test saddles, usually bright yellow with "Test Saddle" written on them.

>>1993658
high end shops call that a saddle fit but you're not getting a $50 saddle for 50% off, more like you're deciding between two $300 models with italian names while some shaved lanklet probes your ass and subtly insinuates that you never rode a bicycle until you bought the pinarello last year and all those other bikes, well they weren't really bikes at all see

>>1993710
that bike hates the freedom to take any road with a slight incline. I just hate this dude in particular for his stupid rig

>>1993490
You can always widen the q factor on your road bike dawg

>>1993724
ok, if he went coast to coast, that means he went over the Rockies.
you seem like you are looking for excuses to hate a guy different from you. it's not healthy, man.

>>1993735
WHAT THE FUCK !? If he is chafing quads on the nose it's likely he's on too wide of a tread. Just suggest something that'll at least mask ome issue. Good way to kill knees.
>>1993488
Are your knees tracking close to the top tube ? Closer than your pedals ? Are you chafing unilateral ? You might be on too wide a tread width already, with your feet out too wide for your hip socket distance and associated anatomy your body will compensate by knocking your knees in at the top of the stroke (its a straight line at the bottom of the stroke and all the angularity is absorbed by the hip joint). Knocking your knees in might cause saddle rub. Extensing pedals may solve saddle rub but aggrevate the underlying problem. Knees are meant to bend in one plane. Be sure you know what you are doing before doing anything stupid.
Most modern saddles come in at least two sizes and they're all shaped differently. If you have extremely narrow sitbones, like me, try out some extremely narrow saddles. That would solve alot of issues at once.
What's your bb ? 68mm ? Got a road double on it ? If you're on a MTB fatbike or idk what you know whats up.

I've noticed some grease seems to be leaking out of my headset top bearing recently. Should I be concerned? Am I doing something wrong? My last bearing rusted out and seized when I hung up the bike after a wet ride without drying it. This is about 5000 miles later and I'm worried it's going to do the same thing. I had a bit of a rain storm about 200 miles ago but it was early in the ride and I had another 3 hours of riding in the dry so it should have had time to dry out? These things are expensive and I'm not going to be happy if I find out I have to replace them this often.

>>1993877
that looks more like your sweat's salt

>>1993895
The drips of salt are sweat salt. The oil oozing out of the headset and the road dust accumulated on it is not sweat salt.

seen a few white industries cranksets on aliexpress

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100<wbr>5006592525980.html

legit or nah?
if no, any chance it's a good product still?

>>1993900
That sounds very legit. I got an s-works frame off temu the other day. Don't pay the westoid markup, they take us all for fools

>>1993845
no it happens on both sides equally, but my knees do fold inward towards the top tube a bit.
i have been running 130mm saddles for a while, trying out a short one now and i think that most saddles don't have a very good sweet spot to where you aren't hitting the nose or having your thighs rub on the wings. having them completely level i think helps a bit, and i don't have any symptoms of my saddle being too high either.

i do have my cleats pretty far out so i guess wi will try and move them inward

>>1993896
So why aren’t you replacing your ears due to the fluids oozing out of it? Bikes are put together with grease, it’s actually all over your bike

>>1993877
If you are worried pull the stem and inspect/repack the bearing.
>sealed
just use a pick, grab next to the seal and metal and pry up.
most of my parts weep grease over time, it's normal unless you don't ride or have no grease in the bearings.
>>1993900
kek
>>1993942
Trying stuff is the best way to learn. Remember to take tools on the ride to revert, and don't go super hard until you know the setup is good.
>>1993943
Technically his cells are breaking down and repairing all the time, so he is replacing his ears.

so where do you put your phone while wearing proper biking shorts? Putting some massive construction on the handlebar fucks with the look and behind the saddle it's too impractical. Any of you using a bag on the top tube? Still haven't found a use for those bolting spots

>>1993969
I seriously hope you are not wearing bib shorts without a normal cycling jersey. Cringe.

>>1993974
can't stop me
>>1993969
camelback with the rest of my tools

>>1993969
Cargo bibs or a shoulder bag. You either commit to a lycrafag lifestyle or just ride like a normal person, stop trying so hard to be a contrarian.

kinda daydreaming about cheap fixed gear for road training. wut recommend? gaspipe is acceptable, I can apply my own rustproofing if necessary, but surely you can do cheaper than Surly. would be nice if I could fit say 28-30 WAM

>>1993974
bibs no shirt master race u mad

how freely should a cassette keep spinning after you twirl it with your fingers? because mine stops after like a quarter turn which doesn't seem right. it's a 11-34 cassette on a zipp 176D freehub

>>1993987
that's sus.
without taking my wheel off and checking, I know it's at least a full rotation and I'd say more, depends on how strong you flick it I guess

>>1993994
so I took it off the bike and I can actually feel some play in the axle. grinding noises when I just push it back and forth with my fingers. and I can find a lot of talk about issues with the bearings in these wheels. this is going to be annoying because where I got these is a 25 mile ride from here

>>1993999
pack them with grease and hail mary

>>1994007
I just mean I can't just roll it to the shop in the middle of a workday on my lunch break, I'm going to have to ride on this all week and then take it in on the weekend. I don't think another 25 miles, or 150, is going to change anything

sanity check though, total bearing failure at 2700 miles is on the low side, right? surely you guys get a lot more out of your bearings, on average?

>>1994010
yeah, definitely
I got more out of completely unmaintained cheap shimano hubs, but then again I kept my bikes at home and it doesn't rain a lot around here

>>1994034
It's a cannondale comfort, mens/unisex, with an adjustable stem. What do you want to know exactly? Those old shitty suspension forks are not particularly desirable but if it's cheap enough and you're desperate you could probably do worse

>>1994034
All I can say is it's a hybrid for comfortable riding.
Large 26in tires, 3x chainring, suspension fork, adjustable stem.
>>1993986
used road bike setup for fixed gear with horizontal dropouts. Older bikes(pre 80's) tend to have more tire clearence, or mid 80's touring bikes setup for 27in tires have more clearance.
>why
newer (used) bikes setup for fixed gear only seem to be overpriced, at least in my region.
Also look for new deals on the Internets.
>>1994010
Should be fine

building a trailer seems pretty simple i think, but i'm a bit hung up on how it is going to attach to the bike. bracket with hime joint on the back of the rack, arm, then another hime joint at the trailer? so the bike can lean independently while cornering. i dunno man. not sure if a hime joint will offer enough movement, but what then?

>>1993987
make sure the lockring of the cassette isn't contacting the freehub seal behind it.

A tiny contact often causes drag.

bad is if you spin the rear wheel and it turns the cranks

>>1994040
Could do a u-joint coming off the back of the bike, or the a seatpost attachment.
They move quite a bit and are cheap if you find a used one.

>>1994040
there are a tonne of those kid or dog trailers floating round and some of the better 1 wheel touring ones.

i'd pick a used one up cheaply and modify it to suit your purposes.

>>1994060
i wanted to build something like the surly one, and while i do have (access to) the appropriate stuff to weld steel, i don't for aluminum afaik. just gonna borrow my dads mig welder.
>>1994056
i didn't really want to have something on the seatpost in case it would interfere with the rear rack, but a u-joint is probably a pretty good idea. i was thinking of trying to fashion some kind of receiver system since weight is really not going to be a problem if i am going to be carrying heavy shit anyway.

>>1994037
>used road bike setup for fixed gear with horizontal dropouts
This would be neat but yeah I feel like at least online I'm not seeing much that's still down in the appropriate price range. Maybe I just need to lurk moar, or look at more shit that's just listed as "bike, $50" or whatever.

>https://www.bicyclebluebook.com/va<wbr>lue-guide/2010%20Cannondale%20Comfo<wbr>rt%204/
Is this a decent bike? I can't find any info on it. A used one is for sale nearby for $70

>>1994074
It's okay.
>>1994069
Offerup, fb marketplace, and craigslist. Click on pictures you are interested in and learn about the bikes and different types.
>>1994067
Yeah if you can grab to a non-seatpost location that's great, I just know that would be easy.
I would probably grab the rear rack attachment and maybe both of the stays.

>>1994069
>look at more shit that's just listed as "bike, $50" or whatever.
bikes that are poorly listed or poorly kept are absolutely what you need to zero in on for a fixie conversion or really any project.

>>1994083
I did this and have too many bikes now.
So many good deals hidden out there, and it's neat seeing what you can find.

is changing crank length obviously different than just adjusting the saddle? or is there a subtle difference?

>>1994099
It's obviously different for me, but IDK how people perceive differences.
For instance 165mm cranks feel weird, and always have for me. 170mm is okay, but 175mm+ is best. 87cm inseam here.
As the cranks get smaller I naturally go up in rpm so it balances out, but climbing steep hills with 165mm cranks hurt my knees unless I have super low gears. DESU I have a somewhat temporary glute issue that's been going on for about 3 months but I think that was too low of seat+small cranks+rubbing brake rotors+hard ride.

Just try it out, I Iove square taper cranks since they are cheap and easy to swap for this reason.

isn't titanium really brittle? wouldn't that be a pretty bad material for a bottle cage? kind of wondering since i've had aluminum ones break pretty easily with impact, but the chinkshit ti cages are cheaper than the soma ones which have a variety of mounting holes and about the same price as the minoura ones.

I wanna build a wheelset for my bike but all the rims I look at have big fuck ugly logos.<br>Are these just stickers that can be easily removed or is it fucked?

>>1994138
Most I have encountered are stickers. Some vintage bikes I have they have come off just by riding.
I suspect any strong chemical will pull them off, and if not you can always paint it.

>>1994074
not related to your question but b*cycle b*ue b**k" is a garbage noob bait site, please never post that URL again

>>1994164
I appreciate them for making anything older then 3 years old worth sub 100usd so I can pickup good deals.
Since boomers trust the car version, I bet they believe in the bike version.

>>1994138
you can almost always remove it from the rims. I do it fairly often

hair drier if they won't lift + video rental card
then isopropyl alcohol to clean the glue off

>>1994184
>video rental card
damm I thought I was the boomerest boomer here, how did you not lose it after all these years?

>>1994185
still use it to get dvds on friday with my friends

Serious question how do you stop the tip of your penis getting cold in bib shorts?
I got a chill and needed to piss.
I don't want to tuck for obvious reasons.

>>1994200
There's bibs with better wind protection like gore c5 or similar

>air leaking through the seam of the rim
Should I retape/add more tape? sealant isn't doing the job.

>>1994040
the store-bought one I have uses a clamp to attach to the non drive chainstay and the arm goes back a few inches, then there's a spring, and then bends outward and then attaches to the side of the trailer. to mitigate the bike leaning, the
 spring is really strong and inline with the arm at the clamp with a separate physical limit so it can't stretch it just twists when you lean.
I've seen internet posts where diy-ers use the connectors for air drive tools. the male is permanently mounted on the chainstay and the female is on the trailer arm. they're rated for several hundred pounds of pressure so anything you'd haul is less, and it's circular so it'll move with the bike leaning. pretty neat.

>>1994074
a new Walmart bike is over $200 or maybe a bit cheaper.
viewed that way, you've found an awesome deal.
the question now is: is there a bike on your Craigslist that fits you better (frames come in different sizes, this is actually important) and suits your use-case better for around what you can afford. that's the bike you should buy. if that Cannondale fits your body and use-case, buy it

>>1994138
the velocity rim I recently bought just had regular stickers on it, like the kind bumper stickers and normal-use decorative stickers are made of (vinyl?) whereas the Mavic ones have some more tenacious professional thing but those come off, too, with other anon's method

>>1994010
>>1993987
>>1993999
for the archives, the mechanic checked and said the hub is working perfectly, and I trust this guy, apparently I'm just being paranoid. he did spot a number of other things I had fucked up on my bike, which he fixed up like new, but the bearings were not on the list

in conclusion, fookin sram has been acquitted of felony premature bearing failure, at least for now

I got overconfident having replaced my front tube last year and thought I could do the back wheel as well, despite having an internal gear (shimano nexus 7). I think I'm close to getting things back together, but I forgot to take pictures of how these bolts (or whatever they're called go on). one is labeled 7R and other 7L, so I'm assuming right and left, but I don't know whether they go on facing to the back (like in the picture) or forward. I'd google this but I'm too inexperienced (i.e. brain damaged) to know what they're called or even what they're part of

>>1994254
Normally they are installed facing forwards. But IIRC it doesn't matter because you can clock the hub 180 degrees.

>>1994260
>>1994262
awesome, thank you so much

>>1994138
embrace them, it's the coolest thing trying to align in an aesthatically pleasing way valve hole, rim stickers, tire brand and name, hub logo

>>1994164
I hear ya but I only posted it because it was actually the only link I could find on the bike, I'd never even heard of blue bike before
>>1994220
>>1994079
I'm gonna go check it out today. I've been looking awhile for a good name brand bike under $100. A couple Giants but they never responded. It may be a tad small but we'll see. Thanks for the feedback

do you pronounce nitto like neato or nitto<br>hearing people say neato bothers me, why shoule ni make a nee- sound over a nih sound

>>1994340
You say it like two words “neat toe” in japanese

>>1994340
It's a Japanese company with a Japanese name, it doesn't matter how you think it should be pronounced, it's just how it is.

>>1994340
As an american I pronounce things how I want to.
neato doesn't work for me since it can be used as a adjective.

>>1994342
>>1994341
i dont speak nip
when referencing the tire company, also japanese, i have NEVER heard anyone say neat toe. so everyone i've ever heard sat nit toe including myself has been wrong? crazy.

Yes I post rd questions in this thread every day. Just got bike back from shop. Try to shift to smallest ring in the back, and the chain gets stuck on picrel washer (?) that the derailleur is screwed into.

Wtf is going on. Is the mechanic retarded? Can this be adjusted with a limit screw? I’m confused

>>1994351
Kinda looks like it's an extra nut for the derailleur mounting bolt.
Of course your chain rubs on the smallest gear since that plate is too close to allow the chain to go by as your peddling.
You could take it back to the shop, you could unscrew the derailleur and see if you need that piece or not.

>>1994352
Ok, thanks. So they just fucked up. Guess I’ll make them fix it for free…

>>1994351
>Is the mechanic retarded?
Probably. I've never seen a nut to secure a rear derailleur.
>Can this be adjusted with a limit screw?
No.

>>1994354
>Guess I’ll make them fix it for free…
Go get 'em champ!

>>1994351
>Yes I post rd questions in this thread every day.
Forgot to ask: Are you Bianchibro?

>>1994351
>>1994354
>>1994368
Looks like Wheels Mfg "Dropout Saver", or similar.

>>1994375
Posters like you are why this thread is eternally shit.

>>1994351
How hard does it grind? I had this issue with a derailleur adapter for my hangerless bike and ended up grinding it down with a file until it was clear.

>>1994344
Bicycle enjoyers are far more educated then cagers, this explains the discrepancy.

>>1994379
i don't think this is inherently true but it's hard to draw comparisons. fred who drops 10k on a uci race bike is kind of like the same layman who drops a lot of money on a high spec porsche or whatever. he buys this because it's fast, but can't necessarily utilize his vehicle to obtain the benefit it would bring him. this analogy doesn't hold up on the other end of the spectrum really, but there are certainly people that have things "register on the butt dyno" even though these things are either really minute or placebo. cluelessness exists within both realms, i mean think of all the dumbass questions you see here.
i think a good portion of bicycle autists kind of fall under the category of people who modify and track their vehicle and eek out marginal gains in the same way, as well as having a focus on ability. just as well are there those who build and ride cool bikes just because it's fun and the same with cars.

bicycle "enjoyers" maybe, but certainly not bicycle "users" (at least in america)

>>1994384
I appreciate your high effort response to what was mainly intended as a shitpost.

>>1994384
>anyone who has nice things is clueless and can't benefit
These kinds of posts ironically are more of an indictment of what kinds of people the anon associates with rather than a comment on people who have disposable income to spend on things they like. The only people I know IRL who have a pinarello are bike shop workers who probably make 1/4 of what I make with my shitty mail order bike and tech parasite salary, their entire lives revolve around bikes and they buy what makes them happy now while I'm over here worrying about whether I'm saving enough for retirement.

What's a good headset upgrade for a mountain bike? Looks like even the $30 ones with sealed bearings are better than the crap they put on the GT Avalanche.

>>1994343
>neato doesn't work for me since it can be used as a adjective
>>1994344
I guess these are valid. if you say "hey, check out my neat-o stem", people will just think you like it a lot. although Nitto stuff is high quality and desirable, so it sort of works both ways. but nih-toe is a valid English pronunciation and avoids ambiguity.
what Nitto needs is an aggressive ad campaign for "Nitto is neat-o!" but there's no point since their market is so niche

>>1994377
What's the point of this? As far as I can tell all it is is a sleeve with the same thread as the hanger. Threads wearing out seems like kind of a non issue.

should I get a Diverge E5 or is there something better for the $$$

imagine i have a fixie with cog 17, would it be easier to ride than a bike with cog 17 with a rear derailleur? Since there are gears in the rear derailleur, don't you have to push harder?

>>1994343
>>1994427
It’s not really pronounced neato anyway. It’s “knee tow”, tow being clipped short, and there’s a beat between knee and tow that you pause for. That’s how you treat double letters in Japanese. Of course this will make you look like a retard if you try it.

>>1994475
Theoretically there’s more optimal power transfer in fixed/single speed versus a derailleur system, but all things being the same you won’t notice it.

You may notice the reduction in weight, from no cassette, derailleurs and smaller chain.

Are you converting an existing bike, buying one?

>>1994398
fair nuff. not going to lie to you though, i don't interact with the real world all that much.

>>1994479
yeah i'm considering converting my 7 speeds steel bike from the 80s to a fixie.

>but all things being the same you won’t notice it.
i wonder if theoratically, using a cog with 17 teeths with a derailleur would be equal to say 16 teeths without one, since there are two more gears to push, therefore more teeth to push.

>>1994436
I assumed there was a different , thinner standard bolt on some RDs?

>>1994481
there's almost no resistance on the jockey and idler pullys, though. they spin freely, they're not hooked up to anything

>>1994436
probably just for when someone fucks up their threads. drill out existing threads and replace with sleeve.

>>1994481
>>1994483
As I said, the difference is theoretical, in that you can measure it but it doesn’t mean much. You have the weight of moving a longer, heavier chain through some derailleurs, likely with some friction cause of the chain angle isn’t perfect like a single speed. I don’t think it’s going to be enough to even feel like a single tooth difference.

Bikebros how do i understand wich dropper post good for me? I mean: inner part on my bike (which goes inside the frame) 260 mm. Diameter 30.9. But i can’t figure out which dropper to choose, 125 or 150mm; besides, they don’t write everywhere how long the inner part of the seatpost is. I only found information about Fox transfer, it seems to suit my bike. But i'd like to find something cheaper if possible. It's kind of hard for me to figure this out