Santa Cruz Bike to Work Day!

Bike to Work Day 2008 was magnificent with a huge turnout, wonderful weather, tasty treats at the free B2W breakfast site I pedaled to, and the ultimate ride to work. Click here to join me for my B2W ride across Santa Cruz!

Let Levi And Rick Ride

You've probably heard of the Let Levi Ride campaign, as in Tour of California champ, Levi Leipheimer, who's banned from the Tour de France (along with his entire Astana team) for questionable reasons by the Amaury Sports Organization (ASO), which runs these races. If you haven't already, you might want to click the link above and add your voice to the 60,000 fans demanding ASO change its decision.

Well, I recently learned about another campaign for a banned rider, the Let Rick Ride campaign. Rick Oberle is being prevented from doing the DALMAC (Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinaw Bicycle Tour) simply because he doesn't want to attach a flag on a pole to the back of his bicycle (photo). He's willing to carry a flag in his pocket or attach it to his clothing, but he believes flags on poles are a safety hazard (a valid point, as they're angled back and can stab or poke following riders). For this, the ride organizers have banned him from entering the event, even though he actually served on the DALMARC ride committee and has ridden the ride many times. By clicking the link above you can learn more, support Rick's cause, and maybe persuade the organizers to compromise on the flag issue. (From a mechanical point of view, if these flag poles attach via brackets attached beneath the rear-wheel quick-release, they're creating another safety issue [loose wheels] by forcing people to install them.)

Q&A: Adjusting cleats, tubeless slow leak, creaking

Q: I'm installing cleats on my new bicycle shoes and don't know how to get them in the right position. Can you help?

Thanks,
Dennis

A: Thanks for the question. It's important to get cleats right to prevent knee injuries and also to ensure you can get in and out of your clipless pedals easily. The diagram on the right shows the correct placement for cleats. It's from a page I have on my website where I explain how to find the right cleat position and give easy instructions that help you align and position your cleats in the right position. Click to learn more about cleat placement.

Hope this helps,
Jim
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Q: Hi Jim,
I recently purchased a set of Dura Ace 7850-SL wheels to use with tubeless tires in part because of your positive reviews. I've noticed that the only criticisms are from those folks who haven't ridden them - you, Zinn and others who know their stuff seem to like them a lot. So far, I've been very pleased, but I have a couple of questions that I'd greatly appreciate your advice on. I weigh 165lbs and the Hutchinson website indicates the following: 65 - 75 kg / 140 - 165 lb = 6 - 7 bars / 87 - 101 psi. That strikes me as higher pressure than I would have thought. What do you recommend (especially for someone who places a high emphasis on cornering grip)? Also, my rear tire seems to have a very slow leak. It always seems to lose 10 - 20lbs of pressure overnight. Should I use the Hutchinson Protect'Air? If so, how much (ml) should I use for a 700x23 tire?

Thanks in advance!
Mark

A: Thanks for the email, Mark. I'm about the same weight as you and I run 90psi in the front tire and 95 in the rear. I have run them lower on really bad roads, approx 87 in the rear, 85 in the front. Note that gauges are usually inaccurate so it's hard to know the exact pressures, but according to my gauges, that's a ballpark setting you could try that should work nicely. And, you can certainly experiment with lower pressure to see what's right for you and your roads. I would think you wouldn't want to run too much below what the company recommends, though. Usually if a tire is run too soft it tends to crack sooner but you could try it and see if you have any problems, too.

To figure out the slow leak, I would put water around the valve and see if that's what's leaking. I had trouble with one of mine. The little O-ring wasn't sealing well. I finally replaced the valve, which wasn't easy because I had to special order it from a bike shop and it took a long time. They don't seem to be available yet so the shop could only order them from Shimano direct instead of from their usual distributors.

You could also dip the wheel in a sink to try to spot a slow leak, but the only problem with this is that there are holes in the rim and the rim will take in some water and it's a pain to get it out. So, you should seal the holes first with little pieces of tape.

I'm assuming that you haven't run over a tiny piece of glass or wire that's causing the slow leak, too.

Some feedback I've gotten from others riding these tires is that theirs lose air overnight, too. I have only had this with the tire with the bad valve. The other tires hold air overnight but need a little air every few days like regular clincher tires with tubes.

I believe if you use Hutchinson's aerosol inflator you're supposed to use one per tire. That's based on them sending me 2 with 2 tires. They told me that there's a light sealant in there that will help seal the tire. I used it on one tire and didn't notice any difference, but some people swear that sealants fix flats and are worth using. I can't tell if it made a difference or not in sealing the tire or preventing flats. I have checked that tire and rim and haven't noticed any issues with sealant eating the rim (as I mentioned in my RBR article can be caused by Stan's sealants - or so Shimano says).

I hope this answers your questions and you enjoy riding tubeless as much as I do. Last week I flatted my front tire in a race and was able to ride 10 miles on it to the neutral support tent to get a spare wheel while keeping right up with the lead group I was in. I don't think I would have dared try that on my old regular clinchers. There was no damage to the rim.

Thanks again,
Jim
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Q: Jim,
I am not sure how much of a problem I am having with my bottom bracket. When I stand to climb I hear an awful lot of creaking noise. I have an aluminum frame Cannondale CAAD 4 with a Shimano Dura-Ace crankset. I am by no means a bike mechanic. Just like my car, I know where the gas goes and how to turn it on. So I don't know if this is just stress noise or if something is loose that can be tightened.

Thanks for your time and consideration,
Rob

A: Hi Rob,
Your crankset shouldn't make noise when you're riding. You probably have a loose crankarm or a loose bottom bracket, or if you wear cleated cycling shoes, you might have a noise coming from your pedals or cleats.

This article on my website goes into great detail on noises and you'll find a lot of common noises and solutions here including bottom bracket, crank and cleat noises.

Of course, you could also take your bike into any bike shop, describe the noise, ask the mechanic to take a test ride and he should be able to hear it and tell you what's needed right away and maybe fix it right away, too, for not too much money, even.

I hope this helps,
Jim
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Q&A: Mixing SRAM/Campy; bike for big man; vintage wrenches; QR to bolt-on axles

Q: Hi Jim,
Always good to read your opinion where I can. It sure helps. I'd like a short answer from you. I run Campy Chorus bikes. I'd like to buy the SRAM Force gruppo but would like to be able to ride my Campy wheels without having to change cassettes and hub body. Do you think it will be fine? Where could I find info about SRAM/Campy compatibility?

Thank you,
Pierre

A: I have not had the opportunity to extensively ride or test the SRAM components so I did a little research and discovered that my friend Lennard Zinn, tech writer at VeloNews magazine has - and has written about compatibility issues. Unfortunately, he says that SRAM works fine shifting Shimano and SRAM cassettes but that Campagnolo cassettes (10-speed) have different spacing and won't shift correctly. You can read his explanation here: http://www.velonews.com/article/73404

Hope this helps,
Jim
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Q: Next week is my boyfriend's birthday and I wanted to buy him a bicycle. I was hoping to stay in the price range of $250-$300. The bike would be used for pleasure, leisure, and extra activity. We would not be racing or doing any serious competing. We live in Philadelphia so there are some bike trails near us that we could ride on. I talked to some people and they said to look
into last year's models. My boyfriend is also close to 300 pounds - and I was wondering if I should take that into consideration when finding a bike. If you could give me some suggests/model/brands of bikes you think would be good I would greatly appreciate it - thanks!

Colleen

A: What a nice birthday present, Colleen! I would recommend checking out the Trek 820, which sells for $290 (sug retail) and should be available at just about any bike shop that sells Trek bikes. It will come fully assembled and with a full guarantee and the shop will be happy to adjust the seat and bars to him and answer any questions he has. They'll also give the bike a free tune up after he breaks it in with a month or so of rides.

The 820 is a basic mountain bike. It's good for a big rider because it has a
strong frame and wheels, a nice upright riding position so he'll be comfortable and it has low gears for easier pedaling and for riding up hills. It also has quality brakes and a suspension fork for some more comfort.

He'll need to try the seat to make sure it fits right and is comfortable but that's the case on any new bike. If he doesn't like the way it feels after a few rides he should ask the shop to try another and he should be able to find one he likes after trying a few.

Here's a link to the bike online so you can check it out. It comes in 2 colors and you can click the colors to see the different one: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/mountain_hardtail/820/820/

I hope this helps and that you have a nice birthday party and he loves the bike,
Jim
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Q: Hi Jim, I don't have a question on repairs, but i do have a question about cone wrenches. I have 3 wrenches made by Park Tool which are in sizes 11/16 ,7/8 ,and 1/2 inches. They are the old style. About 8 inches long with the old Park Tool logo. What I was wondering is how many sizes were there and in what years were they made? I do own 13-20, 22mm in the new and old style. Thank you for your time,

Don

A: Ah, a Park Tool trivia question......

We've made several different versions of cone wrench over the years including a complete set of fractional wrenches. A complete set would have included 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4 and 7/8". The photo shows wrenches from two different times. The circular logo would be from the 70's or early 80's and the sprocket logo could go as far back as '85. We discontinued fractional wrenches in about 1990 as there was no use for them. The first cone wrenches we made were for Schwinn starting in the late 60's early 70's. They had red handles.

I hope this helps,
Eric Hawkins
Park Tool Company
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Q: Hi Jim,
I bought a used one-speed freewheel bike a few years ago and it came with quick release axles on both the front and back. I know a little bit about hubs, like how to adjust them. But I have one question. I would like to change from my quick releases to bolt-on wheels. Do I need to buy only a new axle with cones and bolts, or do I have to change my hub completely? I keep hearing about solid hubs vs. quick-release hubs, but I can't find any info.

Thanks,
Katie

A: Hi Katie,
It depends on what hubs you have but in most cases you can simply remove your axle set (the quick release axle, cones, spacers, lockrings) and replace it with a bolt-on axle set (you can use your old bearing again unless they're old, in which case you should go ahead and put in new ones). Good shops should carry the bolt-on axle sets and if you're lucky you'll find ones that will work on your front and rear hubs. You may find that the dustcaps, which are original to the hubs may not be completely compatible with the new bolt-on axle set's cones. If that's the case you can usually
easily "shrink" the cones by grinding or filing them or enlarge the holes in the dustcaps with some emery cloth or sandpaper.

What you might do is head down to the bike shop with your wheels, having already removed the QR axles. Then, you can take their bolt-on axle sets and test fit them into your hubs to see if they will work. If you're lucky they'll go right in. Be sure to get chromoly bolt-on axles, not cheap carbon steel, because carbon steel is more likely to bend with a lot of use. Chromoly axles should hold up to almost anything.

Happy hub overhauling!
Jim

PRODUCT REVIEW: GF Torque Wrench

Click photo to enlarge

A costly, dangerous and all-too-easy mistake you might make on today's carbon bicycles and components is overtightening. This can cause frame or component failure and a crash, both painful and expensive. So, I'm excited to see a high-quality precision tool specifically designed for bicycles that can help solve the problem. It's very expensive at $175, yet it's beautifully designed and manufactured, small enough to fit your toolbox or even pocket and comes with everything you need to tighten right and ensure that you never damage your bicycle or yourself.

Designed and built in Italy by Effetto Mariposa, the Giustaforza torque wrench is only about as long as your hand. To use, simply insert the bit you need (held in place with a magnet inside the head of the tool), set your desired torque with the small knob and gauge on the end, and tighten the bolt. The Giustaforza (translates as correct force) makes, and you feel, a pronounced click when the proper torque is reached preventing you from ever overtightening again! This sweet tool is small so that it's easy to handle, and so it provides just the right leverage for working on even the largest Allens and torx bolts found on bicycles. The 16 included bits (see photo) allow you to use it on almost any bolt or screw on modern bicycles, and a plastic protective case is included, too. If you like to own great bicycles and equally great tools to work on them, you'll want a Giustaforza in your toolbox. I love mine.

Q&A: Merckx tubing, Motobecane badge, Pedals times 2, Seatpost racks

Q: I've just bought a second-hand Reynolds 653 road frame. I've spent about an hour a day on the internet researching this tubeset but the most I can discover is that the rear triangle uses 753 tubing. Nowhere can I discover what the other tubes were - 631, 531, whatever. And what about the forks? Reynolds no longer publish any info about this tubeset. Can you tell me anything more about or direct me to a resource on it?

Thanks,
Tom

A: What year is the frame? Maybe if I knew the year I could find some mention in magazine back issues. I vaguely remember 653 but not enough to tell you anything about it so I'll need to research it. Having a year would shrink the haystack,

Jim

Tom's reply: Thanks Jim. Reynolds have sent me a helpful reply so don't spend any more time on this one on my account. I'll tell you what they said as it's interesting and other folk might appreciate it too. In essence, 653 was invented following feedback from Eddy Merckx that a pure 753 frame was too harsh for certain stages. So Reynolds produced a 653 tubeset which combined 753 stays with 531 main tubes and forks. Not any old 531 though, but an even thinner gauge than usual - just for use in the 653 set. Eddy and other riders were very pleased with the result, which combined an light, ultra-stiff and efficient transmission with a more forgiving and comfy ride. Nowadays when folks are after a similar ride builders use 725 stays and usually 631 for all other tubes. I heard it from the horse's mouth.

Thanks again for your prompt attention previously.
Tom

Thanks for sharing Tom!
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Q: I've been searching and searching for a vintage Motobecane head badge, but to no avail. Could you help me find one?

Thanks,
Eric

A: It'll take a little patience but if you check ebay.com every day for a while, or once a week, you should be able to find one. I've seen lots of them on there over the years and they're not that rare. Of course, it depends on which one you need, too. They made a few different designs over the years. I would search on the words/phrases "head badge" "head badges" "Motobecane" and "Motobecane badge"

Another option would be to search on "Motobecane" and see if you can find a frame or bike with the badge you need on it. If it's selling for an affordable price you could buy the whole thing, remove the badge for your bike and then sell the frame or bicycle back on eBay to get your money back.

If you live in a big city you might be able to find one at local bike shops that have been around since the 1970s, too. A lot of shops have a little drawer where they save head badges for use on repair bikes or repaints in the future. But, it will need to be a shop that's been around for a while. Newer shops probably won't have any badges, though it never hurts to ask at every shop you visit or call. By the way, here is a picture of one style of Motobecane head badge from my collection: http://www.jimlangley.net/brake/europlatesdet6.html

I hope this helps you find one,
Jim
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PEDALS #1
Q: Hello,
I recently purchased an old Nishiki Riviera GT. I wanted to change the pedals so I purchased some. Now that look at the bike there is an Allen wrench hole on the back side of the pedal hole on the crank. Does an Allen key have to be used as well as an adjustable to get them off. Are they both reverse threaded? It's a classic bike and I do not want to mess it up.

Thanks for any help,
Jeff

A: Hi Jeff,
Your Nishiki has standard pedals, meaning that you turn the right one to the left to loosen it and you turn the left one to the right to loosen it, too. That's because left pedals are always reverse threaded (rights are regular threaded) so the lefts don't loosen when you're riding (an invention by the Wright brothers).

The Allen holes can be used to remove the pedals and there are probably wrench flats on the inside of the pedal axles (right next to the crankarms) for removing them with a pedal wrench. Be sure to shift onto the large chainring before removing the pedals as this will provide some measure of protection should you slip and hit it with your hand or arm. And, be sure to align the wrench with the crankarm so you have good leverage. Using the wrench will be easier than using an Allen wrench. For more extensive tips on pedals please visit this page on my website:
http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/pedalbasics.html

Have fun working on your bike!
Jim
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PEDALS #2
Q: Hi Jim and greetings from TAZ!
I have a set of FSA K-Force cranks that the drive side pedal insert has worked loose in. It's not repairable is it?

Like your work!
Nige

A: Sorry to hear about that, Nige. I'd bring it in to your local bike shop and ask them to check it for warranty repair or replacement. I would think FSA would cover that assuming it wasn't caused by a crash or abuse. It should not be able to loosen or fail just from riding or working on your bike. I believe that insert is screwed and glued in there and designed to be permanently fixed in place. FSA components carry a 2-year guarantee from date of purchase and I bet they'd take care of it for you if you contacted a dealer or FSA. Here's a link to that page on their site: http://road.fullspeedahead.com/fly.aspx?layout=content&taxid=67

Of course, if it's so loose that you can see inside and determine what's
wrong you might be able to fix it, but only if it's something simple. For example if it only loosened (and all the threads are still perfect, maybe you could remove the insert, apply a good 2-part epoxy and screw it back into place. But, you put so much pressure on pedals and you crash so hard if they fail that I wouldn't chance it. I'd see if FSA will take care of it for you.

Good luck!
Jim
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Q: Hello Jim,
I subscribed to your mailing list about six months ago and enjoyed every one of your emails. I even blogged about your website - it is truly an extensive resource of information for bikers everywhere. I have a quick question. I recently purchased a pannier seatpost rack for my mountain bike. I use the bike regularly to go to school and hoping to go on at least a short bike backpacking trip this season. During weekends, I go mountain biking in nearby trails. I was wondering if it is safe to have the seatpost rack installed when I go for mountain biking?

Thank you,
Vamsi

A: Thanks for the kind words about my site and blog, Vamsi. I appreciate it very much. Seatpost racks usually have a load limit (if it's not written on the rack check the company's website) and as long as you don't exceed the load limit they should withstand any riding you want to do. Of course they should be nice and tight so they can't move around and get in the way or scratch the seatpost, which could cause the seatpost to fail if the scratch was deep enough. But, these things shouldn't be a problem if the rack is installed right and you're not overloading it with too much weight. If it's an extremely technical or bumpy trail you might go with half the maximum weight to provide additional safety because the bumps will cause more jarring and stress on the seatpost. And, you didn't mention what type of bicycle or seatpost you have but ideally you'll have a good quality seatpost that can handle a little more weight. Any brand name bicycle should be equipped with a nice aluminum seatpost that will work fine.

If you're using panniers with your rack they need to be high enough or secured well enough so they can't swing into the wheel or spokes, too, as that can be an issue on rough trails and even rough roads. Usually there are straps or cords or supports on the rack to prevent this but it's worth checking. If the bags swung into the tire they could jam and stop the wheel and cause a crash and you wouldn't want that.

I hope these tips help and you have a nice trip!
Jim

MUST READ: Yahuda Moon cycling comics

I recently discovered Rick Smith's Yahuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery comics and greatly enjoy them. Click the links to see his latest and archived ones - and be sure to check regularly so you don't miss any.