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1500 questions
22
votes
12 answers
Is standing up and pedaling on multi-gear bicycles a bad idea
After reading While pedaling standing up, bike crank gives in as if shifting, what is causing this? , I was thinking "one should probably not be standing up to pedal under normal circumstances". Is this an accurate assumption?
I remain seated…
MrDaniel
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votes
9 answers
Why Do I Need a Better/Lighter Road Bicycle to Train For 'Fitness'?
I'm about to purchase a bicycle in the very near future and have been shopping around at different bike shops to see what I like and what they offer.
My primary goal here is to commute to work. It's a 6 mile / 9.5 km ride (each way). It's all…
Rob P.
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21
votes
4 answers
How can one estimate drag for a bicycle?
I am curious how to estimate drag for a bicycle. This has two different framings:
Find the amount of power required to ride at a certain speed. That is, when one is traveling at a constant speed, the power added to the system (with my effort and/or…
Reid
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21
votes
8 answers
What is the simplest way to lower the gearing on my touring bike?
I have a 2004 Jamis Aurora with a 52/42/30 triple and an 11-32 cassette in the back. 30x32 (25.3 gear inches) being the lowest gear is frustrating for the hilly terrain where I live (e.g., 7% grade average over several miles, with higher local…
Reid
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21
votes
4 answers
Why doesn't "butt soreness" affect serious cyclists?
Over time, my seat (butt) has been broken in by my saddle. I don't have a callus, and nothing obvious has changed. Physiologically, why doesn't riding cause seat soreness anymore?
On the flip-side, what does a saddle do to a less-experienced…
amcnabb
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21
votes
6 answers
Should I put my wider tire in front or in back?
My used bike came with a 700x28 tire in front and a 700x23 tire in back. Should I leave the wider tire in front, or should I switch the tires? What benefits or drawbacks are there one way or the other? Is there any particular reason why the previous…
amcnabb
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21
votes
3 answers
Do cassettes and chains need to be replaced at the same time?
Someone recently told me that if I replace my cassette I need to replace my chain (and vice versa) so that they wear evenly.
Is this true? And, can anyone elaborate on the reasoning for this a bit more? Why is it important for them to wear…
Jake Wilson
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21
votes
2 answers
What are the positions on drop bars called?
I've heard the different places to put your hands on drop bars given different names, like "hoods" which I think is the flat part on top or maybe the brake levers, or "drops", referring to the lowest part of the bars. Can anyone tell me what the…
AlexJ
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21
votes
7 answers
How maintenance-free can a commuter bike be?
Commuting is hard on bikes, especially when doing it all-year long. Maintenance is essential to assure one can get to work every morning without issues but it takes time and care.
Fixed-gear and single-speed bikes can be easier to maintain since…
olliebulle
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21
votes
7 answers
14 "Trashed" bikes acquired for free. Worth repairing and reselling? What do I look for?
Very new to this, bike repair specifically. I tried my best with the tags. I'm mechanically inclined, like to tinker, and have many tools (not bike specific). Learning and time aren't really an issue. Investment vs profitability is a primary…
PlayfulShad0w
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21
votes
3 answers
Why are aluminum frames painted at all?
After reading about how complex is to paint a bicycle frame, I wonder, why is this done at all? Steel frame obviously needs painting as it may rust. Aluminum or say titanium does not rust in similar ways and the color is not much worse than black.…
nightrider
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21
votes
5 answers
What should I do with stop lights which don't detect my bike? [Ontario]
I'm wondering what the law in Ontario allows me to do here if I want to turn left, what I typically do is use the pedestrian crossing and get back on my bike once I am across. I saw this question, but it related to the US and lights with a specific…
unbeatable101
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21
votes
15 answers
What applications exist for bicycle power, besides propulsion?
The dynamo light uses the power of a bicycle and rider to generate light. Are there other such inventions, intended either as accessories to the bicycle, or intended to be powered by bicycle mechanics to perform some other work than physically…
SamA
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21
votes
6 answers
Trail shared by bicyclists and hikers
In my community, there is a new trail for bikers and hikers to share. There are one way arrows for the bikers so they go in one direction. Should the hikers go the same way? I had a bicyclist yell at me for going the wrong way. I thought it would be…
Bibliobethica
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21
votes
3 answers
Why should little kids not have back mirrors on their bicycles?
In a paper from the mid-1980s, there is a kind of PSA box listing some things that small children should NOT have on their bicycle. Most of them make sense, but there's one that confuses me: "back mirrors".
Why is that bad? Isn't it a good thing if…
Khye
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