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1500 questions
41
votes
12 answers
How to move a bicycle by bicycle
I need to move two bicycles from work to home. The route is 5 miles long and car free. My only means of transport is to ride one of the bicycles so my question is this: What is the safest way to get both bikes from work to home in one journey?…
nettux
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41
votes
14 answers
Bicycling apps for Android
I have an Android smartphone, with GPS, accelerometer, 3G internet connection, and other features that seem useful for bicycling. Are there any good bicycling apps on Android?
One app per answer please; feel free to answer multiple times.
Brian Campbell
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40
votes
6 answers
Why are regenerative brakes uncommon on e-bikes?
Few electric bicycles have regenerative braking. Most quality e-bikes seem to be settling on mid-drive, which even makes regenerative braking impossible because there is a freewheel between the wheel and the drive, and the rear derailleur as the…
juhist
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40
votes
11 answers
New chain is pre-lubricated, should I clean it before use?
My new chain is totally coated in lube. I would never ride a bike with a chain like this normally. All that goop is just going to collect flotsam from the road and wear out the chain.
Should I clean this coating off the new chain too?
Darth Egregious
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40
votes
15 answers
When should I not use my front brake?
I have only been riding for a short time and I remember when I was a child there was a belief that if you used your front brakes going downhill that you would fly over your handlebars.
However, my friend who is a long time rider said I should use my…
going
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40
votes
5 answers
Group riding etiquette
I generally ride alone. Recently while riding along at my normal pace, a very large group ride caught me. By large, I mean at least 50 riders.
By virtue of the magic of drafting, by the time about ten riders were past me, I had no problem at all…
Eric S
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40
votes
15 answers
Are there advantages of dedicated bike computer instead of smartphone apps?
I do a lot of road biking. I have a basic Catseye onboard computer for my speed and odometer. But I also use my iPhone to track and record my biking. I've tried a variety of iPhone apps, the best ones being iMapMyRide and Cyclemeter.
As I get more…
Jake Wilson
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40
votes
10 answers
Do I really have to replace the cassette when I replace the chain, or is this a scam?
My chain broke so I brought the bike in and the guy told me "Well you don't have the old chain, so we have to replace the cassette also. They go together. If you don't replace the cassette then the chain will skip when you pedal hard."
Is there any…
bigjosh
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40
votes
12 answers
Why do cyclists shave their legs?
Why do cyclists shave their legs? Is it because of wind resistance?
Johan Dahlin
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40
votes
11 answers
How to ride when the weather is hot?
Today the weather was 36°C (97°F) and sunny.
What should I know about riding when it's a bit hot like that?
I'm a kind of casual rider now (no longer commuting by bike) -- when the weather is above freezing I'm like:
20 to 80 km rides at an average…
ChrisW
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40
votes
14 answers
My bike got stolen a second time (in Amsterdam) - what should I do?
I've moved to Amsterdam a few months ago, and have started using bicycles; I mostly cycle from home to work.
I've been using typical old(ish) used bikes, black-color omafiets of some obscure make, with a front basket mounted. It had a (simple?) ring…
einpoklum
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40
votes
7 answers
Are bananas still a good food to carry when cycling?
I am very much an old school cyclist and I always carry a banana with me when I go on rides longer than an hour. In the past I have found them ideal - they easily fit in my jersey pockets, the wrapping is biodegradable (if I accidentally drop it…
Anthony K
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40
votes
1 answer
What does the "c" in bicycle tire size mean?
For instance, in some cases I will see a particular bike tire listed as available in 700x25, 700x25c, 700c x 25, and 700 x 25mm. (Just picking out a number here, it could be 23, 25, 27, etc.)
What, if any, is the difference between these? I would…
Michael
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40
votes
1 answer
What is the difference between folding bead and wire bead tires?
I'm shopping online for some new tires, and see that some models are sorted by folding and wire beads? What exactly does this mean, and do I need a special rim to support them?
Nik Reiman
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39
votes
10 answers
Why are both Schrader and Presta valves still used on tubes?
It is standard for road bikes to adopt Presta, whereas nearly all else use Schrader.
I personally think Schrader are better:
I've had fewer Schrader valves break on me than Presta
No problems if needing to use car pumps
Have also seen long…
jakc
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