Comment by freiheit on Does the National Bike Registry work?
I went ahead and created a very basic Bike Index ad: meta.bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/1079
View ArticleComment by freiheit on How do you decide your route to commute to work?
@jcbrou Good suggestion! Added to post. Wasn't available back when I first posted this.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Cyclist vs Van. Who is wrong in this scenario?
I put this on hold, because (1) it seems likely to be more of an argument than a question and answer and (2) there's really not enough information to answer properly. The animation shows the van...
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Can a bike wheel be damaged if it's hit by a mop?
Ammonia and Aluminum react when mixed. Most rims and spoke nipples are aluminum, so ammonia splashing onto it could kill the wheel.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on What is the safest and most courteous way to ride on a...
@TOOGAM This is a Question and Answer site, not a forum, creative writing or essay site. In journalistic terms, your style here is burying the lede. It's not a bad enough answer to warrant deletion,...
View ArticleComment by freiheit on How to find a bell that works well in the rain?
@Criggie I find the bell very useful on the multi-use path. No point ringing it at motorists on the road, though.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on What is an asymmetric wheel and why would you use it?
Note that it is possible to have the frame be asymmetrical (offset), but there's tradeoffs with that and seems to mostly only be a thing on fatbikes.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on What is an asymmetric wheel and why would you use it?
@ojs I think symmetric rims probably are a bit cheaper to produce, because the front wheel always needs a symmetric rim, so asymmetric rims are a second item to manufacture, store, track, etc.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on What should I carry on day trips for emergencies?
@CareyGregory Most important? I'm guaranteed to get thirsty. I'm more likely to get a flat, get hungry or want to buy something than I am to need anything that calls for the multitool.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Diagnosing faulty circuit in vintage incandescent...
Reading electronics.SE this seems pretty off-topic (they'd cover modifying the light for some new use or designing the circuitry of a light, but not repairing a light you bought):...
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Can someone help me identify this bicycle?
This link is long-gone and no information from that link made it here... No way for this to be a useful question for anybody anymore without more info on what's being identified.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Rack (& Pannier) for a bike with disc brakes
@Qwerky Yeah, they weren't so common back in 2011; I updated the answer to reflect that it's easier to get disc specific racks now.
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Why do current mountain bikes have such steep top...
From looking at those pictures, it looks like they raised the head tube and lowered the top of the seat tube. The head tube change (and other changes up there) is probably to get a longer travel on the...
View ArticleComment by freiheit on Safely overtaking pedestrians
@cmaster-reinstatemonica Honestly, if the path is that crowded with pedestrians, I'd switch routes, like onto the road... (And if it's actually sidewalk like it almost sounds like: don't ride on the...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Why would tube patch sometimes peel off with backing?
I've found that the amount of time I let the glue dry makes the biggest difference. It really needs to get from "wet" to "tacky" to work best. Scraping the tube and the glue brand make a bit of...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Do cyclocross races permanently damage the grass they...
I've observed a number of cyclocross races in public parks in the area I live. These typically include paved areas, grassy areas and some dirt. If there's been rain recently (or raining during the...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for What is a thru axle?
With a traditional non-through axle, there's a slot at the bottom of the fork (or the dropouts), the axle is hollow, and there is a skewer through axle. You use the quick-release to loosen the grip...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Shimano Ultegra vs Shimano Sora
The cable routing is different. Ultegra is designed to allow both cables to route along the handlebar (instead of that cable sticking out the side of the brake lever like on Sora), to give you a...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for How do I know when to replace my tires?
The tread on a road bike's tires is really quite unimportant and purely cosmetic. Road bike tires have tread patterns because they sell better, not because they perform better.Here's some questions to...
View ArticleHow to encourage people close to me to become cyclists?
Sometimes you try to help somebody get into cycling (buy girlfriend a bike, fix up a friend's bike, give a bike to family, help friend shop for bike) and they neverreally get into it and fall back into...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Is there any rule of thumb for comparing lights rated...
I don't think you're going to be able to do any reasonable conversion, since lux without a distance is meaningless. It's likely that the manufacturer has picked lux specifically to make it sound...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Is a garmin oregon series GPS useful as a bike...
Yes, you should be able to use a Garmin Oregon that way. A Garmin Oregon can do almost anything that a Garmin Edge (GPS bike computer) can do. The exact details will depend a lot on exactly which...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Flat pedal road bike shoes
For flat pedals, here's my suggested preference order of shoe type:A skateboarding shoe. They have flat grippy soles with more stiffness than most shoes.A traditional bicycling shoe (intended for use...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Are flip saddle posts available
No, flip up bicycle seats are not common.For (probably) less than $10US, you could get a quick-release seatpost collar so that it's easy to move the seat up or down. Just make sure to mark on the seat...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Can cyclists legally ride on the sidewalk?
SafetyIn general, riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous than riding on the road. There's higher risk from cars coming out of driveways than cars overtaking you from behind. Generally cars aren't...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Group of Bikes: Is 3x1 an option?
I don't think you can make a 3x1 setup work.In order to have the chain change gears, there needs to be a mechanism to take up the slack in the chain. In a normal dual-derailer setup, the rear derailer...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for What does the "c" in bicycle tire size mean?
It doesn't mean anything, really. It's a historical relic.At one point in time, "700c" was a standard tire/rim size, where "c" indicated the bead seat diameter and "700" was the diameter, in...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Bike won't shift into 2 largest rear cogs (lowest gears)
After watching both videos, I believe that whatever bent the rear derailer also bent the derailer hanger, which has your rear derailer out of alignment.The rear derailer/derailleur is that complicated...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for How can I make myself and bike more visible during the...
1. Wear hi-visibility color on your torso.That really bright yellow/green color is best. The orange is pretty good, too. I've seen stuff that's striped in both colors or is primarily one with a some...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for How can I repair a tyre with a deep cut?
You should be able to patch the tire with a tire boot, which you should be able to pick up at your LBS. It's basically a rubber patch that you apply to the inside of the tire, where a gash is. Similar...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Why are disc brakes rare on road bikes? (circa 2010)
2016 UpdateDisc brakes are now common on road bikes, even racing road bikes in the professional peloton. Most of the major bike manufacturers offer disc and non-disc options for most of their bike...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Community Wiki: Which public transport networks allow...
San Francisco Bay AreaAnything in the 9 counties, including the cities of San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond. Making this community wiki, so please add the ones you know. For those...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Why do the front and rear brakes work independently?
I see several reasons:Redundancy of an essential safety feature is good. If there's a problem with one brake lever you still have the other brake. Being totally unable to stop could be disastrous.It is...
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Drop handlebars with drops that don't fit. Replace or adjust?
I bought a Surly Long Haul Trucker a couple years ago, and it has the stock handlebars. My hands don't really fit in the drops, and I sometimes would like a lower handlebar position where I can still...
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How do I keep my seat from tilting back?
When I first got this bike, I got the saddle adjusted almost perfectly. Recently it slipped back (so that the nose sticks up). I loosened the bolt under the saddle, tilted the saddle back into the...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Dictionary of regional vocabulary differences (US vs UK)
I think we can safely ignore trivial spelling differences like tire/tyre and curb/kerb, and concentrate on differences in terminology that tend to confuse people.Roads and surfacesUS: pavement:...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Explaining the effects of frame geometries
I see frame geometry having 3 primary affectsFitting the rider; which you're already addressing and I won't talk about here... But a lot of geometry stuff comes down to making the other stuff work with...
View ArticleAnswer by freiheit for Tandem for limited space?
It does sound like a tandem is a good option for you and your wife. A trike for her (many recumbents are trikes) might solve the balance problem, but not the speed issue.There are definitely folding...
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