The Compatibility Of Rim Brakes and Disc Wheels Under a Microscope
A rim brake can operate with a disc brake wheel only when the rim has a stopping surface designed for the shoes of a rim brake. Otherwise, the rim brake…
The Compatibility Of V-brake Levers and Disc Brakes (bike theory for free)
V-brake levers are compatible with mechanical (cable) MTB disc brakes. However, V-brake levers cannot operate with road disc brakes because road brakes require a different cable pull. V-brake Levers and…
Installing 26-inch Wheels On a 700c Frame Could Be a Bad Idea…
Condensed info: In theory, a 700c frame can accept 26-inch wheels. However, the conversion will cause the following issues: Failure of the brake calipers to catch the rim (in the…
Can You Use a Single-speed Chain With a Narrow Wide Chainring?
Condensed Answer: Narrow-wide chainrings are fairly thin since they're designed for multi-speed chains. Meanwhile, single-speed chains are wider than multi-speed chains and the narrow-wide ring will have no problem fitting…
Will My Bike Chain Explode If I Reuse a Link Pin?
Re-using a chain pin on a multi-speed chain is considered bad practice because the pin loses its upper layer during the removal process and becomes ever so slightly slimmer. The…
Secret Strategies For Retrieving Spoke Nipples Lost In a Rim (it works)
Description of the Problem: During wheel building or when replacing a spoke, a nipple falls between the walls of a double-wall rim and starts rattling. The problem is fairly common…
The Capabilities of a Basic Road Bike on Crushed Limestone
Road bikes aren’t optimal for riding on crushed limestone. Nonetheless, they can still perform surprisingly well on such a surface if the rider is aware of the bike’s limitations and…
Overcoming The Frustration Caused By Rounded/Stripped Spoke Nipples
Description of The Problem: The nipples connecting the spokes to the rim have partially or fully stripped edges. As a result, the spoke wrench cannot grab the nipple and rotate it…
The Reasons Behind a Wobbling Bike Cassette (ELI5 explanation)
Condensed Answer: The common sources of cassette wobble are: Hub imperfections during manufacturingA narrow cassette combined with a wide hub without the use of spacersThe cassette hasn't been tightened properlyA…
Only Uneducated Cyclists Would Think of Inflating Their Shocks With a Floor Pump
A floor pump cannot be used effectively for pumping up shocks because it operates with a high volume/low-pressure cylinder and many models cannot even reach the high PSI needed by…