How Can I Tell What Year My Bike Was Made (fast answers)
Goal: Determine the birth year of a bicycle. Tips for Determining the Birth Year of a Bicycle Examine the Stickers/Labels on the Frame The frame is the heart of a…
How Tight Should a Fixie Chain Be? (fast answer)
Condensed Answer: Ideally, the chain tension will be as high as possible while still allowing the rear cog and the front chainring to rotate freely. If the chain tension is…
Can I Use Different Front and Rear Bike Tires Or Should They Match? (fast answer)
Condensed Answer: There's nothing wrong with using different tires for the front and back of the bike. In some cases, people follow this strategy deliberately to improve performance or save…
How Can I Reduce Wind Noise While Cycling? (fast tips)
Description of the ProblemThere are two types of wind noises. One is generated by the rider cutting through the atmosphere. The other comes from the natural movement of air or…
Why Don’t New Brakes Have Safety Levers? (fast answer)
Definitions Safety Levers - a special set of brake levers designed for braking from the top position of a road bike's drop bars. They're called safety levers because they allow…
Why Are The Gears Of My Bike Slipping Uphill? (fast answer)
Description of the Problem: When the rider is exerting a lot of effort uphill (usually out of the saddle), the chain slips involuntarily and switches to a different gear even…
How To Know If A Bike Chain Has a Master Link? (fast answer)
Definitions Master link - a chain link consisting of two plates that can be mechanically connected and disconnected without a chain tool. Some links are designed for single use while…
Why Do Road Bikes Use Presta Valves? (fast answer)
Road bikes use Presta valves for the following reasons: 1. Thin rims For aerodynamic and weight-saving purposes, road bikes have thin/narrow rims designed for slim tires. The outer diameter of…
Can You Ride a Road Bike On Wet Pavement? (fast answer)
Condensed Answer: A road bike can be ridden on wet pavement, but the rider has to take extra precautions to avoid loss of balance and a potential accident. Riding on…
Why Are Gravel Bike Handlebars Flared? (fast answer)
Condensed Answer: The purpose of flared drop bars found on gravel bikes is to increase the bike's stability when riding on off-road terrain in the drops. The wider bars provide…