NEWSWIRE: Jeff Linder Does It!

Well, actually, Jeff did it this summer, but just recently he wrote about his epic 170-mile-a-day PAC Tour ride across the country, and it's such an inspiring read I wanted to spread the word so you can enjoy it, too. Due to extreme heat at the outset that knocked out quite a few riders and even disabled Jeff for a while, this was one of the most difficult PAC Tours ever. Read Jeff's exciting account of how he managed to complete this ultimate test here.

Q&A: Which derailleur to get?

QUESTION:
Hi Jim,
I have an old Roy Thame frame that I purchased in London. (I think it is actually an old Ciocc frame). I built it in 1981 with a 5 cog freewheel. Recently, I found a new, larger gear range 6 cog freewheel at a bike shop and put it on. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked, except that the old Campy Nuovo Record derailleur is obviously going to have to be replaced. But with what? I am considering a Shimano Deore which by its description says is for a 7 speed. Will this work, or will the derailleur be unable to limit putting the chain into the spokes? What do you recommend?

Enjoyed your site,
John

ANSWER:
Hi John,
Yes, you should be able to install any of Shimano's mountain-bike derailleurs and get your bike to shift just fine, so you could get any one you like. Just be sure to fine-tune the limit screws so that the range of travel is spot-on and you won't have any trouble with it shifting into the spokes.

The difference from one derailleur to the next is mostly a few less grams, a nicer finish and usually aluminum versus steel in certain parts. So, there's no need to spend any more than you want. If you just want the bike to shift again you can go with the least expensive mountain-bike derailleur you can find. If you wants higher quality and lighter weight you can spend more. The shifting will probably be so similar you'll never feel the difference.

Have fun fixing up your bike!
Jim

Q&A: Connecting brake cables

QUESTION:
I recently bought a Schwinn from the 1980's. The brake cables were unhooked at the handlebars for shipping. I don't know how to get them reconnected again.
Mathew

ANSWER:
Hi Mathew,
It would help to know what kind of bicycle and brakes we're talking about here, but regardless, you need to create slack in the cable so that you can pull enough inner cable out of the housing to hook the ends of the cables back inside their holders in the brake levers. The holders are usually slotted. So, once you have some slack and have some inner cable protruding from the end of the housing, you can feed that end of the cable into the lever and hook the end into its holder in the lever. On a 10-speed the holders will be inside the brake levers. You will probably be able to look down through the hole on the top and see them. On a 3-speed or mountain bike, the holder will be visible when you squeeze the lever. And, may need to feed the lever through the adjustment barrel, turning it to align the slot first so you can get the cable through.

To create the slack, you can try just squeezing the brake with your hand. If the wheels are in the bike that might not create enough slack. If that's the case remove the wheel and try again. If you squeeze the brake and hold it
with one hand you can fish the cable into the lever with the other. Or, use a strong elastic band to hold the brake together so you can use your other hand to feed the cable into the lever.

You might wonder why you don't just detach the cable at the brake to free the cable completely and not have to deal with the brake spring. The reason is that then you will need to readjust your brake. Also, the less you loosen and tighten the cable anchor bolt the less risk of fraying the cable and stripping the bolt, which tends to be rather delicate.

Hope this helps and if what I described doesn't sound right, it's probably because you're working on a different type of brake. Let me know the details and I'll try again!
Jim

PRODUCT REVIEW: Giro Ionos helmet

If you're looking into purchasing a new top-line road helmet, check out my review of Giro's Ionos, the coolest helmet they've ever made. You can read my review for a while on RoadBikeRider.com. Here's the link. This will only take you to the review while it's live in the free section of the site, which will probably be for another week or so from now (after that it gets moved to the subscriber-only part of the site). So, check it out soon!

Q&A: Bicycle repair stand recommendations?

QUESTION:
I'm setting up my home workshop. What do you recommend for a home repair stand? There are the standard Park tool models, but is there anything else you might suggest as smarter or better?

Thanks very much,
Michael

ANSWER:
If it's for home use only, Michael, I'd go with one of Park's Pro models like the Deluxe Single Arm Repair Stand http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=23&item=PRS%2D3+OS These are really sturdy, completely rebuildable and will last a lifetime. They have a heavy base, though, so they're not for travel.

If you want to use your stand at home AND travel with it, too, I would recommend the Ultimate Pro Classic Repair Stand http://www.ussbike.com/Pro-Classic-Repair-Stand This is light, super easy to use, great on all surfaces, folds quickly and packs small. It has an awesome clamp, too.

Of course there are many other choices with Performance Bike, Topeak, etc. making stands now, but the two I mentioned have been stalwart stands for years and I can recommend them wholeheartedly. I have not tried the other ones. If you decide to, just be sure they come with money-back guarantees and then you'll be able to exchange them if you don't like them.

Have fun setting up your bicycle workshop!
Jim

Q&A: Repair old bike or buy new one?

QUESTION:
Jim,

Really enjoying your site, what a nice piece of work! I found it while looking to answer the question of what I should do about my Schwinn CrissCross, a hybrid I bought 14 year ago. It's been ridden off an on throughout those years, but it's getting pretty worn out. A local shop told me, without inspecting it, that it probably needed all new components. I use it for fitness cycling and I like it pretty well, but it looks like it would be more expensive to replace the components than it would be to buy a brand new bike of the same quality. I'm going to train over the winter and spring to do a weeklong tour of Oklahoma next summer. I'll probably spring for a road/touring bike prior to that anyway. Is my old Schwinn toast, or can it be refreshed reasonably?

Thanks,
Joe Freeland

ANSWER:
Thanks for the kind words about my site, Joe. Glad to hear it's helped you out. It's tough for me to answer your question because age isn't enough to evaluate a bike by. It's mileage, and how a bike has been cared for that tells the tale of what condition it's in and whether or not a new bike is needed. In most cases a bike that age will still be going strong because most people simply don't ride that much. But, if you rode it 5 days a week all-year long and put in say 10 miles a day, it would certainly be getting pretty worn unless you kept after it by replacing the chain, cassette cogs and chainrings as needed, tires, and other small parts, such as brake shoes and cables, etc.

A visual test will tell an experienced person a lot. If the bike is really gunked with grease and the tires are cracked and the cable housings are cracked, too and the cables rusty, that's an indication that the bike is in need of a pretty extensive service and may not be worth spending the money, depending on how you feel about the bike. Another good test would be to put a ruler on the side of the chain and see if you can measure 12 inches between 2 pins. If you get over 12 1/8 inches when you do this it's a sign that the chain is worn out and that usually means the cogs and chainrings might be, too, which means a fairly expensive drivetrain repair to get the bike running and shifting nicely again.

The best way to decide would be to bring it to a good mechanic for a look-see. They don't charge for estimates so that would be a good way to get an educated opinion based on an actual check of the bike rather than just an opinion out of thin air, which is what the first shop told you, it sounds like.

One thing to consider is that bikes have improved in those 14 years. Most significantly the shifting and braking has improved so it's easier than ever. Whether or not you appreciate the changes, and want to spend money to get them on a new bike only you can decide. That's easy and fun to do. You can just visit a bicycle shop and test ride some new bikes to feel how they compare. My experience has been that most people who do this realize that they get a lot more for their money in a new bicycle than what they'd get by spending money to repair the bike they already have -- not everyone, but most. Plus, for a major trip like a tour across Oklahoma, I would think you'd really enjoy being on a nice new bicycle that rides just the way you want.

Hope these tips help and have fun checking out new bikes,
Jim

NEWSWIRE: Clif Bar's 2 Mile Challenge

Lots of forward-thinking bicycle companies are working hard to make our roads safer for bicycling and we should all support these efforts. One such company is Clif Bar. Watch their YouTube video and then visit http://www.2milechallenge.com to learn about their Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge and how you can help make a difference. Then spread the word!