u/userX97ee2ska11qa

For me, it's not the distance. I prefer a lot less cars, more nature, and that sweet sound of the crunch under the tires. The sound is literal ASMR for me.

I’ve had mostly decent experiences with cyclists on the road until this morning.

I was out on a quiet Sunday ride in the suburbs with almost no cars around when a loose dog came barking and charging toward me. To avoid it, I had to quickly move across an empty street and briefly ride against traffic to get away from the dog.

And when I say empty, I mean completely empty. It was a long, straight, flat suburban road and there literally were no cars going either direction as far as I could see. The only reason I crossed over was because of the dog.

Right as this was happening, another cyclist turned the corner heading toward me. He got angry because I was on the wrong side of the road and started swearing at me as he rode past, even though we were nowhere near colliding.

At the same time, I was yelling, “Loose dog! Loose dog!” and pointing because I was trying to warn him about what was coming.

A few seconds later I looked back and saw him swerving away from the dog too and kicking his foot out a bit trying to keep the dog from getting close to him.

I really think cyclists should pay attention when another rider is urgently yelling or pointing at something unusual. If someone is yelling “dog,” or motioning for you to look out, there’s probably a reason things aren’t normal in that moment.

And where can I get one? https://m.youtube.com/shorts/osrTMd8pbKc?ra=m

Having decided to handle my own maintenance and learn along the way, what tools do I need for chain maintenance?

When you’re looking at torque specs and it gives you a range, for instance 6 to 8 Nm, where do you guys usually aim?

Should I go for the low end to be safe so nothing snaps, the high end to make sure it doesn’t vibrate loose, or just hit the middle?

Is there a general consensus on this? I’ve heard different things, like aiming for the middle to account for wrench calibration errors, but I’d love to know what the standard practice is.

https://preview.redd.it/8jj3szwoczyg1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cadcf3bd30680c0b8d60883d92de4258529ee289

Is this a Shimano Link Glide chain? It is supposed to be the LG-500. I ask because I was told by the shop I had the wrong one installed when I went in for shifting issues. I was given this one, and shifting was better, but a little rough today, and I decided to take a closer look. What does the XH or HX, whichever side is right side up, mean? Also, is this chain upside down?

I wanted to share an update on a bike issue I had a couple of weeks ago. I was experiencing a clunking sound and rough shifting when moving from gear one to gear two, and some other gears were a bit rough too. Many suggested a bent derailleur hanger might be the cause. I took my bike to a mechanic who found the hanger was minimally bent and straightened it for free, which was awesome. I tipped him, but the issue persisted.

Thinking the hanger might be bent again, I took my bike to a Trek store. Turns out, when I had my chain replaced at the start of the year, the wrong chain was installed. I have a Shimano CUES drivetrain, which requires link guide chains, but the mechanic at the independent bike store had put on a Hyperglide chain. The Trek mechanic noticed this, replaced it with the correct link guide chain, and the problem was fixed immediately.

I’m curious if the wrong chain could have worn down my cassette or even caused the slight bend in the derailleur hanger. I was pretty surprised by the whole situation and would love to hear your thoughts.

I’m messing around with my Trek Dual Sport 2 Gen 5 trying to turn it into more of a do it all bike. I ride roughly 60 percent pavement and 40 percent dirt, mostly local singletrack and towpaths. Nothing too crazy, but enough that the stock setup feels a bit limiting.

So far I’ve put on 27.5 x 2.2 Cross Kings, upgraded the brakes to MT201s, and added some better grips. I also just installed a threaded BB, so now I’m looking at ditching the square taper crank and going to a proper Hollowtech setup. Main goal is also getting a clutched derailleur because the chain slap is getting annoying off road.

Thinking about going with a full Deore M5100 1x11 setup:

M5100 drivetrain
M5100 SGS derailleur with clutch
11 to 51 cassette
M5100 1 cranks
34T chainring, maybe 36T

Also wondering about the gearing. With 60 percent road riding, is 34T going to feel too spinny on the top end, or is it fine paired with the 11T?

Appreciate any input.

I’m messing around with my BBC Dual Sport 2 Gen 5 trying to turn it into more of a do it all bike. I ride roughly 60 percent pavement and 40 percent dirt, mostly local singletrack and towpaths. Nothing too crazy, but enough that the stock setup feels a bit limiting.

So far I’ve put on 27.5 x 2.2 Cross Kings, upgraded the brakes to MT201s, and added some better grips. I also just installed a threaded BB, so now I’m looking at ditching the square taper crank and going to a proper Hollowtech setup. Main goal is also getting a clutched derailleur because the chain slap is getting annoying off road.

Thinking about going with a full Deore M5100 1x11 setup:

M5100 drivetrain
M5100 SGS derailleur with clutch
11 to 51 cassette
M5100 1 cranks
34T chainring, maybe 36T

Also wondering about the gearing. With 60 percent road riding, is 34T going to feel too spinny on the top end, or is it fine paired with the 11T?

Appreciate any input.

I was out for a ride on my local trails today and ended up relaxing on a bench. I noticed two people using the bike repair stand, both for the pump. One guy was pumping super aggressively, like he was in a race to inflate his tire the fastest. The next person took a much slower, methodical approach. It got me thinking, is there a more accurate way to pump tires? Are both methods equally effective? What’s your preference, and how do you usually do it?

Looking for recommendations for a torque wrench, I think one that has the different bits, not a set of different size wrenches.

https://preview.redd.it/low7x5ubvzxg1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=da851c9d34341191df810bdb17d2c32768d43cce

Which bolts do I loosen to straighten my handlebars? The two silver ones, the red one, or all three?