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Time Trial Bikes Are Not “Swiss Army Knives”
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Today, I’d like to write a short piece on TT (time trial) bikes, as many rookies may confuse them for classic road bikes. TT bikes are indeed designed for the road but are not the same as road bikes by any means. Their geometry and components make them inefficient and…
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Bicycle Gears Were Invented For a Reason (we might just as well use them)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Bikes are awesome. If you have enough time, clothing gear and energy, they will allow you to reach practically any point on dry land. And that applies to even less sophisticated models. How do you think people toured back in the day? They would take their heavy, single-speed monstrosity and…
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One Situation When Dropper Posts Are Practically Pointless
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends What’s up? Let’s hope the new week brings us something positive (or at least progressive.) Today, I will make a short post simply to depict one instance when dropper posts are simply pointless – on dirt jumpers. Technically, you can install one, but at the end of the day, those…
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The BMX Stem Drama
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends The other day, a guy with some beaten Trek hardtail came to the shop with a request to replace his stem with a “cool BMX model”. When I asked why, he looked at me as if I’d been stealing his lunch money for a decade. What’s the issue? Personally. I…
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Old Is Good, But Sometimes New Is Just Better (On STI shifters)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends The truth is that new technology is not always better or needed. Sometimes, you are better off sticking with a previous version for many reasons – money, simplicity, looks…etc. But in some cases, the new stuff offers little features that could make a fairly big difference. Bar-end shifters and STI…
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V-Brake Pads Are Not Designed For Road Brakes
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends I have prepared another post that will help some confused rookies out there. To the untrained eye, the pads of rim brakes may look identical, but they are not and differ according to brake type. Yesterday, a customer almost bought V-brake pads for his road bike. I saw his bike…
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Assessing the Efficiency of Riser Bars and Spacers
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends It’s time to talk about geometry…somewhat. I decided to make a post explaining the effect of elevated bars (a.k.a. risers) and spacers (the little rings that go under the stem) on a bike’s performance. Here are the main points: Riser Handlebars Do Not Reduce The Effective Reach First, let’s explain…
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I Chose a Front Rack Over a Handlebar Bag – No Regrets (yet)
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends Today, I will discuss handlebar bags and front racks. I’ve used both (a bag on the hardtail and a front rack on the road bike). My personal preference for a commuter without any doubt is the rack. Why? A solid front rack such as the one I made myself can…
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BMX Chain Info That Every Rider Should Now
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends I have prepared a short piece that will reveal a few important details regarding BMX chain sizing. Even if you aren’t a mechanic, you need to know the info below as it will be useful when purchasing a new chain. After all, chains and sprockets are consumables. BMX Chain Width…
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Not All Road and Track Parts Are The Same (hub talk)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends To the unaware, track and road bike appear the same. And to be honest, they do have a lot of similarities. But there are also some small but crucial details that make all the difference. Today, I will compare the two from the perspective of their hubs (the system of…