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Brake Talk For Rookies: Calipers and Cantilevers
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends I had a semi-bad day and decided to make another post to take my mind off of my life. Today, I will talk about caliper and cantilever brakes. Calipers are rim brakes that connect to the frame or fork via a single bolt. They are normally found on road bikes…
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On Rear Mech Longevity
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends It’s rainy outside – and therefore a good moment to sit back and write another post for the site. Today, I’ll talk about rear mech (RM) longevity. The rear mech/derailleur is essential as it turns bicycles into highly efficient conquering machines. With a click, you can find a cog and…
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Why I Would Never Use Cyanoacrylate Glue To Fix An Inner Tube
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends It’s time for a Friday evening post. I’ll address a common myth that some rookies might have bought – namely the idea of patching an inner tube with cyanoacrylate glue (CA) glue (the quick type of glue available in most convenience stores). In short, don’t do it unless there’s a…
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How I “Extracted” a Rare Suntour Freewheel Without a Dedicated Tool (Cheap DIY Approach)
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends It’s time for a DIY tutorial. In this one, I will show you how I removed a stuck Suntour freewheel. Three years ago, I bought an old-school second-hand steel road bike that came with Suntour components including a freewheel. The freewheel itself was new. But, eventually, the chain began getting…
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On The Inflated Sense of Superiority Among Bike Riders
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends Most of the posts on here are technical (as they should be). But sometimes, I plan on covering some semi-philosophical issues related to the world of pedaling. Today is one of those days. I will explain why the entitlement radiating from cyclists is so…..remarkable. Being a driver and a bike…
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How I Made A Spoke Nipple Driver For No Money (many photos inside)
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends Another day, another post. In today’s edition, I will show you how I made a very simple and practically free spoke nipple driver. First, let’s explain why you may need one of those. A nipple driver is an instrument that helps you thread nipples onto spokes. It makes wheel lacing…
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On Cyclocross Traditions (handlebar talk)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Today, I am introducing a new segment to this site – cyclocross/gravel talk. (I think that’s my fist post on the topic.) In this post, I will discuss a cyclocross tradition than many rookies may not be aware of, namely the adoption of drop bars (a handlebar type normally reserved…
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Road Shifters Just Aren’t Right For Bullhorns (being honest)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Yesterday, on my way to work, I saw an old road bike with bullhorns what appeared to be road shifters (probably STI) on it. My take on the combo? It’s just weird. I know. I know. Let me explain why before you start screaming. Where do I even start? The…
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Basic Fixed-gear Theory: Rear Brakes
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends This morning a customer left a bike (low-end fixie model) with a request to put a rear brake on it. Naturally, I started the procedure. (I always start with the simplest tasks first). Later, the manager told me that what I was doing was somewhat weird, but that I should…
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Let’s Talk About BMX Spindle Thickness
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends It’s time for another BBT (Basic BMX Theory) post. And Sunday is a great day to write one of those. Today, the focus will be on bottom bracket spindles/axles. The spindle provides attachment points for the crank arms and rotates inside the bottom bracket. As a result….your pedals spin. BMX…