Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bike

How do I avoid driving into my garage with my bike in the roof rack?

alcahofa — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:08:11 -0800

I just bought a roof rack for my bike. Without some kind of alarm in place, I will drive into the garage with bike on the roof. I will destroy the bike and damage my house and I want to avoid this. I need some kind of directed sensor such that when the bike breaks the line of the sensor a light flashes to remind me not to drive into the garage with the bike on my roof. Any ideas along these lines or better?

Recommendations for cheap, lightweight rain jacket-y thing for biking

Frowner — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:21:37 -0800

I bike commute every day year round and as a result often end up biking in the rain. I need recommendations for a lightweight, compact rain jacket-y thing that I can carry with me every day in my bag. It needs to be comfortable for summer. If it's a women's jacket, it needs to fit an XL-XXL with broad shoulders; men's jackets are also okay provided that the fit is fairly tailored. Compactness is key - I carry a medium-sized messenger bag and my current rain jacket takes up most of the room when I bring it. Warmth isn't really a concern as this is for times when I can't wear a wool jacket and hat. Should not be designed to fit super tight, as it will need to go over a shirt and possibly a light cardigan. Cheap is better than expensive, but I would pay for a spendy one if it were perfect.

Bicycle trailer parking etiquette

Duffington — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:10:05 -0800

I just got a used bike trailer (a Burly, thanks for the advice mefi) and now I am wondering how I am going to lock it up and what the best practices are for parking it. I imagine as much as possible, I'll try to get it out of the way, but I will be locking it in all kind of situations. Best locks? Thx

Transporting a Recumbent Road Bike!

crapples — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:42:12 -0800

I have a specific question about transporting my Rans Tailwind Recumbent Road Bike in my trailer using fork traps that I attached to the trailer myself. My question is whether or not I need to take the seat off the bike before I transport it at highway speeds. See inside for more details and pictures. I have this bike. The seat is like a small sail. I have a light weight metal trailer. Yesterday I attached fork traps to it like this.

My question is this: I know these fork traps work well with normal bikes but I've never transported a recumbent like this before. It seems to me that the mesh seat on my bike will collect a heck of a lot of wind, acting like a sail. I don't think it will damage the bike (the wind will cause less stress on it than I do when I sit on it), but I worry about the extra pull on the fork traps and the DIY attachments to my trailer.

I could take the seat off every time I transport the bike anywhere, but that would be a hassle and I don't want to if I don't have to.

Does anyone here have experience transporting a recumbent on a rooftop or trailer? Do you remove the seat?

Thanks.

Garmin-compatible bike training schedule for a 180-mile ride

Brittanie — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:39:49 -0800

I want to sign up for Bike Around the Bay. If you're familiar with the MS150, it's similar — 180 miles over two days, circumnavigating Galveston Bay. But I need a training plan. I am not a frequent cyclist — I am a hobbyist. But I have a good bike and am in pretty good physical shape.

I've run several long-distance foot races, and when I've trained for them I've used these awesome downloadable Garmin training schedules. You just select your race date and goal time, and then upload the entire training schedule to your Garmin and go. The schedules include speed work, long runs, tempo runs — basically everything you need to train for a half or full.

Does such a thing exist for a bike race of this distance? The longest ride I've ever done was 40 miles, without training, so I haven't the slightest idea of what sort of schedule I should be training at for Bike Around the Bay.

If downloadable schedules don't exist, I could program an entire schedule into my Garmin (if someone can point me to one for a 180+ mile ride) but I'm looking for something more convenient first.

San Francisco bike questions

mikepop — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:40:19 -0800

I'll be travelling to San Francisco for a conference the last week of May and I'd like to rent a bicycle and bike around a bit. Any bike-related stuff going on then? This and other bike questions inside. I'll be arriving early afternoon on Monday the 27th (assuming no filght delays) and flying back out late Thursday night. The conference is scheduled for Tuesday - Thursday so this leaves me most of Monday and the other evenings free. So, not a lot of free time but if there happen to be any sort of bike-related events or rides going on please let me know. I'll be staying near Union Square, but happy to travel anywhere in the city (or down to the Penninsula).

In terms of biking, I am someone who commutes about 15 miles/day year round in Maine, and I take longer rides on the weekends once the snow melts. I'm not a racer but generally have no problems riding with city traffic and getting around at a good enough pace.

I used to live (but not bike much) in San Francisco so I am familiar with the city generally and if nothing specific is going on I'll plan to ride around to some favorite places Monday and in the evenings.

Bike rental: searching brings up the two biggest bike rental places, which seem fine, but I'd happily give my money to a local bike shop instead if any do rentals.

Stores: I know many bike-related companies are based there, so are there any flagship or otherwise interesting stores or the like I should check out if I have the chance?

Any tips, warnings, etc. from local riders are greatly appreciated!

(Bonus Question: A pierogi restaurant called Stuffed was supposed to be opening in the Mission by "mid-April", but I haven't been able to find any news beyond that. Anyone know if it will be open by Memorial Day?)

Bike camping gear in northern Ontario

Lemurrhea — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:17:40 -0800

Help me prep for a 7-day, 700k bike trip through low-populated terrain! I'm out of shape/overweight but a pretty comfortable cyclist. I ride a 2009 Kona Ute (modified to a 21-speed, one of those orange panniers on each side). Used to ride 50k 2-3 times a week without stopping, no problem. Have ridden 120k in 6ish hours, no major problems, all on that bike (although without the panniers on). Haven't ridden much this winter except at the gym.

I'll be taking it from Timmins, ON to Ottawa - This route. Leaving Saturday, June 8, and I absolutely positively must be in town by mid-day Saturday June 15. I know the first third of the route very well, and it's reasonably unpopulated - most of the rest is the same way, from what I understand. I'm riding solo. And I've read this thread.

Questions:

1. Does anyone have recommendations for good puncture-resistant tires in the larger sizes? I'm willing to spend some money on that - this is at the moment my only transport, so it's used for city riding and shopping, which means I'm often in areas with foreign objects.

2. I need a helmet-mounted mirror - I've tried the handlebars ones, and due to the configuration of my bike & girth, they're not very workable.

3. Specific recommendations for gear beyond that:
a) I need a tent/hammock/tarp. What's good for these types of things?
b) Front light and back light - the rear light will likely be duct-taped to the deck (because mounting to the seat is...in the wrong location for the dimensions of my bike, and more importantly gets blocked by things I carry, and the tube at the very back is narrower than most clamps as well as horizontal rather than vertical) but a helmet-light would be fine. Battery, rather than chargeable.
c) What else do I need? I will of course have patch kits/tubes/pump/tools and my maintenance book; sunglasses/baby wipes/sunblock; bike shorts/underwear and good cycling shirts. What am I missing?

4. Food: suggestions? I have a great deal of space in my giant panniers, but will quite frequently be 50km from the nearest anything. My current plan is to buy lots of peanut butter/jam and a loaf or two of bread as needed to fuel me, and bags of apples/bananas when I'm able. Will carry about 4-5L of water to fill up my bottle. I'd prefer to avoid stoves and such - I'm gonna buy a better touring bike soon, and will get a stove and such when I can plan out space requirements.

5. Any other advice - I've never done overnight rides, although I do have a decent amount of camping experience from when I was younger.

Bonus 6. Anyone know of a good battery-to-(mini-)usb charger? I will take my cell with me - I plan to have it off most of the time, but just in case it drains and I end up in a crunch.

On preview, I notice that the google maps directions are different for bike than car. I am doing the car route - down to North Bay and then skimming the north of Algonquin park.

Is this a scam? What's the angle here?

spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:38:24 -0800

Something fishy is going on in my store, but I can't wrap my head around it. Why would a customer buy/return around $25,000 worth of merchandise over the course of a few months? I work in a bike shop with a very liberal return policy.

A customer has repeatedly purchased and returned the same bicycle worth nearly $4,000. The first time it was returned, he said it was because it was too small for him. He returned about a month later and purchased it and then returned it a few hours later, telling a different employee that it was purchased for his wife, but she decided it was too large. Another month goes by and he's done the same thing again, telling a different employee that it was for his brother-in-law, but again was returned because it's the wrong size. This has now happened four times, each with a different employee, and he tried it again this week.

We denied the sale to him this time because we all know the story and his name by now. He said he wanted to purchase it for his wife, but when we said "yeah, did you buy this for her about four months ago but said it was too big?". He seemed to get nervous, and we gave him an out by suggesting he bring his wife in so we can properly fit her.

When we pulled his purchase history across our stores, we see that he's purchased and returned over $25,000 worth of merchandise just this year. Every penny's worth of goods have been returned a few days later in perfect condition.

We've thoroughly checked the bike out to make sure that every part on there is what it should be. It's fine. We feel confident the bike is never ridden, and honestly it was probably never even taken out of his car. Buy, wait a day or three, return. Wait a month. Repeat.

I don't think he's ripping us off. We haven't gotten any chargebacks. Like I said, everything he returns is in mint condition, and we're able to sell it at full retail value. We've thoroughly inspected the bike every time and it's pristine and original. All purchases have been made with a credit card, and refunds go back to that card. It's not like he's buying with a card and getting refunded cash, or vice versa. Our best guess is that we're being used to launder money in some fashion. The guy seems shifty, and I don't get the impression that his purchases are a compulsion or obsession.

What could explain this?

old peugeot road bike make sense for a beginner

cmp4Meta — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:49:49 -0800

I am looking to get into road cycling, but I cannot afford even the basic entry level bikes (with the Trek 1.1 running at $700 - and the others going on up in price). I found several old Peugeot bikes from the 70s and 80s on Craigslist in my area that are available for under $200. My question is would one of these old high quality bikes work or would I just be riding an albatross (so to speak)? I want to be able to keep up with my buddies if we ride together - so would I be too slow and/or worn out on an older bike? If people in the 70s could bike long distance on these things, why can't we today?

Bike Care?

DisreputableDog — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:07:14 -0800

I need a schedule for automotive care and maintenance....but for my bicycle. If I don't set up a weekly/monthly bicycle care schedule on my calendar it'll never get done. I also find all of the crazy bike gear confusing, even when I google it half the time.

How often should I check the air in my tires? How often should I oil/lube up my bike? -Where- am I supposed to apply the oil anyway? Is there anything else I'm supposed to be checking? How 'bout them chains?

Should I be cleaning my bike once in a while like my father told me to clean my car, because it makes sure "she's taken care of"? Also, my bike sits outside year-round and I ride it in all weather. Is there anything I need to worry about as far as really hot, really cold, or various elements that could somehow make it non-functional?

I adore my bicycle (even though I'm thinking of switching from a commuter to a road bike), more so than any car I've ever driven, and I don't just want to ride it into the ground, so to speak. Thank you for your help!

Is it possible to get a rear rack for this bike?

titanium_geek — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:51:20 -0800

This is my bike (flickr set); it's a late 1980s Peugeot Cassis (I'm pretty sure.) I live in Victoria, Australia. Is it possible to purchase a rear pannier rack for this bike, I have looked at standard bike shop racks and haven't found one that fits. Where would I purchase one of these racks (I'm in Melbourne until Thursday) and how much am I looking at paying? I'd like to be able to carry a heavy laptop, diary, lunch and the occasional bundle of marking (I'm a teacher.) I know I'll also need to look at panniers.

Is there a kind of pannier rack that I should be looking for?

Any recommendations on a bike shop in Melbourne (east side suburbs) that would be friendly to older french bikes?

Thanks!

How do I stop being so paranoid about my bike being stolen?

c'mon sea legs — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:11:18 -0800

I live in San Francisco and just started biking. Whenever I bike somewhere and lock up out of sight, I start worrying about my bike being stolen. I know it won't actually suck that much when it happens (I'll be pissed, then get a new bike). How do I stop thinking of my bike as "that expensive popular-to-steal thing I just left outside oh no?" I do have pretty good locking hygiene: I have pinhead locks on my wheels and seat post, a Kryptonite mini-5, a cable because why not. I typically lock using the Sheldon Brown locking technique as recommended by the SF Bike Coalition, then wind the cable around my front wheel just in case. The weight of a fuggedaboutit-esque chain is a deterrent for me. I try to lock up in well-traveled and lit areas, and bring the bike into my apartment/office when I'm there.

My bike cost me about $500--nothing super fancy, but neither is it a $60 beater. It is by far the most expensive thing I own that I regularly take out of the house, and since it feels like everyone in SF has a bike theft story, it feels like my bike is likely to be stolen at any moment. This deters me from, eg, riding my bike to yoga in the Mission, because I focus on the bike being stolen instead of my practice. It's not a big deal or an Actual Problem, but I'm wondering it this consciousness is something I'll grow out of once I've just started taking my bike places more, if this consciousness is a reasonable response to SF's bike theft issue which I'll just get used to, or if this is something I should actively try to rid myself of. If the latter, any tips on how to do so?

It should have some wheels and some gears and stuff...

Rallon — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:25:31 -0800

So I need a new bike. Or a new-to-me bike. But I'm paralyzed by indecision - new or used? What kind do I want? How do I know which local shop to trust when they all have super-mixed reviews? My previous bike was a Trek 7100 hybrid that I rode through college and grad school. It met a terrible fate thanks to a pickup truck and I am now bikeless. I liked the 7100 okay, but I'm not sure if another just like it is quite right for me.

I live too far from work to commute, but I'd like to start riding a few evenings a week after work and some weekends for fun and exercise. Probably rides of 10-25 miles on paved streets and some trails, but nothing offroad or mountainous. Suspension would probably be wasted on me.

I'm a big guy - 6 feet or so and about 270 pounds, so I definitely need something sturdy. My old bike got pretty uncomfortable on the butt and wrists after 8-10 miles. I don't really know much at all about how to size a bike, so I'd like to buy from a brick and mortar store where somebody will help me with that. I absolutely don't want to buy online or from craigslist.

I'm living just outside of Madison, WI, where there are a ton of bike shops, but no clear winner from online research. All of the reviews of the various shops have a couple of "these guys are the greatest!" and a couple of "these guys are the worst!" type reviews, so I have no sense whatsoever of who would be trustworthy.

So what do I do, MeFi? What kind of budget do I need to get something to fit my needs? $300? $400? $500? I definitely don't want to push much past that. If I could find somebody really trustworthy I'd love to just walk into a shop and say "My budget is $X and I ride like Y, what are my best bets?" I just don't even have a sense yet of the very basics I should be looking for - bike style, budget, new/used, etc.

Any and all advice is much appreciated!

Bike Trainers, Bike Rollers and Exercise Bikes : What is the Max Load?

Chasuk — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 06:24:39 -0800

I need a bike trainer, bike roller, or an exercise bike. The problem is, I weight 132 kilograms / 290 pounds. I can afford $350, at a stretch. Is there a model of any of these which will both accommodate my weight, and be affordable? My googling turns up nothing.

California Cycling Sonoma and/or Yosemite?

asok — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:36:59 -0800

Planning a vacation in California in May and was thinking I would like to do some cycling and see a bit of scenery. Sonoma and Yosemite seem attractive options, but where to stay and hire bikes? How many days should I set aside for this? I could be in the San Francisco area for ten days or so. I am on a bit of a budget traveling alone, so the cost of accommodation is going to be a consideration. I have read that some hotels in Sonoma area offer free bike hire, but I imagine they will be out of my price range. Looking at airbnb there seems to be slightly more chance of staying in Santa Rosa than Sonoma, is that a reasonable idea for visiting Sonoma valley vineyards? Yosemite has 12 miles of paved roads for cycling on, which sounds like a lazy day's cycling. How long should I allow for a Yosemite visit?
Sorry, lots of questions!

Glowing like District 12

DisreputableDog — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 04:53:24 -0800

Looking for reflective "things" for my bike. I'm Japan and own a "city bike". I often have to ride it late, in all weather. I have so-so headlamp that lights up when I'm riding.

What can I add to my bike to make it more visible from as many angles as possible? I once saw some sort of reflective things a guy had on his wheels that made it really bright! And I know about those little reflective dots...but what actually works?
I want to glow, especially since I tend to have to ride in dark work clothes.

Thanks!

What is my best cycling route to the Western Ave Metra in Chicago?

andrewesque — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:31:40 -0800

What's the best cycling route from my place in the Ukrainian Village to the Western Ave (at Hubbard) Metra? I know this is a stupidly and ridiculously simple question, but I am a total bike newbie and scared of getting hit by a car, so please bear with me.

I'm starting a new job which will require me to take the Metra outbound. The closest station to me is the Western Ave station at Western/Hubbard. I live just north of Augusta/Wood and when I was doing the walk-bus-walk trek this morning to the station, I realized that if I had a bike it would literally shave up to 30 minutes off my already long round-trip commute every day. I'd be leaving my place around 7 am and returning from the station around 6:30 pm every day, doing this full-time starting in April.

However, as I mentioned upfront I am a total newbie to biking so I'm nervous about the best route to the station. I took a look at the Chicago cycling map and it seems to indicate Augusta-Damen-Grand as the best route. However, that makes me nervous -- should I take side streets instead? Would Wood SB to Hubbard WB make the most sense? But then I read that there are higher risks of getting hit/doored by drivers on side streets, so I don't know. And would it make sense to take one route in the morning and a different one in the evening?

Finally, depending on the route it looks like I'll have to make turns at major intersections. How do you go about doing that, specifically left turns?

Can I change my hybrid's handlebars to make it closer to a road bike?

luciddream928 — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:46:03 -0800

So my awesome SO bought me a woman's hybrid bike for my birthday, and I realized after a few long-ish bike ride that I'm having 2 issues: 1.) My shoulders hurt. Bad. And for weeks. 2.) Less an issue, but my lower back also bugs me after a long ride. Is it possible to change the ergonomics of the bike by changing the handlebars? If you've done this, please share your story! We shifted the seat up to make it higher so I can lean forward a bit more, but that doesn't solve the shoulders and wrists hurting (and I'd rather it lean more forward anyway - more like a road bike). So I thought road-bike handlebars might work, or butterfly type handlebars, because my arms would be more straight in front instead of bowed out. I believe it's the bowed-out position caused by the wide handlebars that's hurting my shoulders. I definitely need a handlebar that offers different positions for the hands.

Complicating the issue: Twist Shifters by Shimano. Any idea if it's possible to change the style of the bike, and how much it might cost? We're pretty new at riding.

Please help me pick out a bike for myself

patheral — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 19:05:06 -0800

I'm looking for a three wheel bike for various reasons, but I'm getting conflicting advice, so I'd like even more advice. Okay, background... I'm 46, female, 240 lbs, 50 of which I've put on over the last year due to recently developed hypothyroidism. I have asthma, fibromyalgia, and a host of other maladies. I also have a dog that needs to run but I can't run because I have arthritic knees and a bad back. Bad knees and a bad back are the main things that have kept me from riding a bicycle (it hurts like hell whenever I try) so on the advice of others I'm looking for three wheeled bike.

Now, because of the asthma, etc., I'm not looking for a speed bike or anything like that. My goal isn't to become a bike enthusiast or train for a marathon. I just want to cruise gently down the street and let my dog run beside me.

Because of my bad back and knees, some friends have recommended a recumbent bike like this one or this one. However, they seem to be very low to the ground, and I'd feel very strange on the road with them.

Someone also recommended a tricycle like this one which is more bicycle height and looks more to the style of cruising. I just don't know if it will help with the back/knee thing purely because it's a three-wheeler. I'm sure not having to balance will be a great help with my back, but will it help with my knees?

We went to a few bike shops here in town (Albuquerque) and three wheel bikes are rare it seems. We found one bike shop who had the recumbent bikes but not cruiser style. The recumbent bikes the shop carried were slightly different and way more expensive than the ones I linked above and the salesman was a little rushed when we talked to him. He recommended the cruiser style bike. I'm looking for more advice.

Reliable Transportation

aniola — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:58:29 -0800

What are the arguments for and against method of transportation as a protected class? I'm a bicyclist. I see job ads saying "you must have reliable transportation," and I see that as a reasonable requirement. And then further along in the ad, I see that they exclusively mean automobile, and that often seems unreasonable to me.

I know I live in a society whose paradigm is car culture and that method of transportation as a protected class isn't on the radar, but from a theoretical perspective, is it something that could qualify?

Offroad biking clothes for the large and temperate

scruss — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 10:03:42 -0800

Looking for offroad biking clothes that don't make me look like shrink-wrapped tripe or some kind of junior-high skater dude. What does the middle-aged country gentleman wear on a bicycle hack through the shrubbery? Look, I'm kind of a clydesdale. I did the malodorous lycra commuter thing in my twenties and thirties. I do not wish to be a MAMIL. I will not go far, nor will I go fast; I'm a pootler, not a racer. I realize that liner shorts will likely be involved for general comfort, but above that?

Removing paint/ink logotypes from bare aluminum w/o damaging the finish?

jjjjjjjijjjjjjj — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:47:07 -0800

Paint Removal/Solvent Experts: Looking for solvents/methods for removing paint (ink?) logos from semi-glossy aluminum bicycle parts, without damaging or changing the finish. Detailed pics inside. Looking to "murder out" my components (as the kids are calling it) and remove the screened-on paint (ink?) logos.

Here's what we're working with in a nutshell; A bunch of slightly different finishes/textures on bare(?) aluminum:

crankset — [ detail ] — (material: unnamed aluminum alloy, anodized)

seatpost — [ detail ] — (material: unnamed aluminum alloy)

stem — [ detail ] — (material: 2014 Aluminum)

[ all images ]

I'm looking for a solvent/method that will gently remove these paints (inks?) from the surface without changing the appearance of the underlying or surrounding metal.

I own a Dremel tool and have a big-box hardware store a mile away.

Not so much looking for conjecture or speculation -- this crankset would make for an expensive experiment -- looking for expertise in solvents or people who have performed this or something similar. Which approach(es) have you used that has given good results? Many thanks for your time and your expertise.

Worst. Bike thief. Ever.

troika — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:56:31 -0800

What to do with an abandoned, probably stolen, bike? Asking for a friend here. She came home a few weeks ago to find a bike in her driveway. It has a lock through the front tire and frame. From the looks of things, someone stole the bike, couldn't get the lock off, and left it there on her property. It is an otherwise nice bike that she has been weirdly saddled with.

She sent an email on her neighborhood listserv, no response. She contacted the police, they couldn't really do anything about it.

What should she do with the bike? She doesn't want the bike, she just doesn't know what to do with it.

This is in Washington, DC.

Best way to transport a bike?

nathanm — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:07:37 -0800

What is the best/most economical way to transport a bike without driving it? I am trying to move a bike from LA to SF.

Noooooo! Not my bike!!

floweredfish — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:24:59 -0800

My Cervelo P2 has a puncture on the top bar/tube. Will I further damage it if I ride it on a trainer for a few hours? So. I'm a dumbass. When I was cleaning my home office the other night, a decorative African spear that I had hanging vertically on the wall came falling off when my downstairs neighbor slammed our shared outside door.

It's a clean, 2inch, perfect puncture to the middle of the top tube between the seat and handlebars. I have plans to bring it to my bike guy at the shop I frequent (and purchased the bike a year and a half ago). I haven ridden it since.

However, I was thinking about putting it on my nod or trainer and biking for 4 hours this weekend while we are getting a spectacular snowstorm.

Is this a bad idea? Could I lose the frame by this one time ride? What if I tape the hole with masking tape or paper wrapped around it with duct tape securing the paper so any moisture would stay out, and then maybe a face cloth draped over that? Could I further damage it?

Help?