What's new at sheldonbrown.com
Our article about cassettes has been updated to include information on 11-speed systems. Interesting — all major brands of 11-speed casettes now have the same sprocket spacing. Most rear derailers and shifters are not compatible, though. We can tell you which ones are.
More information on the SRAM S7 internal-gear hub — a reader has sent us links to step-by-step rebuilding information and model comparisons, with photos. The text is in Russian but the photos tell the story and then there’s Google Translate. We’ve also checked an updated all the links on the page.
Sheldon Brown kept an online journal for several years. He coded it himself in html rather than using blog software. Sheldon reviewed books, movies, concerts and TV programs, as well as describing his travels and other interests including, of course, bicycles and bicycling. Harriet is in the process of dusting off the journal, reformatting it for easier reading, repairing broken links, etc.
Pages which have been redone as of now are those from January and February 2006 through January – February 3, 2008
We looked high and low to add to our listing of cyclecomputer and bicycle-GPS owner’s manuals. It’s the most complete one you’ll find. We’ve been downloading manuals too so we can still make them available when they are deleted from manufacturer’s Web sites (hello, Vetta…).
We tested three cyclecomputers against one another. Our experiment reveals a lot about their inner workings. Differences in some of their readings were large enough to matter. Read about this in our new article.
We have a new article which describes how the spokes transmit pedaling and braking torque between the hub and rim. The spokes do it by changes in tension — but how much does the tension change? The article explains the drawing below.
A brake quick release lets you remove and replace a wheel without deflating the tire. Our new video shows how a brake quick release works. The video appears in our article about flat tires, and the glossary.
Our page listing internal-gear-hub cable pulls lengths is now updated to cover the new Sturmey-Archer rotary (pulley) shifting 3-speeds.
Damon Rinard, who now works for Cannondale, had to turn his Web pages about bicycling over to Sheldon Brown back in 2001 when hired by an earlier employer. Rinard’s pages contain a wealth of information on bicycle design, and the renowned Spocalc bicycle spoke length calculator. Rinard even describes how to build a carbon fiber bicycle frame at home, and it’s easier than working with steel. His pages on improving aerodynamics are a real eye-opener. We have improved the translations of several articles originally written in German, checked links and reformatted the pages to make them easier to read in a modern browser.
Information has been added to the Creaks, Clicks and Clunks page to help you diagnose several more problems. The page now covers more types of cranks, the noiseless lurches and bumps which occur due to tire damage, chain too wide for the sprockets, worn-out bottom bracket bearings, chain rub on front derailer…
