Chain and sprocket wear

Posted on September 19, 2016 by John

New post on bicycle chain and sprocket wear

How a bicycle chain engages a sprocket with tall teeth

How a bicycle chain engages a sprocket with tall teeth

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More info on SRAM internal-gear hubs

Posted on September 7, 2016 by John

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.

S7 hub internals

S7 hub internals

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Sheldon’s journal dusted off

Posted on September 1, 2016 by John
Sheldon Brown self-portrait, January 9, 2007

Sheldon Brown self-portrait, January 9, 2007

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

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Exposing and reinstalling the inner tube without removing the wheel

Posted on August 13, 2016 by John

How to expose the inner tube for patching without removing the wheel, and how to put things back together — very useful on a bicycle where removing the wheel is difficult.  This article includes videos showing how to do it step by step.

tire from the rim in preparation for removing the inner tube

Freeing one side of the tire from the rim in preparation for removing the inner tube

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Cyclecomputer database updated

Posted on July 29, 2016 by John

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…).

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Cyclecomputer math: how accurate?

Posted on July 25, 2016 by John

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.

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How bicycle spokes transmit torque between hub and rim

Posted on July 21, 2016 by John

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.

Diagram showing how a spoked wheel transmits torque

Diagram showing how a tension-spoked wheel transmits torque

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New video about brake quick releases

Posted on July 3, 2016 by John

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.

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Update to internal-gear cable-pull page

Posted on June 30, 2016 by John

Our page listing internal-gear-hub cable pulls lengths is now updated to cover the new Sturmey-Archer rotary (pulley) shifting 3-speeds.

Alex Wetmore's cable pull measuring tool

Alex Wetmore’s cable pull measuring tool

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Damon Rinard pages edited, updated, reformatted

Posted on June 20, 2016 by John

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.

The carbon-fiber bicycle which Damon Rinard built in his garage

The carbon-fiber bicycle which Damon Rinard built in his garage

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