Just in time for standard-time winter commutes — an article about choosing a headlight for your bicycle!
Choosing a bicycle headlight
Tag: Sheldon Brown
Spoking for large hubs, improved
The article on special spoking patterns for use with extra-large hubs (for example, electric bicycle hub motors) has been improved with patterns which avoid twisting the hub shell for two of the hub and rim combinations. The article includes all the information needed to use Damon Rinard’s Spocalc (also on the site) to calculate spoke lengths for these patterns.
Bicycle frame fatigue-resistance testing
The groundbreaking article about fatigue-resistance testing of bicycle frames — the results surprised even the people doing the test — now in a much-improved new translation from the original German.
Framebuilder information from Damon Rinard
Another Rinard article updated: his page of links to information, sources of materials and software for amateur frame builders.
Damon’s do-it-yourself carbon-fiber bicycle frame
Damon Rinard built a carbon-fiber bicycle frame in his garage! And we have just updated his pages describing how he did it, including sources for materials and tools. He points out that it’s actually much easier to build a carbon fiber frame than a steel frame.
Check spoke tension by ear when building a wheel
Check the level of spoke tension by ear — unless you are tone deaf, a musical pitch reference (pitch pipe, tuning fork, smartphone app etc.) is all you need to tell whether you have brought spokes up to the appropriate level of tension when building a wheel. It’s faster than using a tensiometer!
Spocalc revised
The page for Damon Rinard’s spoke calculator has been revised, with an updated list of online spoke calculators, several comments and links, and better formatting. Now also includes links to spoke-calculator apps for iOS and Android smartphones!
SunTour Perfect, Pro-Compe and New Winner freewheels
New page on SunTour Perfect, Pro-Compe and New Winner freewheels. These are no longer made, but there are a lot of them around and they offer many options including the ability to work with older frames that have smaller overlocknut distance than current frames. We have information on choosing, maintaining and customizing these freewheels.
Cyclecomputer and GPS accuracy
New page about the history of distance and speed measurement on bicycles, and the limitations of accuracy in measurement. Did you know that GPS readings wander, so you can rack up some distance even if you are standing still?
Cyclecomputer database
Our pages of cyclecomputer instructions have now been brought completely up to date, with links to user manuals for almost every make and model, including GPS. These pages are a unique resource.
