It's funny, but riding in a more aggressive position turned out to be more comfortable for me.

BHPian amol4184 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Completed a few rides on this fun bike. I had originally set it up for an upright, very relaxed riding position with many spacers under the stem, as well as the handlebars were swept upwards.

But against my assumption, that wasn't very comfortable for my back or wrists. A tingling sensation in the palms, wrists needing relief, and neck spraining, it was quite clear the geo wasn't good.

At first, I reduced the upswept angle of the bars but that didn't help. Next up, slid the stem down by almost an inch and reduced the angle of the bars. The bars are now at the same height and angle as my gravel bike. Did a few rounds on the "proving ground" track here and felt immediate relief in my wrists. It's funny, but riding in a more aggressive position turned out to be more comfortable for me.

Came home and cut the steerer by a few mm above an inch. The bars are almost parallel to the ground, too.

Before:

After:

Bonus:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

All the parts are new and acquired from different places. But many of them could have been avoided to reduce the overall cost of the build.

BHPian amol4184 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

It is indeed a nice frame for the price. I completed the build, and the ride quality is superb. Currently running on wheels and 32c tires from another bike, but I am planning to go slightly wider with gravel tires since this is a gravel frame.

Parts and costs including tax:

• Lynskey GR300 frame only - $750
• Speeder gravel fork - $110
• Shimano 105 12-speed mechanical groupset - $550~
• Redshift kitchen sink handlebar - $150~
• Titanium seatpost - $35
• Titanium stem - $44
• Titanium spacers - $15
• Wolf tooth headset - $70
• 48/32 chainrings - $36
• Crankbrothers Candy pedals - $40
• Misc (bartape, GPS mount, Varia mount, hidden bell, copper grease, saddle, titanium bottle cages, titanium screws etc) - $100~
• Wheelset, tires, rotors - on loan from my road bike for now *
• Assembly, tools, labor- free, did it myself

All the parts are new and acquired from different places. The frame was purchased straight from the manufacturer, Lynskey Performance. The fork too was directly from Speeder Cycles, China. Speeder provides forks to many boutique bike companies and is an excellent option on the cheap.

Groupset was from Merlin Cycles, UK. Other titanium parts from Tiris Bicycle Parts on AliExpress. Misc small items from various stores on AliExpress too. Headset and handlebar from Amazon.

Wheelset incoming but is approximately $450 (XMCarbonSpeed) and tires Panaracer Gravelking SS 40c, $100 for the pair.

As you can notice, a lot of parts that could have been avoided to reduce the cost. For example, all the titanium parts can be replaced with carbon/alloy equivalents for much less and would have saved weight (but they don't look as cool).

The headset is rather expensive for what it is. Same for the handlebar, expensive and heavy as a bonus. It sure looks unique and may be useful, but I haven't found the right use for it yet.

The wheelset is carbon, an alloy set would be ideal for the kind of terrain this frame is built for.

Total weight, 9.2kg. Not the lightest, but once you get going, it all disappears.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I am willing to spend a bit more for the convenience of portability.

BHPian shashi792 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I am looking for a foldable bicycle (22-24T) for my daughter.

One of my criteria is that the bike should fit in the folded-down back seat of our car (a Fortuner). Not so keen on bikes which require tools to disassemble/assemble.

My initial Google search didn't yield many suitable options.

I am willing to spend a bit more for the convenience of portability. The only folding bike I found mentioned online was the BTWIN 120 Tilt, but it appears to be discontinued.

I also checked the Firefox and BSA websites without success.

Here's what BHPian amol4184 replied:

Brompton C line? I remember a store/website used to sell those bikes may be it was bumsonthesaddle, but I don't see it now. Your best bet would be to source it from overseas. Or check the Cyclop group/FB Marketplace for a used BTWIN 120 Tilt.

Here's what BHPian Axe77 replied:

I don’t know why their website is currently down, but ProCycle from Bangalore brought Brompton to India. It’s at the most expensive end of the curve, but it's hands down one of the best foldies you can get. I’ll try and get their salesperson’s contact number for you if they’re still operating.

Decathlon used to retail one as well (Tilt), best to visit their store and ask if and when it’ll be back in stock.

Finally, I had heard of Tern and Dahon as well being sold in India. Perhaps Google around and search if anyone is selling those still in India.

Here's what BHPian farhadtarapore replied:

I have a Brompton C-line (3-speed). It's amazingly fun to ride, and I keep it in the boot of my Swift always. Bought it from the ProCycle guys. Brommie is expensive, but worth every rupee.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This way I can upshift using the index finger and downshift using the thumb - all from right side, no left hand involved - just like on Shimano.

BHPian amol4184 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A while ago I made a usability mod on my beloved CAAD 10, a bike which I have vowed never to sell. I built it up with a first-generation completely wireless SRAM Red eTap 11 last year. As many of you will know, the SRAM shifting method is different from Shimano's. The right shifter upshifts while the left shifter downshifts the rear derailleur. To shift the front derailleur you have to press both shifters simultaneously. It's not bad but I much prefer Shimano's style of upshift/downshift from one side.

The beauty of this groupset is that it allows adding extra shift buttons that mimic the functionality of actual shifters. SRAM calls those buttons Blips and sells an entire suite of hardware for a handsome fee. That price stopped me in my tracks. But digging a bit on some forums I found out that the system can be easily "hacked" with a simple wire and push button toggle switches that you see on electronic appliances.

My plan was to route that cable-button combo all the way from the left shifter to somewhere near the right shifter. This way I can upshift using the index finger and downshift using the thumb - all from the right side, no left hand involved - just like on Shimano. While it's still not a 1:1 replication of the Shimano style, it's close. Good enough for me! The DIY commences.

Most important bit for this mod:

Once I figured out the cable routing it was fairly easy but slightly destructive DIY.

The button that will do the downshifting:

Approximate location to cut a hole in the shifter hood so that the button can stick out of. I used an Exacto knife with a brand new blade to cut a tiny hole in the hood. This was probably the hardest part of this.

The Red eTap has 2 ports on each shifter:

We just need one to be used:

Poorly drawn schematic of the wiring. The cable (and button) would go from the left side and come out from the right side.

The cable routing was somewhat of a pain for a couple of reasons. The cable is delicate and couldn't be manhandled. Secondly, the cable holes in the bar are at an angle and small. Eventually, I had to grind the holes slightly to make them smoother and larger.

To pull the cable from the other side took about 20 minutes but with some help from tweezers and cussing the button eventually emerged on the right side.

The cable for brakes also goes in the same holes - that took some effort too but since brake cables are pretty stiff you can push them in the desired direction easily.

Once the cabling was done, I put the bar tape on by carefully winding the tape around the port and button.

This is how the left side looks:

And this is the right side. Put a dab of glue under the button to keep it in place:

Pull the hood over the button and align the hole so the button comes out. Final result:

What this accomplishes:

Complete shifting of the rear derailleur without using your left hand.

Bonus accomplishment:

With some practice, you can press the thumb switch + shifter button with your index finger simultaneously thereby shifting the front derailleur too! Basically your right hand now can shift both derailleurs.

Extras:

1. You don't have to route the cable from inside the bars. Much easier way is to just tape that cable on the outside of the bar. But if it is inside the bar, you don't run the risk of pinching it.
2. You can do it the reverse way and shift both derailleurs from left hand side.
3. You can have them placed anywhere on the bars e.g. middle of the bars.
4. The shifter remains active, so you can still do traditional SRAM style shifting.
5. You can go a step further and build the cable switch yourself if you have the right parts and soldering skills. I would definitely like a bigger button and plan to do just that this summer.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The local bike shop was kind enough to let me use their tools and non-consumables, which made the build go a lot smoother.

BHPian drive_angry recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hey BHPians,

I’m excited to share my latest bike build.

I was lucky enough to grab one of the last available rim brake frames from Winspace. I was told that I was getting the last L-sized frame they had in their inventory and they don't plan to make Rim brake frame in future too.

So, this is my 4th rim brake bike and my first aero bike, & I’m pretty stoked about the build too. I had some free time over the past few weeks, so I decided to take it slow and enjoy the process of putting everything together. The local bike shop was kind enough to let me use their tools and non-consumables, which made the build go a lot smoother.

Build Specs:

• Frame: Winspace T1550 (Size: L)
• Groupset: Shimano R9250 (Dura-Ace Di2 - 12-speed)
• Bottom Bracket: Token Ceramic
• Saddle: Shimano Pro
• Oversized Pulley Wheel System (OSPW): Nova Ride
• Drop Bars: Winspace Zero (380mm x 135mm)
• Bartape: Lizard Skins
• Wheelset: DT Swiss
• Tyres: Continental GP5000
• Bottle Cages: Ciclovation Carbon
• QR Skewers: Farsports Titanium QR

With the weather improving by the day up here in the North, I’m looking forward to taking this bike out for some longer rides and seeing how it handles the road.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

You don't need an account to create a route, but you'll need one to be able to save a route or add pictures or notes.

BHPian supermax recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

When one gets the urge to get off the couch and hit the road to do a bicycle ride (or a unicycle ride, if you are like me!), having a bunch of ride routes planned out beforehand is a great thing. When struck by inspiration, you really should just be able to hit the road and not have to waste time wondering where to go.

Planning takes effort

Those of us who have the riding bug spend more time than we'd really like to admit, scouting potential routes, and this is a great thing. What's even better is if we remember to make notes from our rides, to note what went right, and more importantly, if something went wrong. These notes help us to replace segments with better segments. Is the traffic too bad, or is the road quality pathetic, or both? Just note the section and remember to scout for a replacement. I also note the difficulty levels and the time taken, as this is very specific to just me. While routes made by others might be available on various platforms, my own personal notes allow me to personalize it with information about conditions, time taken, potential rest and photography spots and the like.

Plan for time vs distance

There are times when I just want to go on an exploratory ride, but other times, I want to do something more specific. I might want to do an easy recovery ride, but still get some saddle time during which I can get some light cardio. If so, I'll have a target distance in mind, but for those of us who have families, we hardly can claim the freedom of disappearing without any limits on when we ought to return, so plan for not only the distance but also the time taken. Note the time taken to do a relaxed ride on the route as that helps to setup a maximal time baseline. If you push harder, you know you can chop some time off that high watermark.

Since I regularly ride unicycles, and my speeds on a unicycle are much lower than my speeds on a bicycle, it's extra important to make notes of the time taken. This might be important to you too, if you ride different kinds of bicycles. A road bike is faster than an MTB, the heartrate load is harder while slogging on a heavy MTB, and this means your time to complete a course can be significantly different depending on what you are riding.

I make courses of lengths that start from 10 km/1 hour and then increase both the time and distance, so when I want to go for a ride, I just need to know how much time I have at my disposable, and the amount of distance I want to ride, and can just select a route that suits the occasion, instead of wasting time planning the route.

What tool/site to use to create routes?

This is all about personal preference. A good site/tool would have a user-friendly interface that allows you to quickly create a custom route, by searching for places by name, address, coordinates, or simply by scrolling across a map. A strong bonus is if the site allows you to save your routes and even export them in popular formats such as GPX/TCX which can be used in devices such as a bike computer capable of navigation, such as the Garmin Edge or Wahoo Elemnt devices, or a dedicated GPS device such as the Garmin Etrex or Garmin GPSMap, which allow you to upload both base maps and routes. One site that's delivered on all of the above for me is komoot.com

Multisport features

Komoot allows you to specify the sport, allowing you to choose from road biking, mountain biking, and trekking. Depending on your choice, it decides the best routing option, if you just specify the start point and the destination. It gets information about the surface condition and surface type from other users who've used the service. You can flag sections as bad and add pictures and 'highlights', a short description of what's interesting/nice about a place.

The interface allows you to choose the sport

How to create a route

Register for a free account on komoot.com, login, and then head to komoot.com/plan to open the route planning page. You don't need an account to create a route, but you'll need one to be able to save a route, or add pictures or notes. If your start-point and destination are unique, you can specify them and it'll give you a route on its own, and you can then proceed to add more waypoints along the way, and you can choose strategic waypoints to force the site to choose a route segment that you'd like to ride instead of the segment chosen by the site. If the start-point and destination are both the same, just note the same place for both the start and destination, and add waypoints that you'd like to cover on the ride, and it'll make the changes accordingly. Again, you can alter the chosen route as per your likes, by choosing waypoints off the selected course.

Start by specifying the Start and Destination points, select if it's one-way or return, and get started!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Overall, due to the combination of my cycle and Kushaq, my rickshaw/taxi commutes have dropped to almost zero.

BHPian adityakul20 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

How I got started

I have been riding bicycle as a kid within the small suburb of Mumbai I grew up in. Then after 12th standard I stopped it, as I went behind the herd mentality that cycling is not feasible in India, it is only for kids, maybe some other things.

After engineering and some work experience, I moved to the US in 2015 and spent two years in the US and later five years in Germany for higher education. In the US I purchased a cheap Walmart cycle, mainly due to atrocious lack of commute options, and did some small rides upto 35 km. After completing two years in the US I moved to Germany for further education, where within six months (beginning of my first summer there) I got a BTwin Rockrider 520. This bicycle was a significant upgrade to what I had in the US, with mechanical disc brakes and better gears. Germany (Europe in general) nurtured my cycling hobby, I did multiple long rides upto 70 km. I used to ride for almost all daily necessities in summer. After continuing the lifestyle for five years, I was clearly seeing the disadvantages of a mountain bike (MTB) for my lifestyle (riding mostly on roads) and the stage was set for an upgrade.

My Decathlon BTWIN Rockrider 520 in Germany

Uncertainty and move back to India

At the end of my education in Germany in 2022, I was anyhow contemplating moving back to India if I get a good opportunity. The softened economic activity in Europe around that time also helped to some extent. Among the job offers I got, the one from Mumbai was the better one, and I decided to move back. While I have been planning to upgrade cycle at the same time, I was waiting for a job to do so. In the hindsight it was a good decision to wait for a job because I would have anyhow sold a not so old cycle in Germany before moving back to India.

Cycle hunt in India

Considering the situation of roads in India, I was not keen on getting a road bike with skinny tires. The skinny tires require higher tire pressure (75-80 psi) and are prone to punctures as well as less comfortable. Additionally, I was not sure how safe skinny tires are on concretised Mumbai roads, the gaps between two concrete segments are big at times in Mumbai. Considering all this I decided to go ahead for a gravel bike.

I have a friend who is a cyclist, and got to know about his friend who is a cycle dealer in a suburb of Mumbai. I learnt from him that cycling scenario in India is not as developed as that in Europe, and not all bikes in all sizes are available. At the time when I bought my cycle in October 2022, he found out the best suited alternative for my budget (INR 60,000), considering the groupset, comfort, brakes etc. That is how I arrived at the conclusion of purchasing Giant Roam 2 Disc.

The Giant Roam 2 Disc at Uran beach near Mumbai

Specifications

The Bike is hybrid, has wheel size of 700c, and the stock tyres have a width of 42 mm (MTB generally are wider than 50mm, gravel at 35-40 mm, and road cycles are below 32 mm wide). The bike has a front suspension from SR Suntour with a travel of 60 mm and can be locked. The front derailleur is Shimano Acera while the rear one is Shimano Alivio, both coming from Shimano's low end groupset family but are decent value for money. The bicycle has a 2x9 groupset, i.e. there are two gears at the front and nine at the rear. The gear range provided is sufficient for all terrain that Indian roads have, the available gear ratios can easily tackle relatively steep gradients of 12%. The bike has Tektro hydraulic disc breaks and offers confident braking.

All in all, the specifications are a significant upgrade from what I have been used to. The gear shifts are much smoother than my earlier bikes, and the hydraulic brakes bring a significant upgrade compared to earlier mechanical discs. The frame is aluminium alloy, which is significantly lighter than my previous bikes, along with narrower tires. All these factors together make the Roam 2 significantly faster and easier than my previous bikes.

New start to cycling in India

I started with rides of EEH and Palm beach road in Mumbai/Navi Mumbai, which was proving to be very refreshing. But in a couple of months (1st January 2023) I had the first fall, my tire went straight into a gap between two concrete blocks in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, and I could not control the cycle and fell down, having a few bruises and body pain for a few days. I took a rest for a couple of weeks and started with the early morning weekend rides again.

Starting cycle to work

My lifestyle in India had become significantly sedentary compared to what it was in Europe. I used to take the free cab pooling service which our firm provides to commute to work, and the shared cabs used to take even an hour for a 10 km commute at times. It is supposed to take 20 minutes in off peak hours, 30 min in peak hours if I take my own car (that would be a Skoda Kushaq, maybe I will write another thread on that). Worse than the waste of time, I was gaining weight fast due to the sedentary lifestyle. Also, I used to feel dizzy in the cabs which had reduced my productivity. I had also seen from the cabs that there are people who cycle to work in Mumbai. Hence I bit the pill and started taking cycle to my workplace. I planned my day such that I reach office before 08:00, and leave at 17:00. If necessary, the option of logging in after coming to home is available.

The cycle to work has boosted my health significantly, I feel less tired when I go for a walk, hikes (fortunate to be in Mumbai because I love hiking) etc. My weight started dropping without any dietary changes. Overall I feel more fresh after starting cycle to work, I am more productive at work. I change the dress at after reaching office.

Many people might think it is a hassle to manage the heat while cycling, I can assure that my productivity has increased in all seasons after getting used to early morning exercise. The commute by cycle saves my time (it takes 30 min for the 10 km commute), and I don't need to dedicate more time for exercise. Mumbai before 08:00 and after 17:00 is humid but not hot, that is something I can easily manage. I have continued cycling to work for two years now except monsoon, and plan to continue it that way.

Weekend rides

Apart from commutes to work, I also engage in early morning weekend rides in and around Mumbai. The cycling community of Mumbai is large, and they manage many rides. I ride solo more often, but have also explored new routes with the community. My typical weekend ride is a 50 km route which includes six repeats of Yeoor hill in Thane, which gives me practice of climbs and strength training. If I go with some friends I do routes towards Panvel, Uran, Belapur, Marine Drive, Aarey colony etc. all of which see significant cyclist traffic. The longest ride I have done so far is 105 km to a town beyond Panvel, on the old Mumbai Pune highway.

While all rides I have done so far have been in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai or Thane, I wish to go beyond these borders and do rides to Alibaug, Matheran, Lonavla and also Mumbai-Pune on some day.

Somewhere in Aarey Colony

On Marine drive

At Gateway of India

At British Council library

Inside Aarey Colony

Experience with traffic

This has been mostly good at the times I ride. My office commute involves taking a right turn from Airoli bridge onto EEH, but when I show right hand most people yield and let me pass. Even I show right hand indicator in order to take a flyover, most vehicles yield and let me pass. There are rarely some idiots who honk at me and try to bully (mostly motorcycles). I have hardly felt unsafe due to other vehicles as such, they maintain sufficient distance when they pass me. Again the category which I am sceptical of is motorcycles and then rickshaw, taxi, school buses in that order. But overall I usually felt safe on the routes I take.

Maintenance

After every 200-250 km, I degrease the bicycle chain and lubricate it again, at home. I use the bio degreaser from Decathlon and a dry lube prescribed by my friend who is a bicycle dealer. As the cycle is not used in monsoon, I take it to him after every monsoon, before starting the new cycling season. Usually the chain gets permanently extended after my usage for the year, and he replaces the chain apart from washing, lubricating, replacing brake pads if needed, tuning the gears, etc. Sometimes I go to him once more except the large post monsoon service, as the gears need another tuneup due to my heavy usage (roughly 300 km a year while not riding in monsoon).

Accessories

• A tire pump from Decathlon with pressure gauge
• Two headlights, both USB recheargeable, one from Decathlon and other from bumsonthesaddle.com
• Two bottle holders and compatlble 750 ml water bottles, both from Decathlon. Bottles designed for that particular bottle holder are important on unsmooth roads.
• Two taillights, I carried one from my cycle in Germany which has two AAA batteries and remains continuously on, while I got one more in India with two AAA batteries which remains on blinking mode.
• I carried my other accessories from Germany to carry during I ride, like a small tire pump, tire removing levers, puncture repair kit etc.
• Got a spare tube from Schwalbe at the time of bicycle purchase
• Got a cheap plastic goggle from Decathlon, but is of great help to protect the eyes from dust and wind.
• Cycling shorts and shirt from Decathlon

Concluding thoughts

The Giant Roam 2 has brought immense pleasure and joy to me, has significantly boosted my productivity at work. The cycle has made me fitter, and boosted the self esteem. I also use the cycle to run errands within the suburb I live, which save lot of time compared to walk and lot of money compared to rickshaw or my Kushaq. Overall, due to the combination of my cycle and Kushaq, my rickshaw/taxi commutes have dropped to almost zero. Cycle/Kushaq take care of almost all road commutes, while train/metro network takes care of lot of other commutes. I have been loving the pocket friendly and healthy travelling option so far, has completed 8100 km so far in 2.5 years, and still going strong. The thought of upgrading to a faster gravel bike comes to my mind, and might consider that in a year or two. Will update that in a separate thread later when I upgrade.

Another pending wish I have is to translate this post to my mother tongue Marathi, and will do it and post it on appropriate place at some point.

Odometer reading on Garmin app

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The bicycle is now sold online only unless there is any leftover stock in a shop. The price has dropped from 70k to 60k, making it an even better value bike than before.

BHPian Motard_Blr recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I have an RC500 that I bought used.

Note that I haven't experienced more "famous brands" so I don't have a comparison.

Likes:

1. The Shimano Sora system works great! This alone bumps up the value quotient by a big deal
2. The cable operated disc brakes work really well too.
3. Can fit wider tyres. I used 35C tyres for a while until I found the correct sized tyres.
4. General fit and finish is good
5. The riding experience has been good and I'm enjoying riding it.
6. Decathlon service is cheap.

Dislikes

1. The Triban tyres suffered many punctures. I don't know if age was a factor. I replaced them with Kenda tyres. Just one puncture so far.
2. A few broken spokes that were replaced and the wheels were trued. It's been holding well since then, even on Bangalore potholed roads.
3. Decathlon service is very limited. They don't have many spares, including tyres.

Someone mentioned that it's hard to get the tyres off. The rims are designed to be tubeless, which means that they have steps on the inside to keep the beads seated correctly. After dealing with many punctures, I finally figured out that the correct technique to get the tyres off is to push both beads towards the centre of the rim and then lever out one bead.

The RC 500 is only sold online now unless there is any leftover stock in a shop. The price has dropped from 70k to 60k, making it an even better value bike than before. But I can't tell you if spending double that on a specialist brand will actually double the experience or enjoyment. I am planning on using my bike as long as I can or until I grow over it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It looks like the bike was thrown away because 2 spokes are broken on the rear wheel, and the person who owned the bike thought it was not worth their time to fix it.

BHPian RiderZone recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

The bicycle distribution system smiled at me yesterday, and I picked up a free Riverside 720 TR bike off the trash heap. Here is a link to the bike from Decathlon's website, it sells for around 500 Euros so nothing exotic, but it's in surprisingly good shape overall, with the tires looking almost unused.

It looks like the bike was thrown away because 2 spokes are broken on the rear wheel, and the person who owned the bike thought it was not worth their time to fix it. I searched online and fixing spokes isn't a super easy thing, with the main problem being figuring out which replacement spokes to buy, and then how to ensure you've done the wheel truing as expected without a truing stand, which I don't have. I have basic experience of working on a bike and most of the tools, but don't have a spoke key.

Can someone here with experience fixing spokes or building wheels advise if it's worth me trying to fix this myself, or should I take it to an LBS? Here are the specs I can find on the wheel:

• Name: Crosser CRX106
• Size: 622x21, 700c 28 inch

It has a standard Shimano hub, but comes with hydraulic discs. Both the broken spokes are laced on the hub on the side where the disc is. I have included pictures of the broken spokes, they've sheared off at the nipples which are still threaded into the wheel. Thanks!

Here's what BHPian Jeroen replied:

I have done the odd spoke replacement on a number of my bicycles. If you want a wheel that runs true and remains true, I suggest you leave it to an expert. Spoking a wheel is quite an art and requires a lot of experience. It looks very simple, but trust me, I'm plenty handy, but I can't true up a spoked wheel to save my life. Yours is missing two spokes already, so the rim is likely to be a bit bent. It takes a lot of skills to get that trued up in such a way it stays true.

So my spoke replacements are typically on the kiddie bicycles, where a bit of a wobbly wheel doesn't matter. I posted a little while ago about the replacement of one of the spokes on our kiddy-cargo bike.

Rear wheels are more difficult than front wheels as the rear wheel is the drive wheel so it takes a lot more strain than the front.

Before you even consider to respoke a wheel you need to inspect the rim carefully. Over time the rim will start to show signs of wear and even a little tear around the spoke-threaded bushes.

I noticed a little wheel wobble on my proper bicycle the other day. Hardly noticeable, but when I checked I noticed a few tiny splits/tears in the rim. So I had the whole rim replaced and respoked. I bike about 5-7000 km annually and this rim did about 20000km. It's the second time I’m replacing it.

Here's what BHPian shipnil replied:

If this is your first time, I'd suggest taking the help of LBS. Since you are in Germany, I understand it would be expensive, unlike India.

I fix the broken spokes of my two bicycles on my own. I usually take the broken spoke and get the exact length spoke, can't vouch for the material used though. But in addition to the spoke key, you'd few additional tools for opening the rear hub. Don't know if you have all of them.

As for truing, if you are a purist and want to achieve 100% true wheel, then you need the truing stand as well as the gauge with a needle (don't know the name). I usually put the bike inverted, standing on the handlebar and seat and then use the brake pad as a reference point. I just try that the rim stays all along at the same distance from the chosen brake pad. I'd say I get about 95% true wheel. I can live with that.

Here's what BHPian amitoj replied:

You can also look into trying out something called FiberFix spoke replacement. It does not require you to dismantle the hub, but you will have to adjust your aesthetic standards a bit. I used this during my Utah tour and I was quite happy with it.

Also, since you have disc brakes at the rear, you have some leeway in how true the wheel needs to be.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Urban Downhill as an event is an extremely challenging sport and which has been taken to a very good level by Red Bull by their association with the same

BHPian ABHI_1512 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

It's a matter of pride that India's first Urban Downhill Mountain Biking event was recently concluded in the North Eastern City of Aizawl- the capital of Mizoram. But the strange part is, there was hardly any buzz regarding the event. The mainstream media has completely blanked out the event and there is no mention of it at all.

Urban Downhill as an event is an extremely challenging sport and which has been taken to a very good level by Red Bull by their association with the same. They have been associated with this sport from the very beginning and it is now a global sports followed by huge number of people.

It is in this context that the recent race at Aizawl was an extremely important one since it puts Aizawl on the global map. And yet, it was not given the coverage that it deserved. Nevertheless, global icon like Tomas Slavik has shared his experience and also uploaded a video of his riding the bike.

Here is the link of the same:

https://youtu.be/ImQEyoR1i7w?si=BoDFt0izywWVmxYJ

Tomas Slavik was one of the mentors of the race and the great part was that there were seventeen riders from India among the participants out of the twenty two in total. Hyundai was one of the sponsors of the event and it is surprising that even they have missed out on promoting the same.

I hope it becomes an annual event, even though it was a qualification race but it still managed to pique massive interest in Aizawl, which is anyways a city which takes every sport very seriously. I think, an event of this sort should have been promoted like anything. Such niche sports deserve all our attention, specially for a country obsessed with Cricket.

The only credible news about the event, which can be read here:

https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/...vent-in-aizawl

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