#askgcntech Dear GCN gurus! I have a strange problem with static electricity on my bike. The past 2 years on both my Carbon frame/carbon wheel bikes (one rim break , the other disc brake) I have been having a problem with static electricity. When I go through steel drain covers, tram/train track, bridge dilatation "rails" or other metal surfaces, I get shocked on my finger by my STI levers (Shimano 105 on both bikes) mostly the right side (back shifter and brake). Sometimes I even hear sparks jumping from my wheel to the metal object on the ground. It is very annoying and sometimes shockingly painful. Is this a normal thing on a bike nobody is talking about? Thanks for your help and possible solution.
There is one law that favors the nuisance locks. Path of least resistance. If there are a group of bikes, the one's without locks will be taken over any that have even the simplest form of deterrent. I use an Otto lock and they work well against bolt cutters which are commonly used around here, but they are quite vulnerable to sharp, good quality tin snips. I usually cafe stop where I'm maybe four or five meters from my bike, which is too far to stop someone who just hops on and takes off. A number of riders in the group use no locks and their bikes are more desirable than mine as well.
CO2 has commonly been used for other things that bicycles for decades. People started using them for bicycles as they were readily available from other things.
#askgcntech: Hi GCN TECH: My Ribble has 11-Speed 105 on it. Would a harder wearing chain like a Sram XX1 or Shimano Ultegra wear out the cassette and chainrings faster than using a cheaper, less hard wearing chain? Or is a hardwearing chain always the best route for longevity for all the drivetrain components?
@@robertvsnow Exactly! I have an Ottolock as well. I call it my "cafe stop lock." Just enough to stop the casual opportunist from walking off with your bike, although not enough to stop a thief armed with a pair of tin snips. But in a public place, I doubt anyone would be spending several minutes trying to chew through your lock when he can be observed.
I think the zip tie locks are good because it stops an opportunist thief jumping on your bike and riding off with it whilst you are inside ordering a coffee. If you are in a group fine, no lock needed as someone can stay outside but as a solo cyclist I think a light lock definitely has it's place.
Exactly how I use it. Often I can see my bike but that doesn't mean someone couldn't run off with it. I'm stopping at shops & cafes in the countryside so really I just need a deterrent
Agree. I have a couple of combination zip tie locks. Take up zero space, weigh nothing and don't need to carry a key. Perfect to stop the opportunist, and bright yellow so obvious.
I agree. They are useful, even when one's bike can be seen. Attention is often elsewhere, for example when paying, carrying a coffee to a table, etc... Sometimes the place to leave one's bike is visible, but further away than a 5 second sprint in cleats. Of course, such locks won't prevent theft in dark alleys overnight, or even in broad daylight, but they probably discourage opportunists from cycling away almost under one's nose.
Re. cafés and locks: I leave my bicycle in sight and clip my helmet strap across the wheel spokes -- which would slow down a grab-and-run attempt long enough for me to catch up with it.
I was washing my bike in the shower, but my partner wasn't a fan of it. So I bought a 2 gallon (7.68l) pesticide bottle that has a pump and hose. Fill it with water, and I take it down to the street and can spray the bike off, soap it up, and then rinse it off at the end
Nice one! I used the tub for half a year it ruined the tub. Was not able to get all the lubs out got gray leftovers on the sides. Your way is the only way unless you go to a diy car wash 👍👍
On bikes with quick release wheels, I've always just undone the back wheel release and if anyone jumps on the bike to take off, when they pedal, the rear wheel is pulled forward out of frame and stops immediately. Usually though, I bring my bike with me into a store or Cafe or leave my mate to watch it.
Hot tip: Buy a Knog Scout as a bike tracker & alarm. Loud enough to deter bike thieves. And double down with an Airtag in your saddle bag or a stealth Airtag holder mount.
For when we plan on going for a walk away from the bike, I'll take along a small cable lock of reasonable strength, and long enough to stretch around 3 of our bikes. When not in use, it coils up, and it fits in a medium-sized saddle bag, or can easily coil around the seat post (at a small aero penalty). No it won't stop someone from spending a while to decode it or a pair of bolt cutters, but it will stop the strongest yank or any smaller cable cutters.
I'm not doctor Ollie - but I am a chemical engineer :) . I had the understanding that CO2 permeation on butyl/latex is not a matter of particle size but of chemical solubility - CO2 dissolves better on a carbon polymer than nitrogen/oxygen. Junius David Edwards & S. F. Pickering. "Permeability of Rubber to Gases". Scientific Papers of the Bureau of Standards. 1920 (!) And yeah, CO2 is practical for inflating things because you can get away with a relatively low pressure container that can inflate practical things - it is easy to condense. There are small containers that carry high pressure air (e.g. backup SCUBA tanks) but they are very heavy because they are rated to 3000 PSI which requires a much thicker wall and present much higher risks if breached so are much less attractive for bicycle use.
9:24 Best thing I bought is a low-pressure cleaner like the Kärcher OC3. Runs on rechargeable battery and has a tank for water. Even better, you can fill it up with warm water. No damage to your bearings, but has enough pressure to get off the dirt even without soap. Chain is clean within 1 minute (soaked with biodegradable cleaner). Easiest, quickest bike cleaning ever.
Something to add…CO2 can react with some sealants and solidify within the tire if left in there. I’ve always recommended that you vent the CO2 out when you get home and replace with air.
If thermal shock occurs, then you are out of luck, but some sealants can diminish faster over time when CO2 is introduced. I am a simple mechanic, not a scientist, so I can’t tell you the chemical reactions that are taking place. I just always recommend getting the CO2 out asap and topping off your sealant as well, which you will probably need to do anyway. My personal choice is just carrying a spare tube and pump and throwing that in there instead. If it’s just a temporary fix anyway, then this seems to be the simplest solution.
I've heard Josh from Silca talk about this on the Marginal Gains podcast. If I remember correctly he says both the sealant problem and the leakage problem are chemical reactions, not temperature or molecule size. Might be worth getting him on to discuss??
Look at a SunJoe battery powered portable sprayer. There's a 10L and 20L version. It's an apartment life game changer. From pets to cleaning to waterng plants. insane how much use mine has over the years.
@@feedbackzaloop very portable. Fill with as much as you'll need at that time for the weight's sake. But it offers enough pressure to alleviate any issues as well. Go to their website and look up dimensions.
Move to Thailand. I visit cafes during my 90 km/day rides and leave my bike outside with no lock. But then Thailand has a reputation for tough jails, Buddhism (which discourages materialism) and is, by far, the safest country of the 68 to which I've been.
Seeing Ollie take temporary custody of a Canyon Aeroad and a Pinarello in recent weeks has given me an idea for a series of GCN videos. Rather like the “Our Cars” features in motoring magazines, how about featuring each presenter in turn showcasing their bike collections. I’m sure there would be an interesting mixture of old bikes from their racing days, practical ‘beaters’ and the bikes that are loaned by manufacturers?
I have a lot of peace of mind by always carrying a cable lock wrapped around the seatpost that lives on each bike. I use it whenever I go into a shop whether its for 3 minutes or an hour+. Without locking it up, it only takes a jerk 5 seconds to ruin your life for weeks.
Possible alternative to a lock I’ve tried recently is the Knog Scout Bike Finder & Alarm - super light and thin and slots in between your frame and bottle cage. When you ‘arm’ it from your phone it plays a decent alarm upon any movement, perfect for nipping into a cafe - also can track it from your phone too.
To wash your bike without a water source you can also use a hand pump sprayer. There are nice 1.5 litre ones that are very portable as well. At the dollar store I got 5 of them for washing the car ( each has a different chemical). Saves time as well.
Those light weight glorified brake cables are perfect for cafe rides. I’m mostly worried about when I walk into a convenience store for a minute to grab food and drinks. This kind of locks work perfectly as a deterrent for a quick snatch and grab.
Agreed, that was my question and I disagree with Dr. Ollie. It’s well understood about CO2 bleeding quickly. Yes, best option is to replace with air when you get home. But his explanation of why they use CO2 in the cartridges was good.
To negate perineum numbness on the turbo, crank up the resistance so your hip extensions are lifting your weight off the saddle. Hold on the drops. Sitting there spinning will really make you numb and sore.
To calculate power, you could time yourself riding up a fairly constant grade, steep hill. At low speeds, air resistance and rolling resistance have less of an effect. Mass times elevation gain divided by time = power.
Another idea to the question on estimating wattage, one could do the ride on strava at the same time and let strava estimate the watts. If they are too old/slow to do this now, just get an ebike and run the route you used to rip up in your youth at that speed.
I use a small cable lock AND a very loud vibration activated alarm. The lock prevents opportunists, while the alarm alerts me if anyone is tampering with my bike. That said, I typically don't let my bike out of my sight. So, any cafe without clear view of bike parking is a hard pass, unless I'm riding with mates who can stand guard. Cheers
Numbness on a turbo trainer: rocker plates do wonders for this. You need a rocker that has for/aft movement as well as left/right. There are plenty of TH-cam videos on how you build one on the cheap.
The “bleeding” of air from a tyre AKA effusion is actually faster with lighter molecules, not necessarily smaller ones. The molecules will be moving faster to have the same amount of kinetic energy (mass and velocity), and therefore have a higher chance of bouncing through a small hole.
I take a small combination lock. Fasten the pedal, even cables or chain to anything, including cafe table. Even if I can see the bike. It's just a deterrent.
#ASKGCNTECH My years of experience, CO2 will seep out overnight be it the size of the molecule or it is just a slippery bugger, it leaks out. I learned to flush out the CO2 before the next ride.
Make it inconvenient to steal the bike like others have said, so locks if you can, another easy one, especially with electronic shifting, unplug cables or remove batteries if etap. Shift to your 53/11, take the rear der battery out, not too many people are going to be able to pedal that away and it'll buy you some time. The snatch and grab is still a problem of course, people can run away with a bike pretty easily, but just set it up so it's a problem, most theft is just out of an easy opportunity.
You can get battery driven low pressure jet washers, with water tanks, allowing you to wash your bike outside, without access to a hose. Definitely has a higer WAF than taking it to the bathroom
Heard about putting your bike in the hardest gearing to pedal, big ring, smallest rear cog, which may deter someone from trying to ride it away quickly. You'd be able (probably) to run faster than the thief who's trying to work out the gears.
To wash your bike--I'm considering getting one of the many portable pressure washers. Muc-Off now has one, but there are many other less expensive brands. Then, take your bike out to the parking garage or sidewalk and clean away.
I've solved the lock issue by opting for a gravel with a third bottle mount underneath - on which I've mounted a Hiplock Switch. It's secure enough for stops in most areas, doesn't rattle and while ~1kg isn't nothing you barely notice it. Just leave it home on KOM hunts. Oh, and use loctite on the mounting screws as vibrations could make them loose.
I live in an apartment and I got one of those portable pressure washers that you can adjust to water flow. It uses a hose that you can put in a bucket or other device. I use a large 5L plastic bottle that I can put soapy or clean water in. Works great!!
Per bicycle locks: Dorks test bicycle locks almost daily basis on TH-cam. Security>weight or weight>Security is the equation each rider has to solve for themselves. I prefer to use multiple locks when I know I will have to keep it locked for extended lengths of time.
While I love the nerdy molecule discussion, I have practical experience with a recent flat and CO2 replenish on a 28 mm 700 c road tire with a PTU inner tube. I found the small pin sticking in my tire, removed it, checked the rest of the tire and found nothing. Reassembled it with confidence using a brand new PTU tube and used a 16g CO2 cartridge to refill it out on the road. I typically run 61 psi in the front tire and the CO2 had no issue exceeding that. To my surprise, it was completely flat the next morning. My immediate thought was that I must have missed something. But I happened to be in my LBS later that day and got the “didn’t you know CO2 will go flat overnight, try just airing it up with your pump first” speech. 5 days later it is still holding air and is fine. So it would appear it was you who missed something in your chemistry/physics class here. Not saying they should put compressed air in a CO2 cartridge but seems they DO in fact lose CO2 more quickly than air, at least under my circumstances.
You missed something, likely a loose valve. I've had a number of TPU tubes come with extremely loose valve cores, one tap and they loose pressure until you realize and tighten them up. Rubber will actually lose CO2 more quickly because it can chemically dissolve into rubber and thus seeps through traditional butyl tubes, but TPU doesn't have that vulnerability.
You coulduse the anchor chain off the QE2 and a determined thief would slice through it in seconds. I use a wire cafe lock that is long enough to chain two bikes to a post and then I fasten my helmet through the back wheel.
#askgcntech Not a lock but I use Knog alarms: will go off if the bike is moved, and provide a facility to track it if it was stolen. It is discrete - placed under the bottle cage and not very heavy.
When leaving your bike at a cafe. Put it in the hardest gear and use the helmet strap to stop the wheel moving/strap to other bike. Put gloves over computer and have an electronic tag somewhere on your bike. Deter quick theft is the trick.
If I am going to stop someplace were I can't reach out and touch my bike I take an Ottolock cinch lock. It easily fits in a jursey pocket and is not easily cut. It is made in Portland Oregon.
I use a Carradice saddlebag to carry my lock because I'm not too concerned about aero or weight. The guys at GCN are far too worried about speed and W/Kg rather than enjoyment. I carry a cable lock and a loud motion sensitive alarm and also have an Airtag on my bike and I sometimes take a small D-lock.
Some of the Silca sponsored riders used so much sealant at Unbound last year, one of them could feel the sealant moving in the tire as they moved along. Just for a safety.
Thanks Alex , Dr O , and crew . I learned the hard way ( of course ) about riding on a trainer . I had never had to use Chamois cream , until I rode indoors , and discovered the dreaded " Scrotus crustae " in the shower , by accident !!
On the lock question. A small trick that do not prevent someone from steal your bike, but give you additional time do react is to leave your bike on big and small. This will make harder to take your bike and run away with it.
i think the best scenario for calculating watts is hill climb because then you can just mostly use the weight and speed to calculate the watts. stuff like aero doesn't matter that much for climbs.
2:03 except here in Japan I am often told I have to leave the cafe if I have my bike anywhere in sight. Even a month ago my bike was against a fence on the opposite side of the road, I was told to get out of the cafe. On the plus side theft is low (maybe because you can't take a road bike anywhere), but its increasing every day.
#askGCNtech : my question is this; exactly how does the sealant in a tubeless tire get to a puncture if you use a foam tire insert? For example, the Cush Core. Also, how do you put them in? The insert first? Then the sealant?
Security measures are measured in time to breach, so even a simple cable lock, or zip tie has a place. A thief can make off with an unattended bike in less than a second, but add a minor deterrence and that time goes up into multiple seconds. Im not using that to protect against a prepared thief, only a opportunistic passerby
#askgcntech will using a waxed chain on a not-too-clean cassette wreck the wax? I have a trainer that is shared by me and the wife; I'm intending to wax my chain, and probably not hers. I guess also the same question, what happens if you put a freshly waxed chain onto a not fully cleaned cassette and chainring, will the gunk get ingested into the chain somehow?
The rule of 105% stated that the rim must be at least 105% wider than the tyre to gain aerodynamic advantage. Some wheelsets like Roval Rapide CLX II and Reserve 40/44 has a wider external rim width at the front and narrower at the rear. Which tyre cobination is faster, using a wider tyre at the front and a narrower tyre at the back following the rule, or using equally wide tyres at both wheels, which have lower rolling resistance but too wide for the rear? #askgcntech
CO2 actually does bleed out faster at least in my case it does , I did an experiment to see how many canisters it took to inflate a flat tire ie O pressure 🤣 anyhow for my 700x35c tires with tube, it took one 16g canister to fill up to about 70 psi and I was curious about the C02 bleed myth and its a bit true next morning it had bled down to around 60psi normally for me I pump my tires up about a once week, I run 70psi and after a week it will be around 65 psi. but those are with my tires, I don't know how it will react with other tire setups. I found out I need two canisters in my saddlebag that covers my commute and errand riding longer rides I bring my compact pump along.
#askgcntech Hi Olly/Manon and Ian, 2 part question: With the trend towards larger volume tires what is the limitations of road bikes having a standard clearance of, say, 40c, would aerodynamics be adversely affected. Also why do alot of premium tyre models top out at 30c, which is the largest size I can find listed in retailers for the P-zero race tlr. Love the show.
Don't move to the SF/Bay Area and go to a cafe based on this advice. You need to see your bike and have a minimal zip tie lock. OR you can sit inside but take your computer off and bring a 10KG chain lock and the zip tie lock and another to lock down your saddle/helmet.
#askgcntech Have track racers made the switch to tubeless tires or are they still rolling around on tubulars? Please explain why they make the tire decision they do.
I put a Shimano mineral oil on my Tektro brakes, the lever became mushy no matter how much I bleed the system. Did I use the wrong oil? It is my impression that you can use a non-specific brand of oil as long as it is mineral.
I disagree about the assertion that minimalist locks solve a nonexistent problem. While it is true that they provide limited security. I find myself often at 'cafe stops' where I have to leave the bike somewhere that is fairly safe but will be out of sight for a period of time For example while ordering the coffee before heading back out the patio. For this purpose, the minimal locks, or even something to tangle up the bike, can help hinder some opportunist from 'yoinking' the bike.
#askgcntech In case it's relevant, I use Silca Sealant and the Muc-off Valves on my tubeless set up. I find that after a couple of rides, or a couple of weeks off riding, I need to be removing valve cores and unclogging them with pins and tweezers before I can pump up the tires to the desired PSI. Bit of a pain if, like me, you only remember to check tires 3 minutes before you're due to ride out. Is this usual? Is there a way to prevent it? etc. Many thanks
#askgcntech My wife bought me a power meter crankset (FSA Powerbox) but bought the "wrong" crank arm length. I've been riding 175mm forever and various formulas suggest I use something in the 177-178 range. However, the new one is 170mm. Think that would work well with my gravel/cross/commute set up? I'll be sticking with 175 on the road/race bike.
Question - I have hot and cold outdoor taps, maybe this is a hack as well but washing a dirty drive train with 60 degree water on the jet setting with a garden hose seems to degrease it and get it clean very easily with no chemicals. I then cover the drive train with MO 94 spray and lube the chain wiping off excess, it takes about one minute post ride. Am I risking any damage?
#askgcntech I have a duraace 9100 groupset on my summer bike, but am unable to link both L and R crank sensors to my Garmin 1030. Each time i search for a sensor it offers me one or the other...? I have read that you should just use the R side as the balanced normalised power is best calculated from this one, rather than the L side. But I would dearly like to see how balanced (or not) I am pedalling. Stu.
#askgcntech I work on a cargo ship (1month on, 1month off) When home, I could train like a pro but during my working periods I have time and energy to squeeze in abt 3h on trainer per week. What is the best way to spend those 3hours? Now I have been doing abt 2h of z2 and 1h different interval sessions. Acc to my sportwatch I'm immediately training too much when I come back home and start training normally (abt 8h per week)
#askGCNtech My bottle of chain drip wax froze for a few days while in my garage over the winter (I live in Canada). There is a warning on the bottle to not let it freeze. Is it still OK to use? And this got me to thinking, what about the wax on my chain when my bike is stored in my garage or shed over the winter? If the wax in the bottle shouldn't be frozen, what about the wax on our chains? Should we be dewaxing our chains when storing them for winter? I realize that this question isn't seasonable anymore, but I've been asking it for many weeks, hoping it will get onto to the show soon.
The wax on the chain should be perfectly fine if it freezes. The reason for the warning on the drip-on is that low temperature can cause the different ingredients to separate. Sometimes it can be mixed by a good shake, but some formulas are permanently separated. Once applied to the chain and cured, the drip-on wax is not affected by freezing.
#askgcntech can you change a chain with connecting rivet to become one with a master link. I don't mean replace the whole chain but just removing a link and replace it with a master link. The point or reason for this would be to be able to do a better maintenance off the chain.
#askgcntech hello Manon, Alex and Olli, I'm in the process of upgrading my gravel bike with a new pair of wheel. As I would like to use tires from 700x34c up to 700x50c what internal rim width should I looking for? Thank you!
#askgcntech - hey humans… i know there’s loads of content on aero frame and light wheels V light frame and aero wheels… BUT - what is the real world benefit of an aero frame and aero frame V light frame and aero wheels? I have a 2022 Giant TCR Advanced 2 and want to know if I’m better off upgrading just the wheelset instead of buying a whole new bike! 🤯 TIA 👍🏻
Hello. I have some Zipp 454 wheels that are 6 months old now. Was in for service and was told that there was a bit of throw in them. They said this was normal with all wheels having to be under load for the spokes to seat correctly. Is this correct and why are you not informed about this? Can you lose speed or have to produce more watts if there is a throw in the wheels? Mabye a video in the making 😀
#askgcntech Hi I’m sure it was mentioned on this week’s GCN show that Stages no longer exists. Last year I bought a Stages power meter (crank). Does this mean at some point that my power meter will stop working as I presume there will be no further updates to the firmware? This is something I find quite worrying about modern tech- we can spend quite a lot of money on tech with no real guarantee of its useable lifetime.
Not true, unfortunately. You can leave your bike in a place where you can see it and it can be taken with you unable to get to it to stop it. Happened to me... with a bike I hated so happy to collect the insurance and get the newer model of the same thing for the same price and far better. I was barely 2 metres from my bike having got offer to help someone on a footbridge over the A13. They jumped on my bike and, since we were on quite a steep slope, they got away fast. Then there's robbery as in taking my 12-year old daughter's brand new bike as she was unlocking it right under the CCTV for the local library - nothing recorded.
Hi, so this might be a noob question, but I always seem to have issues securing my stem within the torque requirements for the stem. So my stem might say on it that I can use 8Nm at most, but when I then lean on the bars they will move. New stem and new road bike bars, fitting size. Is this a common issue? Usually I just tighten them by hand until I cant move the drop bars anymore and just dont look at how much torque I used. Cheers and thank you!
Is the diameter of your bars at the clamping point the same diameter as where the stem clamps them ? Are the clamping points free from oil and grease ? Perhaps your torque wrench is faulty. When tightening the bolts, make sure the gap between the clamping plate and the stem is the same at each corner where the bolt goes through the plate and screws into the stem. After you've torqued each bolt torque them all again.
Hi Guys, I have my bike on the on indoor trainer next to a window. Is there a risk of components getting dried out or damaged from sunlight? #askgcntech
#askgcntech i recently was in a high speed crash (30+ miles per hour) and my frame looks ok overall but how do you tell with a carbon fiber frame if its ok? i definitely have scuffs and scratches in the fork . doesn't look to be compromising anything, but i don't want it to fail on my next ride and lose what skin I have remaining in another crash. any advice ?
There are companies that will test the integrity of the frame, such as Carbon Bike Repair Leatherhead UK. I think that they have been featured on GCN before
Build or buy your next bike with a SRAM group set if you don’t wanna have to carry a lock with you. Even crackheads won’t want to steal something that shifts so poorly😂
Let's get real nerdy! Drop your bike tech questions in the comments and remember to use #askgcntech 💬
#askgcntech Dear GCN gurus! I have a strange problem with static electricity on my bike. The past 2 years on both my Carbon frame/carbon wheel bikes (one rim break , the other disc brake) I have been having a problem with static electricity. When I go through steel drain covers, tram/train track, bridge dilatation "rails" or other metal surfaces, I get shocked on my finger by my STI levers (Shimano 105 on both bikes) mostly the right side (back shifter and brake). Sometimes I even hear sparks jumping from my wheel to the metal object on the ground. It is very annoying and sometimes shockingly painful. Is this a normal thing on a bike nobody is talking about? Thanks for your help and possible solution.
There is one law that favors the nuisance locks. Path of least resistance. If there are a group of bikes, the one's without locks will be taken over any that have even the simplest form of deterrent. I use an Otto lock and they work well against bolt cutters which are commonly used around here, but they are quite vulnerable to sharp, good quality tin snips. I usually cafe stop where I'm maybe four or five meters from my bike, which is too far to stop someone who just hops on and takes off. A number of riders in the group use no locks and their bikes are more desirable than mine as well.
CO2 has commonly been used for other things that bicycles for decades. People started using them for bicycles as they were readily available from other things.
#askgcntech: Hi GCN TECH: My Ribble has 11-Speed 105 on it. Would a harder wearing chain like a Sram XX1 or Shimano Ultegra wear out the cassette and chainrings faster than using a cheaper, less hard wearing chain? Or is a hardwearing chain always the best route for longevity for all the drivetrain components?
@@robertvsnow Exactly! I have an Ottolock as well. I call it my "cafe stop lock." Just enough to stop the casual opportunist from walking off with your bike, although not enough to stop a thief armed with a pair of tin snips. But in a public place, I doubt anyone would be spending several minutes trying to chew through your lock when he can be observed.
I think the zip tie locks are good because it stops an opportunist thief jumping on your bike and riding off with it whilst you are inside ordering a coffee. If you are in a group fine, no lock needed as someone can stay outside but as a solo cyclist I think a light lock definitely has it's place.
Exactly how I use it. Often I can see my bike but that doesn't mean someone couldn't run off with it. I'm stopping at shops & cafes in the countryside so really I just need a deterrent
Agree. I have a couple of combination zip tie locks. Take up zero space, weigh nothing and don't need to carry a key. Perfect to stop the opportunist, and bright yellow so obvious.
I agree. They are useful, even when one's bike can be seen. Attention is often elsewhere, for example when paying, carrying a coffee to a table, etc... Sometimes the place to leave one's bike is visible, but further away than a 5 second sprint in cleats. Of course, such locks won't prevent theft in dark alleys overnight, or even in broad daylight, but they probably discourage opportunists from cycling away almost under one's nose.
That's very true, they may not be bomb proof but it should stop those trying to off with your bike 💨 Do you use one at coffee shops?
@@gcntech of course
Re. cafés and locks: I leave my bicycle in sight and clip my helmet strap across the wheel spokes -- which would slow down a grab-and-run attempt long enough for me to catch up with it.
Oooo nice trick!
I was washing my bike in the shower, but my partner wasn't a fan of it. So I bought a 2 gallon (7.68l) pesticide bottle that has a pump and hose. Fill it with water, and I take it down to the street and can spray the bike off, soap it up, and then rinse it off at the end
You're not meant to get in with the bike 😉
Nice one! I used the tub for half a year it ruined the tub. Was not able to get all the lubs out got gray leftovers on the sides. Your way is the only way unless you go to a diy car wash 👍👍
Speaking of bike-friendly cafes, a few that I have visited have a little bucket of locks that you can borrow.
The dream! 🙌
On bikes with quick release wheels, I've always just undone the back wheel release and if anyone jumps on the bike to take off, when they pedal, the rear wheel is pulled forward out of frame and stops immediately. Usually though, I bring my bike with me into a store or Cafe or leave my mate to watch it.
Hot tip: Buy a Knog Scout as a bike tracker & alarm. Loud enough to deter bike thieves. And double down with an Airtag in your saddle bag or a stealth Airtag holder mount.
For when we plan on going for a walk away from the bike, I'll take along a small cable lock of reasonable strength, and long enough to stretch around 3 of our bikes. When not in use, it coils up, and it fits in a medium-sized saddle bag, or can easily coil around the seat post (at a small aero penalty). No it won't stop someone from spending a while to decode it or a pair of bolt cutters, but it will stop the strongest yank or any smaller cable cutters.
I'm not doctor Ollie - but I am a chemical engineer :) . I had the understanding that CO2 permeation on butyl/latex is not a matter of particle size but of chemical solubility - CO2 dissolves better on a carbon polymer than nitrogen/oxygen.
Junius David Edwards & S. F. Pickering. "Permeability of Rubber to Gases". Scientific Papers of the Bureau of Standards. 1920 (!)
And yeah, CO2 is practical for inflating things because you can get away with a relatively low pressure container that can inflate practical things - it is easy to condense. There are small containers that carry high pressure air (e.g. backup SCUBA tanks) but they are very heavy because they are rated to 3000 PSI which requires a much thicker wall and present much higher risks if breached so are much less attractive for bicycle use.
9:24 Best thing I bought is a low-pressure cleaner like the Kärcher OC3. Runs on rechargeable battery and has a tank for water. Even better, you can fill it up with warm water. No damage to your bearings, but has enough pressure to get off the dirt even without soap. Chain is clean within 1 minute (soaked with biodegradable cleaner). Easiest, quickest bike cleaning ever.
Something to add…CO2 can react with some sealants and solidify within the tire if left in there. I’ve always recommended that you vent the CO2 out when you get home and replace with air.
Isn’t it too late by then? I thought the problem was the CO2 comes out at a low temp and freezes the sealant?
Interesting have you had this issue in the past? 🤨
If thermal shock occurs, then you are out of luck, but some sealants can diminish faster over time when CO2 is introduced. I am a simple mechanic, not a scientist, so I can’t tell you the chemical reactions that are taking place. I just always recommend getting the CO2 out asap and topping off your sealant as well, which you will probably need to do anyway. My personal choice is just carrying a spare tube and pump and throwing that in there instead. If it’s just a temporary fix anyway, then this seems to be the simplest solution.
I've heard Josh from Silca talk about this on the Marginal Gains podcast. If I remember correctly he says both the sealant problem and the leakage problem are chemical reactions, not temperature or molecule size. Might be worth getting him on to discuss??
Love the dramatic re-enactment in the b -roll 😂
Washing tip: hand spayer for window sill flowers. You really don't need more than a liter of water for a full cleanup
Look at a SunJoe battery powered portable sprayer. There's a 10L and 20L version. It's an apartment life game changer. From pets to cleaning to waterng plants. insane how much use mine has over the years.
@@ProfG131 10 to 20 liters? Doesn't sound _that_ portable
@@feedbackzaloop very portable. Fill with as much as you'll need at that time for the weight's sake. But it offers enough pressure to alleviate any issues as well. Go to their website and look up dimensions.
Wet wipes work very well and get greases and roadgrime off.
Move to Thailand. I visit cafes during my 90 km/day rides and leave my bike outside with no lock. But then Thailand has a reputation for tough jails, Buddhism (which discourages materialism) and is, by far, the safest country of the 68 to which I've been.
Seeing Ollie take temporary custody of a Canyon Aeroad and a Pinarello in recent weeks has given me an idea for a series of GCN videos. Rather like the “Our Cars” features in motoring magazines, how about featuring each presenter in turn showcasing their bike collections. I’m sure there would be an interesting mixture of old bikes from their racing days, practical ‘beaters’ and the bikes that are loaned by manufacturers?
Oooo that would be good! MTV Cribs style 😉
I have a lot of peace of mind by always carrying a cable lock wrapped around the seatpost that lives on each bike. I use it whenever I go into a shop whether its for 3 minutes or an hour+.
Without locking it up, it only takes a jerk 5 seconds to ruin your life for weeks.
Possible alternative to a lock I’ve tried recently is the Knog Scout Bike Finder & Alarm - super light and thin and slots in between your frame and bottle cage. When you ‘arm’ it from your phone it plays a decent alarm upon any movement, perfect for nipping into a cafe - also can track it from your phone too.
Oooo interesting! That sounds like a good idea 🙌
Garmin edge has a motion alarm too
To wash your bike without a water source you can also use a hand pump sprayer. There are nice 1.5 litre ones that are very portable as well. At the dollar store I got 5 of them for washing the car ( each has a different chemical). Saves time as well.
Those light weight glorified brake cables are perfect for cafe rides. I’m mostly worried about when I walk into a convenience store for a minute to grab food and drinks. This kind of locks work perfectly as a deterrent for a quick snatch and grab.
7:36 I think you'll find that's called the boiling point Ollie.
CO2 does bleed massively faster than air. Simple solution. Pump your tires with air when you get home.
Agreed, that was my question and I disagree with Dr. Ollie. It’s well understood about CO2 bleeding quickly. Yes, best option is to replace with air when you get home. But his explanation of why they use CO2 in the cartridges was good.
It was so nice to see Jon's cameo on GCN Tech!
To negate perineum numbness on the turbo, crank up the resistance so your hip extensions are lifting your weight off the saddle. Hold on the drops.
Sitting there spinning will really make you numb and sore.
To calculate power, you could time yourself riding up a fairly constant grade, steep hill. At low speeds, air resistance and rolling resistance have less of an effect. Mass times elevation gain divided by time = power.
Another idea to the question on estimating wattage, one could do the ride on strava at the same time and let strava estimate the watts. If they are too old/slow to do this now, just get an ebike and run the route you used to rip up in your youth at that speed.
I use a small cable lock AND a very loud vibration activated alarm.
The lock prevents opportunists, while the alarm alerts me if anyone is tampering with my bike.
That said, I typically don't let my bike out of my sight. So, any cafe without clear view of bike parking is a hard pass, unless I'm riding with mates who can stand guard.
Cheers
Belt and braces 🙌Great to hear you are keeping your bike safe! We always stand guard... that means your mate has to pay 😉
Numbness on a turbo trainer: rocker plates do wonders for this. You need a rocker that has for/aft movement as well as left/right. There are plenty of TH-cam videos on how you build one on the cheap.
I use a hand-pumped garden sprayer to wash my bike. Works super well and takes up very little space.
Me too! I learned that from a random youtube video. And you save a lot of water too. It's like a 15€ investment on your local hardware store.
The states of matter, that matter.
Atmosphere consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and
The “bleeding” of air from a tyre AKA effusion is actually faster with lighter molecules, not necessarily smaller ones. The molecules will be moving faster to have the same amount of kinetic energy (mass and velocity), and therefore have a higher chance of bouncing through a small hole.
I take a small combination lock. Fasten the pedal, even cables or chain to anything, including cafe table. Even if I can see the bike. It's just a deterrent.
#ASKGCNTECH My years of experience, CO2 will seep out overnight be it the size of the molecule or it is just a slippery bugger, it leaks out. I learned to flush out the CO2 before the next ride.
Make it inconvenient to steal the bike like others have said, so locks if you can, another easy one, especially with electronic shifting, unplug cables or remove batteries if etap. Shift to your 53/11, take the rear der battery out, not too many people are going to be able to pedal that away and it'll buy you some time. The snatch and grab is still a problem of course, people can run away with a bike pretty easily, but just set it up so it's a problem, most theft is just out of an easy opportunity.
You can get battery driven low pressure jet washers, with water tanks, allowing you to wash your bike outside, without access to a hose. Definitely has a higer WAF than taking it to the bathroom
yeah the best lock you can use when riding is a pair of eyes, amazing security, the other great one you can use is to not get off it,
Heard about putting your bike in the hardest gearing to pedal, big ring, smallest rear cog, which may deter someone from trying to ride it away quickly. You'd be able (probably) to run faster than the thief who's trying to work out the gears.
To wash your bike--I'm considering getting one of the many portable pressure washers. Muc-Off now has one, but there are many other less expensive brands. Then, take your bike out to the parking garage or sidewalk and clean away.
I've solved the lock issue by opting for a gravel with a third bottle mount underneath - on which I've mounted a Hiplock Switch.
It's secure enough for stops in most areas, doesn't rattle and while ~1kg isn't nothing you barely notice it. Just leave it home on KOM hunts. Oh, and use loctite on the mounting screws as vibrations could make them loose.
Colorado Springs...DMac favorite city...love your guys takes...
I live in an apartment and I got one of those portable pressure washers that you can adjust to water flow. It uses a hose that you can put in a bucket or other device. I use a large 5L plastic bottle that I can put soapy or clean water in. Works great!!
Did you ever try cleaning your bike in the shower? 🚿
Thin cable, and padlock, put the padlock through something (chain, spoke) to stop ride/walkaway.
phase transition
Per bicycle locks: Dorks test bicycle locks almost daily basis on TH-cam. Security>weight or weight>Security is the equation each rider has to solve for themselves. I prefer to use multiple locks when I know I will have to keep it locked for extended lengths of time.
While I love the nerdy molecule discussion, I have practical experience with a recent flat and CO2 replenish on a 28 mm 700 c road tire with a PTU inner tube. I found the small pin sticking in my tire, removed it, checked the rest of the tire and found nothing. Reassembled it with confidence using a brand new PTU tube and used a 16g CO2 cartridge to refill it out on the road. I typically run 61 psi in the front tire and the CO2 had no issue exceeding that. To my surprise, it was completely flat the next morning. My immediate thought was that I must have missed something. But I happened to be in my LBS later that day and got the “didn’t you know CO2 will go flat overnight, try just airing it up with your pump first” speech. 5 days later it is still holding air and is fine. So it would appear it was you who missed something in your chemistry/physics class here. Not saying they should put compressed air in a CO2 cartridge but seems they DO in fact lose CO2 more quickly than air, at least under my circumstances.
You missed something, likely a loose valve. I've had a number of TPU tubes come with extremely loose valve cores, one tap and they loose pressure until you realize and tighten them up. Rubber will actually lose CO2 more quickly because it can chemically dissolve into rubber and thus seeps through traditional butyl tubes, but TPU doesn't have that vulnerability.
You coulduse the anchor chain off the QE2 and a determined thief would slice through it in seconds. I use a wire cafe lock that is long enough to chain two bikes to a post and then I fasten my helmet through the back wheel.
#askgcntech Not a lock but I use Knog alarms: will go off if the bike is moved, and provide a facility to track it if it was stolen. It is discrete - placed under the bottle cage and not very heavy.
When leaving your bike at a cafe. Put it in the hardest gear and use the helmet strap to stop the wheel moving/strap to other bike. Put gloves over computer and have an electronic tag somewhere on your bike. Deter quick theft is the trick.
We've had a couple of comments like this! It's a great tip 🙌
@@gcntech Also you can put your wifes’ bike in-front of your own ;-) Though this means you are paying for the coffee and cake.
Sorry Manon.
I have never taken a lock with me!! The solution is to bring a Camera person along on every ride.
Works for us 😉
If I am going to stop someplace were I can't reach out and touch my bike I take an Ottolock cinch lock. It easily fits in a jursey pocket and is not easily cut. It is made in Portland Oregon.
Try Ottolock. They have locks that are light weight and not easily cut.
I use a Carradice saddlebag to carry my lock because I'm not too concerned about aero or weight. The guys at GCN are far too worried about speed and W/Kg rather than enjoyment. I carry a cable lock and a loud motion sensitive alarm and also have an Airtag on my bike and I sometimes take a small D-lock.
Some of the Silca sponsored riders used so much sealant at Unbound last year, one of them could feel the sealant moving in the tire as they moved along. Just for a safety.
Thanks Alex , Dr O , and crew . I learned the hard way ( of course ) about riding on a trainer . I had never had to use Chamois cream , until I rode indoors , and discovered the dreaded " Scrotus crustae " in the shower , by accident !!
On the lock question. A small trick that do not prevent someone from steal your bike, but give you additional time do react is to leave your bike on big and small. This will make harder to take your bike and run away with it.
Also gets a super nice in the vault too 😉 Win win
I think it's topeak or zone of those brands that sell a small lock that sits in the handlebar ends
i think the best scenario for calculating watts is hill climb because then you can just mostly use the weight and speed to calculate the watts. stuff like aero doesn't matter that much for climbs.
Cafe stop, what's that?? Ride ON!!
2:03 except here in Japan I am often told I have to leave the cafe if I have my bike anywhere in sight. Even a month ago my bike was against a fence on the opposite side of the road, I was told to get out of the cafe. On the plus side theft is low (maybe because you can't take a road bike anywhere), but its increasing every day.
Why do you have to leave the cafe if your bike is in sight? Why would they object to that?
Olies stare at 6:05 😅
#askGCNtech : my question is this; exactly how does the sealant in a tubeless tire get to a puncture if you use a foam tire insert? For example, the Cush Core. Also, how do you put them in? The insert first? Then the sealant?
'I like bangin in loads....' - Ollie
Does this mean something different in England vs America? I cannot help but giggle everytime he says it.
Security measures are measured in time to breach, so even a simple cable lock, or zip tie has a place. A thief can make off with an unattended bike in less than a second, but add a minor deterrence and that time goes up into multiple seconds. Im not using that to protect against a prepared thief, only a opportunistic passerby
Park Tool has a video on bike washing, where they recommend a squeezable water bottle and a couple of buckets.
#askgcntech will using a waxed chain on a not-too-clean cassette wreck the wax? I have a trainer that is shared by me and the wife; I'm intending to wax my chain, and probably not hers. I guess also the same question, what happens if you put a freshly waxed chain onto a not fully cleaned cassette and chainring, will the gunk get ingested into the chain somehow?
The rule of 105% stated that the rim must be at least 105% wider than the tyre to gain aerodynamic advantage. Some wheelsets like Roval Rapide CLX II and Reserve 40/44 has a wider external rim width at the front and narrower at the rear. Which tyre cobination is faster, using a wider tyre at the front and a narrower tyre at the back following the rule, or using equally wide tyres at both wheels, which have lower rolling resistance but too wide for the rear? #askgcntech
CO2 actually does bleed out faster at least in my case it does , I did an experiment to see how many canisters it took to inflate a flat tire ie O pressure 🤣 anyhow for my 700x35c tires with tube, it took one 16g canister to fill up to about 70 psi and I was curious about the C02 bleed myth and its a bit true next morning it had bled down to around 60psi normally for me I pump my tires up about a once week, I run 70psi and after a week it will be around 65 psi. but those are with my tires, I don't know how it will react with other tire setups.
I found out I need two canisters in my saddlebag that covers my commute and errand riding longer rides I bring my compact pump along.
I thought CO2 was used because that's what cartridge manufacturers already made for other purposes and the sport of bicycling simply adopted them.
#askgcntech Hi Olly/Manon and Ian, 2 part question: With the trend towards larger volume tires what is the limitations of road bikes having a standard clearance of, say, 40c, would aerodynamics be adversely affected. Also why do alot of premium tyre models top out at 30c, which is the largest size I can find listed in retailers for the P-zero race tlr. Love the show.
They use CO2 because they can put a liquid/gas mixture into the canister and give you more volume of fill for the size of the canister.
You guys are always filming this before lunch. If you did it earlier in the morning would the alloted time be longer?
Don't move to the SF/Bay Area and go to a cafe based on this advice. You need to see your bike and have a minimal zip tie lock. OR you can sit inside but take your computer off and bring a 10KG chain lock and the zip tie lock and another to lock down your saddle/helmet.
I also have brought my bike inside the store or even taken the front wheel off.
#askgcntech Have track racers made the switch to tubeless tires or are they still rolling around on tubulars? Please explain why they make the tire decision they do.
I put a Shimano mineral oil on my Tektro brakes, the lever became mushy no matter how much I bleed the system. Did I use the wrong oil? It is my impression that you can use a non-specific brand of oil as long as it is mineral.
I lock my bike with a D lock and cable. My bike is so heavy, that carting along this heavy lock doesn't really matter.
I disagree about the assertion that minimalist locks solve a nonexistent problem. While it is true that they provide limited security. I find myself often at 'cafe stops' where I have to leave the bike somewhere that is fairly safe but will be out of sight for a period of time For example while ordering the coffee before heading back out the patio. For this purpose, the minimal locks, or even something to tangle up the bike, can help hinder some opportunist from 'yoinking' the bike.
#askgcntech In case it's relevant, I use Silca Sealant and the Muc-off Valves on my tubeless set up. I find that after a couple of rides, or a couple of weeks off riding, I need to be removing valve cores and unclogging them with pins and tweezers before I can pump up the tires to the desired PSI. Bit of a pain if, like me, you only remember to check tires 3 minutes before you're due to ride out. Is this usual? Is there a way to prevent it? etc. Many thanks
#askgcntech My wife bought me a power meter crankset (FSA Powerbox) but bought the "wrong" crank arm length. I've been riding 175mm forever and various formulas suggest I use something in the 177-178 range. However, the new one is 170mm. Think that would work well with my gravel/cross/commute set up? I'll be sticking with 175 on the road/race bike.
Anybody got a link to those zip-tie lock things?
Question - I have hot and cold outdoor taps, maybe this is a hack as well but washing a dirty drive train with 60 degree water on the jet setting with a garden hose seems to degrease it and get it clean very easily with no chemicals. I then cover the drive train with MO 94 spray and lube the chain wiping off excess, it takes about one minute post ride. Am I risking any damage?
#askgcntech
I have a duraace 9100 groupset on my summer bike, but am unable to link both L and R crank sensors to my Garmin 1030.
Each time i search for a sensor it offers me one or the other...?
I have read that you should just use the R side as the balanced normalised power is best calculated from this one, rather than the L side.
But I would dearly like to see how balanced (or not) I am pedalling.
Stu.
Failing that take your quick release out of your wheel
#askgcntech I work on a cargo ship (1month on, 1month off) When home, I could train like a pro but during my working periods I have time and energy to squeeze in abt 3h on trainer per week. What is the best way to spend those 3hours? Now I have been doing abt 2h of z2 and 1h different interval sessions. Acc to my sportwatch I'm immediately training too much when I come back home and start training normally (abt 8h per week)
CO2 cartridges have many uses, not just inflating bike tires.
And they compress most these gasses rather than try to chill to get them there.
Fun fact thats how your fridge works.
#askGCNtech My bottle of chain drip wax froze for a few days while in my garage over the winter (I live in Canada). There is a warning on the bottle to not let it freeze. Is it still OK to use? And this got me to thinking, what about the wax on my chain when my bike is stored in my garage or shed over the winter? If the wax in the bottle shouldn't be frozen, what about the wax on our chains? Should we be dewaxing our chains when storing them for winter? I realize that this question isn't seasonable anymore, but I've been asking it for many weeks, hoping it will get onto to the show soon.
The wax on the chain should be perfectly fine if it freezes. The reason for the warning on the drip-on is that low temperature can cause the different ingredients to separate. Sometimes it can be mixed by a good shake, but some formulas are permanently separated. Once applied to the chain and cured, the drip-on wax is not affected by freezing.
#askgcntech can you change a chain with connecting rivet to become one with a master link. I don't mean replace the whole chain but just removing a link and replace it with a master link.
The point or reason for this would be to be able to do a better maintenance off the chain.
Sure you can, I've done this a handful of times on Shimano chains.
#askgcntech hello Manon, Alex and Olli, I'm in the process of upgrading my gravel bike with a new pair of wheel. As I would like to use tires from 700x34c up to 700x50c what internal rim width should I looking for? Thank you!
#askgcntech - hey humans… i know there’s loads of content on aero frame and light wheels V light frame and aero wheels… BUT - what is the real world benefit of an aero frame and aero frame V light frame and aero wheels? I have a 2022 Giant TCR Advanced 2 and want to know if I’m better off upgrading just the wheelset instead of buying a whole new bike! 🤯 TIA 👍🏻
Hello. I have some Zipp 454 wheels that are 6 months old now. Was in for service and was told that there was a bit of throw in them. They said this was normal with all wheels having to be under load for the spokes to seat correctly. Is this correct and why are you not informed about this? Can you lose speed or have to produce more watts if there is a throw in the wheels?
Mabye a video in the making 😀
#askgcntech
Hi
I’m sure it was mentioned on this week’s GCN show that Stages no longer exists.
Last year I bought a Stages power meter (crank). Does this mean at some point that my power meter will stop working as I presume there will be no further updates to the firmware?
This is something I find quite worrying about modern tech- we can spend quite a lot of money on tech with no real guarantee of its useable lifetime.
Not true, unfortunately. You can leave your bike in a place where you can see it and it can be taken with you unable to get to it to stop it. Happened to me... with a bike I hated so happy to collect the insurance and get the newer model of the same thing for the same price and far better. I was barely 2 metres from my bike having got offer to help someone on a footbridge over the A13. They jumped on my bike and, since we were on quite a steep slope, they got away fast. Then there's robbery as in taking my 12-year old daughter's brand new bike as she was unlocking it right under the CCTV for the local library - nothing recorded.
Hi,
so this might be a noob question, but I always seem to have issues securing my stem within the torque requirements for the stem. So my stem might say on it that I can use 8Nm at most, but when I then lean on the bars they will move. New stem and new road bike bars, fitting size. Is this a common issue? Usually I just tighten them by hand until I cant move the drop bars anymore and just dont look at how much torque I used.
Cheers and thank you!
Is the diameter of your bars at the clamping point the same diameter as where the stem clamps them ? Are the clamping points free from oil and grease ? Perhaps your torque wrench is faulty. When tightening the bolts, make sure the gap between the clamping plate and the stem is the same at each corner where the bolt goes through the plate and screws into the stem. After you've torqued each bolt torque them all again.
#askgcntech does your more aero bike help at all when you are second or more in a peloton?
Hi Guys, I have my bike on the on indoor trainer next to a window. Is there a risk of components getting dried out or damaged from sunlight? #askgcntech
#askgcntech i recently was in a high speed crash (30+ miles per hour) and my frame looks ok overall but how do you tell with a carbon fiber frame if its ok? i definitely have scuffs and scratches in the fork . doesn't look to be compromising anything, but i don't want it to fail on my next ride and lose what skin I have remaining in another crash. any advice ?
There are companies that will test the integrity of the frame, such as Carbon Bike Repair Leatherhead UK. I think that they have been featured on GCN before
Build or buy your next bike with a SRAM group set if you don’t wanna have to carry a lock with you. Even crackheads won’t want to steal something that shifts so poorly😂
Interesting CO2 hack - if youre having a problem seating some tubeless tyres, use a CO2 cartridge. Boom! Straight on.
I like bangin in loads, too, Ollie 😂
#AskGCNTech: If any, how much damage can my carbon frame get if I let a tall, heavy friend try my bike during a ride?
"banging in loads" 😂