Quote from: Eric7 on February 06, 2023, 03:24:22 PM
Keep in mind that a chain is a $16 part. So the question is - why worry about a $16 part so much?  Why use a $16 bottle of lube to protect a $16 chain.

That $16 chain not properly lubricated and reviewed from time to time will wear out a much more expensive cassette.

Might be easier/ less headache to sell it and apply those funds to a new bike

You should have Lube(s) based on the environment you ride in/ are riding.

For most of the year I use https://pedros.com/collections/lubricants-grease/products/chainj, if its going to be wetter than normal I switch to this https://pedros.com/collections/lubricants-grease/products/syn-lube, if its going to be real dry I switch to wax.

I follow the recommendations from "Zinn and the art of bike maintenance" books.  I put one drop of lube on each link (I start with the master link) and work my way around.  I never would clean the chain after but a bike shop noted this is why my rollers were always gunked up so now after I use a Heavy duty paper towel to remove excess lube.

I took my Gravel Bike to Mexico in the fall for a Bike Event and decided to get insurance for my bikes.

What I learned-
My Homeowners deductible basically matched the replacement cost of the bikes so basically it would be non covered if they took just the bikes
Its more expensive than I thought, but the gravel and MTB arent inexpensive either.
It was one payment for a year
State Farm wouldnt cover out of the country, i learned this after getting a policy and then reading the fine print.  So I ended up with Velosurance
I only insured the MTB and Gravel bike and left the Rad off the policy.

What I did get
A lot more peace of mind when I go places with a bike on the rack, if it gets damaged (wreck) or stolen... its covered.  I did a gravel ride this weekend and just left the bike on the rack while I ate lunch and the raffle.

60 Miles shouldnt be worn out pads but sometimes metallic pads get grindy in spots.   If it didnt go away in a ride or two I would put new pads on.

I would.  If I still commuted the 13 miles each way to work  (vs work from home) I would absolutely be on my Rad.  I would have 3 batteries though so one is always charging at each end.

These also are nice in situations
https://amzn.to/3GTVYEV

Not sure which ones they are but you can generally find you tube or mfg videos.

I have the SS RadRunner.  I bought it as I had a RadWagon (sold to buy the RadRunner) and rode it 90% in one gear and used the pedal assist instead.

I am still mostly happy with the gear decision (like the RR much more than the RW) but I need to reduce the chainring by a few teeth as the hills where I live are a bit tough.  Sidenote I ride 2k miles a year on non ebikes so hills arent terrible but for my eBike I want a more relaxed vs workout ride.

Take a cotton ball and rub it on the inside of the tire... I bet you have something poking the tube.  At a lower PSI the tube may have some flexibility but at the higher PSI it will puncture.

How did I learn this- while commuting years ago on my road bike.
*Pumped up tires in the AM to 100 PSI road 13 miles to work.
*On the way home its now 95-102F and at the 8 mile mark time and time again the tire punctured.
*Found one of the kevlar threads loose on the inside and covered it with a tube patch
*Ran another 600 miles on that tire.

I consider it a normal function of the tires to lose air.

When I used tubes in my MTB and Road (Tubeless now) they slowly lose pressure... refill every other ride or so.  On the MTB I rode slime and it didnt really make a difference.  Now that I am tubeless it still happens but a bit slower it seems.

On my Rad those tires are so big I dont have a feel for low so about once a month I pump them up.

Its a simple but can be frustrating thing to do

1. Loosen the bolt holding the stem cap on- just a bit.
2. Loosen the one or two bolts holding the stem to the fork- just enough so the stem with a bit of effort will turn w/ out moving the wheel.
3. Tighten the Stem cap bolt just a bit
4. Make sure wheel and handlebars are aligned at 90 angle, Hold front brake and gently rock the bike forwards and backwards to determine play.
5. Repeat 3 and 4 as needed
6. Once its not rocking tighten stem bolts.

Dont crank down on step 3 or it gets hard to turn, there is a sweet spot.

Your spoke tension is gone causing the spokes to break at the hub.   My MTB tires get this kind of abuse so I end up getting the re-tensioned about every six months.

I had my Rad Wagon wheels trued about every 6 months- the bike weight on inexpensive rims causes issues.   Likely ought to do the same with my RadRunner.

You can get bike specific Multi Tools

I have an older version of this on my MTB
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/172-ALiEN-II
I also ride with a hydration pack in that pack I carry tire levers, CO2, D Hanger, Zip Ties, Tubeless repair kit, zip ties
In a seat pack is a tube, inflator and more CO2
*When I had a SS I had to carry a specific tool to get the rear wheel off*

I have this one on my Gravel Bike
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/174-MINI-9
In a seat pack is a tubeless repair kit, tube, inflator and the above tool

For my Rad I really use it only in the hood so if I have to walk its only few miles.  But If I was commuting with it I would have-
Tool to get wheel(s) off, tire patch, appropriate Tube, inflator and a &^% Ton of CO2 (big tires).
I woudnt worry about to many other tools for repairs since it would likely be a wreck that messed something else up.

You should pack what you need to get you to somewhere from a flat, if its more than that you'll likely need help anyway.  The MTB is the only time I plan for more since its possible to break stuff on the trail and continue to ride.  If Im doing gravel events I plan for a bit more since I could be 20 miles from help on deserted roads.

Quote from: Eric7 on October 06, 2022, 02:22:08 PM
According to the web, there is an oversupply of traditional bicycles right now.

After 2 years of impossibly tight bike and bike parts market there is now an oversupply?  I waited 7 months a year ago for a new (not Rad) custom build bike to come in and still had to work out parts at every step.   I did get new brake pads for the MTB this week off Amazon that a year ago were impossible to find.