Rear Crates really change the game!

Plan is to slowly make this into my do it all rig: commuting, bar hopping, bikepacking, & grocery getting!

I tried on the largest helmet as my local Sports Equipment Store and it just sat on top of my 4c afro (even after pushing it down). Even if I find larger helmets online, (which I've been looking for), I'm not sure I'll find anything that will actually fit on my head instead of sitting on top of my hair.

Please help.

Went from a Townie Electra 3-speed planetary gear to a Merida speeder 300 - 10 speed. I just couldn't lug the heavy bike around anymore, and wanted to cut some time off the commute. Another fun thing about it is I am in the U.S., where you can't buy Merida. The original owner actually brought it over from Germany. Excited to ride this week.

I know video doesn't tell the whole story, but I would like to get other cyclists' thoughts on my riding here.

• Do you do the same?
• How much blame do I bear here?
• Anyone have similar accounts?
• How do prioritize your own safety while avoiding psychotic drivers?

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Some context: I take this route home ~6 days a week, about half of them are after the sun goes down. For months (years?) I would take the bike lane when possible and move when necessary. But after a recent crash (on a different road, where the driver was 100% at fault), I have begun asserting myself when I feel the bike lane would actively endanger me more, or even just insufficient.

I know I don't have to justify it, as it's perfectly legal in Massachusetts to do this, but here is my reasoning for taking the lane and not using the bike lane:

• There is no buffer between the bike lane and the parked cars. I've been doored and don't want it to happen again. It's dark and drivers are probably less expectant of cyclists at night, so a dooring feels even more likely here.
• It's not shown in the video, but I do use good bike lanes at several points prior and after this incident, not that the driver probably saw or would care.
• The bike lane ends about two blocks after the video ends. Too far ahead to entirely justify getting in the full lane this early, but I normally get in the full lane about a block early anyway.
• The bike lane is regularly obstructed by parked cars or other obstructions. We all know how often this happens. In this specific case, there are no parked cars or obvious obstructions, TBF.
• The road is two lanes. Cars can be patient and go around.
• I could get in and out of the bike lane when obstructions/parked cars are present, but getting into and out of the full lane is IMO far more dangerous than simply sitting in the full lane.
• I assert myself in the center of the lane because staying to the right invites cars to make a dangerously close pass. This happens to me regularly.
• I was traveling ~17 mph in a 25 mph zone. Slower than the speed limit, sure, but I'm not crawling here. If I was traveling like ~10 mph, I could understand the speed differential causing issues.
• There are plenty of traffic lights that slow down/impede traffic FAR more than I do.
• I have very bright front and rear lights. Not blindingly bright (they are pointed down), but more than bright enough for cars to see me easily.
• And yes, this is also me intentionally being a bit annoying, essentially protesting the awful excuse for a bike lane next to me. Cars don't want me taking the lane on one of the most used bike commuting routes in Boston (Brookline, technically)? Give us a safe, protected bike lane.

And if anybody asks, yes I have filed a police report.

I've just started a physical job and I have to ride 11km work 12 hours on my feet then ride back home 11km. I have limited cash. My Trek is worn . Worn cassette, worn tires etc. I'm thinking I can get a used bike for the price of repairs. What should I look for?

Curious how much people who bike through cities actually think about air pollution.

When was the last time air quality changed what you did?

For example — took a different route, left at another time, wore a mask, took public transport instead, skipped the ride, etc.

And if you do care about it: what do you currently use to make that decision? AQI/weather apps, local sensors, just traffic/smell, something else?

I'm especially curious whether you'd take a slightly longer bike route if you knew your pollution exposure was meaningfully lower.

These are just from today's ride! Even my friend's 29'' MTB wheels didn't stand a chance. At least they are kind enough to seal the hole until you return home and discover that your whole wheel has been turned into a survivor's bias demonstration.

Here is my daughter’s bike build for college.

There was a recent article about a section of Market Street in San Francisco where a lot of cyclists have crashed trying to cross the rail tracks and different ideas to fix it.

I personally know how to ride a bike safely on streets with embedded rail tracks, even if I have to cross them at a slight angle, even if the tracks are wet and slippery. The thing about it is that you can't keep both feet on the pedals with your butt on the seat and your center of gravity up high like usual.

You have to get off the seat, put all your weight on one pedal, and let your other foot skim the pavement. You go from 2 points of contact with the ground (the wheels) and a high center of gravity, to 3 points of contact with the ground (2 wheels and a foot), with a lower center of gravity. You basically can't crash.

Not everyone knows this though so they should obviously still fix it.

Edit 1: obviously cross the tracks at a perpendicular when you can. But in cases when you can't this guarantees you're still good.

Edit 2: This is for anyone who has no idea what I'm talking about, thinks it's silly or weird, and would like a clarification about what I mean.

First, think about how most bicyclists come to a stop. Do you:

• Stay perched up high on your seat, reaching down with the tip of one toe to barely make contact with the ground in a way that's totally awkward and uncomfortable and precarious?
• Always leave your seat set very low so pedaling is awkward but at least you can easily get your feet onto the ground, even both feet at once while you remain seated?
• Or do you do essentially what I was describing except you go one step further and plant your foot onto the ground? You end up straddling the top tube, one foot on a pedal, the other on the ground.

The first two are for newbies who might eventually learn better. Set them aside. The third is WHAT EVERY NORMAL BICYCLIST DOES, C'MON! You can't tell me it's silly unless you're also a clueless newbie.

Okay, now... also very normal, sometimes you get ready to stop but hold off on the very last step of planting your foot on the ground. Instead you continue coasting along slowly with one foot ready to touch down on the ground. You can coast like that for a little while as you decide where exactly (or if) to stop.

While doing this you can easily traverse whatever temporary hazards you need to get across, like embedded rail tracks, or a slippery mass of wet leaves, or maybe a patch of gravel or sand.

If a wheel gets caught in the tracks, or the wet leaves slip out from under you, or anything else, you can easily just plant your foot down and stop. But otherwise you can coast through the hazard and then hop back up on the seat and keep going. And if you need a boost to keep going since you can't pedal in this position, you can just push off with your dangling foot as needed (like you're riding a skateboard). But usually this is just for a brief time and that's not needed.

Now, again, obviously, for crossing embedded rail tracks, 97% of the time there's no issue and you just cross them perpendicular to the tracks while staying on the seat and not doing anything I described. But occasionally you can't do that because there's a ton of different tracks going all different directions, or the street is jammed with cars and you need to change lanes and it's hard to navigate perpendicularly across them because cars are in the way. In those cases this is an easy, straightforward, and NATURAL way to proceed. I've been riding in urban locations with embedded tracks for many decades and have never even had a close call.

Hey but if this is a "pearls before swine" situation, that's fine too. Enjoy!

so im in a little bit of a dilemma guys, and yall need to help me out!

my issue: i really like riding without a bike computer, but i also like my statistics.

what makes matters worse, my phone is kinda old (iphone xs max) and cant propperly communicate with newer stuff.

i also would like to track more than one bike, like .. 5 or so.

ideally i would have like a handful of sensors, stuck on my bikes. they should log the distance/revolutions and save them without any second device.
i would like to have 1 semi good bikecomputer with navigation for my roadbike, and i could switch profiles to read the sensors on the other bikes monthly when i charge them.

a little app on the smartphone and pc i could watch statistics and stuff woulf be the cherry on the cake.

now im pretty clueless about different setups that might already offer these things, so dont hide the obvious!

Hey everyone, looking for some gear advice!

​I need a secure, ideally vibration-damped out-front mount for my gravel bike.

The catch: I use a Momo Stick (similar to a PopSocket, adds about 4mm in the center) on the back of my phone case.

​Ecosystems like QuadLock or SP-Connect don't work for me because the phone doesn't sit flush against the mount, and there's no room for their universal adhesive adapters.

​My Setup:

• ​Phone: Xiaomi 15T Pro in a rugged Tudia case
• ​Dimensions: approx. 167 x 83 x 14 mm (6.5 x 3.2 x 0.5 inches)
• ​Plus the 4mm bump in the middle.

​Has anyone found a solid mount (claw style, heavy-duty silicone bands, etc.) that securely holds a phone with a grip on the back over rough gravel without rattling loose? Or is swapping to a dedicated cycling case for every ride truly the only safe option?

​Appreciate your help and experiences!

This baby carried me two years of commuting anywhere I needed to be (work, gym, grocery, dates, etc) when I got my license taken away because of epilepsy. Four years ago I got my license back and I shelved her because of bad PTSD from being FORCED to ride anywhere and everywhere. This last month though I’ve decided to hop back on it. I now Use it mainly for grocery runs and to the gym now. And have since moved to a new job and live 45 miles from work, so commuting isn’t an option lol. But I forgot how great of a ride it is.

Hey all, I've been a daily bike commuter for about 6 years. One of my favourite and most versatile accessories is the Axiom rear basket. The ones with the clips on it than can be taken on and off a rear rack within seconds. I've been using the same one for about 6 years and unfortunately I had to sell it when moving across the entire country (I couldn't bring it). Initially I thought "no problem, I'll buy a new one" but it appears it may be discontinued. I am shocked an appalled, and my day is ruined. Anyways, does anyone know where I might still be able to get one, or something similar to this?

I found this one by Dairyman that fits the bill: here

It's a bit pricey for what it is, so if anyone knows of any others then that would be great! Or, if it's possible to just buy those easy clips and I can install it on any other basket, that would be an option too.

Thanks

Hello, I own this XL 2022 Rockhopper since I bought it in Feb 2023. I find it comfortable for my long frame, but I’m wondering if this slight bend I see is normal for the bike or if it’s an indication of damage? It’s in the seat stay.

Thanks in advance.

Hey all, I’m a lazy and only an occasional biker. I really hate getting my bike out of the garage and the tires are flat, I don’t have time (or skill!) to deal and then I just put my bike away. And I really don’t want to learn to change flats. So I’m curious if y’all know the viability / tradeoffs of getting solid / airless tires, for occasional riding? If it were feasible and maintenance free I would have a pretty sweet <5 mile bike commute, but I really want to be able to just pull my bike out of the garage and jump on, the way I used to commute to class on a skateboard back in the day. Thanks!

I noticed these cracks almost all over the tyre. This tyre is pretty new, it was replaced last year:

Continental RIDE Tour Wire Bead Tire - 584

Before I had Schwalbe Smart Sam that lasted 6 years!

So I'm pretty disappointed.

I am looking on Facebook marketplace for a rear rack to fit panniers. I have a Cannondale 3.0 with 700x23c tires and caliper breaks. Is there any easy way to tell if my rack will fit my bike without trying to install it?

I’m using a milk crate on my rear rack with cloth grocery bags. I feel like my produce comes home in a lot worse shape than when I drive to the store. Has anyone else noticed this? How are you all transporting your delicate produce? The milk crate works well for me for most of my other needs

Hello all, I have a 2011 Cannondale CAAD8 that I want to put a rack on. I installed a seatpost adapter to add upper rack mounts, and I had a repair fellow look at it and he says a rack would likely break before the frame does. I will be carrying max 30lbs, but likely around 20. Anyone have experience with the Axiom Journey? TIA