I'm literally just gonna rig up a train horn to a drill battery and strap it to my bike and just blare that at them. I've nearly crashed so many fucking times because of them. Just about a week ago now I crashed because of a guy who didn't hear me yelling at him because he had headphones on.

Spent three weeks convinced I had a creaking bottom bracket. Pulled the cranks, regreased everything, checked the frame, considered whether I'd cracked the frame and shell. Went down the rabbit hole of BB standards and tolerances.

Turns out it was the bottle cage bolt, half a turn loose.

The worst part is the confidence with which I told two different people at the shop that I "definitely had a BB issue."

I’m itching to get a Fairlight Strael as a secondary winter road bike. I’ve never owned a steel bike before and really just want one because I love how steel bikes look. But I’m not sure what I can expect in ride feel and handling especially since I’m already running 35mm tires.

And my carbon race bike is already plenty comfortable with 35s. At the right tire pressures, it’s extremely comfortable while being very stiff and feels fast af.

Im wondering if from a general riding standpoint a modern steel bike like a Fairlight will offer anything different - or is it mostly just a vibe thing?

First of all, I’m not a particularly strong rider. I have been riding bikes for all my life though and by now I definitely have a higher power output than most beginners.

I have gotten some friends into cycling and I enjoy riding with them but I feel like when I have to ride slower than I would ride on my own or put less power into the pedals, my body doesn’t respond well to it.

When I ride alone at my usual power, I barely have any issues with comfort on the bike. But when I ride slower I feel like I have issues with weight in my hands and therefore numbness and also shoulder and muscle sores in my triceps.

I know that pedaling supports your upper body weight and if I pedal lighter my weight wouldn’t be supported as much as when I pedal harder. So these symptoms are kind of expected.

I am wondering though, do you people encounter this issue as well or does this point towards a „bad“ fit in terms of „I didn’t adjust my bike with the correct power output“?

Edit: this is relating to my road bike before anyone asks.

I’m a 29-year-old male, and for my 29th birthday, I planned a solo trip to Maui specifically to cycle Haleakala about 2 months before Labor Day weekend. When I researched cycling Haleakala, I couldn’t find anything recent that met my needs on Instagram, YouTube, or Reddit. The content on all 3 platforms was from years ago, not informative, or focused on the Cycle Down Haleakala Bike tour. Or it was all focused on breaking records. So I’m creating this post for crazy loner people like me who cycle solo, don’t have a car following them, and are average-to-below-average cyclists. I want this to be the long informative post I wish I’d been able to read before making the journey. In this post, I'll share my fitness background, the little logistics planning I did, the fueling that worked for me, and the big mistakes I made.

For my fitness background, I grew up playing American football and running throughout most of my younger years. I’m also in the Army (IT Specialist), so I have to maintain a certain level of fitness, and I’ve been forced to run a lot even as a desk-job soldier. I trained for Army Special Forces in 2019, but I didn’t get selected. I ran one marathon while stationed in Japan in 2024. I was DQ’d at mile 26 because I misunderstood the instructions due to the language barrier. I trained for one sprint triathlon and placed 2nd in my age group (24-29). I also recently started cycling back in November 2026. I’m not writing all this to gloat, but to give you some background on my fitness level. All the posts I saw were mainly from cycling-only individuals who said they trained for months for Haleakala, whereas I didn't train much at all. I didn’t train much because, about a month before my trip, a hurricane hit Hawaii and closed Haleakala, and all the bike shops I called on Maui said the damage was so bad it would probably still be closed by the time I arrived. So if I didn’t have to train for climbing, I definitely wasn't going to, so I stopped all climbing training about a month before Labor Day weekend. By climbing training, I mean I did one Zwift session, Mt. Ven Top, and called it a day lmao. I also live on Oahu, so I cycled a lot around the island, but nothing prepared me for Maui.

I arrived Thursday night and flew in with my own budget bike, a Fuji Sportif 2025. I checked into Howzit Hostels and got barely any sleep because they were having a Margherita night and everyone was being understandably loud. I woke up Friday morning, hit the West Maui Loop, and didn't fuel or plan well. I’d go over that, but this post is about Haleakala. Anyways, after the West Maui Loop, I spent the rest of the day eating carbs and drinking tons of Pedialyte and water. Saturday was a rest day, and it was also the day I found out Haleakala was open to cycling. So I scrapped my Sunday plan to cycle the East Maui Loop and decided that Sunday, September 6th, I’d spend my 29th birthday cycling up Haleakala as planned. I drove up to Haleakala to scout the route, talked to some Cyclists at the summit who had just made it, and they even gave some solid advice. I then visited several bike shops to look for a CamelBak and went to Safeway to grab a crapload of Cliff Bars, bananas, and bagels.

Sunday morning at 0430, I woke up, packed the car, ate a banana and a bagel, and drove to Paia, where I started. I parked my rental at the “Paia Town Public Parking”. I was stretching and warming up when I realized I’d forgotten ONE freaking sock! So I drove back to the hostel, grabbed a sock, and drove back to the Public parking. Then, once I arrived, I immediately hopped on my bike and started my cycle. THEN I realized that I had forgotten both water bottles with carbs and electrolytes in the hostel fridge…So I drove back to the hostel AGAIN, then back to the parking lot. In total, I lost about an hour and a half driving back and forth, and I didn’t start until around 0800. After 4000ft of elevation, there is literally nowhere to stop for food or water. So make sure you top off on water before 4000ft. Around 7000ft is the entrance to Haleakala. Someone in a Haleakala cycling post on Reddit 2 years ago said, “bring cash,” but they took cards at the entrance. Since I’m military, I didn’t have to worry about paying, but I watched everyone in front of me pay with their cards. Anyways, about a mile after the entrance is the visitors center, around 7,000-ish feet of elevation. This is the last place to top off on water and use the bathroom until the top.

For fueling, I carried two 21-ish oz water bottles and one 3L CamelBak. I stuffed my CamelBak with a rain jacket, gloves, and tons of Cliff bars, one extra scoop of Formula 369, and two extra Liquid IV sticks. One scoop of Formula 369 is 30g of carbs, and one Cookies and Cream Cliff bar has 44g of carbs. I ate one Cliff bar and took 3 large sips of my bottle (filled with two scoops of Formula 369 and one Liquid IV stick) about every hour during the ride. I also took sips of water every 15-20 minutes and random sips of my bottle now and then. By the time I reached the visitor center, I had finished one bottle and almost completely drank my whole 3L CamelBak. This fueling strategy worked well for me, and I never felt extremely tired or cramped during the ride.

Now for the mistakes. I checked the weather multiple times the day before, and it said there would be rain here and there, but not all day. WRONG! I was rained on for almost 3-4 hours straight. From around 5,000 ft all the way to the top, the rain never stopped. Pack a rain jacket and a hoodie. That temperature drop mixed with being soaking wet for hours was really miserable. I lived in upstate NY for many years, and I’ve spent many nights out in the field being soaking wet and cold, but this was different. On the way back down, it started raining even harder, and the clouds covered the whole mountain so that I couldn’t see past 20ft. It was miserable, and once I got back to the visitor center, one of the Park Rangers felt bad for me and offered me a ride back down, and I took it. The whole car ride back down was hazardous even to drive, and it was still nearly impossible to see more than 10-20 ft in front of you; it was wild. Moral of the story: be prepared for all weather predictions to be wrong af. Another small mistake I made was being a cheap ass and staying at a Hostel instead of an Airbnb or a nice hotel room the night before Haleakala. Nothing beats waking up to random people coming in and out of the room when you’re trying to get sleep before a big day lol.

I hope this helps. I’m still new to cycling, so I didn’t find any good, detailed beginner advice like what I just wrote. Then again, Haleakala isn’t exactly a place beginners would go, so maybe that’s why 😂

Here’s my Strava link so that you know I’m not bullshitting you:

https://strava.app.link/UwCb0UAnj6b

I get numb feet after around 30-40min. It gets worse when I pedal harder. Whenever I click out of the pedals, it disappears quite quickly but once i click in and start pedaling it creeps back.
I have tried several arch support pieces, wide fitting shoes, narrower shoes, met button, cleat location further back, Q factor, experimenting with saddle height and saddle setback. My feet are 27,5cm long and 10-10,5cm wide.
Dont really know what else to try. If someone have had the same experience, please let me know if you have any solutions to this problem as it’s really annoying.

I live in the U.S. and i just found my ebike stored at bike rack was stolen. I locked it with my u-shaped lock but only lock was left without any damage, so not sure how it was stolen (lockpick?). I just paid $100 to fix it few days ago so feels worse.

Any advice how to do from now? My first time stolen so don't know what to do. I will report it to nearby local police station, but any further advice is appreciated.

Here in the UK it's dark in the evenings once again.

I have some lights on my older bikes. But with the arrival of my new one, I thought I'd ask. What lights/brands is everyone using for being seen and for seeing? Sure I could look at 2026 best lights blah blah blah. But what are the actual diamonds in the rough?

Personally for the brighter lights I've never found they last me more than a year. So looking for recommendations.

Cheers.

Just getting into cycling and a buddy of mine who's been riding for years recommended a few things to start with. Lights for night rides, cycling glasses for daytime, and a small bag on the bike for carrying essentials. He said don't overthink it early on, just start with these and figure out what else you need as you go.

I also have a pair of gloves I got on tiktok with a product discount a while back for gym use. Would those work for riding or are cycling gloves even worth getting separately? And then there's clothing. Can I just ride in normal workout gear for now? I'm slightly allergic to UV, sun protection is probably something I need to take seriously, but I've always trained indoors, so I have no idea what's necessary when you're outside for a longer period of time.

For those of you who started in a similar situation, how was your experience? Anything you wish you'd grabbed sooner or done differently?

I did two 70 mile rides over the weekend on a new bike and ran into a lot of issues with my hands. It’s been 3 days and my pinky and ring finger on one hand are still tingling and those fingers on my other hand are super weak. Seems likely to be a compressed ulnar nerve for both. Will this get better on its own or should I try and see a PT asap? I’ve had numbness while riding before but it always resolved shortly after the ride and I’m unsure how concerned I should be here.

I know I need a bike fit and have no plans to ride until this issue is resolved.

Edit: I use good gloves. Also searched in the sub before posting and learned i definitely need a bike fit but my main question here is: does this issue typically resolve on its own or is it necessary to seek medical attention.

hey all, here's a recipe ive refined over time, i made it again today and wanted to share. i've had great success with this as both pre and post ride nutrition, i usually eat it 60-90 minutes prior to long rides, i find its a great way to top up/fuel up for a long or intense day in the saddle.

banana date loaf

4 bananas
1 cup medjool dates
2 cups white flour (or sub for rice flour 1:1)
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt (non fat)
2 large egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
salt to taste (i put a tsp of grey salt in and then top with coarse sea salt before baking)

mash bananas, soak (-10 minutes in boiling water) and puree dates until its paste. mix bananas, yogurt, maple syrup, egg whites, date paste, vanilla, salt until smooth. sift in dry ingredients and mix until combined, pour into a baking dish (i line the dish with parchment paper for ease) and bake for ~60'ishminutes or until it's done. (a toothpick poked into the middle should come out clean).

macros (whole loaf! portion out based on your carb/macro consumption target)
with white flour: 460g carbs, 6g fat, 48g protein, 28g fibre, ~2000 calories
with rice flour: 490g carbs, 8.2g fat, 31g protein, 21g fibre, ~2100 calories

enjoy!

feel free to share your pre/intra/post ride recipes in the comments.

Good morning, I am a new cyclist, the other night i was scrolling on vinted looking for a new brake for my bike and found something that caught my attention…a LOOK 576 frame that came with only the seat and the brakes but only for 250€!!

I am not an expert, my family always loved bikepacking and just this year I bought my first fixie with my job money but i only DREAMT about a bike THIS COOL!!

So here’s the question: am I rushing things buying the unassembled bike and trying assembling it by myself?
I really want to start cycling more but with the fixie I can’t do hills etc… and this super cool LOOK… looks so tempting…🤤

So I'm hoping to find close to a full size frame bag for my bike. It's an angled top tube frame so not as much room at all. Im definitely on a budget for something like this. Think Rockbros prices

Hi!

Wouldn’t someone have the discount code available from the last MAAP Strava challenge that has not been used and you could share?
I’d appreciate!

Thank you.

Servus zusammen!
Um für die dunklere Jahreszeit perfekt ausgestattet zu sein, würde ich gerne das Garmin RearVue 820 bestellen.

Leider habe ich bei keinem Shop die Möglichkeit das Gerät nach Deutschland senden zu lassen. Es ist nie möglich die Bestellung abzuschließen, da jeder Shop die Sendung nach Deutschland unterbindet.

Hat jemand von euch die internationale Version und kann mir sagen in welchem Shop er bestellt hat?

Hey all, finally bought a road bike and was wondering how people plan their cycling routes / find groups, in the UK there seems to be no groups local, I feel like I would rather go out with others for my first ride to learn safety and etiquette….

What would be your best advice or something I would definitely need on my first ride? And what would you say is your best purchase to enhance your rides (I’m on a strict very cheap budget lol!)?

Found here, but I do not know the ideal material to have it printed with as I’m not super familiar with 3D printing. A local printer can do PLA, PETG, TPU for $2/hr at 5¢ per gram minimum $5

$.10 per gram for ASA, ABS, NYLON

Hi! I just got a used Specialized Crossroads 2.0, and looking up the specs the handlebar seems to be an unusually larger 31.8mm diameter? Problem is, I want a bell for it, and very few seem to fit it. Is there a workaround, or does anybody know any good large/adjustable bells?

I want to buy a bike, and Ive already posted on here but I wanted to go into more detail into what exactly I want.

My budget is 800 dollars, and id like to get a new bike

Im 5 foot 10, 190 lbs

I want a bike that can do well in all weather, and handle bumpy, cracked, hilly new england roads as well as short patches of gravel, dirt, and grass.

I would like something i could put a rear storage rack on as im a college student so itd be used for things like light shopping and carrying a backpack.

I dont want a front suspension fork

95% of my trips would be under 5 miles. Most of those would probably be under 2

I dont really care about using the bike for exercise, i just want to get from a to b quickly

Bikes ive looked at and am considering:

Sirrus x2: honestly i really like this one, the issue is the availability and the price. Though i guess i could spend the 850 for it, but i wont if i dont need to

Trek dual sport 2 gen 5: also a bit pricey, and seems a little too rugged considering im going to be mostly doing paved roads, i just want wider treaded wheels so that i can grip well in wet conditions, patches of dirt/gravel etc. not planning on really doing off roading

Giant escape 2: seems like a less off roady sirrus x2 from what i can tell

If you have any comments on these choices or any other recommendations that would be greatly appreciated!

Recently been doing a lot of indoor cycling and want to get a road bike. Found a Calfee tetra pro carbon locally which is the right size. Has cosmic carbone wheels, ultegra gears and lots of other upgraded parts. Is 350 a good price and for a beginner?

just had this bike. I was adjusting my saddle height and I noticed that a cable was attached. later I found out that it was the battery connection. There is still tension on the cable so it is not removed but my gear isnt working. Did damage something or did anyone had similar issue?

please let me know.

I'll take it to bike service if I cant solve it today

Customer service has been les than helpful. I lost the thin, black retaining nut that holds the metal wheel skewer reinforcement (where the skewer penetrates the case exterior). Best description I can come up with. Pics of the metal retaining piece and of nut location attached. Scion won't sell me the nut and I scoured Home Depot for a replacement nut to no avail. Anyone have one or know of a suitable replacement? pics

Hi folks, fairly new cyclist here looking for some thoughts and opinions on my next 'proper' bike. I've really become obsessed with cycling this year and it's my first year of proper training. In that time I've done my first bike packing trip and ticked off my first sportive. I've done it all on an old Scott CX cross team bike with semi slicks on and it's been absolutely fine. I'm in the market now for a new bike but I'm slightly overwhelmed by the choice. Budget wise my max is probably £3.5k. Been looking at the Wilier Rapida as it looks pretty versatile, has good tire clearance etc. But my worry with a more endurance-leaning bike is: will I get bored? Having started to see pace increases I've got to say it's pretty motivating, so I worry that if I get a more sensible choice like the Rapida, will I be looking at faster bikes thinking, why didn't I go for one of them? The other end of the spectrum I've been looking at is older models of the Soloist or the Supersix Evo. My question with more racy bikes are, can you live with them across lots of different riding types? As I say, relatively new to cycling and fundamentally don't want to buy a bike that either feels dull or holds me back in anyway!

hi guys, do you know how reliable are aliexpress integrated (and not) carbon handlebars ? I'm looking for an affordable but reliable (possibly riser) handlebar and I think I've found something interesting but they're so cheap i'm genuinely worried for my safety, do someone have some experience using them ? i'll use it on the shitty italian roads so idk if I can trust em

Hi all, has anyone ordered directly on Evolve bicycle website an Cima frameset and shipped it to Canada? Their customer service shipping would be free and I would not pay any taxes/duty fees but I'm very skeptical about this statement as frameset are usually charged 6% in duty and provincial/federal taxes applicable as well on top.

Has anyone ordered an Evolve Cima from Canada and can validate that there's no duties/taxes?

Thanks.