Are Bigger Jockey Wheels More Efficient? | The GCN Tech Clinic

[@gcntech]

Do you have any burning tech questions? Let us know in the comments 👇

[@j0ckel617]

GCN Tech I have my bike hanging from the front wheel on a fork type mounting and it’s working just fine but are there any risks I’m not seeing?

[@brycezoeller]

Ollie--2 burning questions Bro: (1) what is your FTP?; (2) how can I get one of those GCN stickers as shown on the front of your computer? Thanks Bro!

[@Wildschwein_Jaeger]

I am having trouble igniting an old set of handlebars. I have tried matches and a lighter. Nothing seems to get the fire going. Any suggestions?

[@martinflores1743]

What are the basic tools one would need to assemble a bike? Looking to do a bike build while in quarantine, thanks!!

[@PrzemyslawSliwinski]

Maybe not technically a technical question, but... I have just received the service kit for my Formula disc brakes and am going to refill them. Is it as simple as connecting the DOTs?

[@IJoAnZI]

8:44 actual question in title

[@justw4lkbesideme]

Thx

[@paulhaws4910]

literal hero

[@alialkuwari3474]

Thanks

[@The14541]

Thx bro

[@BIKEMAN21]

what a bloody waste of time. thanks !

[@markblack8407]

Ollie, Please water your plants.

[@sepg5084]

Bigger jockey wheels add more weight and have a larger aero profile. and even though the bigger jockey wheels might reduce friction by causing the chains pivot less, they could also add friction by having more jockey wheel teeth going through the chains. I put my trust with Shimano on this one, and if they indeed improve performance Shimano can easily implement them too. Unless CeramicSpeed has a patent on bigger jockey wheels, which would be a ridiculous patent.

[@adambrickley1119]

Recently i watched a vid of a test of this. They save approx 1.6 watts, add 20 grams, but didnt mention the aero drag. Personally i think drag would be pretty much no difference as its right in the turbulence region behind the pedals. Maybe there is another video that tests drag out there.

[@jotapi4010]

Having a spare rear derailleur hanger in your toolbox - what a simple and brilliant idea! In case you are your own bike mechanic, this saves you a lot of trouble down the road. I just ordered one right now.

[@SuperNeilB]

I ordered one a while ago when my original bent. Lost it, bought a new one, then found the first. So I now have two :)

[@GCNuser123]

yeah, its useful. i had one go as soon as i got to majorca a few years back and meant i couldnt ride my bike the whole week. had to hire one.

[@TravelWithLinAndBilly]

8:45 to the point 🙌

[@bevo335]

My wife was super apprehensive about clipless pedals. I finally convinced her to give it a try. I put them on her mountain bike and she rode around the yard (garden for you Brits). After a little while and with some practice unclipping, she was comfortable enough to give it a go on the road bike. She was surprised at how much more secure she felt riding without her feet moving on the pedals. She loves them now.

[@nathanielhawkins6756]

From the look of his house it seems like whilst everyone is in lockdown Ollie keeps sneaking into the office to nick more stuff.

[@hyojeong1524]

Bingo

[@MrLuigi-oi7gm]

I have found that a nice compromise between flats and clipless is using a a quality flat pedal (mine are vintage Campy) with a quality pair of toe clips (mine are vintage Christophe) with bling leather straps for the toe clips (mine are blood red). Why do I like this arrangement? It sufficiently locks my foot to the pedal so it can't slide around and I can exert appropriate forces on the pedal throughout the 360 degree pedal stroke. But I can still pull out my foot in an emergency and therefore have no fear of falling over, attached to my bike. PLUS, I can ride with my running shoes. So, no problem getting off the bike and going for a hike or walk to the coffee shop.

[@romankleinstein5322]

What is the very best product to use in a chain cleaning tool to clean chain ignoring that Kerosene is more poisonous? Specific Chain degreaser Kerosene Would it help to use Methylated spirits after Degreaser or Kerosene to get chain perfectly clean and dry ?

[@TJS71]

I use Pedro's Pig Juice in conjunction with Pedro's Chain Pig tool. For the cassette Pedro's 13 which has a higher viscosity. It's solvent free and biodegradable.

[@junkandcrapamen]

Going clipless turns two distinct things - you and the bike - in to one thing.

[@EiRA-hiE-x]

"human bike engine" lol

[@elnicho1]

First and foremost, love your pod cast, very informative. As a mechanic, I love getting a different perspective on any mechanical issue. On the comment of "AD" Tires have two main functions. 1)being that of the weight of the rider and 2) The condition of the road. From there on, it is the function of the discipline of the ride, i.e. gravel, TT, Crit, endurance.

[@davidbierbaum4881]

Physics Nerdery Mode: ON! Not only does a larger jockey wheel reduce chain link rotation, it also reduces rotational friction of the jockey wheels themselves, since, for any given linear chain speed, the larger jockey wheel rotates more slowly than the smaller one. On the other hand, the larger jockey wheel will naturally have a larger moment of inertia than a smaller one, and so will resist changes in chain speed a slight bit more than the smaller ones. When push comes to shove though, I think the whole jockey-wheel system has such a small percentage of the total drivetrain efficiency loss, it really won't matter in the end. I do wonder though, if a larger jockey-wheel might have better ability to control the chain and keep it stable than a smaller one can. We need SCIENCE GLASSES!!!

[@DeedoCmuk82]

It also causes more drag aerodynamically

[@happydays8171]

Alberto Contador claimed it gave him a 3-5 watt advantage, and cleaned his religiously after each race. However, it is one of the most costly watt saving measures you can do your bike. I have them and my bike shifts better because on CeramicSpeed you have 3 angles of adjustment, where every other mfg only gives you 1.

[@BIKEMAN21]

if the video title is on jockey wheels then why say "i just dont know " If you do some research you find larger jockey wheels were designed to better shift to the shimano mega range cogs. some people say though these larger jockey wheels are simply to save shimano money because larger parts are of lower quality and cheaper to produce.

[@ChrisinOSMS]

MKS and Velo Orange make half-clip cages that bolt onto to flat pedals. My wife uses them for duathlons on her bike (she’s a runner, not ready to be fully attached to her bike). Quick transitions though. Half-clips don’t have straps like old-school clips, so it is easier to bailout than clips and very similar to the motion needed to detach cleats from clip less pedals. I use them on my city bike.

[@grosmorisse]

At 12:08 you mention that you don't have to go with a current generation Shimano crankset as they all have 24mm axles, but I was under the impression that the newest versions (9100, 8000, 7000) used different spacing on the chainrings. I might be wrong but for these cranks I think you also need to have the appropriate front derailleur.

[@ellejharmsen4801]

Finding a new rear derailleur hanger is especially difficult if your bikes model is discontinued. We machined a (close) copy for the bike of my wife because a new one was not available anymore. The copy is probably slightly thicker, putting the wheel back in can be difficult.

[@enduroademax8869]

I did customize my xt rd m4000. I put 13 and 15 teeth pulley. Adds more comfort uphill. Lessen my shifting to high teeth on cogs.

[@endcensorship874]

I remember riding 21, and sometimes even 19, tires! Damn, we were crazy back then.

[@cccpkingu]

And still!

[@StefanCiulu]

8:55 If science would suggest that it's more efficient to not have such tight angles in the chain (which seems logical), what's the point of having a 10t cog on the SRAM 12 speed system? Is there any point having more than 11s (like we currently have on Shimano), especially if they are located at the narrowest point in the cassette? Seems counter intuitive to put pressure on companies to develop them and then get the oversized jockey wheels for them gainzz... Wonder if the new Shimano DA will follow the trend?

[@LordVilmore]

Science didn't yet test it afaik, only the companies involved. The theory "forgets" that while there is less angle in between two links, you have more links making an angle. So in the end the total chain overlap to make the bend is equal.

[@mopedvieh]

The gain of the smaller cog i.e. the higher max. distance per revolution outweights the miniminimnimal higher friction due to the tighter bending angle

[@stevenharris3752]

Hi Ollie!! Love the show!! To comment on the Ninja BB question? I own the Ninja BB he's talking about with the Gossamer Pro ABS 34/50 165mm crank length BB386evo spindle crankset and it's got just over 3000 miles on it and still no signs of wear!! Highly recommend it!!

[@poincareconjecture5651]

Oh...that was funny with the Park Tools...great comedic timing 🤣

[@grahamaustin9085]

In my experience, most people fall off a few times when they switch to clipless padals. I'd suggest waiting a bit till the end of lockdown so you can ride with somebody in case you need a hand.

[@trek520rider2]

Dis am true. The exquisite agony of being stationary and unable to unclip is one of life's great experiences especially if you are at a traffic light. I always tell people to try clipless first on a stationary bike. Many spin class bikes have pedals with platform on one side SPD the other. Of course that limits you to SPD. So check out your YMCA etc..

[@isaks3243]

big tip for the people who want to try clipless pedals but is too nervous to try them. use clipless pedals for a mountainbike to begin with, they are easier to get in and out of and there is side to side "play" which makes the foot able to move around a little which in turn makes it feel less like you're stuck on the bike. and if you like the feeling to be able to put down power through out the entire pedal stroke could you change to a road speciffic pedal later down the line or swap back to flats if they are the way you want to go. it is not how you spend your time on the bike that matters, it is the fact that you're spending time on your bike and enjoying the work out it brings that matters.

[@SepuluhSeptember]

Which one is good investment... Ceramic bottom bracket or wheelset? Price vs function..

[@yonglingng5640]

Wheelset.

[@kamucho]

Alrite Ollie. How common is it for People to enter a TT with a normal road bike? How close can you get a road bike to that TT position? Are there any affordable hacks or entry level pieces of gear you'd recommend to get people who want to dip the toe in close before committing to buying a TT machine?

[@lifeisgood12341]

Tip for the person riding flats, assuming you don't already have straps, you could try that. I run errands on my bike and although I could run into stores clomping like a horse with clipless I can wear regular shoes and still get the push pull motion. But any time you feel uncomfortable being strapped in you can just use the other side without the straps.

[@ZacWuUK]

Hello GCN, I am opening new London based cycling brand. And placing my first MTB order. Would you agree with below specs.? aluminum alloy frame, semi-aluminum fork, aluminum handlebar,stem ,seat post Shimano 24 speed（Shimano RS-45 gear shifter,Shimano M310 f/r derailleur,Shimano 8 pcs freewheel)

[@kamucho]

Great question about flats. I was/am in the same boat! I've tried a few times now to I corporate clipless pedals onto my bike. Had a few knee problems and without a proper bike fit and my inexperienced cleat setup I thought I was giving my self knee issues so I kept changing back. After speaking to my physio recently (who is a bike specific one) he said actually having the feet clipped in really helps stabilise the foot for those prolonged periods of time riding! So I'm giving it a other go. Get your cleats set up 'ball park' and get on an indoor trainer to practice unclipping if you can! (It's well scary first few times out and when at traffic lights) as a newish rider I definitely feel daft having riding shorts and jerseys but then wearing trainers and it's actually put me off joining a club and/or group rides! Looking back a CC could probly have helped me with my clipless woes sooner 🙈🙈

[@Chyller1]

@ Hi Ollie! Talking about rear derailleur jockey wheels: I've always wondered why the upper jokey tends not to have a proper industrial bearings. Is there a good reason for that? I swapped both of mine out for some with these bearings and I get much less noise from the jockeys and it feels smoother too.

[@feedbackzaloop]

Actually, Shimano have (had) oversized pulleys. On an 8-speed Altus

[@MJ-iu4oh]

Yes, oversized pulleys on my altus equipped station bike, and normal small pulleys on my ultegra Sunday best bike. Odd how the cheaper set has bling sized pulleys isn't it. Think this is all marketing rather than real science.

[@grahamaustin9085]

And 2300 Tourney

[@hogdog567]

I'm using 23's on 19mm internal width rims, they measure 26mm on that rim. #23aintdead

[@tianyi05]

I have a question. I have a 1974 Raleigh Super Course with an Avocet Triple 28/44/54 and 12/28 . It is a 175 MM crank with a square taper. I recently broke the left crank, it was a heck of a climb. My question is, after fruitless searching for a replacement crank, would it be in appropriate to use a crank from a different company, they all look so strange compared to the original?

[@tajmisquitta3536]

Well, from a person who uses OSPW I can say two things: 1) Don't use them for wattage savings if you already have a high-end rear derailleur, chain lube, and chain because the aerodynamic disadvantage cancels out any advantages from friction losses. 2) Don't really need them if you use electronic shifting because the shifting is already superior (I don't use electronic shifting). The only reason for these is they look really cool, the chain is quieter (less slap) and the shifting is super crisp. P.S: They are also really easy to clean.

[@sheilastallard]

The Park tool box, do's it include a tool for hair cutting?.....Keep Safe and keep em coming!!

[@brycezoeller]

Ollie showing how friction on chain works with his hands, also looks a bit like break-dancing, or in Ollie's case, brake-dancing. More dancing Bro!

[@obriaind]

I ride 23s because whenever I've ridden bigger tires they feel squishy. Also, with people buying up all the bigger tire sizes these days, continental GPs are cheaper in the 23s.

[@stuartdryer1352]

Ollie must be single. Otherwise that bike wouldn't be on the wall.

[@Annekromhout]

My bike is mounted on the wall. And yes it is IN the house. My wife is amazing.

[@Annekromhout]

@@rosbifle413 Okay then...

[@stuartdryer1352]

@@Annekromhout Mine would decapitate me if I considered that. My wife, not my bike.

[@joemcmillan2089]

@@rosbifle413 It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.

[@blacktophemirt8526]

do what i did and get your lady into cycling

[@lemecdegeneve]

So OSPW may not improve performance but what about replacing stock pulley wheels with, as advertised, lower friction pulley wheels like BBInfinite Ceramitech wheels?

[@Neutral_14]

Best #AskGCNTech episode to date.

[@OllieBridgewood]

Neutral thanks mate 👍🏼

[@maytersandwich]

#AskGCNTech I'm considering the purchase of a new bike with Ultegra R8000 Di2. I have a bike with 105 5800 and I've purchased a single sided crank arm based power meter for the 5800. I'm wondering if I can just put that on the new bike with R8000 and avoid purchasing a new power meter. They are both 172.5. I do have the original crank arm for the 105 bike and will be keeping it for usage on the turbo trainer. What are your thoughts on this? New bike, new power meter or just stick with the one I have? Thanks Ollie.

[@adamsheret149]

Are you able to let us know what the maximum size cassette you can fit to the New shimano 105. I think shimano have said that you can use a 34 at the rear, however I have heard you can get away with more. Do you know what you can get away with and also the use of a wolf tooth hanger??

[@mjsylver]

How about a maintenance video on cleaning and maintaining jockey wheels. I’m at 6800 miles the past year and a half on my Caad12/105 and need to know when to service them.

[@mrwhiteshorts]

Hello, if i used my 5 speed steel bike on Zwift, am i loosing 10-40w before ive even started? Ive not a bottomless pit of money for an uptodate bike to use online. thanks GCN, mark

[@ezflyerbill]

Are you nervous about switching to clipless pedals because your feet are locked onto the pedals? If you access to a wind trainer, put your bike onto the trainer and practise clipping in and out of the pedals. This way you can't fall off your bike. When you feel comfortable, take your bike off the trainer and go for a ride. I have had several people do this and all of them found the process easy and stress-reducing.

[@djconnel]

thanks for the video! I disagree it depends on how much force is put thru the chain because it's on the bottom of the chain and tension is set by the derailleur spring, not the pedals: pedals put tension between the chainring and the cassette. So the the chain is bending under low tension. There's still benefit, but not as much. A second advantage is the jockey wheel spins slower. The jockey wheel bearings induce some friction. Jockey wheels are also under low tension, so this is relatively small (but what's "relatively" in this context? Every bit helps.)

[@nicnac4239]

Re the point about trainers and frame stress. Most trainers have a little give. That aside, recently some manufacturers have started to include indoor trainer test simulations to their frame QA/testing programme and are approving their frames for use with direct drive/wheel off trainers.

[@johnferguson2414]

#askgcntech Hey Ollie! I use an old drop bar to store my bikes on the walls. Cheap and effective! Thanks! John in Cayman

[@mattszrejter6785]

I was so entranced by your hair bouncing around like a Treasure Troll’s.

[@MyopicAdventures]

Great show GCN team, your videos are keeping me entertained while wifey watches reality TV. I have a beautiful Ibis Hakka with a matte finish, any tips on maintaining the matte? Is polish OK, or will it effect the finish? Product recommendations appreciated 🙂👍

[@djshaky405]

Another importen thing with oversized pulleys is that over the length of the chain the pully wont mak as many turns as the normal pully and therfor the resistans that the bearings have on your drive chain will be less

[@Iowahurler82]

As far as the trainer question. What have read is that it don't cause more stress, but the stresses load the frame differently than on the road.

[@Merchelloful]

6:25 , Ollie thinks someone is taking his park tool stand and for a fraction of a second panics

[@EthanBlock]

Love the show. What is the cheapest/easiest way to seat a tubless tire when a trackpump is not enough? I've been going to the local bike shop to use their compressor but am having troubles doing that these days for pandemic reasons. I'd prefer to avoid CO2.

[@richardsonj96]

Ethan Block your options are co2, but they’re usually not high enough volume to seat it. You’ll need a specific track pump with a canister attached. They’re specifically designed for tubeless tires. I have a Topeak booster. It’s great.

[@jimmynickelz]

That mount doesn't pull your crankarm away from your bottom bracket?

[@Choedron]

The guy uncertain of going for clip-ins, could use SpeedPlay Frog instead of the traditional. I know they are for MTB, but I use them on my road bike and they are so much easier to get out of compared to SPD and the likes. No force required. You simply turn the heel outwards a bit and off you are.

[@johnsonjae]

I have ridden flats and clipped pedals. Honestly, I think anyone that hasn't ridden for a while should ride flats for 2 reasons. First, safety if you aren't familiar with how a bike wreck feels, adding the time necessary to get out of clipless pedals can significantly increase the chance of injury. Second point, starting on clipless can lead to bad pedaling habits. I just recently started cycling again in earnest, and my Specialized came with flats. I have Clipless pedals, and just waiting for cycling shoes . However, today was the first time in 3 weeks where my feet felt completely in tune with the pedal stroke and they weren't moving back and forth across the pedals. Clipless pedals are great, but they shouldn't be a replacement for good footwork on your ride.

[@kirkadriankoudroglou4661]

Rotor and Easton cranks are compatible with shimano bottom brackets.

[@stevec6232]

Is Tom Last going to make a comeback?

[@giantnanomachine]

Decathlon has a set of pedals that are SPD on one side and flat on the other. I actually use them on my bike because when I'm not going on an actual ride I still use the same bike to visit friends and go to work, and cycling shoes are not always the optimal choice for these.

[@vomErsten]

ISSI has the Flip line-up for doing the same thing, with the highest end Flip III even having MTB-style pins on the flat side. One could also just use MTB pedals that are both platform and cleat on both sides, easing into full clipless when ready.

[@root4343]

Hi, I have a shimano hb-rm50 hub or a whole wheel with it on an older bike. I found that it was not rolling smoothly, and when taking it apart I found that one of the balls was "bad" and also the cone. Can I find spares for this, or do I need to buy a new wheel ? Best regards /Anders

[@selwynlee7198]

Does that bike mounting method affect the crank based power meter setting?? I have similar mounting system, and noticed it is affecting the PM output......

[@kurimawmawmaw9090]

Is oversized pulley compatible with shimano sora r3000 rear derailleur?

[@ojhazelby]

Hi Ollie I've got a bike that's seen me well for a few years but is too small. Over the years I've upgraded it steadily to 10 speed DuraAce 7800. Got a bike over Christmas that is the right size but has 9 speed Sora all over it with a view to swapping the groupsets so I've got the DA on the bike that fits and then sell the old one with the Sora. I'm happy swapping all the components but is it worth my trying to keep the cables etc when I swap or is that completely false economy? What would you replace during the swap (both ways) and what would you try and salvage?

[@manji001]

Hi GCN! Great show, and i always look forward to new videos. Background: I've converted my wheel set up to tubeless about a month ago and i've been riding my bike as often as possible over the lockdown period. I've had a few punctures but they have sealed no problem mid ride. However, once i get home and wash my bike, the punctures seem to re-open as evidenced by the bubbling sealant on the surface of the tyre. They seal eventually and hold a bit of air fairly well, BUT the same punctures keep re-opening every time I wash my bike (or basically get the tyres drenched). Is this ok? Or is it time to get new tyres? Long-winded but Thanks very much

[@julianallen515]

Poor awakened Bahamut, asks about derailleur hangers and Ollie tells him to travel with a spare rear mech! I'd travel with a spare hanger, personally ;-) With regards to the question about riding a carbon frame in a trainer. Some companies say riding it on the trainer invalidates the warranty. In late 2018 Cervelo refused a warranty request for a friend's R3 stating that ". He's a 150lb family man who has to look after his bike as his wife won't let him replace it. If you are looking at a new bike and ride the trainer a lot it's worth checking the website or asking before buying.

[@jordyd8916]

Please help, my bike keeps wanting to go straight. Not a joke. When turning the handlebars, there seems to be some resistance (like a dent?) when the position of the steer is in 12h position. It feels like it falls into place. It's nut a major hurdle, but I am wondering wether it will get worse and if there is any risk of continuing riding. It's only since today and I don't think I hit any major bumps.

[@TrackCyclingLviv]

Cranks related question. I am 180cm tall, 87cm inseam. I bought my first road bike 2 years ago, it had 172mm cranks and I bought left crank with power meter for it. Later that year I bought TT bike, it had stock cranks 175mm long. And each time few weeks before TT event I swapped crankset with power meter to my TT bike and trained on it. This year I purchased another road bike, it was very good deal but it had stock 170mm cranks. Now I am looking for second power meter and my question is how important is it to ride same cranks all the time from biomechanics and performance perspective, let's say 172.5 and is it an issue to ride different cranks from time to time?

[@adamsheret149]

Can you post these questions on the app? Had a quick look and couldnt find where to write it out.

[@azbikerider49]

Ollie, always love the content but one thing I wish all of you would do more is suggest people support their local bike shops. You guys are fast to suggest people buy from Ebay and such. Of course nothing wrong with saving some cash it just seems like it's often overlooked. I think it's safe to say every local bike shop would welcome more business. Thanks.

[@sitiaisyahsg]

I am confused to choose between c-bear pulley wheels (without cage) and kogel kolossel oversized pulley wheels

[@calval0627]

GCN love your content! Thank you! I was wondering if you could do a video on Oval Chain rings! Are their benefits to them and is it worth putting them on? I see a lot of people switching to them but I don't see much pro riders on them. Thank you!

[@xiaoliuwu8539]

For those who are afraid of clipless pedals, perhaps they can start with mtb clipless pedals. Mtb pedals effectively provide same benefits road pedals do but do not look as nice as the road pedals 😜

[@marlouedelacruz8853]

Can i use a bigger jockey wheels for my sora 3000 RD?

[@mtbboy1993]

the pulling up thing , I haven't tried with clip less, but technically you can still do it on flat pedals you just have to tilt it like some I have seen people do with clip less when sprinting. but I never do that. but doing so on flat pedals shown in this video won't work cus foot will slip of, it won't on my pedals and shoe combo. but it's less secure way to pedal, I am just saying it's possible, yes I have tried it, but don't need to do this technique.

[@choochoo2246]

Love the bike on the wall. Also, Ollie is a refreshing change to Jon!

[@richdyer2000]

The chain isn’t under load when going through the jockey wheels

[@N_Els]

On a note, the bigger Jockey wheels such as Ceramic Speed. Noticed that Rohan Dennis used them on his BMC at the world's last year. Obviously not on his current bike at Ineos.

[@happydays8171]

5:40 Wheelmaker Hed used to caulk that seam, or gap transition, between tire and rim on Lance's wheels. Until the UCI noticed and made it illegal. But Hed claimed it made a wheel much more aero.

[@tommytone5045]

With the Coronavirus going on, what’s the best method to clean your bike wheels from the stuff you pick up on your ride W/O wash your bike all the time. Bleach or alcohol spray ? and would it effect your wheel?

[@sebastianjost]

On my MTB I haven't had to replace the rotors in the past 6 years. E-bikes wear through them a lot quicker though. There they may only last 1-2 years. Obviously this depends heavily on usage.

[@kevintimmons5936]

I am having trouble removing the non drive side crank arm on my bike (in order to remove whole crankset and check on bottom bracket condition). It’s a Praxis Alba. Has the cassette tool as well as 8mm Allen key spots but hard as I try with the Allen key I cannot get it to budge. Do I need to use the cassette tool? Do I need to get more leverage somehow? WD-40? #AskGCNTech

[@Orangetrackstudio]

I use double-sided pedals, flats most of the time, flip them and clip in when I want

[@dougduchateau443]

Great show gents! I've become obsessed with your cheap bike to super bike transformation. I have an 80s Trek aluminum frame bike (21 lbs 12 oz) and I'm wondering if I can get it under 20 lbs (9 kg). It came equipped with Bontrager deep section alum wheels, Shimano low end (Tourney) groupset, Bontrager carbon fiber seat post, Ritchey alum bars. It still has the original fork and a quill stem - is this the best place to drop weight or would you look elsewhere? Many thanks from the US!

[@retroonhisbikes]

Why isn’t the bike hanging in the mid part of the fire place? I must have ocd.

[@kirklarson5781]

#askgcntech I am in the process of changing a DT Swiss 3 pawl freehub to a ratchet style freehub (no reason, just trapped inside with nothing to do). I know that I will need new internals and a new freehub body. My question is about the end cap. The wheel is a 12x142 thru axle. Can I re-use the end cap from the 3 pawl hub body?

[@edwardjednacz1641]

When will the GCN APP support landscape mode?

[@warmup6507]

Nice Video Ollie. Just wondering, how often do we need to replace our brakes and shifter cables and housing? is there any advantages of buying high end cables and housing like the ones with teflon?

[@MaplePanda04]

Gerard Dacles Replace inner câbles when shifting starts degrading faster than usual. Definitely replace if the cable starts breaking strands. Teflon câbles have less friction.

[@warmup6507]

@@MaplePanda04 thanks mate! Looking forward to more tips from you guys

[@MaplePanda04]

Gerard Dacles I’m not part of GCN haha. Just an everyday rider like you.

[@warmup6507]

@@MaplePanda04 still grateful bro

[@MP48]

Bigger pulley wheels cannot be more efficient due to less friction. Friction is independent of surface area, it is a constant for known materials. Friction force can be a problem when a side load is applied i.e. when changing gears. Bigger pulley wheels have more teeth in mesh with the chain so when a side load is applied there is more pressure on more links of the chain. This greater side loading results in more friction that needs to be combat by the lube

[@crypto_que]

The other presenter just told us that pro pedaling is smooth & not to pull up on the pedals. I hated clipless at first but love sprinting pulling up on the pedals.

[@thecheshirecat5564]

#askgcntech how difficult would be to use a MTB front derailleur with a road shifter? There are a lot of frames out there that would make a nice, very rugged gravel bike but they require MTB cranks and derailleur (being stuck at home means browsing a lot the internet for a “next build”😬). I know there are cable pull converters for the rear derailleur (using one right now), but never found one for the front -just confusing advice. Also: how do you convince your significant other to hang the bike in the apartment? Having a real hard time with that as well... derailleur compatibility is child’s play in comparison.

[@TryboBike]

With a double - it is plenty of possible to use Shimano double front with an mtb FD ( sram/shimano alike). It is not officially supported, but can be adjusted. I thing SRAM shifters also work. Campy uses different pull and I have no experience. Off-brand manufacturers are usually compatible with shimano. For a triple - it is a hard no-go. YOu need some sort of an adapter or a road FD.

[@mahditavazoei7611]

Hi, Thank you for the information about the bending angle of the chain on the jockey wheels but it is not true. Imagine that the angle of the chain engagement on the jockey wheel is two-third of the circle. If the number of the teeth are 12: 8 teeth are engaged so every single of the 8 segments must be bent (360 x 2/3) / 8 = 30 degrees if the number of the teeth are 24: 16 teeth are engaged, so every single of the segments must be bent (360 x 2/3) / 16 = 15 degrees Well the angles in the second condition is half of the previous (smaller) wheel, but the number of the segments are two times (16 instead of 8).! It means: there is no difference between the two cases, and the tiny amount of power losses are the same. Best Regards,

[@LarsRR]

What park tool set is that? I have the professional set but have never seen these Handy bags to store all the tools needly. Would be awesome to know.

[@endcensorship874]

I think it is this one: www.parktool.com/product/blue-box-tool-case-bx-2-2?category=Storage

[@LarsRR]

Rob Hartsock cheers, mate!

[@PKownzthem]

Hi Ollie, after quitting another hobby which involves selling a collection of expensive stuff, I was thinking about upgrading my roadbike for the money. As of now, I‘m riding an alloy frame with 105 5800 that‘s a bit too small for me. I bought that bike secondhand before I knew I was into the sport. Was thinking about getting the Canyon Ultimate CF SL, but I don‘t know if I should go for mechanical ultegra or ultegra di2. Di2 is a 600€ upgrade which will would necessitate saving up for significantly longer. Is di2 worth the wait? The only di2 bike in my group is on a connor dunne level, so I cannot ride it with my 179cm for trying it out. #askgcntech

[@MaplePanda04]

PKownzu Di2 is a big upgrade. Whether it’s worth it or not is up to you. If this is your “dream bike” I would say go for it. If not, save your cash for the next bike.

[@PKownzthem]

@@MaplePanda04 you're right. decided to go for a less costly option with a better upgrade path instead. or almost decided, I'm about to buy a bike this week. LBS are opening again in my country.

[@41devid69]

The engineers who first designed your bike would have had known that larger Jackie Wheels would make a difference then it would have come with larger jockey Wheels. Larger Jackie Wheels means more pedal rotation.more chain to rotate which equals more energy and whight

[@bloodsnek2210]

How to do maintenance to the inside of the frame?

[@joffbrown]

Hi Ollie, I’m thinking of getting the sella italia boost saddle which you no is a short nose saddle I was just wondering where or how I take the reach measurement do I take it from the front or rear end of said saddle do I take the measurement from the front of old saddle to the bars of from the rear of the old saddle ? Any help would be great thanks

[@zipias]

pedal straps are the middle solution between clipless and flat pedals I use them to stop my brakeless bike 👍

[@RicardoFlores7]

Hello Howard, thank you so much for your effort and dedication to make new cycling world and whatever you reach. I would love to see you talking with Hambini about 23mm vs 28mm tires in aspect of aerodynamics, inertia, comfy & safe and other things that we never realize that are important than disk brakes. I guess that you have known-how to do it but You could invite him using zoom or another video app for your computer. Best from the old school cyclist mate. Lets keep united

[@Ober1kenobi]

I’ve always cycled on flats. I’m jumping on and off my bike way too much to be strapped into it Shortcuts up 10 metre flights of stairs, just pickup the bike and run Elevators, shops, coffee I like the feeling of being free, sure it’s less efficient Keep up though 💁‍♂️

[@speeddemon2314]

#askgcn: how can you tell the fit of a bike online? Because Ive been looking at a schwinn millsaps cx bike and the pictures don't give enough information to tell.