For general questions, I recommend asking on bikeforums.net (corporate-owned) – the best cycling-related forum in the world. There I participate under the “Bike Gremlin” username. Also, many other experts offer help and advice there, so You benefit from getting 2nd opinions. You are also most likely to get a timely response (within a day or two), at least from other knowledgeable members, even if I don’t manage.
If you have any questions regarding a particular article, you can use the comment section below the article. With a suggestion to first try a website search – your question may have already been answered:
If you wish to hear an answer/advice from me, directly, you can ask a question in the BikeGremlin.net forum (even anonymously – by entering any name you wish).
Rules for posting questions and comments.
What is a forum, and how and why did I build the BikeGremlin forum?
In separate articles I explained:
I generally reply to questions within a few weeks or so, in order: first asked, first answered.
Tutorial: how can I add an image to a comment?
How to best phrase/ask the bicycle/mechanics/cycling related questions:
Time spent answering questions on the BikeGremlin websites and YouTube channel (i.e. BikeGremlin forum, since October 2023), according to Clockify:
| Month | hours : minutes |
|---|---|
| 2021 | |
| June | 7:14 |
| July | 7:06 |
| August | 4:56 |
| September | 8:21 |
| October | 4:08 |
| November | 6:55 |
| December | 4:56 |
| 2022 | |
| January | 7:59 |
| February | 4:50 |
| March | 7:39 |
| April | 4:34 |
| May | 7:43 |
| June | 6:31 |
| July | 4:25 |
| August | 4:58 |
| September | 7:20 |
| October | 4:07 |
| November | 5:38 |
| December | 7:48 |
| 2023 | |
| January | 6:50 |
| February | 6:39 |
| March | 5:48 |
| April | 7:08 |
| May | 7:30 |
| June | 7:21 |
| July | 4:33 |
| August | 7:43 |
| September | 3:43 |
| October | 5:23 |
| November (BikeGremlin forum started working) | 7:19 |
| December | 3:50 |
| With the December 2023, I’ve decided to stop tracking statistics on this. |
I’ve gathered enough data to get a rough estimate of the net-time needed to answer all the readers’ questions. From now, instead of using the Clockify timer, I’ll be able to get a rough estimate by looking at my BikeGremlin forum post count.
That is, near the end of October 2023, I created the BikeGremlin forum: www.bikegremlin.net.
What is a forum and why did I make one?
Fewer than 1% of people who ask questions on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc. bother to create a forum account and post their questions there. On the other hand, the forum allows me to write better replies (I can add photos and sketches, headings and similar). So, the result seems to be higher quality, with lower quantity – which I personally prefer. 🙂
The existing comments (questions and answers) posted here, have been moved to this BikeGremlin forum thread:
https://www.bikegremlin.net/threads/questions-answers-page-comments.106/
Hi Relja just a question before I buy the part question.Saw the SRAM yaw system on a video and am impressed with how well it works.Just wondering if I have a campy escape ergo front shifter which I believe has no trims just up and down would shift a sram yaw derailleur.Would hate to buy the yaw just to find out that it won’t work.
Hi John,
The Yaw system was designed to remove the need for a trim function.
Having said that, I haven’t tried it with Campagnolo shifters, so can’t confirm it will work OK. 🙁
Thank you very much Ralja just wanted to make the front shifting as crisp as possible without going to a full group set. Really frustrated with the campy 50/34 cranks shifts worse than the 80s friction stuff.Even the campy techs are scratching their heads.What did work was swapping out the rings for a set of matching sram 50/34 rings.That being the case I got an excellent deal on a beautiful SRAM red 22 gxp crankset and thought a matching red front mech might work even better.
I have a 2008 [Mongoose XR-75] 21 speed, how do I thighten the crank???
Hi Dannie,
That would depend on the type/model of cranks you have.
If it’s a square taper and it has become loose, that usually means that the interface was damaged.
New cranks and bottom bracket axle will most probably be needed. Here is my video tutorial on how to install a square taper bottom bracket and cranks.
I want to put thicker tyres on my bike, is this possible, at the moment I have 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8, what would you recommend
Thank you
Hi Jackie,
The max tyre width depends on your rim width and on how much space your frame offers, and riding conditions and total bike+rider+luggage weight too of course.
I wrote an article about bicycle tyre sizing and dimension standards. It explains what to look (out) for and what to measure to see if a wider tyre will fit.
Generally, for off road, you could go as wide as 55-622 mm (if it fits the frame and rims), while for general paved road and dry dirt roads, it usually makes no sense to go wider than 42-622 mm.
Relja
Notification
Because of some technical problems, it is no longer possible to get email notifications for comment replies.
For more details, see the BikeGremlin News page.
Relja Novović
The problem has been resolved in the best possible way! 🙂
From now, for questions or comments, please use the BikeGremlin forum:
https://www.bikegremlin.net/
Relja