Mountain bike disc brake noise can be really annoying.  Luckily, it isn’t that hard to fix with just a few basic steps.

Find the Problem

The first step is to get a spray bottle of just plain water.  Spray the water on the rotors, without getting any on the caliper/pads, and then ride it down the street and test the brakes.  Did the noise go away?  If it did, you most likely have an issue (contamination) with the pads/rotors or some glaze build-up.  Disassemble the brakes, take some really fine-grit sandpaper, and do figure eights on a flat surface.  You just want to rough up the pads a little, and clean any buildup on them.  Next, get some brake cleaner, from the auto parts store (read the label to ensure it is OK for brake pads) and clean your rotors and spray the pads with the cleaner.  Now I KNOW there is at least one person who will read this that will swear up and down that all kinds of bad stuff will happen and you may even go to hell for trying such a wicked and forbidden act, but I assure you I have done this on at least six occasions with great results every time.  Your call.  I know rubbing alcohol gets the nod most of the time, but it simply doesn’t work as good in my experience (if at all).  You may have to lightly sand your rotors, as well, if you suspect glazing.  I personally never have had to sand rotors, but I know many people do.

Water Didn’t Work

You say that when you sprayed the rotors with water, it still squealed?  Very common.  Most people start replacing parts at this point, but there is an easier solution.  Take the pads off, and clean the pistons inside of the calipers, with a lint-free cloth moistened with that brake cleaner previously mentioned, and then clean the back of the pads as well.  Most likely the noise is coming from where the pads contact the pistons.

I personally skip the second part of the above paragraph.  Instead, I clean the pistons (as mentioned) and then sand off all of the paint on the back of the pads and take it down to the bare copper (or whatever).  I then use a metal cleaner, such as Brasso, and I polish the pads.  I had a really stubborn pair of pads, on my Formula Oro brakes, that this worked like a charm on.  In an extreme case, you can put the thinnest layer of anti-brake squeal (from cars) on the back of the pads or even grease.  I am talking THIN, and apply it with a razor blade.  Anyone that has ever installed a CPU on a computer build will know exactly what I am talking about.  Good luck!

A: Shipping a bike can be a pain, which is why many people choose to have their LBS ship it for them.  However, having your LBS ship your bike for you can be a bigger problem and hassle than just doing it yourself, not to mention a more cost effective solution.  And you don’t have to risk negative eBay feedback from anxious buyers and slow bike shops.  Plus you can add a picture of the bike all securely packaged to your eBay listing for added value and ultimately a higher selling price.

The first step is acquiring a box.  You have two choices for this task.

1) Go to your LBS and ask them for a box as they usually have a stack from the bikes they order.  This is a free solution, but also involves hoping it fits your bike, resealing where they cut it open, and marking over the shipping labels and/or peeling them off.  Kind of a pain, but it is free.

2) Order a bike box from Uline or this one.  Sure, you have to order five or more, but they ship it right to your door and you can probably sell the others on Craigslist, use them for other bikes/moving, or start a small biz on the side shipping bikes for people to earn extra money for bike parts.

Next you need packing materials.  The frame and fork are the most important parts, so protecting them is vital.  A good, cheap solution is to use the foam that you wrap around plumbing pipes.  You can pick it up at any home improvement store and it comes in self-sealing or you can use a roll of duct tape (that you got from the dollar store) to secure it to each tube on the bike.

From there, it is simply a question of wrapping everything else you disassembled in some bubble wrap and placing it in the box and securing it with some tape.

As for shipping, it really depends on where you are shipping from and the destination.  Shipping stores are a great solution, as they will do a cost analysis for you and give you the best rate.  The alternative is to visit UPS and FEDEX’s sites for quotes and to arrange a pick-up.

Hypothetical Situation

You charge $80 for shipping on your complete bike listing on eBay and sell it.  You buy five bike boxes from Uline for $30.  $10 for foam, bubble wrap, and tape.  $30 shipping via UPS.  Total cost = $70.  You are up $10 to apply toward your seller fees on eBay.  Extra credit you say?  You sell your remaining four boxes on Craigslist, for $5 each for another $20.  Not bad.

A: You can set-up and adjust a rear derailleur on a mountain bike in five easy steps.

Step #1: Begin with the B screw adjustment.  Shift into the largest rear cog (innermost) and adjust so the guide pulley on the derailleur is just clearing the sprocket on the cassette.  If it is rubbing, add tension by turning the B screw clockwise.  If the gap is too big, turn the B screw counterclockwise to close the gap.

Step #2: Shift down to the outermost (smallest cog) on the cassette and it is time to adjust the H screw adjustment.  Be sure to remove any cable tension, as it can affect the H adjustment.  If the guide pulley looks like it wants to pull the chain off onto your axle, tighten the H screw clockwise.  If it looks like it wants to rub on the next gear, loosen the H screw counterclockwise.

Step #3: Shift back into the highest gear (innermost large cog) for the L screw adjustment.  You may need to add tension back to the cable at this point, but we will adjust cable tension later.  If the guide pulley looks like it is going push the chain into the spokes, tighten the L screw clockwise.  If it wants to throw the chain down into the next gear, loosen the L screw until it is aligned with the innermost cog.

Step #4: Cable adjustment time.  Loosen the pinch bolt, at the derailleur to free all tension from the cable.  Inspect the cable for any damage and lubricate the cable if necessary.  You can remove the cable, from the housing, and pull it through a rag with some degreaser on it.  Next, pull it through a rag of your favorite lube such as TriFlow.

***Quick tip: Instead of using a crimp, to close off the end of the cable, try using some shrink tube or Gorilla glue to seal up the end in case you need to remove it again.  This saves you from cutting off length every time you need to do cable maintenance.***

With the cable tension removed, turn in the cable tension adjustment knob all the way in and then back it out two turns.  Pull all the slack out of the cable, and reattach it to the pinch bolt and clamp it down 44-60 inch-lbs.

Step 5: Final tweaking.  Shift through all gears by going up two and down one and then down two and up one several times until the shifts are smooth and snappy.  Adjust, by 1/4 turns, cable tension of any missed gears.  If it is rubbing on a larger gear, it means there is too much tension on the cable and you need to loosen the cable by turning the adjuster clockwise.  If it wants to jump down to a smaller gear, it needs more tension and you need to tighten it by turning the adjuster counterclockwise.  Once smooth, apply a drop of lube to each adjuster screw and all pivot points of the derailleur.  Now go out for a ride and celebrate!

A: Velocity Blunt 29er  rims are an underrated rim, with a nice width at 28 mm, providing a nice “ballooning” tire for a plush ride.  However, many people have had some trouble converting these rims to tubeless.  Luckily, there is an easy solution that is pretty bombproof.

When first attempting to convert this wheelset to tubeless, I contacted Stan’s to find out what rim strip I should purchase to convert to tubeless as I had always used Stan’s before with previous wheels.  I also had a Stan’s 29er rim strip laying around, and realized it wouldn’t work without some “help.”  The response I got from Stan’s was to use their Freeride Rim Strip.  However, upon further research, I decided to go another direction and use the Bontrager strips instead.  Not only are the Bontrager valves better than the Stan’s, but the strips “snap” into place like they were made for the Velocity rims.  I was truly impressed.  Here is what you do:

1) Purchase the Bontrager 29er rim strips from Trek (don’t forget to add the valve stems) for $9.99 a strip and $4.99 a valve.

2) Attach the rim strip and valve to the rim.  When you “snap” these strips into place, they fit very snug, so be sure to line up the valve stem/hole before you snap them into place.

3) Next, get your tubeless solution ready to go rather it is a home brew, Stan’s, or Slime.  I personally use a 70% Stan’s, 30% Slime mixture.

4) If you have never done a tubeless conversion before, you should watch this video.  Even if you have, it is a nice refresher.  Repetition is the mother of skill.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA4nea1UT0w

5) Following is some tips that I have learned from doing numerous tubeless conversions and the tricks I used for this particular conversion.

• If possible, ride for a week on your tires with tubes to help stretch/form/shape the tires.
• Take very light sand paper or Scotch-Brite, and gently remove the shine that is around the bead of the tire that most new tires have.  This tip alone has made my life much easier on some tire/rim combinations.

• Remove the valve core when filling up the tire with air in this preferred order: air compressor, CO2, or hand pump.  I have used all three and all can be used, it just depends on your tire/rim combination and each individual tire and rim as no two are 100% identical.
• For stubborn to mount tires, use/buy a tire jack.  The [amazon-product region="us" text="Kool Stop Bead Jack" type="text"]B001AYML7K[/amazon-product] is the best $12 you will ever spend if you mount a lot of stubborn tires.  You can also use a hair dryer or throw the whole tire in the dryer to just make it a little more pliable and thus will prevent you from going Braveheart on your rim/tire.

I mounted a WTB WeirWolf on the front and it went on and sealed up very easily.  It was one of the easiest tubeless conversions I have ever done.  It holds air perfectly and loses maybe 2 psi a week.

The rear tire was a different story.  I mounted a Geax Saguaro TNT . . . . .well, I tried to mount one . . . . for three hours, specifically.  It was a typical case of small tire/big rim.  I broke three tire levers and finally had to take it to the LBS, where it took three burly dudes, and some metal downhill tire levers the size of my arm to jimmy the tire on.  Luckily there was no damage and it sealed right up and has held air as well as the front tire now.  I attribute it to the fantastic Bontrager strips that feel like they were made for the Velocity Blunt rims.  I really couldn’t be more happy with them.

1)   Problem: You feel like you are going to die on a climb.

Solution: Tweak your form.  Lighten your grip on the bars. Open your upper body, for better breathing.  Spin in smooth circles, utilizing the top of the stroke (throwing forward) if wearing clipless, and avoid the jerky train chugging type of movements. Smooth!  Get in better shape.  5 lbs off of your belly is better than that 20 gm on your chainring.

2)   Problem: Your rear tire skids too easily.

Solution: Shift your weight back to the rear tire.  Use less rear brake.  Get a more aggressive tire.

3)   Problem: Your suspension feels great over the first bump, but gets unforgiving over subsequent bumps.

Solution: Decrease the rebound dampening of your shock.

4)   Problem: You get hung-up on certain obstacles on an otherwise flowing trail.

Solution: Keep looking forward as you ride.  Getting caught on an obstacle is typically a result of focusing on it, and thus getting nervous and twitchy.  Look ahead and keep your eyes flowing along the path and let your instincts carry you through.

5)   Problem: You feel like your fillings might come out over rough trails and you are getting stuck (maybe even having to unclip).

Solution: Go faster to prevent stop and loosen your grip and relax your upper body.  Also, lift off the seat a little bit and absorb the impact with your legs.

A: To rail any corner, there are essentially four steps involved in the turn.  They are:

1)   Set-up the turn: Picking the best line is crucial to any turn and begins well before the turn.  Look at the lines that already exist, and quickly assess if you will take the same or another line.  While still proceeding to turn, judge your speed and do any necessary braking prior to the turn so you can carve the turn and exit at maximum speed.  Think brake hard and late so as not to waste any momentum.

2)   Enter the turn: You’re not still on the brakes, are you?  At the very least, let go of the front brakes.  No fear.  Next, focus on leaning the bike into the turn as opposed to steering the bike into the turn.  Steered tires slide, leaned tires rail.  Don’t be the guy in the forums talking about how crappy your front tire is because you over steered and didn’t lean.  You love your front tire.  Be sure to flow with your eyes, throughout the turn, instead of fixating on every little obstacle.

3)   Make the turn: Body posture time.  You have now set the bike on its course through your desired line.  At this stage, it is up to you to help the bike “do its thing.”  Keep your arms and legs loose.  Point your head and torso in the direction you want to go.  Lower your center of gravity by dropping your head and/or butt down and distribute your weight appropriately.  What do I mean by “appropriately”?  If your front is sliding out, lean more forward to give it weight (let the tires do their job).  If your rear tire slides, shift back to give it more weight.  If the rear tire goes, lean forward to keep the front tire tracking.  Pushing down on the bike is another great tip.  Downhill skiers push down on moguls, for traction, and the same principle can be applied to bikes.

4)   Exit the turn: Exiting the turn is all dependent on how well you did the previous three steps.  Fine tune steps 1-3 and soon you will be shooting out like a rocket, ready to nail it into the straights.

A: Do you brake for no reason?  Have you done a panic stop, or lost all of your momentum because of an assumed threat?  Fear is the biggest culprit of SLS (Speed Loss Syndrome), which is an acronym I just made up for this article.  Learning to brake—and how hard to brake—is a key mountain biking skill to master.

1)   Resist unnecessary fear.  Nobody has ever been blamed for not braking enough.  Be like Lance, and learn to loathe your brake.

2)   On fast sections of trail or tame descents, keep your fingers off of the brake levers.  If you are looking far enough ahead, you will have more than enough time to brake should the need arise.

3)   On steep drops, or highly technical descents, keep your finger over the rear brake lever only and your front-brake finger on the grips.  Squeezing the front brake, in these types of situations, could be disastrous.

4)   Don’t ride your brakes; instead you should brake hard to slow down, and then get back to coasting and controlling the bike.

5)   When approaching “brake bumps” (areas now forming ruts from everyone braking), try braking before the ruts and then coasting through them or even taking a different line (going around them).

Poorly timed braking can wreak havoc on your bike’s handling.  For starters, braking causes you move back in the cockpit, changing your balance.  Braking also makes it harder to traverse bumpy terrain as you are now smashing into it, instead of letting speed glide you over it.  Harsh braking also affects your suspension, thus wasting the many hours or research and high dollar expenditure on which fork was the best – you just blew its benefit with bad braking.  Next time on the trail, try braking less (safely, of course) and see how much better of a rider you are.  The buck stops here!

A: Constantly honing your riding skills is an often overlooked part of mountain bike trail riding.  Riders tend to fixate on details (such as tires and bike weight) when they should be focusing on their skills.  Here are five tips to make you a better rider.

1. Breathing: It is all about the exhale.  Breathing is something we all take for granted, but mindful breathing will make you a better cyclist.  By focusing on stronger exhales, you automatically force deeper inhales.  Many riders also have a tendency to hold their breath during climbs, sudden descents, or jumps/bumps.  Holding your breath is a bad idea and makes you more tense.  Breathing correctly will give you more power.
2. Looking Ahead: Looking ahead is such an easy thing to do, yet it is something you can always improve on.  Line selection is critical for avoiding obstacles, riding at maximum speed, and better braking.  Set your site down the trail 30 or more feet instead of focusing on your front wheel and its immediate area.  Once you fine-tune this skill, you will be able to watch riders in front of you and see the lines they select and then make a best decision on taking a different line or following their line.
3. Elbows Out: If you have lifted weights, and preformed a bench press, you know all too well that you must keep your elbows out for maximum efficiency.  The same holds true for mountain biking.  Not only does this position give superior strength and control, it also opens up your chest for better breathing.
4. Better Climbing: It’s best to stay seated, whenever possible, on most climbs.  The second you get out of the saddle, your heart rate jumps up to compensate for the added exertion.  While standing may feel easier, it is actually less effective as it is harder to steer and more probable you will lose rear traction.  Find a good climb to practice on and try climbing it out of the saddle and then in the saddle and make note of the difference.  Be sure to slide up on the seat if there is a steep climb and to slide back on the saddle if you are shifting up while seated to maximize leg torque.  Focus on being in the correct gear, your breathing, and your cadence.  If you are clipped in, be sure not to waste the top portion of the pedal stroke — aiming to “throw” your foot forward on the top pedal stroke.  Practice, practice, practice.
5. Power Shifting: Assuming a three chainring set-up, you will ride in the middle chainring most of the time, and use all cog combinations to traverse the trails.  Utilize the five smallest cogs when you are in the largest chainring, and the five largest cogs for when you are in the smallest chainring (granny).  By mastering the “look ahead” tip, you will be able to quickly assess if the climb is a granny gear or not and then you can focus on the important (elbows out, cadence, breathing) cleaning climbs that you only dreamed of before.

Q: What is durometer and does tire compound matter when buying tires?

A: Durometer is the hardness of cured tire rubber.  Tire hardness impacts how well the tires grip, how stiff the knobs are in terms of flex they give, as well as how fast the tire rolls and how long it lasts.  Clearly tire impact is important and understanding it can help you the buying process.

How is tire compound determined?

Tire hardness is checked by using a Shore A Durometer named after maker Albert F. Shore.  The hardness is checked by a needle that penetrates the rubber and reads the hardness on the dial.  Mountain bike tire compounds generally range from 50-60 for all-mountain tires, 60-70 for XC tires, and 40-45 for downhill tires.  The harder 60-70 compound is referred to as a standard rubber hardness.

What you need to know about tire compounds

• Tires with softer rubber (40-55) puncture more easily but have better traction.  Softer rubber tires tend to have thicker casings though, and thus tend to be heavier.
• Dual-compound tires use a softer rubber on the sides, for better cornering, and a harder rubber rubber down the middle, for better durability, braking, and acceleration.
• Ignore people in the forums that complain of durability issues with racing tires.  Educated riders purchasing race tires with high-tech casing and compounds are after the greatest traction at the lowest weight.  There is no such thing as the lightest tire on the market, with the best traction, and the longest wearing.  You must choice your priorities when shopping for tires.

There are many other factors to equate into your tire buying decision, but tire compound should be one.  However, tread design, casing (TPI), tubes or tubeless, riding style, tire size, and riding location (types of trails) should also be considered when buying new tires.

A: Both types of handlebars have their advantages and disadvantages.  Aluminum bars are more durable, as they will survive a crash better than carbon bars.  Carbon bars weigh less than aluminum bars.  So which bars “feel” better?  The only way to answer that is to get two bars, with exact width, sweep, and style and have your riding buddy wrap some newspaper over them and do a loop on a local trail with each to decide.  That is the best way to decide what feels best to YOU.

Carbon Bars

Carbon bars are good for those riders looking for a little dampening effect, such as riders who roll with a rigid front fork.  The bars tend to absorb some of the energy/vibration from small hits but don’t take out much of the bite of bigger hits.  While the stiffness of carbon bars varies, some riders feel that they lose a little power when sprinting and have a slightly harder time nailing their intended line under hard braking.  A good carbon bar, like the [amazon-product region="us" text="FSA K-Force XC" type="text"]B000SZNYP0[/amazon-product], can minimize the amount of flex that a carbon bar tends to give.

Aluminum Bars

Aluminum bars are the choice handlebars for performance freaks and for people that crash a lot.  A good aluminum bar, like the [amazon-product region="us" text="Easton EA70" type="text"]B0017KHZU0[/amazon-product] can be a set-and-forget part for those not needing the extra cush or for those that just want a durable and solid performing part.

If carbon or aluminum isn’t your thing, and/or you want the best of both worlds plus added functionality, you could always say the heck with it and get the Jones H-Bar ….if you have an extra $500 burning a hole in your pocket.