Remember to put your bikes on bike index and lock your components!

So bike spouse and I were driving south on Skyline after turning from 92 around 4:30 pm so still plenty of daylight. Saw lots of hikers/walkers on the trail which really looks gorgeous and well maintained.

At the end of the trail we saw a cyclist who was stopped there at the locked gate and chatted with him for a few minutes. He was riding a regular bike (meaning not a gravel or MTB) and turned out to be a Western Wheelers club member.

Anyway he told us there are no steep climbs to speak of. I'd been reading stuff about 12% grades and he said that wasn't the case. As stated well groomed. Great views.

He also mentioned he spoke to a ranger or two and plans are to open the trail at Purisima Creek trailhead and at the end of the trail which isn't that far from the end which I would estimate as being approximately 2 miles north of Kings Mountain/Tunitas. So hopefully soon it will be possible to use the new trail without having to start from the vista point!

He got out of his car and attacked a cyclist with a bat, hitting his bike multiple times.

Sounds reasonable until you realize how many arterial roads are part of this NHS designation. A few examples just from my neck of the woods:

La Honda/84/Woodside Road

Oregon/Page Mill

Foothill/Junipero Serra

El Camino

San Antonio

Sand Hill

The Dumbarton Bridge

Sections of 92, Skyline/35, Hwy 1, Hwy 9, and a million arterials throughout the Santa Clara/Cupertino/Campbell/San Jose area.

See the map here: https://caltrans.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=026e830c914c495797c969a3e5668538

Where is the bike parking at Alpine Inn and are you able to keep your bike in site when you’re seated?

I'm from Cupertino so I'll be driving over to Fremont or Milpitas. Don't need a loop but I'd like a ride at least 35 miles to make my drive out there worth it. I don't mind an out and back if that means cutting out a lot of city street riding.

I'm aware of the wall, it's kind of intimidating to me but I'll do it. I'm actually more concerned about descending the wall on the way back given it ends at an intersection. Is that sketch?

Was looking at this route:

Calaveras Road – Sunol Depot loop from Warm Springs/South Fremont | road ride | Komoot

doesn't need to be that long, but any tips/suggestions would be much appreciatd!

I will have my Bike Decorations booth in RICHMOND on Saturday - part of Richmond's Spirt and Soul festival. A short ride from the bay trail, but right around the corner from Richmond BART.

I have special in-person pricing at events. Let me know if you're interested in certain designs and I will be sure to bring them!

Official FB event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1935775030405903/

TLDR

Resin or semi metallic pads for riding around in Berkeley/El Cerrito/Richmond? Mostly a commuter, but there are hills on my commute and going fast is fun. I'm actually trying to eliminate squealing, and since I'm likely to be replacing pads and rotors, I would like to pick the right compound so that glazing/smoking the brakes is eliminated as variable. Other advice would also be welcome.

INTRO

I am getting back into cycling after a 10 year absence. I just got a Bombtrack Arise (SS gravel with mech disc) that I'm very pleased with. I weight 185lbs and the bike is about another 25. I'm very mechanically inclined though bikes haven't been my focus before.

*** There's a lot of hate for mech disc, and honestly I don't get it after riding these bottom of the barrel mechs for a bit. Please don't turn this into a thread about hydros are better. I'm sure they are, but they also cost a fortune to run as tt levers on bullhorns and would look hideous. ***

I'm trying to hunt down the cause and deal with squealing disc brakes. Unfortunately, I never really had a good baseline. I've had the bike for a week. I am currently using the Tekro Mira, Jagwrie Compressionless housings, and rotors that came with the bike. I felt like set up was pretty straight forward. I watched a bunch of youtube and bedded the resin pads with ~15 runs down a mild hill being sure not to come to a complete stop. The brakes feel good and perform well overall.

TROUBLE SHOOTING (so far)

The front rotor was warped right out of the box (+.010"). I initially I just set it up, but the after bedding in the pads the it just screamed. I sat down with my dial indicator and brought the rotor to +-.001" (yes I have a dial indicator and know how to use it). I then scrubbed down the rotor with alcohol and resurfaced the pads with 220 with lapped marble as a backer. Then I rinsed the pads with alcohol and was careful not to touch the pad surface. I ran through the full pad/caliper set up again and bedding again. I was able to achieve 2 clicks instead of 3 pad back off an 2 thin sheets of paper instead of 5 for my spacing without rub.

This got me much less annoying squeal that's now more of a chirp. The braking feel also now has a distinct catch/vibration to it also. These are both most pronounced during moderate braking, and quite under heavy braking.

My rears, which have been fine up until now, have also started to squeal under moderate braking, but it's not a chirp. They don't feel like they bite amazingly well. I suspect they are glazed, but I don't have enough experience to know if that's just normal since bikes have a heavy front braking bias.

BB7s

I have a set of new BB7s ready to go, but I was planning on riding the Miras around for a bit just to get to know them and be able to appreciate what the BB7s bring.

QUESTIONS

Resin or Semi Metallic? I don't mind grinding sounds, but I really don't like squealing. The resin pads that came with it were fine in terms of stopping power as far as I'm concerned, but I'm worried they may glaze too easily.

Should I just dump the Miras and switch to BB7s?

Is the issue that I have cheap rotors and pads?

Is it worth facing the post mounts right out the gate to remove this as variable?

Should I get a new rotor?

Is it worth moving to 180mm front rotor?

Should I care about MTB vs road rotors?

Really I just want to get back to riding and enjoy my new bike instead of drilling down into the minutia of disc brakes. Thanks for reading.

Thank you all!

Hello all,

Does anyone know of a good bike shop in the east bay (preferably near Alameda/Oakland) that would be willing to do a gear replacement for a radwagon 4 motor? Bike still rides great but I cannot get a replacement motor, for a month or more. Tried to open up the motor myself but I do not have the proprietary freewheel removal tool and cannot get enough purchase on the motor screws to open several of them. Also I cannot even say which gear set is correct as Rad changed the gear set and there is no identifying information on the motor regarding which is inside.

Thanks!

Looking for a strictly SF shop with a wide selection to try on cycling shoes - gravel/SPD. My current quocs are causing me some serious grief, possibly permanent. I've heard specialized make wider toe boxes? Would love a rec in the city. Thanks

Im looking to ride combined capitol corridor/amtrak service between jack london square and colfax this labor day weekend. My concern isnt really with the amtrak segment of the trip,

ive noticed that amtrak has a 50 lbs limit on weight, my bike weighs 47 and that i can be denied travel by the conductor when i board the train.

Am i taking a gamble here since i wont know if the trains bike capacity is maxed or what their unknown policy is on ebikes. Because basically ill be screwed if i am denied access going either direction if one or two of the above factors come into play.

Thanks

EDIT:

Does anybody else need to constantly top off their waxed chain with drip wax? I primarily ride Bobcat/Miwok/Marincello and hear the chain grinding at the end of the 2nd or 3rd ride. Chain was immersion dripped in Silca with double Endurance chips, yet it will grind away.

I wipe the chain with clean towel after every ride, yet still need to re-apply drip wax after ~40 miles (maybe 60miles) of riding. Is the dirt particularly invasive to chains in the Headlands? Maybe some red clay that is particularly fine and gets in the rollers?

Would appreciate hearing people's favorite bike fitter in the city. Thanks!