How do I know if I have set my preload correctly on my mountain bike forks?
352202
When setting up your suspension, there are a couple of things to look for.\n\n1st, You need to know how much total travel your fork has. When you sit on your bike in your normal riding position, the fork should compress anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of the total travel. This is known as "Sag". If there's too little sag, then decrease the preload. Conversely, if there's too much sag, increase preload.\n\nSecond thing to check is how the fork works when you are actually riding. When out on your typical trail and riding in your normal manner, try to pay attention to how much fork travel is used up when you hit the hardest or biggest bump (or drop) on the trail. If the fork bottoms out lightly, that's OK and lets you know that you are using all of the available travel. But if the fork bottoms very hard, or on many different bumps, then the preload or spring rate is too light and needs to be stiffened up a bit either by adjusting preload or changing to stiffer springs (if you use an air fork, simply increase the air pressure).\n\nIf you are not sure how much fork travel is being used while riding, put a zip tie around one of the upper fork legs, and slide it down so it rests against the top of the lower leg. When you ride the bike over bumps, the zip tie will move upwards as the fork compresses. This will indicate very accurately how much of the travel is being used and can be a guide in setting preload.\n\nHope this helps.
1120250
Depends on the Operating System. I will mention the two most popular.\n\n In Windoze, create a thread\n In *nix call fork()\n\nThey are all different in some way and have their own set of 'gotchas' be prepared to do a lot of RTFM
233729
I am not positive, but index and middle fingers.   I only ride Western so its both reins in one hand for me.
768664
May be a tunning fork
953290
A lot depends upon the duration and intensity of the ride, but as a rule of thumb after each ride;\n\nWash the bike, then spray the chain with WD40.  Let it dry and then lube the chain with a quality chain lube.  Inspect the air filter, it may not need cleaning, but I usually clean and service it after each ride/race.  I also change the oil after each ride/race, you can go longer, but I wouldn't go longer than 3 or 4 rides/races with out changing the oil.  Check all the nuts and bolts, controls, cables and brakes.\n\nBefore you ride, bleed the air off the forks, adjust the air pressure in your tires and your suspension settings according to the terrain you will be riding in.\n\nYour manual is going to recommend replacing the rings every six hours of use or so.  I prefer to keep up with the compression readings, my rule of thumb is 120 p.s.i.  I usually rebuild the top end every winter during the off season so that I start the new season with a fresh top end.\n\nBasically just keep a close eye on things.  You can usually see a problem developing and preventive maintenance is much cheaper than repairing something that breaks due to negligence.
399227
do it on a track, then it's up to the riders. Xr100's are known for not having much power, infact thats why they are so reliable. They dont produce enough power to break themselves
655578
Installing a new headset is something best left to a bike shop. To do this well, without potentially damaging the headset and the frame you need a headset press.  Installing a new fork isn't so hard once the headset is in place (just remember to remove the lower (crown race) part of the headset from the old fork and put it on your new one.  You'll also need a new star nut (the thing that pushes down inside the steer-tube of the new fork). A saw that cuts metal is also a necessity because the steer-tube on your new fork will be way too long when you get it.\n\nThe spacers are used to fill the gap between the headset and the stem, they are essential because an aheadset works on compression.  Without the spacers, the fork will slide up and down in the head tube. How many spacers you need depends on how high you want your handlebars.\n\nIf all of this is confusing to you, take the bike to your LBS (local bike shop) to get the work done and ask if you can watch while the mechanic does it.  Feeling more adventurous? Try getting a mountain bike maintenance book and see if you can figure it out for yourself, but I do emphasize that if you are installing a new headset on a frame it's better left to the LBS.
960317
Technically your bike has 21 gears--the number of rings on the front times the number of rings on your cassette in the back.  However, you don't really have 21 usable different gears.  This is because:\n\n1) Depending on how many teeth are on your chainrings (front rings, you have 3) and your cassette (7 rings on back), you may have some gears that repeat.  It is all about the ratio between the front ring and the back ring the chain is on.  For example, let's say your middle front ring has 38 teeth and one of the rings on your cassette in the back has 19 teeth, you have a ratio of 2 to 1 when your chain is on these two rings.  If your smallest ring in the front is 28 teeth and your smallest ring in the back is 14, you again have a ratio of 2 to 1, so these gears are actually the same.  \n\n2) There are also certain gears you should not use.  You should avoid cross-chaining--being in smallest ring in front (closest to the bike, on the inside) and the smallest ring in back (farthest away from the bike) or largest in front (farthest away from bike) and largest in back (closest to the bike).  Either of these gears, or close to them, puts a lot of stress on your chain because it torques it sideways.  This will cause additional wear on the chain and shorten the life of it.  Most bikes will allow you to do this because the chain is put at a length to allow for it, but it will also likely cause your chain to rub somewhere and also possibly make your bike not stay in gear very well.  \n\nHowever, these days, rather than multiplying the number of front and back rings to get speeds, bikes are now often referred to by the number of rings on the chain ring and cassette separately.  You ride a 3 by 7 (3x7).  A double road bike with a 10 speed cassette (typical of today's high end road bike) is a 2x10.  A more touring oriented road bike often has a triple chainring and is likely to be a 3x9 or 3x10.  A fairly typical mountain bike is a 3x9, but there are a lot of 2x9 or 3x8s out there too.
80540
look on cycletrader.com
1137640
For a road bike, look at something in the range of 56cm to 58cm.  For a mtn bike, look at something in the range of 16.5 in to 18 in.
482063
Use the bike that fits.  I would be inclined to set the pre-load on the suspension fork pretty high to minimize bounce while standing and climbing.  The only other disadvantage is the weight, but fit is definitely more important than weight.
139113
practice....its a little easier if you have a rear shock, but there is a delay with the shock due to more pre-load thats slows you down, so going over obsticles are timed differently,  i prefer hard tail.  level your cranks parellel to the ground (or close) push down with  your weight bending your knees, into the bike towards the ground, if youre using platform pedals angle your toes down so you have some grip on the pedals and shoes. after you preload down on the bike, use the energy from the preload to pull the bike upwards with your feet hooked to the pedals and up on the handlebar.  like your jumping with your bike under you.  you dont have to be going fast, you can even do it stalling (being still). and practice
563806
You have a lot of questions here, as far as the brakes, normally all you need is metric allen wrench's. As far as the shock you should go to Fox website to get the info you need. You need to figure out your sag and your weight to make some of the adjustments. Then is the shock air or coil over. It it is coil over you may need a heavier or lighter spring out it may be just right.\nAs far as tires it depends on the type of riding that you will be doing. Will it be X/C, downhill or freeriding.\n\nwww.foxracingshox.com\n\nRight back with the type of riding that you will be doning.
1187084
I know from personal knowledge that the bike you have was designed by Ben Lawee of lawee inc..I like the way the bikes of his design ride at least the 5 or ten of them I have experinced. According to sheldon brown (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.html#univega) the biek you have was made by miyata-that in itself should be a more important factor determining ride quality that the type of tubing..\nMiyata started in the bike industry coming from the weapons industry in the late 1800's..from what I understand the made swords and when the first guns cae to japan they started making guns..this gave them the jump on drawing (manufacturing) tubing I am not aware that Miyata made there own tubing in the 20th centry though..that being said Miyata has had tubing drawn to its own specifications in the past and judging from the era of the bike it is a good guess that it has either Tange OR  Ishiwata tubing. More important than that for your sucess with the bike is that it is still straight and that it fits you well as you don't want to put energy towards a bike that doenst fit right..A steel frame of that quality should last a life time so before you invest in improvements make sure you can ride it comfortably for a rasonable amount of time. I dont think I have a brochure in my files but I will check and reply here ONLY if I do..good luck with it and Stay on 2 wheels!\nerik ZO
369321
you'll need to make the adjustment at the rear derailler.\n\nHowever, best advice, take it to a bike shop and ask them to show you. once you learn you will save big $$$$$.\n\n(Basic rule is, when standing directly behind the bike, looking at the derailer adjustment knob. a right turn will adjust the derailer down, a left turn will adjust it up......figure out which way your gear changes are missing, ie up shift or downshift. adjust incrementally until the gear 'just' changes....that should see you right)...good luck!
1144082
Hey whats up dude im glad to see you stuck with the Haro and  got it, If it has the heavy gauge steel pegs you can lighten up a little bit by takin those off and trying to find lighter ones, You can also try to find an aluminum seatpost to replace the one that came on it but make sure the one on it isnt aluminum already. Haro makes their bikes heavier nowadays but they are well made and once you get to know the bike it will be much easier to manuever. You can look for lighter handlebars as well but if you do, before you buy them make sure to take yours off first and weight them ,or take them with you when you goto get the new ones and with one in each hand determine which pair is heavier.\nI also have Free agent and it is a bit lighter than a couple of my haros but Ive been a haro buyer since 1985 and I'd never ever change the name of my favorite brand...Haro
284019
Your derailer needs adjusting, you can find how to do this on lOAds of cycling web pages.\nBasically you have to adjust the two screws so you can get the biggest and smallest gears then you need to adjust the cable tension to be able to select the gear straight away.\n\nTo do this put the gear leaver in the second SMALLEST gear and adjust the cable tension untill the derailer is in that gear. Then slightly adjust the cable adjuster to it changes smoothly up and down. \nNow recheck the top and bottom limit screws to make sure the chain does not run off the biggest or smallest cogs.\nAny probs let me know.