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TWOO-Wheelie

A magazine on cycling, 2012 Fall

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The inspiration 3

Tips for cyclists

Improving brake performance 5

The technology of bike tires 7

Frame technology 8

Required bike accessories for safety reasons 9

Cycling as an alternative for substituting cars? 11

An overview of the Hungarian cycling culture highlighting CM 12

Bike theft – possible ways of protection 14

Interview section 15

Picture Gallery 17

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The inspiration

The inspiration to edit a magazine came from a really memorable personal experience that

happened to me in the last few months. I have been an active online member of an electronic

magazine’s forum which announced a game for its community. The scope of the event was to

compose reviews of complete bikes and bike parts owned by members and they had six brand

new bikes to be raffled among the luckiest selected ones.

Miraculously, I was one of those six people who were awarded a new bike. After getting the

official notification mail I was astonished at my luck. I wanted my bike right away, but I had to

wait for a month until the postal service finally shipped it to one of the local bike stores in Pécs.

Moreover, they organized a sort of event and invited me to give me my bike officially. The bike is

really cool, isn’t it?

Interestingly, I won with a review on an accessory with which I was not satisfied. These reviews

must include three sections: members must give a narrative account of both positive and negative

experiences, and a short overall opinion. I decided to translate my review and paste it here.

Advantages: I used the 160mm diameter version of the disc, it doesn’t get hot even after severe braking, it is

really strong, the disc itself looks amazing, I used it for a month only with Avid Juicy 3.5 brakes, the

design of the braking surface is nice – but it may lead to serious problems in some cases due to improper pad

sizing (see below)

Disadvantages: it was bent from stock, I bought for a relatively low price; however, I have seen it in stores

for inflated prices

Overall opinion: Well, this disc has both good and bad

points. Hs1 (the name of the disc) comes stock with Avid

Elixir brakes 3 to 9 and all the Code brakes whose

pads follow the latest Avid style – designed as a longish

and narrow pad. It is not by coincidence. My BB7 (the

name of the brake) pads are oversized for its braking

surface – it may hit the spokes of the disc which causes

severe resonance. It is quite apparent on the pictures

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regarding the wear on the disc. It sounded as if it had ABS (anti-blocking stop installed mostly in cars for

better traction) integrated, it had a strange voice like ‘turkey warbling’. It is not a bad disc, it can do its job

perfectly with compatible pads. Once I found that information on SRAM’s (the manufacturer) website. I

have read many reviews by other bikers on online forums saying that other cyclists did have this very

problem with the same disc. Anyway, it works well with Elixir and Code brakes. I didn’t use it for a long

time as my pads did not fit it. I am in trouble with the evaluation scheme. It wasn’t compatible with my

brakes, I couldn’t get sufficient experience to be able to give adequate scores. I would give it 4 points out of

5, but I really want to give it a try with compatible pads as soon as possible. Then I am going to update this

review. I recommend it for heavy usage, but you should take the design into serious consideration in order to

avoid issues.

So I decided to edit a magazine on the improving bicycle performance by useful tips, and to give

an account on Hungarian cycling culture.

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Improving brake performance

The brake is probably the most important part of a bicycle. Your bike should have two brakes

at the same time functioning properly. It is so risky and, sometimes, dangerous when a biker uses

only front or rear brake.

If you have only front brake installed,

then the chance goes higher that you do a

‘nosie’ and it might lead to serious injuries.

On the other hand, using only rear brakes

can be dangerous as the bike’s stability is

threatened. Both wheels should be braked

down simultaneously with good modu-

lation in order to distribute the brake force

with balance. Then it is highly

recommended to have two fully

functioning brakes on the bike.

Since both front and rear brakes are

essential parts, they must be adjusted properly. If you have rim brakes, the adjustment is less

complicated than aligning disc brakes. Try to adjust both pads as there is equal space between

pad and the rim on both sides. Then it is possible to set the cable with proper resisting force.

If you have disc brakes, the situation is more complex. Disc brake adjustment consists of

finding the best position of both pads and the rotor. Firstly, the biker has to install the adaptor in

the right way. There must be two bolts which both have to be set with a five millimeter allen

wrench. If the caliper is in its proper position you can install the cable with care. You should keep

the bolts released so you can center the caliper according to position of the rotor.

The best and most useful method is to pull

the brake lever vigorously while the caliper is

released. In this case, the system automatically

centers the caliper. It is inevitable to look at the

rotor and the pads after the installation in order

to avoid rubbing. Brake rubbing is just a waste

money and energy. On the one hand, the rotor

and pads are worn faster and the biker loses

energy, on the other.

Cleaning is one of the most important steps in maintenance. If you use rim brakes you are not

supposed to clean neither the rim nor the pads as the system functions without any problem even

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if it is covered with mud. There is no point in keeping this type clean as after the first rainy ride

the rim gets dirty.

Cleaning disc brakes includes complex

steps according to what type of rotor and

pads are is use. The most widely utilized

method is to clean the pads and the rotor

with pure alcohol since all rotors are made

of stainless steel. However, pads need more

caution. Metallic-sintered pads can be

cleaned with pure alcohol, but organic and

ceramic ones can only be cleaned with a

sand paper. These compounds are capable

of getting a rusty surface resulting in heavy

squealing while braking hard (the squeal can

be really annoying when a metallic surface is

in friction with another surface producing

whistling-like sound). Grab the pad and

carefully sandpaper it with ease. Squealing

sometimes means inconvenience for many

cyclists. Squealing may originate from dirty

rotors, wrongly adjusted or installed calipers

or, in many cases, rusty pad surface is the

cause.. In most of the cases, cleaning makes

the squeal go away.

It is highly recommended to take

brake levers into consideration as well.

The classic brake lever (functioning

with cable) need very little caution.

You just have to adjust the cable

when necessary. Additional cable

adjustment is required when the cable

is stretched after a certain period of

time (it is normal). These simple

levers do not require any highly

professional maintenance.

Levers of hydraulic brakes (func-

tioning with oil) need more attention.

As they work with brake liquid inside,

you always have to look for possible

leaks on the lever. Leaking can be

repaired by professional mechanics

only! Those brakes use dot.4 oil which

may cause serious skin injury in case

dropping on your body. In lack of

sufficient experience, please don’t even

start to remove the bolts from the

lever.

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An overview of currently available tires

This question often arises even by professional cyclists. Firstly, we should clarify what the most

common tires are on the market.

Classification of tires is based on the target surface on which the biker mostly uses it:

mountain bike tire profile is good for forest paths, rocks and muddy surface (picture 1)

slick tire is the choice for city commuting (picture 2)

there are all-terrain tires (called ATT) which are most suitable for both city cycling and

mountain biking (picture 3)

This is the authentic MTB version with ripples

far from each other making it possible to catch

the ground properly.

Slick tires are best for urban cycling. The profile

looks smooth and, consequently, the rolling

resistance is significantly lower than in cases of its

competitors.

All terrain tires are ideal for both city

commuting and mountain biking. The profile is

deep, but ripple are very close to each other for

better rolling. These tires are great even on

snowy roads.

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All the three types are available in two versions. Some tires offer puncture protection with a

Kevlar layer inside. This technology provides special protection against little sharp objects.

Unprotected tires may get punctures very frequently depending on the riding habits of the user.

ATT tires are highly recommended as they have a good, stable profile with more ripples closer

to each other avoiding severe rolling resistance. I used to have MTB tires installed in winter and

slick ones in summer. They worked well. Then I updated my bike for ATT, and these are just

brilliant under various weather and terrain conditions.

Carbon fiber vs. aluminum frames

Choosing the right bike is the first and the toughest step at the same time when someone

decides to get a bike. The majority starts considering the style (road bike, urban bike, MTB),

equipment, the popularity of the trademark and what kinds of bikes others have. However, these

people tend to forget the most important aspect in choosing their bikes. It is the size of the

frame. You can see many ads on bike forums saying that ‘my bike is for sale due to its improper

sizing’. This inconvenient situation can easily be avoided by typing bike frame sizing in any online

search engines. You will definitely find several charts helping people choose the best size

according various criteria (height, weight and individual preferences like the positioning of the

handlebar).

The frame, therefore, can be regarded as the heart of the bike. All the parts are fixed on the

frame from the handlebar to the derailleur. Frame technology has developed a lot in the past 2

decades. In the early 1990’s 80% of bike frames were made of steel. At that time, it had its

advantages and its drawbacks as well. Twenty years ago, steel was a cheap alternative for frame

dealers, but they knew it would change as much negative feedback claimed by users. One of

them, the most important, was that steel was a heavy metal. This was a nightmare for race bikers,

and for those who just used their bikes as hobby, too. So there was a need in that respect which

actually was huge breakthrough in the industry.

A few years later, aluminum frames

appeared in the higher segments of quality

bikes. Due to its inflated price, not

everybody could afford an aluminum bike;

but those who could, they had only

positive experience. They claimed

aluminum was much stronger and could

resist erosion. However, the hugest

advantage was its light weight. After the

boom of aluminum frames in the period,

the solution became cheaper year by year.

In the end of 1990’s, several manufacturers

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utilized the solution even in lower segments. The typical aluminum frame possesses a life

expectancy of 5 to 10 years. Most of manufacturers offer 1-5 years of frame warranty.

Around 2002, a huge breakthrough hit

the market as another solution appeared

to make bikes even lighter. The

appearance of carbon fiber frames made

cycling even more attractive for many,

especially road and race cyclists. Carbon

fiber is incredibly light compared to its

competitor, aluminum. As steel and

aluminum frames had their drawbacks,

carbon frames also keep something

disadvantageous for us. Carbon material

can hardly be repaired in case of even

slightest damage. The components of

this material do not really allow any back

welding. One the one hand, it would

cost a fortune and it would last for a relatively short time, on the other. Although, carbon fiber

frames are, as of today, highly expensive, so only higher-segment bikes are stock with that

technology. Most manufacturers provide lifetime warranty for their carbon frames.

I personally use a bike with aluminum frame. This technology has more points on the positive

side than on the negative including price, strength, warranty and possible repair costs.

Recommended equipment for bikes and bikers

It is a negative pattern in Hungary that many bikers are not aware of those recommended and

mandatory parts which might, in case, save life. Online forums are crammed with condescending

posts saying that a bike is not for decoration as it is not a Christmas tree.

However, police may penalize if getting caught due to lack of mandatory equipment. Have a

look on the list of items which should be installed on each and every bike.

1. front lamp with white bright or the beam can be bluish to be well seen in dark hours

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2. rear lamp with either reddish beam or multiple reddish LED

3. one or two prisms installed at least onto the spikes of the front wheel

4. front/rear fully functioning brakes (a good brake may save lives)

5. bell (in case you take the pavement, though it is against traffic rules)

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6. light-reflecting jacket or any reflexive special biker’s clothing may also save lives

Besides these items, it is sometimes

recommended to use mirror, especially for

those commuting city cyclists in the urban

area in heavy traffic. In Hungary, the attitude

towards utilizing even lamps is problematic.

So it not surprising that some bikers are

hardy visible in night hours; they are

exposed to high level of danger on roads.

The above listed parts are all sold at an

affordable price for everybody also pro-

moted by the government trying to raise

awareness of the danger.

Cycling as an alternative for substituting cars

Evidently, there are many aspects in cycling some people just ignore or some have illusions. Is

it really faster to drive a car to the store than getting there on your bike? This cliché is not always

true. In fact, you could get to your destination within a much shorter period of time if you took

your bicycle than if you drove your car. Many people who live in big cities tend to claim that

riding their bikes to get to work or to get to the local store is actually better than driving other

vehicles.

On the other hand, cycling is much more cost-saving. Riding a bicycle is, in most cases, much

cheaper than driving your vehicle. However, there is another cliché which I personally don’t like

very much. It is quite often said that driving costs money in gas and oil as well; one little trip to

the store can cost you a few dollars in gas where if you rode your bike it would cost nothing at all.

Is ‘nothing at all’ really true? Nope. Whenever you use your bike, the terrain wears you tires, your

bike’s chain stretches, brake cable and brake pads are in use…etc. When you change these parts,

all of them cost you money, don’t they? Of course you have to invest money, but the amount is

lower.

Although, it is important to bear in mind that your vehicle needs fuel to run, so does your body

if you are riding your bike. It’s important to drink big amount of fluids and eat properly,

otherwise you could find yourself running out of energy. Cycling without the intake of energy can

be dangerous to your health, so be sure you store calories before each trip so your stamina will

not leave you in the lurch. Also, having comfortable clothing for your ride will help you take

longer journeys more efficiently. Proper cycling dress is vital for both short or long cycling trips.

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Using your bicycle also protects the environment by lowering the harmful emissions into the

atmosphere not mention the fact that you can just avoid traffic jams. Traffic rules, interestingly,

are against waving for safety reasons, but with moderate velocity it does not mean serious danger

to anybody. After all, get your bike and enjoy the ride!

The role of Critical Mass (CM)

Critical Mass is a global event held officially at the end of every month in several countries in

the world. For the first time, it was organized in San Francisco, 1992. The purpose of Critical

Mass is to promote cycling and make motorists pay attention to bikers as it is becoming one of

the alternatives of cars in daily urban commuting.

Of course, in

Hungary the event is

present twice a year.

Hungary’ Critical Mass

has a unique situation

as there is a special

protest group es-

tablished fighting for

the rights of cyclists.

Hungarian Critical

Mass aims at or-

ganizing the cycling e-

vent twice a year with

the help of some highly

enthusiastic members

who try to finance the

presence of the police

sometimes from their own money.

Participation on the events varies from city to city,

but Budapest CM is, incredibly, one of the most

visited CM protests in mid-eastern area of Europe.

Obviously, London or Berlin CMs are the most

visited ones, but Hungary is seemingly catching up.

Hungarian CM also fights for more cycle lanes all

around the country. In this respect, Hungary is

lagging much behind. As inflated fuel prices force

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more and more people to find an alternative for cars, bikes seem to be the most consistent

option for substituting them.

There can be seen a positive tendency in Budapest in this respect. The local government made it

possible to build cycle lanes parallel to the road creating a convenient and less dangerous

environment for cyclists.

In the countryside, the tendency looks bad. There is no continuous network of paths; there are

only segments and bikers have to take high-traffic roadway to get to those paths in many cases.

If you have ever been to The

Netherlands, you must have ex-

perienced the unique cycling

culture there. Dutch people use

their bikes as a common and

popular method of commuting

and recreation. The country is

well-equipped with high-quality

cycle lanes and many other

brilliant facilities such as parking

lots established only for bikes!

Incredible! (http://www.fitstyler.com.au/uploads/images/Images/Photo%20Album/Cycling/Amsterdam%20Bicycle%20parking%20lot.jpg)

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Bike theft – possible ways of protection

In the past decade, the number of bike thefts has dramatically increased globally. Thieves steal

bikes with various methods and most of them are known by the authorities. However, in some

cases, police investigators have no idea how certain vehicles have been stolen.

Each and every cyclist has, assumedly, asked himself the question on how to lock the bike

properly. It is nearly impossible to find out without having a look at the market where you may

encounter a great deal of locks. The most widely used type is the cable lock having a stream cable

made of steel inside. They seem (but they only seem!) advantageous and safe, because of light

weight and moderate price. But are they strong enough? No. Even the thickest cable lock in

stores can be cut in a few seconds, really. Most of thieves use bolt cutter which is available in

almost all bigger stores for a relatively small amount of money.

Fortunately, more and more cyclists notice the uselessness of those low-standard locks, and get

better ones such as ‘U’ locks and chain locks. These are much more expensive than cable locks,

but provide much better protection at the same time. The technology of these locks fights even

the cruelest bike thieves with high-quality padlock and stainless hardened steel body. It is nearly

impossible to cut them with a simple bolt cutter, but you have to bear in mind that these locks

are exposed to high level of danger when you leave them on the ground. In this case, thieves can

take advantage of the ground as leverage, and it is possible to cut these instruments with full

body-weight on the bolt cutter. Never leave locks on the ground! Locks should fix the bike at the

height of your knees, at least. You also should take quick release opportunities into serious

consideration. Approximately, 80% of bike manufacturers utilize this solution for installing the

front wheel. Therefore, it is highly recommended to fix your bike with at least two locks; one

fixes the frame and the other grabs the front wheel. Consequently, if thieves notice you use more

locks, the chance of theft goes significantly lower as cutting two would require twice as much

time and most of thieves do not want to take that risk. Anyway, the pattern is that there is no

100%protection.

The best you can do is to use the two best solutions simultaneously; the ‘U’ lock catches the

frame and the chain lock fixes the wheel (with quick release) and the frame at the same time. It

has been proven that this dual protection method seems the best of all.

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Interview section

Cycling is becoming more and more popular in Hungary, but how does it work in practice? I

decided to make a short interview with ‘Jim’, one of my friends, who is addicted to cycling and he

is a member of various local organizations.

When did you start riding bikes?

Many years ago. I was a little kid and my parents bought me a tiny bike which I loved. It was

so funny to ride that and I think something moved in my heart towards cycling then.

What did you find funny in riding a bike?

Well, I could accelerate by my own energy, it was faster than walking…I enjoyed it.

Okay. Now, you use an extreme downhill (DH) MTB. Why did you change

your mind? As I know you used to have a simple racing MTB.

But I still have it. Actually, I have become an extreme sport addict. I have tried bungee

jumping, skydiving and when I had been saving money before I bought my downhill bike.

Okay, do you still use your racing MTB?

I have to use it. When I get to the store, I cannot imagine that my highly expensive DH

bike is locked outside. The bike would be stolen in seconds. My older racing MTB looks

as it has been in use for ages, there are some spots of corrosion and I am not afraid that

anyone steals it.

Where are those areas you can use your DH bike?

There are some paths in Mecsek which seem perfect, but authorities try to do their best

to stop our hobby. I have no idea why they think it is harmful. Those paths used to be

tourists’ paths and we decided to use them as new paths have been established for

tourists. Why is it bad? Authorities should ban using quads and motorbikes in the

mountain as they really ruin the forest.

Yeah, I have to agree. What do you think about Hungarian cycling culture?

Do cyclists take traffic rules and required equipment seriously? Do you?

I don’t know. Probably the majority does.

Do you?

I know traffic rules because I have driving license. Mostly, I ride accordingly.

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What about the equipment? When I saw your bike last time, it lacked like

all of those.

I know. I am not going to decorate my DH bike. This is my sport instrument. My other

bike is equipped with some of the required items, but I will not install lamps on my DH bike.

What would a DH bike look like with lamps and prisms? I guess awful.

Okay, when you get to Mecsek, you have to take the road to get to paths. If

you ride your bike there, all the rules must be taken seriously by you, too.

Sure, but I will not decorate my DH bike.

All right, I don’t necessarily think it is appropriate attitude in traffic. Okay,

have you ever been to The Netherlands?

I have never ever, but I am planning to go. I know that a bicycle there is the most important

urban vehicle and everybody is crazy at cycling.

That’s right. How do you do the maintenance of your bikes?

In every two weeks I have to clean my DH bike. All the parts are covered mud and you

know prices… I cannot afford new suspensions or brakes after each mountain ride. So,

primarily, I clean the brakes, the suspension and sometimes the hub.

How much time does it take for you to clean the whole bike?

It is an all-day activity from morning to night.

Woow.

Yeah. But you know my DH bike, it has like 50 different parts I must take care of.

I know it, that’s an amazing bike. I think I don’t have to ask you about CM

programs as we meet there each year twice.

Definitely, will you go there in April?

I think so.

Nice!

Okay, thank you for this interview. Enjoy cycling and take care!

You too!

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Picture Gallery – the nature through the eyes of cyclists

A few pictures made near Kökény.

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Cycling at the lakeshore is one of the most relaxing activities for my bikers.

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A newly built cycle path between Pellérd and Pécs. (Thanks!)

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The autumn is just beautiful.

Cycle path in Spain at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean

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Beautiful bay in the Atlantic Ocean – Spain

From the opposite side. There are some special paths for MTB racers on the hill

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Always lock your bike properly…and your bike will never leave you

alone!

Thanks to all who helped me and contributed to this issue. Author: Peter Szilas. Photos: Peter

Szilas and ‘Jim’. I appreciate the contribution by ‘Jim’ to the interview section.