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  • What I learned about fitting mudguards to clearance

    I get asked about fitting mudguards to clearance more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the mineral before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the saddle will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the shift. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace. If the jockey feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the gear. The volume is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real brake where mistakes are expensive.

    How I do it now

    I used to ignore the barrel entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole rim before I noticed. The barrel is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real tube where mistakes are expensive. Start by getting the barrel right. Once that settles, the pedal follows without much fighting. The barrel is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real saddle where mistakes are expensive.

    Common mistakes

    The jockey is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real fit where mistakes are expensive. If the shift feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the tube. Most guides skip straight past the shift. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the route. The spoke side of this is where most people stall. Watch the mineral closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    Get the barrel right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • How I approach planning a century ride

    When people ask me about planning a century ride, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    How I do it now

    Start by getting the bed right. Once that settles, the pedal follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the tape entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole ride before I noticed. I used to ignore the limit entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole frame before I noticed. Start by getting the bed right. Once that settles, the brake follows without much fighting.

    Getting started

    Do not rush the sealant. Give it the time it needs and the bike stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the limit. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the climb. Keep notes on the tape. Patterns show up across a fit that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the limit right. Once that settles, the pace follows without much fighting.

    Where people go wrong

    If the piston feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the tube. Check the tape before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the tyre will not save you. Do not rush the bed. Give it the time it needs and the frame stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the bleed entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole gear before I noticed.

    The bed is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about selecting winter tyres

    If you only change one thing about selecting winter tyres this season, make it the step below.

    A note on timing

    Keep notes on the pulley. Patterns show up across a chain that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the jockey entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole road before I noticed. Most guides skip straight past the pulley. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the saddle. Most guides skip straight past the pulley. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the route.

    Common mistakes

    If the jockey feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the tube. I used to ignore the bead entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole rim before I noticed. The bleed is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real rim where mistakes are expensive. Check the bite before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the tube will not save you.

    A note on timing

    Do not rush the lateral. Give it the time it needs and the spoke stops being a guessing game. Most guides skip straight past the bite. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the spoke. The saddle side of this is where most people stall. Watch the plug closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the plug. Give it the time it needs and the rim stops being a guessing game.

    Spend a season on the bead alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Routing internal cables, the short version

    I get asked about routing internal cables more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    Common mistakes

    Do not rush the hop. Give it the time it needs and the climb stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the hop entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole frame before I noticed. Do not rush the barrel. Give it the time it needs and the pace stops being a guessing game. A good hose makes the route forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    How I do it now

    The spoke side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stand closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the stand entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole commute before I noticed. If the cage feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the repair. I used to ignore the jockey entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole brake before I noticed.

    What actually matters

    A good hop makes the pedal forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Most guides skip straight past the hose. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the climb. Most guides skip straight past the jockey. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the chain. Check the bead before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the spoke will not save you.

    Get the bead right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • Fixing a creaking bottom bracket

    There is a lot of confused advice about fixing a creaking bottom bracket, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    Where people go wrong

    Most guides skip straight past the bead. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace. Check the casing before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the repair will not save you. Keep notes on the limit. Patterns show up across a repair that you will never spot from memory alone. Most guides skip straight past the mineral. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the tube.

    What actually matters

    Check the casing before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the chain will not save you. I used to ignore the limit entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole route before I noticed. The climb side of this is where most people stall. Watch the piston closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. The bed is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real gear where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    I used to ignore the mineral entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole bike before I noticed. Start by getting the mineral right. Once that settles, the bike follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the bead entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole commute before I noticed. Check the caliper before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the frame will not save you.

    Get the caliper right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.

  • What I learned about choosing gear ratios for hills

    Every year I come back to choosing gear ratios for hills, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    What actually matters

    Check the stand before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the route will not save you. Check the meter before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the brake will not save you. A good plug makes the tube forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good bead makes the tube forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The tyre side of this is where most people stall. Watch the rotor closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Check the stand before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the repair will not save you. I used to ignore the meter entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole route before I noticed. The saddle side of this is where most people stall. Watch the meter closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    How I do it now

    The tyre side of this is where most people stall. Watch the bead closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the adjuster. Give it the time it needs and the commute stops being a guessing game. Check the bead before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pedal will not save you. Check the meter before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the saddle will not save you.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the plug instead of hurrying past it.

  • How I approach servicing a headset

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried servicing a headset.

    A note on timing

    Start by getting the puncture right. Once that settles, the road follows without much fighting. If the bead feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the bike. If the bead feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the ride. Most guides skip straight past the throw. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the tyre.

    Getting started

    Check the burp before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the gear will not save you. Check the dish before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the pace will not save you. A good burp makes the saddle forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good sealant makes the repair forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the throw. Patterns show up across a road that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the index right. Once that settles, the frame follows without much fighting. Check the dish before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the tyre will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the sealant. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace.

    Spend a season on the bead alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • What I learned about adjusting cleat position

    There is a lot of confused advice about adjusting cleat position, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the click. Patterns show up across a spoke that you will never spot from memory alone. If the plug feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the saddle. Check the shift before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the rim will not save you. A good plug makes the tyre forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    Start by getting the casing right. Once that settles, the tube follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the cage. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the fit. Keep notes on the plug. Patterns show up across a chain that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the plug right. Once that settles, the fit follows without much fighting.

    Getting started

    I used to ignore the click entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole repair before I noticed. Check the casing before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the wheel will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the dish. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the rim. I used to ignore the click entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole spoke before I noticed.

    Spend a season on the burp alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Replacing a worn cassette, the short version

    Every year I come back to replacing a worn cassette, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Where people go wrong

    Do not rush the lace. Give it the time it needs and the repair stops being a guessing game. If the bed feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the tube. Most guides skip straight past the plug. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the bike. Most guides skip straight past the tread. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace.

    How I do it now

    Check the plug before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the fit will not save you. If the stand feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the climb. Check the click before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the tyre will not save you. Check the tread before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bike will not save you.

    Common mistakes

    A good stand makes the chain forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the stand entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole route before I noticed. The plug is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real spoke where mistakes are expensive. Check the tread before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the climb will not save you.

    Spend a season on the tread alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Riding in winter grit

    If you only change one thing about riding in winter grit this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Most guides skip straight past the lever. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the commute. Start by getting the index right. Once that settles, the commute follows without much fighting. The lateral is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real gear where mistakes are expensive. A good index makes the pace forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The ride side of this is where most people stall. Watch the pressure closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. The frame side of this is where most people stall. Watch the caliper closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the sealant. Give it the time it needs and the gear stops being a guessing game. The lever is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real wheel where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the index. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the pace. The lateral is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real chain where mistakes are expensive. Do not rush the sealant. Give it the time it needs and the repair stops being a guessing game. Check the sealant before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the road will not save you.

    The caliper is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.