The Unchained Blog- Resources for Your Best Day Ever

  Route Short L out of shop onto Foothill Blvd. R – Mountain Ave L – Wildrose Ave continues into Bradbury Ave L – Royal Oaks Dr R – Encanto Pkwy Beg. Ride Turnaround Encanto Park L – Encanto Pkwy L – Royal Oaks Dr R – Royal Oaks Dr N**This is 2mi. from Encanto Park R – Winston Ave L – Lemon Ave R – Bradbury Ave continues into Wildrose Ave R – Mountain Ave L – Foothill Blvd. Or Extra Credit Route – Continue straight on Mountain to N. Mountain L – E Greystone Ave R – Myrtle Ave L – Hillcrest Blvd L – 5 th Ave.                                                                                                    Route All the Way L out of shop onto Foothill Blvd. R – Mountain Ave L – Wildrose Av...

Brake Performance Tech Tips Excessive Lever Throw: If your levers have excessive brake lever throw, it may be the result of the caliper pistons advancing only minimally as the pads wear, sometimes from light use, such as dragging the brakes frequently or not braking hard enough to advance the pistons. You can advance the pistons by performing the following steps:  1. Adjust the lever reach all the way out. Count the number of clicks or note the reach measurement beforehand.  2. Pull hard on the lever 5 times. You may use two fingers if needed, but you do not need to pull the lever all the way to the handlebar.  3. Adjust the reach to the starting position measured in step 1.  NOTE: If this doesn't resolve the excessive lever throw it could indicate the system needs to be bled or the brake pads need to be replaced. Brake Bed-in Process: The bed-in process requires you to perform heavy braking. You must be familiar with the power and operation of disc brakes. Braking h...

Carbon Rims and Wheels  Carbon Fiber Bicycle Wheels - Just about everything you need to know to make your purchase. -What is carbon fiber and are there different fiber types? -What about the Spokes? -Does Lacing Matter? Radial, 2-cross, 3-cross? -Who is building my wheel? Does spoke tension matter? -Anatomy of a hub Clients often come into our bike shop thinking that all carbon wheels are the same. This leads them to focus on weight and price; however, it's not that simple. This article will help you understand the concepts of a bicycle wheel construction and be more educated when you invest in carbon wheels.  First let's talk about what a carbon wheel upgrade will do for your ride. A wheel upgrade significantly improves the performance of your bike.  Upgrading from entry-level to premium wheels can reduce weight, increase speed, and improve overall performance.   Carbon wheels specifically can increase stiffness, making your bike more responsive and ultimately...

Bicycle Chain Lubes   Chain Lube As a bicycle mechanic one of the most common questions I get is, "What chain lube should I use?"  The best chain lube needs to be designed for the type of conditions and weather you ride. SoCal weather is very different than East Coast weather and the conditions are extreme opposites. To simplify chain lubes, there are two basic types, wet or dry. To determine which type to use, just take the conditions and weather where you ride into account. In SoCal, it rarely rains and everything is very dry, so gravitate toward a dry lube. In a wetter climate, lean to a wet lube. A note on Dry Lubes: these lubes although the type says "dry", it still goes on wet. Therefore, to get the best results, allow the lube to dry for an hour before riding. If you don't have an hour, not to worry, you can still ride immediately after applying lube. Your chain may just get a little dirty prematurely. Quick Explanation of Wet vs Dry Chain Lube: Wet lube ...