What is the recommended PSI for bicycle tyres?

Look at the side wall of your tyres and you will be able to read the minimum and maximum PSI or Bar you can inflate your tubeless tyres or inner tubes up to.

Try to maintain the correct inflation pressure in your tube to lower the risk of punctures. Pump your tube to the pressure within that range.  If you are aiming for speed, you can inflate your tube right up to the maximum PSI indicated as that will help to reduce the rolling resistance of the tyre.

For better grip, you can let out some air for a more comfortable ride, especially when it is raining. Remember not go below the minimum PSI range recommended as the inner tube can get pinched between the rim and the tyre which can cause punctures. Also, it will be harder to ride a bike when the tyre pressure is too low.

If you enjoy riding your bicycle downhill, during descents, use your brakes in an on-and-off fashion to prevent the rim from been heated up as that could expand the air in your tube and cause a tyre blow-off. That is a good reason not to over inflate your tube.

If you visit Schwalbe’s website, you will find a tyre pressure chart calculated based on body weight and tyre width.

At Silca there is a link to "Tire Pressure Calculator". You can click on it to enter the information required, which includes the terrain you ride on, in order to calculate the PSI you need to inflate your tyres up to.

Some companies supply their pumps with a PSI chart attached. Based on this chart from PumpKing, for tyre size 700X28C, it is safe to pump your tube right up to 73 PSI if you are not able to read the markings on your tyre. 

Over time you will discover the perfect tyre pressure based on your personal experience and adjustment.  To make adjustment, you can start at the lower end of the recommended range and gradually add a few PSI after each ride, up to the maximum PSI recommended.  You can then stick to the inflation that provides you the best comfort and less resistance during rides.

Identifying your bicycle by its serial number

You don’t need a serial number to know what type of bicycle you have.

If you can share a photo of the bicycle, it will be easier for Quorans or members of bicycle related forums to answer you just by looking at it and its parts or just its frame. You can see many types of bicycles available in the market from this image I found at AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons).

Do you see any there that looks like yours? If you do, click on their link to “Different Bikes for Different Cyclists” for the name of the type of bicycle you have.

If you wish to identify its brand or model number, look at its frame. They are either:

-painted or
-embossed or
-printed on a sticker or
-with an emblem attached, as shown below for a Seven Up brand.

If the information you require are lost as the frame is badly rusted or had been painted over, the serial number can be used to identify them based on the format used to build it by its manufacturers. If you are able to decode the format used, you will also be able to discover when and where it was manufactured.

The easy way to do it is do a search for “bike forum serial numbers” which will lead you to forums with members discussing on matters related to serial numbers. By doing that search, I found link to "Serial Number And Date Code Information" at “The Cabe” which is short for “The Classic and Antique Bicycle Exchange”. If you are sure that your bicycle is an antique, you can go through the serial number charts they shared on that link. You can also start a thread there to enquire about your bicycle by sharing its photo and serial number.

Your other option is do a search for “bicycle serial number chart” or “decode bicycle serial number ”. Click on link to “image” to look for chart with serial numbers shared similar to yours.  Once you have found it, you can click on the link to the chart to read details posted about it.

What is a fixie bike?

A fixie is a fixed-gear bike. It is a single speed bike that you can find in wheelsizes of 20″, 24″ and 700C. They used to be supplied with frames, wheelsets and tyres that are brightly coloured. 

The double wall rims are usually wide which may require tubes with valve length of up 80mm.

If the double wall rim of the fixie you going to purchase is very wide, check with the bike shop to make sure that they have stock for replacement tubes with valves in the length required.

This is one of its features that attract cyclists. On most fixies, if you look at the rear wheel, you will notice that other than the regular freewheel for single speed attached on the right hand side of the hub, you will also see a fixed gear cog installed on the left. That is because the rear wheel is installed with a double-sided or a flip-flop hub.  Cyclist can flip the rear wheel to ride the bike with the fixed gear cog or the freewheel.  I have written about the differences between freewheel and a fixed gear cog earlier.

Fixie used to be very popular with the younger generation as it is low in cost and maintenance. At one time they were looking for fixies with curved shaped frame and bullhorn (handlebar) installed. This is how it looks like. This higher end model from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has Chromoly frame and the parts installed are branded.

As you can brake with your legs when you are cycling on fixed gear cog, some models have only front brake installed. The more expensive models have their front brake cables inserted through a hole in the centre of the stems and they come out from the base of the steerer tubes to be attached to the brake calipers. This is how a 20″ wheelsize fixie with such a brake system installed looks like. 

You can find out why it was designed this way in the following article I shared about its history:

Why do bike messengersride fixies rather than bikes with gears?

In Malaysia, fixie used to be very popular in the early to mid-2010s.  There is currently a revival in interest for fixed-gear bikes. It started during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have been getting many request to fix up fixies from young cyclists.  They tend to replace the original handlebar on their fixies with drop bar and hooded brake lever.

They want their bikes to look like road bikes. 

Cyclists who are still interested in fixie are now looking for less colourful models. This is a later version with bullhorn installed. It is a high end model with an alloy frame and a sport rim.

Some cyclists made the mistake of buying their sport rims online with double wall rims that are 100mm in width.  We were not able to replace their tubes as, currently, in Malaysia, the longest valve length available is only up to 80mm.

What makes a fixie with a rear freewheel different from other types of fixed-gear bikes?

I have noted the difference between a freewheel and a fixed gear cog in the following table.

A cyclist on a single speed bike with freewheel installed should not have any problem coasting on flat surfaces and cycling uphill.

Without the freewheel mechanism on the fixed gear cog, the cyclist may have to stand on his pedals and strain to pedal uphill. To stop the bicycle from rolling backwards down the slope, the cyclist will have to apply a braking force with his legs and bodyweight to resist the rotation of the cranks.

If your rear wheel is installed with a double-sided or a flip-flop hub, you do not have to remove the freewheel in order to install the fixed gear cog, or vice versa. In fact, some fixies with flip-flop hub on their rear wheels are supplied installed with both the freewheel and fixed gear cog. Cyclists can decide on which of these gears they want their chains to run on. 

You can see what I mean by double-sided hub when you look at the wheel in the following video. From it, you can also learn how a fixed gear cog is installed.

Just send your fixie to the bike shop if you do not have the tools required, to install a fixed gear cog.

Watch this video to see how, when you are cycling on fixed gear cog, you can switch over to cycle on your freewheel or vice versa.

What type of bicycle is best for most people?

Through my experience as a bike shop owner since 2012, the best bicycle for most people will be the one that is not too large or heavy so that it can be ridden by:

1) the young or old.
2) someone who is shorter.
3) someone learning to ride.
4) someone with gait issues.
5) someone with back issues.
6) the young till adulthood.
7) someone who likes to cycle recreationally with family members.
8) someone who enjoys going for short excursions or long distance rides.

The bicycle that meets all these criteria is the folding bike. 

It enables the cyclist to ride comfortably in an upright position because the stem and seat post are adjustable. It is also a bicycle recommended by doctors for patients who have back issues and can only do low impact exercises. 

Though most folding bikes are made for adults, due to their adjustable stem and seat post height, even a child age four in the family can ride on one that is 14″ in wheel size.  This is what a 14″ wheel size folding bike looks like.

That said, if you have bought a 14" wheel size bicycle meant for children, you will have to buy another with larger wheels as your child grows older.

When you get your children folding bikes to ride on, you will appreciate it when you do not have to drive them to places they have to be at. If it is further away, you can drive them to the train or bus station so that at their last stop, they can cycle to their final destination. You just have to make sure that the route they have to ride on is safe.

A folding bike in wheel size from 12″ to 20″ is the right option for parents who wish to ride along side their children, as they are cycling on bicycles in such wheel sizes.  When you are cycling recreationally on a larger wheel size bike with younger family members who are cycling on 12″ to 20″ wheel sizes, they will have to struggle to catch up with you.  One revolution of your wheel will take you further and further away from them. You may have to stop often to wait for them, which is not a fun way to ride.

The low top tube also allows seniors in the family with gait issues to mount and dismount the bike without any fear of them falling. As a folding bike is also smaller and usually lighter in weight than the regular bikes for adults, you do not have to worry that they will be easily hurt by it, considering that they may have brittle bones as they age.  If that is a concern, choose one with  alloy frame as they are way lighter.  

This is how a folding bike looks like once it is folded.

Being able to fold it makes it convenient to transport more than a bike in your vehicle, to get to another location to ride.  While you are out on excursions with your family, don’t you hate it if you have to give up a good parking spot as you have to drive off to get something for your get together? If you have a folding bike in your car, you can cycle out for whatever you need.

A folding bike will also be easier for you to manage if you need to take public transport part of the way during a long distance ride. You can consider cycling part of the way and board public transport, like buses or trains, with it in tow, on days when you are not up to the ride or when the weather is too bad to be out cycling.  It will cost you less to ship your folding bike back home if, for some reasons, you cannot continue cycling for the rest of your journey. Moreover, if you often have to carry your bicycle up a flight of stairs, I would suggest that you get an alloy frame unit. The average weight of a 20″ alloy frame folding bike is 12kg and they are making them lighter and lighter. 

It is also a great bike for a beginner to learn to cycle on without training wheels installed.  To learn to ride on it, just lower the seat post to make sure that both feet touch the ground firmly while seated on the saddle. As the top tube is low, the gap between it to the crotch area of rider should be so wide that it is unlikely for the learner to be hurt by it should he or she stumbles and falls over it.  

Be careful if you are learning to ride on one with gear components installed. Gear components are sensitive and damaged parts can be costly to replace.  To lean to ride without training wheels, just follow the tips I shared at the following link:

Learn to ride

How do I learn to cycle?

This is a fun way to learn to cycle without training wheels:

1) Find a park with grassy slopes.

2) Slide down the slope on your bicycle to learn how to balance yourself on it.

3) Once you are confident; start pedalling as the wheels build up momentum, rolling down the slope.

Keep repeating that process and you will soon get the hang of it. Once you are able to keep your balance on the bike, click on the following link to learn how to mount and dismount from your bike:

How to get on and off your bike correctly

However, before you even start on that, make sure that you have got yourself a bicycle suitable for your height.

How can I choose the best bike for my children?

This chart provides a general idea of the type and wheel sizes of bicycles your children can ride on, based on their age.

The best bike, from your children’s point of view, will be the one that is:

-suitable for their age as one that is too big scares them.

-in the colours that they like.

-printed with images of their favourite cartoons (for the younger ones).

-similar to that their friends are cycling on (for the older kids).

-meet their purpose, example, BMX for kids who enjoy performing tricks or road bike or fixie for those who enjoy speeding down the road on large wheels or MTBs for those who like to cycle on rough terrains.

From different parents’ point of view (I have met many), the best bicycle for their children will be the one:

-that is safest to ride on, which is usually smaller in size than the one recommended by the bike shop
because they are worried that their children cannot handle them and will be hurt.

-that is the cheapest one in the shop because they are frugal or they have a budget to meet.

-that is easy or not costly to maintain, example, with no gear components installed because they do not trust that their children will take care of the bike well.

-that can also be ridden by other members in the family because they are practical or there are too many members in the family to get each child a bike.

-that have more accessories installed like carrier, mudguards, bell and basket.

-that comes with lots of free gifts like helmet, bell and lights.

From a bike shop owner’s point of view, the best bike for children will be one:

-that the child can ride over a longer period of time (but that is bad for my business).

-that can be shared amongst siblings and, if possible, adults in the family (but that is bad for my business).

-that are installed with carrier, basket , mudguards, bell, front and rear light for children who rides to school or run errands on them.

If you are looking in that direction, consider getting adult folding bikes for your children. As you can see, the seat post and stem height on a folding bike are adjustable to cater to riders of various heights.  This also allows the cyclist to sit in a more upright position.

So, an adult folding bike in wheel size of:

-12″ and 14″ can be ridden by a child age 4.

-16″ can be ridden by a child age 5 and above.

-20″ can also be ridden by a child age 6 till adulthood.

Also, the handlebars on some folding bicycles can be removed if they are bolted on to the stems or there is a quick release mechanism to release them from their stems.

If the distance from the seat to the handlebar is too far to reach. it allows the parent to replace the current handlebar to one that is curved towards a shorter rider in the family.

There are adult bicycles in the market with smaller wheel size that their children can also ride on. This is a 16″ wheel size bicycle made for the Japanese market. A child age 5 or above should be able to ride on it.

This is also made for the Japanese market. Its rear wheel is 16″ while the front is 24″.

Some 20″ wheel size bicycles for children can also be ridden by adults. A child age 6 should not have any problem cycling on a 20″ wheel size BMX.  However, if the top tube length is too long, the handlebar can be pushed towards a shorter rider to enable him to reach it.

Just note that getting the child a BMX with a longer top tube length means that he will be able to ride it for a longer period of time.

When the child is taller replace the seat post to one that is laid back.  The increased distance from the saddle to the handlebar will make the child's ride more comfortable.

The carrier on this 20″ wheel size bicycle can handle load as it is welded to the frame. This is a suitable bicycle for a child who rides to school or have to run errands on it.  

Changes can be made to a bicycle to meet the purpose for buying it.  For example, the customer of the above bicycle, opt to attached a removable padded rear seat to the bicycle so that she can ferry her younger sibling. The original saddle was replaced with one that is larger so that seniors in her family can sit on it comfortably. A stem extender was also added to increase the height of the handlebar so that someone taller in the family can ride on it with comfort.

Here is another 20″ wheel size, low cost and low maintenance bicycle to consider getting for children age 6 and adults to ride on.  It looks like a folding bike as its top tube is low. 

If you plan on getting a bicycle for your child to ride to school on, consider getting one with full mudguards installed as it rains all year round in Malaysia. 

How do cyclists adjust their saddles to the correct height and fore or aft position?

The height, fore and aft adjustment for saddle is the same for all bicycles. You will find very clear instruction with photos from “Raleigh Bike Manuals & Quick Start Guide”.

From there, you can click on link to Raleigh bike Owners Manual. If the links I shared are broken, you can refer to the following question I answered earlier for other links and learn how to find your own bicycle owner's manual.

What are the best tips to maintain a bike in the proper way?

I extracted the following information from an older manual from Raleigh that I have:

“To adjust the saddle height, loosen the clamp bolt using an Allen key, spanner or the quick release lever and adjust the seat post to the required height. Adjust the height of the saddle so that when cycling along, your leg will be slightly bent with the pedal at its lowest point.

Important: When altering the height of the saddle, you must not pull the seat post out further than the limit mark (17). This must not be visible.”

Some clamps on seatposts are different but they are fitted to slide along the rails of the saddles in the same manner. These are the type of seat clamps that are often seen on alloy seatposts.

This is how the clamps with titanium bolts on a Prolite seatpost looks like.

This is how the saddle is attached to this lightweight seatpost from GUB. 

There are alloy and steel seatposts without clamps on them to attach to the saddles. Instead, the clamps are already attached under the saddles. As these clamps are heavier, you will not see them installed on road bikes. They are usually seen on saddles for cruisers or lower end bikes. For such, you loosen the nuts at both sides of the seat clamp to move the saddle forward or backward along the rails.

Cyclists of Canyon bikes, can even read about how they can adjust their saddle position and angle at the following link of their site. 

Bike Fitting for Road Bikes

If you prefer to see how the saddle height is adjusted, you can watch this video from Canyon Bikes.

The way the saddle from this Canyon Bike is attached to its seatpost is also different. You can see how the tilt is adjusted. 

Is a hard bicycle saddle better?

Take a look at saddles usually installed on bicycles for long distance rides and you will know that for a comfortable ride, a wider plushy saddle is the better choice.

Manufacturers tend to provide saddles that are smaller and less padded in order to reduce the weight of bicycles.

This is why customers who have just started cycling tend to change the original saddles installed on the bicycles they purchased. As it will take about three months for the gluteal muscles at the buttocks to develop, saddles that are padded or larger in size provide them some relieve from the aches they have to endure when they started cycling.

Cyclists with pronounced posterior tend to choose the most padded saddles they could find in the shop.

Some may feel embarrassed about being seen with a larger saddle installed and will opt for padded foam or gel saddle covers.

Some may also opt to wear padded cyclist shorts.

There are many type of saddles in the market. Some brands supply them in different shapes and sizes for male and female cyclists. The ones for female riders tend to have shorter nose which can be uncomfortable for some male riders. Female riders tend to have wider hips which can make it uncomfortable for them to sit on saddles for male riders which tend to be narrower.

If you prefer hard saddle, the one you should consider getting should be made of leather. It is more expensive but as you sit on it over a period of time, the leather will conform to the shape of your butt to give you a more comfortable ride.

Just make sure that you install it correctly on the seat post as that can also affect the comfort of your ride.

What is the purpose of wearing sunglasses while cycling?

Wearing sunglasses can help protect your eyes.

Sight is one of your five main senses that you should value greatly. You can choose to wear it based on:

-the weather condition you will be facing.
-the environment you will be at.
-the activity you will be engaged in.

Your eyes will be uncomfortable if any of the following particles of nature are constantly hurting your eyes:

-sand
-dust
-wind
-snow

Wearing sunglasses can protect your eyes from flying debris hitting your eyes while you are out on the road, especially while riding on a bike or bicycle, that does not provide much protection. Corneal injuries can occur even when small particles hit your eyes at high speed because they can become deeply lodged in them. Sunglasses can also reduce the chances of pollutants ending up on the surface of your eyes which can trigger inflammation. You will be stressed out and not be able to enjoy the activities for the day if you have:

-blurred vision.
-swelling and itchy eyes.
-eye strain.

These may cause headaches and make you feel tired sooner.

If you are often out under the sun, consider wearing sunglasses with lenses that provide UV protection as prolonged exposure to UV rays can increase the risk of:

-cataracts.
-age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
-eye cancer.

Do you know that there are helmets for cyclists with sun shields attached? They can be retracted or removed when they are not required.  Most later models have magnetic studs to hold the shields in place on the helmet. 

The sun shields are made of plastic. So, if your sun shield is attached with magnetic studs, it is best that you remove it from the helmet first before you put it on or take it off your head. This is to prevent the sun shield from accidentally slipping off the helmet and landing on the ground which can cause scratches.  

This is a multisport helmet with sunshield. 

As the shield curves around the face when the helmet is worn, it a better option over getting a pair of regular sunglasses.  It works better at protecting the cyclist from getting hurt by dust particles blown into the eyes. 

This model is supplied with two retractable sun shields in different shades of colours.

This model also include a visor for days when you do not require the sun shield.

I like this model for kids with full face shield attached.

Though such helmets are not SIRIM approved for motorcyclists, some of my customers buy them for their children to wear when they take them out for rides on their motorcycles. This is because it is difficult to find helmets in smaller size that are well fitted for their children to wear. Most children are attracted by the cute images printed on the helmets and will consider wearing them.

I think it is also useful for children who are too small to wear masks. The full face shield will give them some protection against getting infected by Covid-19 virus while out in public.