We know that your adventure is even better when you have the right gear. Check out our advice below...

BABY SEATS

The kits supplied with your baby seat is found to fit most bikes easily, and virtually all bikes with only small workarounds.

We have written the following guide to clarify what is usually in the parts kit supplied, and what they are used for. 

We always recommend getting your baby seat set up by a professional bike mechanic.

Parts Usually Supplied

• Silver Arms 
• P Clips 

1. Loosely bolt the silver arms to the underside front of the rack

2. Now bolt the legs of the rack to the bike frame just above or near the rear axle. Don't tighten bolts 100% yet so you have a bit of play.

• Most bikes have rack ready holes in this area
• If no holes are evident then fit the supplied P Clips onto the frame just above the axle, then bolt the rack onto the holes in the P Clips
• In rare cases you may have a bike with a very long frame and the arms are too short, we sell longer arms and extension arms to solve this.

 3. Then connect the silver arms to the bike, just underneath the seat.

 Most bikes have rack ready holes in this area

• If no holes are evident then fit the supplied P Clips onto the frame just under the seat, then bolt the rack onto the holes in the P Clips
• Or if you have a quick release seat clamp you can bolt the arms to the bolt in the clamp

     Note 1.  If you have a bolt up seat clamp and want to connect the rack arms to this area, we sell specially designed replacement "Rack Mount Seat Clamps"     

     Note 2. If you have already used the supplied P Clips then we do sell extra clips, and have them in different diameters

4. Finally tighten all arm and leg bolts.

 VIP Recheck all nuts and bolts before you ride.

BIKE PANNIER RACKS

Pannier Racks - Fitting Information

Most modern general style bikes come standard with two pairs of rack mounting holes on the frame. One pair is on the frame just above the rear axle - the legs of the rack screw in there. The other pair are on the frame about 80-120mm below the seat - you attach the arms of the rack to these points.

Some bikes however lack a set or both sets of mounting points. It is still easy to fit a rack - see below.

In rare situations, especially if you have a very long frame, the supplied "arms" of the pannier rack are not long enough. This is easy to fix as well: see below.

Q. I do not have any mounting holes on my bike for the rack arms, what can I do?
A. a) You can try attaching the rack arms to either side of the seat post clamp. 
b) Otherwise you will need to buy a pair of Pannier Rack P Clips. The diameter of the clip need s to match the frame diameter where you wish to fit the arms to. The bottom part of the P clip is coated in plastic to prevent scratching, the top part of the P clip has a hole in each side - through which you pass a bolt and to which you then attach the rack arms! As you tighten up the bolt the P Clip squeezes shut and will not slide on the bike frame - thus becoming the anchor point for the rack arms.

Thus the clip which looks more like a U when you start ends up looking like a P!!

Q. I do not have any rack mounting holes, what can I do?
A. You can still fit a rack to a bike with no rack mount points - simply follow answer b) above for both the rack arms and legs - buy attaching the P Clips for the rack legs to each side of the frame, just above the axle.

Q. The arms of the pannier rack are too short, what can I do?
A. If your bike frame is very large, or the rear stays are longer than normal, then the standard arms supplied with most bicycle rear racks may not be long enough. To fix this you need to use a Pannier Rack Arm Extender. This simply bolts onto the existing arm to provide an extension.

CAR RACKS

Want to know which rack will suit your car. Check out our guides below

Thule

https://www.thule.com/en-au/buyers-guide

Hollywood

https://hollywoodracks.com/pages/fit-guide-1

LIGHTS

Flashing USB Front Bike Lights are entry level rechargeable lights. They nominally have 25 to 200 Lumen output.

Models with 100+ Lumens of light power, when operated in steady mode, will have a reasonable light beam - "to see with". Under that power they are "flashers",or,  "to be seen with only" lights.

High Output rechargeable bike lights act as bike torches and enable you not only to "be seen" but "to see" as well. As a very general guideline 200-500 lumens of power will allow you to see a nice pool of light 2-5 metres in diameter and from 5-15 metres in front of you. 500 -1000 lumens is a very bright light and will illuminate a 3-7 m circle 5-25 m ahead. 

Lights over 1000 lumens in output are very powerful and provide superb lighting for situations such as back country night riding. 

USB rechargeable bike lights means no more batteries! Recharge when required via your computer,car or power point..wherever you have a USB connection available.

PUMPS & CO2

Fix a Tyre in Nothing Flat
Even the best mini cycle pumps take forever, but in an instant a CO2 cylinder can deliver more than enough air to get you home. A 16g CO2 cartridge will put about 40 psi in a mountain bike tyre and about 125 psi in a standard road tyre. And they're small -- about one-sixth the size of a frame pump.

Cartridge systems come in two pieces: a regulator and a replaceable C02 cartridge. 

TIP: Consider practicing using cartridges a couple of times before you road test your new system; using CO2 cartridges can be a little tricky at first.

Avoiding Pinch Flats
Putting too much air into a tube without making sure it's seated properly in the tire can cause a part of the tube to get pressed against the edge of the tyre. When the air pressure reaches near maximum, that pressure on the tube can actually cause the tyre to cut the tube's rubber, resulting in a "pinch flat." That's why you should put in about 20 pounds of air and then "massage" the tyre (to help seat the tube in the tyre and the tyre on the rim) before you fill it to the brim.

CO2 bike cartridges are not always easy to control, even when the adapter can turn the air on and off, so it's a good idea to keep your pump with you. Use the pump for the first push of air, massage the tyre, and top the tube off with the cartridge.

TRAVEL BIKE CASES

Check out our packing methods and tips to keep your bike safe and secure when travelling.

Basic Packing Method:

• Remove wheels
• Remove pedals
• Loosen and turn handlebar sideways
• Depending on bike size you may need to lower seatpost and/or remove seat
• Place the bike into the case
• Wrap wheels in clothing, foam or place in wheel bags. Generally one wheel willl fit under the frame and one above. Due to the wide variety of bike frame types and sizes there is no “one correct place” to put the wheels, you will need to do your own trial and error.

High Protection Method:

In addition to above you can do all or some of the below:

• Wrap the frame tube with pipe lagging or similar to prevent scratching
• Wrap front cogset and chain
• Remove and wrap rear derailleur
• Place a divider rod in the rear axle
• Remove and wrap seatpost and seat
• Use single wheel bags for each wheel
• Use sheets of foam or clothing for extra padding - this is essentail for air travel

BIKE HELMETS

All bicycle helmets sold in Australia are required to conform to Australian Standards and so any style or brand of helmet will provide a minimum guarantee of protection.

Bike helmets come in 5 basic styles: sport (also called multi-use), road ,mountain and BMX/Dirt Jump.  All types are designed to protect a rider's head from impact whilst being lightweight and comfortable. 

The main differences between these bicycle helmet styles are:

• Sport (multi-use) helmets ($40-$90): An economical choice for recreational, commuter, road and mountain bikers. Quite often will have visors. Air vents are designed for hot air to rise through the top of the helmet due to the lower speeds of a normal cyclist.
• Road bike helmets ($90-$300): Preferred by roadie enthusiasts for their lower weight, generous ventilation and aerodynamic design. Generally do not have visors because they can impede vision when used with drop handlebars. Air vents are designed to push air through the helmet out to the rear.
• Mountain bike helmets ($40-$200): Usually come with a peak as standard which, in an urban context, can come in handy for keeping the sun and rain out of your eyes. MTB helmets will tend to have larger vents, designed to let in more air at slower speeds – ideal for commuters too. Styling wise, mountain helmets are increasingly coming on-stream in more subdued colours and matt finishes, which may work well with urban cycling fashion. 
• Dirt Jump & Freestyle BMX helmets ($40-120): These are usually a hard-shell design with a thick polycarbonate lid lined with polystyrene foam and padding. Many urban riders use BMX or Skate style lids due to their ability to withstand abuse. Standard bike helmets are ‘single-impact’ designs, whereas BMX and skate helmets are far more robust. But this sturdiness comes at a price – BMX lids are usually heavier and less well vented than standard road and mountain bike helmets.
• Urban Bike Helmets $40-$150 A number of helmet manufacturers now produce commuter or urban specific designs. Their styling is subtly different and colourways tend to be either more subdued – designed to better complement normal everyday clothing, or "out there" to reflect the personality of the wearer. Some models sport features such as removable vent covers for winter riding, reflective trim, peaks and lighting attachment points.

BIKE GRIPS & HANDLEBARS

 

Bike Grip Fit Guide

Between the image above and the below table you get a pretty good summary of the different diameters of handlebars.

For most people this will not be a concern as the handlebars on mountain bikes, hybrid and flat bar bicycles, beach cruisers and BMX bikes all have the same diameter at the grip area!

31.8 Clamp diameter for modern oversize bars.  Interchangeable mountain and road use.

31.7 Deda oversize clamp size (compatible with 31.8)

26.4 Clamp size for old school Cinelli bars.

26.0 The most common size for road bars.

25.8 Used by ITM, Ritchey, and 3T. For road use.  Compatible with 26.0 stems/handlebars.

25.4 The most common size for mountain bike bars (previous to the oversize 31.8 clamp).  Also used on some Japanese and Taiwanese road bars.

23.8 Grip area of road bar.

22.2 Grip area of mountain bar as well as the clamp size of BMX bars.

Mountain Bike Bars - Flat Bars, Riser Bars, Hybrid bikes
Mountain Bars come in two different clamp sizes - the original 25.4mm, and the newer 'oversize' 31.8.  Widths vary widely, many bars are made to be cut down so you can buy it wide and work it down to what you like.  Check with the manufacturer of the bar to see if that's an option.  A 25.4 mountain bar shouldn't be used in a 26.0 road stem.

Road Bike Bars - the Drop Bar
Road bars now mainly come in two different clamp sizes - the original 26.0, and the newer oversize 31.8.  Widths vary and some manufacturers measure the outside to the outside of the widest point of the bar while some measure the center to the center of the widest point.  If you are unsure of how they are measured check with the manufacturers web site.  A 26.0 bar shouldn't be used in a 25.4 mountain stem.

Cruiser / Commuter Bars - Mustache, High Rise, Randonneur, Multi-Position

Here is where you will see the most variety - and here is where you need to keep in mind not only the clamp size of the stem you have or want to use, but also the diameter of the bar off of the bulge.

Mountain bike brake lever and shifter clamps are designed to fit a diameter of about 22.2mm.

Road bike brake and shift levers (Shimano STI, Campagnolo Ergopower, stand-alone drop bar brake levers) are designed to fit a diameter of about 23.8mm.

This is why you need to be sure to match up what shifters or brakes you plan to use with the grip area of the bar, along with the clamp size of the stem.

BMX Bars - BMX Riser Bars

BMX bars use the same diameter for both the stem clamp area as well as the grip area, 22.2mm.  What's the signifigance of 22.2mm?  It's actually the same as 7/8", which was how they started out being measured.

 

BOTTOM BRACKETS

What size of bottom bracket (BB) do I need?

To find out the size of bottom bracket needed, measure the inside of the bottom bracket shell in your frame, it most likely be 68mm, 70mm or 73mm.

For threaded BBs then measure the total spindle length, this will vary from 103 to 135mm. Most road double is 103mm, Compact MTB cranks are usually 110mm or 113mm and Standard MTB cranksets are usually 122.5 or 127.5mm. 

What are the main types of bicycle bottom brackets?

There are two main bottom bracket types. One is threaded into your frame and the other style is pressed in.

Threaded Bottom Brackets

There are several versions of threaded bottom brackets. Cheaper and older designs use bearings that sit inside the frame with an axle that the crank arms are tightened onto. The most common and cheapest is a square taper bottom bracket. Shimano offer a multi splined (Octalink) interface and there is also a standard called ISIS, though these latter two are tending to be superseded by more modern designs.

Most modern threaded BBs use a three-piece design that has a pair of large diameter bearings that sit on the outside of the bottom bracket shell, which an axle that is permanently fixed to one of the crank arms threads through. The advantage of this model is the the bearings can be made a much larger diameter, extending their durabilty and allowing the axle to be lighter, eg Shimano Hollowtech and SRAM GXP.

Press-Fit Bottom Brackets

Press-fit bottom brackets don’t require a threaded shell on the bike frame. They allow designers to make frames that don’t require tough and heavy inserts for the bearings to sit in. There are a number of standards here too.

BB30, PF30, PF92

With BB30 the bearings press directly into the frame with only a small removable clip behind them to keep them in place. BB30s are more common on road bikes and are designed to be very light. A PF30 bottom bracket holds the bearings inside of a nylon or metal shell that is then pressed into the frame as a unit. It fairly common among mountain bikes but getting less so as BB92 is becoming more and more popular for various reasons (creaking noises and cost of manufacturing to name two). Shimano’s Press-Fit 92 uses the same spacing as their external, threaded Hollowtech II system and is cross-compatible with those cranks using the right 24mm spindle.

 

CASSETTES & FREEWHEELS

What is the difference between a cassette and a freewheel?

You get a pretty clear idea if you look at the image above.

Freewheels for Threaded Hubs

Traditional rear hubs came with a standardized set of threads to which a standard freewheel/sprocket cluster could be screwed on. This allowed any brand of freewheel to be mounted on any brand of hub. If you wore out your sprockets, or wanted different gear ratios, you could unscrew the cluster and install a new one.

Shimano Free Hub Cassettes

Most bike these days employ the use of Shimano designed free hub cassettes. 

SRAM, Sturmey-Archer, Sun Race and other common brands have adopted the Shimano Freehub design, and their cassettes are interchangeable with genuine Shimano ( and each other).

Campagnolo and Mavic products are not.

 

CHAINS

Will 8,9 or 10 speed chains fit my single speed bike?
Multi speed chains fit 3/32" cogs and as long as your single speed cog is 3/32" (rather than 1/8") then they will work and be cut to size if required.

 

PEDALS

Pedal Axle Diameter

The most common axle thread diameter is 9/16". This is found on all bikes with 3 piece cranks.

Kids bikes and some entry level bikes have 1 piece cranks which use 1/2" pedals.

 

AXLES

  

Many bike wheels use a hub known as "cup and cone", it's typical axle pictured above. This type of hub is easy to repair, but requires careful adjustment to reduce friction and extend its life.

The cups are built into the shell of the hub and the cones are conical nuts that screw onto the axle. Steel ball bearings roll between these two parts. The combination of cup, cone and balls forms the bearing - with a bearing being on each side of the hub.

If the cones are screwed too tight, they exert pressure on the bearing balls causing excessive friction. The bicycle wheel will not turn as freely as it can and the parts will wear out quickly.

If the cones are not screwed on tight enough, the bearings will have "play" and the wheel will be able to shake back and forth on its bearings. 

This adjustment is very critical; corrections on the order of 10% of a turn or less are needed to get the optimal adjustment.

Most cup & cone hubs use locknuts to secure the cones in place: the cone and it's locknut are tightened against one another, usually with a washer in between them. This keeps the cone from going out of adjustment. 

 

HUBS

OLD - OVER LOCK NUT DIMENSION

 

The OLD refers to the width of the hub in relation to the corresponding fork it needs to fit into. It is measured as shown in the picture below

OLD MEASUREMENTS

 

Front wheels

Most front wheels have a 100mm OLD. Some 12" and 16" kids bikes have OLD's of 85mm

 

Rear Wheels

BMX                     110mm

MTB                     135mm

ROAD                  130mm

HYBRID              135mm

FLATBAR           130 or 135mm

FIXIE/TRACK     120mm

27"                       126mm

29er                     135mm

COASTER          110mm

3 Sp STURMEY 116mm

8 Sp NEXUS       116mm

 

 

TYRES

1. ISO Bike Tyre Size Standards

2. Complete Tables of all Bike Tyre sizes 

 

1. ISO Tyre Size Standards

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization has developed a universal tire sizing system that eliminates this confusion. 

(This system was formerly known as the "E.T.R.T.O." system, developed by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation.)

The ISO system uses two numbers; the first is the width of the tyre or rim in mm. 

The second ISO number is the diameter of the bead seat of the rim, in mm. ("B.S.D."). 

All tyres should have an ISO number and at least one of two other sets of numbers. The second and/or third set of numbers may change depending on which country the tyre is being sold to.

In the above example the ISO number is 37-622, in Australia we call this size 700 x35, whilst in northern Europe they refer to this size as 28 x 1-5/8 x 1-3/8

2. Tables of Bicycle Tyre Sizes 

 

28" OLD POSTMANS BIKES
ISO	Traditional Size	French	Australian
37-642	28 x 1-3/8	700 x 35A		Obsolete
28-642	28 x 1-3/8 x 1-1/8	700 x 28A
44-635	28 x 1-5/8 x 1-1/2	700 x 40/42B		Old Roadsters
40-635	28 x 1-1/2 28 x 1-1/2 x 1-3/8	700 x 35B/38B
32-635	28 x 1-1/2 x 1-1/8	700 x 28B, 770B Course

29" MTB, 700C ROAD AND HYBRID BIKE TYRES
ISO	Traditional Size	French	Australian
60-622	28 x 2.35		29" x 2.35	Modern 29er MTB
50-622	28 x 2.0 28 x 1.9		29" x 2.0 29" x 1.9
47-622	28 x 1.75	700 x 45C	700 x 45	Modern Hybrid Bikes
44-622	28 x 1.625	700 x 42C	700 x 42
42-622	28 x 1.60	700 x 40C	700 x 40
40-622	28 x 1.5 28 x 1-5/8 x 1-1/2	700 x 38C	700 x 38
35-622	28 x 1-5/8 x 1-3/8	700 x 35C	700 x 35
32-622	28 x 1-5/8 x 1-1/4	700 x 32C 700C Course	700 x 32
28-622	28 x 1-5/8 x 1-1/8	700 x 30C	700 x 30
30-622	28 x 1.20	700 x 28C	700 x 28	Modern City Bikes
25-622	28 x 1.00 28 x 1-1/16	700 x 25C	700 x 25	Modern Road Bikes
23-622	28 x 7/8	700 x 23C	700 x 23
22-622	28 x 7/8	700 x 22C	700 x 22
20-622	28 x 3/4	700 x 20C	700 x 20
19-622	28 x 3/4	700 x 19C	700 x 19
18-622	28 x 3/4	700 x 18C	700 x 18

27" BICYCLE TYRES
ISO	Traditional Size	French	Australian
35-630	27 x 1-3/8		27" Racers	Old Racing Bikes
28/32-630	27 x 1-1/4			Some Old Ladies Bikes
32-630	27 x 1-1/4
28-630	27 x 1-1/8 27 x 1-1/4 Fifty 27 x 1-1/4
25-630	27 x 1.00 27 x 1-1/16
22-630	27 x 7/8
20-630	27 x 3/4
40-609	27 x 1-1/2

 

Bike Tyre Fitting Guide

Quick Guide (your wheel is off the bike)

1. Make sure all air is out of the tube.

2. Loosen the tyre bead from the rim by squeezing the tire together all the way around the rim.

3. Use tyre levers to take one side of the tyre off the rim.

Ease one tyre lever in under the wheel rim and lever out the edge of the tyre, and pry it up over the wheel rim. Move the lever around the rim about an eighth of the circumference pulling one side of the tyre out of the rim. Stop, insert the second tyre lever where the tyre first comes came out of the rim and zip the lever the whole way around the wheel. One complete side of the tyre will now be off the rim.

4. Remove the tube

5. Remove the tyre

You should now be able to remove the entire tyre from the rim using your hands.

6. Partly replace the tyre

Slip one side of the tyre completely back onto the rim. You should be able to do this with your hands only.

7. Replace the tube

Put a few shots of air in to partially inflate the tube. Insert the tube valve into the hole and then work the tube into the tyre. Take care not to twist the tube!

8. Push the tyre fully onto the rim

Using your hands only now push the remaining bead onto the wheel. Only if necessary use a tyre lever to do this as you may squeeze the tube and puncture it!

Now you can inflate the tube and tyre about 50%

9. VIP: Ensure the tyre beads are seated correctly into the wheel rim walls!!!

To do this massage the semi inflated tyre with both hands, moving around the entire circumference, and at the same time pushing the tyre gently "into" the rim. 

You can also gently "bang" the tyre onto the ground several times , moving around the wheel after each "bang". 

These steps ensure the beads of the tyre are correctly seated into the rim walls of the wheel.

10. Fully inflate the tyre to its recommended pressure.

 

SYMPTOMS OF TYRES NOT BEING RESEATED CORRECTLY

a. The wheel seems to have a wobble in it.

b. You try to fully inflate the tyre and either the tube explodes or the tyre comes off the rim ( or both)

 

TUBES

Presta valves are also known as French valves.

Schrader valves are are also known as American Valves or car style valves.

Thornproof Double Density (DD) tubes have a very thick section just under the tyre, with a thinner section just over the rim.

This manages to keep weight down, whilst still offering the same puncture protection as a standard Thornproof Tube.

Welter Weight tubes are engineered for aggressive riders who require durability in their inner tubes.

These middle weight road bike tubes in our line are targeted to all disciplines of riding.

Kenda’s quick seal bicycle tubes are a sound choice for commuter, mountain, training and utility steeds that need puncture-resisting dependability without a big weight penalty. 

Contains a sealant designed to seal holes up to an eighth of an inch wide.

MaxProtect - Foreign objects such as thorns or pins are stopped by a 15mm thick outer layer of tough purpose designed elastomer composite. The cellular structure of the composite is light weight, flexible, and shock absorbing – it rides just like a traditional tube. The deflated tube is soft and malleable for ease of installation.

UltraMAX combines extra heavy duty tube (600% thicker than standard at tread area and at least 200% on side walls) with sealant to give you the best protection against punctures yet. UltraMAX XTS has been prefilled with tube sealant that prevents flats by instantly sealing punctures up to 6mm in diameter. The sealant is forced into the opening by internal air pressure and upon contact with the outer atmosphere, bonds to the tube creating an airtight plug of flexible fibres permanently sealing punctures.

 

MAINTENANCE

We stock a HUGE range of quality bicycle tools designed to professionally equip your home workshop so you can maintain or repair your bicycle and keep it performing as the manufacturer intended. Regular maintenance of your bike will reduce premature wear and tear on components and could save you hundreds of dollars.

Bike lubricants, grease and degreasers are designed to enable you to lubricant, protect or clean your bicycles components to ensure they continue to run smoothly whilst retaining maximum wear characteristics.

PUNCTURE REPAIR KITS

Puncture Repair Kit sgives cyclists the possibility to have a permanent repair solution for punctures to their bike whilst out riding.