State of Confusion

[GraysonKelly]

Hi All,
Well, I'm not a happy girl today. About a month ago I popped a rib out of joint and it seems that the problem has reasserted itself today. I'm crooked and hurting and worst of all can't ride my bike. So, here I am lurking about the forum and reading posts and posts and posts and I've figured something out...I don't what in the world ya'll are talking about.
What are bar end shifters? And what would be the alternative?
What does "drop outs" mean?
Other than the obvious diameter differences, what are the differences/advantage/disadvantage of 26" wheels and 650c or 700c wheels? (I'm asking because if I get the surly LHT instead of the Crosscheck then I'll have to get 26" wheels because I'm not tall enough to get frame that is big enough to have the 700c)
What is "toe overlap"?
Can you put disc brakes on any kind of bike? Are they worth the cost? I got told that Cappy could have disc brakes put on her front wheel but not the back and that it was more beneficial to have them on the front anyway...any thoughts?
Grrr...I'm so frustrated about what I don't know. I've got three books and I still don't understand. I ask the guys at the shop and I understand until I leave and then I don't understand again. It's frustrating!!! I enjoy this so much and I'm so excited about riding but it's discouraging that I can't talk about it intelligently. I guess I'll just have to keep going. Like building my mileage and speed, just keep at it until I get it.
Okay, I'm done now. I'll talk to ya'll later.
Gray

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You might get more in depth answers if you don't post so many various questions all together in a lump.
I'll take one:
What is toe overlap?
Sometimes also called toe clip overlap (wearing clips make the problem worse), here's what Sheldon Brown had to say about it:

Toe Clip Overlap
On many bicycles, especially smaller sizes, it is possible for the front fender or tire to bump into the rider's toe or to the toe clip. Some people worry a lot about this, but it is rarely a significant problem in practice.
The only time it can happen is when the handlebars are turned quite far to the side, which only happens at very low speeds.
Many, many people ride bikes with fairly severe overlap with no practical problems, sometimes having to make a slight adjustment to their pedaling habits at very slow speeds.
On smaller size bikes with full size wheels, it is usually impossible to eliminate overlap without causing adverse fit/handling issues.

[wackyjacky1]

I'll contribute from my tiny pool of knowledge:

Bar End Shifters are shift levers that plug into the ends of your handlebars. Certain cats like to chew on them.



Here is a Wikipedia article about different types of shifters: Link

[sundial]

Other than the obvious diameter differences, what are the differences/advantage/disadvantage of 26" wheels and 650c or 700c wheels?

I'm curious, how tall are you? Many mtb'ers are embracing the 29'er movement. 26" wheels are the most common for mountain bikes although there are other sizes popping up, of course, such as the 27.5" for those who don't fit the 29'ers. 650c are more common in the smaller size bikes as well as bikes with 2 different wheel sizes, like the Terry Symmetry. 700's are the most common in road bikes and should you ride a supported ride, you will be able to find a replacement tube much easier than if you ride a bike with 650's.

[GraysonKelly]

I'm 5'6". I ride a 21" mountainbike right now (if i measured it right). Do they make shifters that look like they are part of the brake lever? what are those called?

[SouthernBelle]

Those are brifters (brakes + shifters, get it? ). Ususally found on bikes with drop bars.

[Blueberry]

Wheel Size: There is a heated debate on the issue. Some folks say smaller wheels are inherently slower. I don't think this is true. What I can tell you is that they accelerate more quickly going uphill and from a stop, but don't hold momentum as well (you'll slow down more quickly when coasting). I have a Bike Friday with 20" wheels, so I have a little experience

The main limitation I would see with those 3 wheel sizes is tire availability. 26" tires aren't available very narrow (I think 32c is about as narrow as it gets, and that's not very narrow). 650c wheels kind of have the opposite problem - there aren't very many wider tires available (most are 23c). I would add that 650c tires are probably not as readily available. It really depends on what you want the bike to do - but if you want to be able to do rail trails, you may have a problem getting tires for 650c wheels.

Drop outs are the place in the frame where your wheels go (where the frame sits on the hub).

Not sure about disk brake mounting, but I can see the advantage of having one only on the front as most of your stopping power is in the front anyway.

CA

[Blueberry]

Those are brifters (brakes + shifters, get it? ). Ususally found on bikes with drop bars.

Also referred to as STI (Shimano Total Integration, IIRC). I think there's a campy specific name as well. SRAM also makes a version.

CA

[Zen]

I can't believe no one has summoned the spirit of Sheldon Brown.

Ask Sheldon. He knows everything.