It's 2023. Let's spend less

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Here is my new cycling blog that focuses on improving fitness and longevity while saving money at the same time.

In 2023, desirable road bikes cost $6000 and up. Indoor smart bikes cost almost as much. I have some ideas to improve performance while spending less.

A wise person (probably) said: "It takes no great skill to overspend on bikes and their maintenance".

Let's go.


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SB20 - Drive Belt Adjustments (2025)

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 STAGES SB20 DRIVE BELT ADJUSTMENT (2025 Update) I adjust my SB20 drive belt once a year to keep things running smoothly.  I wish this process was easier. With practice, you can complete all adjustments in less than 30 minutes. UPDATED: December 2025 - New video and pictures. Simpler procedures. 📐 These instructions augment the Stages support documents:  Belt Tension Adjustment (SB20) Flywheel Making Noises . TWO GOALS Adjusting the drive belt accomplishes a couple of things: Gets belt tension right. Optimal tension means quieter running and no slipping during hard efforts. Aligns the belt to ride as much as possible in the centre of the flywheel cogs. This reduces friction and positions the front axle perpendicular to the drive belt.  🎬 VIDEO Here's a new four minute video showing how to adjust tension and align the drive belt. The Details Part Names Here are part names related to drive belt adjustment. BELT ADJUSTMENT SUMMARY “ It’s all about the tensioners ”....
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SB20 - How to Pick a Zwift Power Source

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Real Power Meters The Stages SB20 Smart Bike is unique. It uses two crank-based power meters to send power measurements to apps like Zwift. Most other bikes and trainers guess at power based on how much electronic braking is being applied at any given moment (this method is good when a bike/trainer leaves the factory - not so good as components wear). How to Connect an SB20 Zwift can connect to the Left Crank or the Stages Bike (SB20) itself as a Power Source : Which should you pick? Zwift Connections Here's how crank power meter data (power and cadence) is sent to Zwift, the Stages Cycling app and other devices like a Garmin computer: Bluetooth, ANT+ and WiFi connections are all used.  Here are some additional details: 1. The right crank gets its own data (raw force and cadence information) and sends an update to the left pedal once a second with power and cadence metrics. 2. The left crank collects the right crank data, adds to its own data and sends consolidated informat...
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SB20 - Clicking and Rubbing Noises

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Just about everyone who rides indoors will eventually hear clicking or scraping noises. Some noises are inconsequential. Others can represent a serious issue.  Let's take a look at some of the most common noise complaints with the Stages SB20 smart bike. Parts Before getting started, here are some key SB20 part names : Flywheel Rubbing against Plastic Cover Manufacturing variances, heat and wear can cause the right plastic cover to make rubbing noises as the flywheel spins. These noises persist after pedalling stops. You can eliminate the problem by trimming the right plastic cover as shown above. Flywheel Cogs Rubbing against Front Cover Fastener Adjusting drive belt tension can move the front axle forward causing it to rub or scrape against the metal fasteners holding the front cover in place.  To verify: Remove the front cover. Look at the front cogs. Do they rub against the front cover fasteners when pedalling . Note: Removing the front cover can cause noises to stop. Th...
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What Happened to Stages Cycling?

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-- UPDATE August 2025 -- Stages Cycling  went bankrupt in June 2024. Giant subsidiary  SPIA Cycling , bought selected Stages assets in late 2024. There has been some encouraging news in 2025.   It's just not all good. The good news: You can  buy replacement parts on the Stages US web site .  Stages is providing limited support. They will ship some parts under warranty. Your can send email to support@stagescycling.com  or use the  US Support Site  to open a support ticket. SPIA Cycling indicated that they will be continuing the critical online services needed to keep the Stage Cycling App active for at least one more year.  The not so good news: No in-home service is offered . It is DIY "parts only". Stages support people can often describe how to do repair work. Owners outside of the US will likely need to use the  US Support Site . Country-specific support appears to have ended as of late 2025. Stages has stopped selling the S...
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SB20 - One of my Power Meter Cranks Have Failed. Now What?

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The SB20 smart bike has dual power meters. They work together to give you accurate left:right power measurements. Here's a  dual power meter example with Zwift: Right Crank measures power and sends it to the Left Crank . The Left Crank adds its measurements and sends a single message with consolidated L:R data to any connected apps ( Zwift in this example ). Apps like Zwift support a  Power Source  connection to: The Stages Bike or Directly to the left crank. When both power meters are working correctly, both  Power Source connection methods provide similar performance. For more information, see  How to Pick a Zwift Power Source . What if One Crank Fails? Some SB20 owners have abandoned their bikes when a single power meter has failed. These bikes could have been saved by simply reconfiguring it to use a single power meter. Single-sided power measurement is still very accurate. You simply lose left:right pedal metrics. If one cranks fails, the other crank can...
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SB20 - What's Inside (2026)?

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The Stages SB20  indoor smart bike was released in 2020. Let's take a look its electronics and drivetrain components. Updated in February 2026 🎉 An external power supply routes power to different bike components through a series of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The bike also includes two battery powered crank-based power meters.  Key internal drivetrain components include a bottom bracket and electronic flywheel brake.  Here's an overview of the basic components: USB Board - Wedged vertically under the phone tray. It powers 3 USB ports. Upper PCB - Fastened horizontally under the phone support rail. This System On a Chip (SoC) handles wireless communication and controls the bike itself. Switch Board - This wire distribution board sits inside the aluminum handlebar stem. It routes connections for the brake level controls  and under handlebar tape "blip" shifter buttons.  Lower PCB  - This mainly analog circuit board is attached to the flywheel / e...
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