Where Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and the New Cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Come From?

The cast of the new "Star Wars" film has been announced -- and some very familiar actors will be in the movie.

In addition to the original stars, a slew of newcomers will appear in "Star Wars: Episode VII." According to the film's website, Adam Driver, John Boyeta, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar nominee Max von Sydow will join Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the film.

Here's how you know Driver, Isaac and the rest.

Read: 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Cast Announced: 'Girls' Star Adam Driver, Max Von Sydow and More

Adam Driver

Driver is the brooding Adam Sackler from "Girls," the man Lena Dunham dates(ed). After hitting it big in 2012 with the hit HBO show, driver has been in a slew of other big productions like "Lincoln," "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "This is Where I Leave You" opposite Tina Fey and Jason Bateman.

Max von Sydow

Sydow is an acting vet at 85 years young. You most likely know him as Lamar Burgess from "Minority Report" opposite Tom Cruise, or as Father Lankester Merrin from "The Exorcist." This Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor will fit in nicely in a special franchise like "Star Wars."

Oscar Isaac

This 35-year-old Guatemalan actor was a hit in 2013 as the lead in "Inside Llewyn Davis." For his work in the film, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor. Isaac was also in the "Bourne Legacy" and "Robin Hood" as King John in 2010.

Andy Serkis

You may know this Brit from 2004's "13 Going on 30," but you may also recognize him from "King Kong," "Lord of the Rings," and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" as Caesar. In addition to "Star Wars," Serkis will reprise his role for "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."

John Boyega

Boyega started acting in 2011 with the show "Becoming Human," but caught on quickly and is currently filming "24: Live Another Day" in addition to "Star Wars." Not bad for a 22 year old.

Daisy Ridley

Ridley is a virtual unknown, mostly doing English TV like "Mr. Selfridge" opposite Jeremy Piven.

Domhnall Gleeson

Gleeson is definitely most known as one of the Weasley brothers in the "Harry Potter" series. He was also in "True Grit" and "Dredd."

Emma Stone Declares Her Love For Andrew Garfield! Hearts Everywhere! Read more:

Emma Stone has no reservations about balancing that fine line between dorky and cool, sharp-tongued and sexy. "She's catnip to both male and female audiences," EW has praised of her appeal. No wonder she won over audiences and nabbed aGolden Globes nomination with her star-making role in the 2010 romantic comedy Easy A. 

The Phoenix, Ariz., native initially wanted to be a Disney star but eventually got her big break as Jonah Hill's quick-witted crush in 2007'sSuperbad. Since then, Stone has become Hollywood's go-to sassy ingénue, showcasing her signature charisma in House Bunny andZombieland. But the summer of 2011 proved to be the redhead's coming out party. She appeared in three consecutive hits: Friends with Benefits, Crazy, Stupid, Love and her first big-screen drama, The Help. The icing? Signing a deal to become the newest face of Revlon. 

With a role in the 2012 blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man on the horizon, Stone is quickly cementing her spot among Hollywood's coveted A-list.

AHHHHH, so many feelings!

Fresh off her epic lip synch battle with Jimmy Fallon, Emma Stone is finally sharing her true feelings towards Andrew Garfield—and it's total L-O-V-E!

On Good Morning America today, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 actress candidly confessed real honest emotions about her beau…

And we're still thrilled over these exciting heart-shaped developments! She said:

"It's like a dream to work with [Andrew Garfield]. He's obviously one of the greatest actors I think we have alive today, and he's also just a remarkable human being, so I love him very much."

Aww!

While on the action flick's press tour, the 25-year-old actress and Spidey have slowly begun to release their feelings towards each other—but this is some next level shizz!

Beyonce Reaches Out to Grieving Family of Teen Chelsea Lee James

Beyoncé first met Chelsea Lee James in 2009, when she invited the girl to join her on stage to perform "Halo."

After Chelsea, 15, died of cancer a few days ago, the singer remembered her grieving family.

Beyoncé, 32, sent the girl's Australian family a bouquet of white roses, along with a personalized note, according to a post on a support page for Chelsea.

Jay Z and Beyoncé Announce 'On the Run' Tour

"Donna, Love and prayers to you and your family," she wrote to the girl's mom. "Chelsea was a beautiful girl and I am so happy I was able to meet her. She touched my heart and I will never forget her."

Chelsea died April 21 after a decade-long battle with cancer. In 2004, she was first diagnosed with a tumor on her spine. Despite surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, the tumor multiplied, eventually numbering 18. Meeting Beyoncé was a dream come true for the British girl, who reunited with the singer last year.

"I was so excited to meet Beyoncé again," she said, according to a media report. "This time ... I actually got to meet her backstage and talk to her and laugh with her, which was so cool. I'll never forget this."

A rep for the singer could not be reached for comment.

Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Tells Girlfriend: Don’t Bring Black People To My Games

Donald Sterling, the owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, told his girlfriend not to post pictures on Instagram of herself with black people and not to bring black people to his basketball games, according to an audio recording posted by TMZ.

In the recording, Sterling and his girlfriend are fighting over a picture she posted to Instagram of herself with NBA legend Magic Johnson, and Sterling demands that she stop “broadcasting” that she associates with black people. Sterling tells his girlfriend: “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”

Later, he makes the point specifically about Magic Johnson, telling her that “it’s too bad you can’t admire (Johnson) privately…bring him here, feed him, f*** him, I don’t care. You can do anything. But don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games. OK?”

Sterling’s comments about Johnson follow a long argument about his girlfriend — who says in the recording that she is half-black and half-Mexican — not understanding the cultural differences between white, black, and Hispanic people. At one point, Sterling asks her if she gets “a benefit” from associating with black people, and calls her “stupid” when she asks why the race of the people she associates with matters. Sterling doesn’t answer when she asks if it would have been different had it been Larry Bird in the photo.

When it comes to race, the comments aren’t even the most troubling incident in Sterling’s time as the Clippers owner. In 2006, he was sued in a housing discrimination lawsuit that alleged that Sterling wouldn’t rent apartments to black families in Beverly Hills and other LA neighborhoods. The suit alleged that Sterling had once said that “black tenants smell and attract vermin.”

Former Clippers executive (and NBA player) Elgin Baylor sued Sterling in 2009, alleging that the owner discriminated against him based on his age and race.

The NBA didn’t take action against Sterling in either instance, even though there is precedent for doing so: in 1993, Major League Baseball suspended Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schottfor a full season for comments she’d made about black and Jewish people.

More than three-quarters of the NBA’s players are black, and the league has a larger share of minority fans than any of other major sports leagues. The NBA can’t take away Sterling’s team. But it needs to do something, especially because it has already let Sterling off the hook so many times before.

'Nashville' star Aubrey Peeples lands title role in 'Jem' movie

Aubrey Peeples, who plays Layla Grant on ABC’s Nashville, landed the title role in the live-action adaptation of Jem and the Holograms, the 1980s cartoon and doll. Sources close to the production confirm the Hollywood Reporter‘s story that Peeples, 20, will star as Jerrica Benton, a teenage orphan with a rock-star alter-ego, Jem.

Playing Jem’s friends and members of her band will be Stefanie Scott (Jem’s sister Kimber), Aurora Perrineau (Shana), and Hayley Kiyoko (Aja).

No release date is set yet for the film, but production has already started. In the film, which is written by Ryan Landels and directed by Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Jem and the band go on an adventure across Los Angeles to follow the clues that might lead Jem and Kimber to their father.

In March, Chu and producers Scooter Braun and Jason Blum announced plans to crowdsource its casting process, and though professional actresses landed the leads, select fans who’ve expressed their passion for the character have already been invited to join the cast.

Tito Vilanova dies: Ex-Barcelona coach loses cancer battle aged 45

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, has led the Premier League’s tributes to former Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova, who has died at the age of just 45 following a long battle with cancer.

Barcelona released a statement to say the club was in “intense mourning” following the death of the coach who led them to the La Ligatitle less than 12 months ago.

Mourinho had several run-ins with Vilanova during his time in charge ofReal Madrid, infamously poking him in the eye on the touchline during a fractious El Clásico clash between the two clubs back in 2012.

But the Portuguese responded to news of his death on Chelsea’s official Twitter feed by expressing his sadness at the news he had been unable to recover from throat cancer.

“Tito Vilanova's passing is a sad day for football, for Barcelona and most importantly for his family and friends,” said Mourinho. “On behalf of everybody at Chelsea Football Club I send my deepest condolences at this most difficult time."

Vilanova had a tumour removed from his throat in November 2011, but suffered a relapse in December 2012, forcing him to step down as Barcelona coach in July last year in order to receive further treatment.

The former Barcelona youth team player was promoted to one of the biggest jobs in European football in June 2012 after working as assistant to Pep Guardiola before he stepped down to take a break from management.

His health issues came back to haunt him less than six months later and he travelled to America, spending 10 weeks in New York for intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Although he was strong enough to return to the Nou Camp in March to see Barcelona lift the La Liga title, he was forced to leave the club in the summer, with Gerardo Martino replacing him before the start of the season.

Barcelona said in a statement: "The club expresses their deepest condolences over the passing of Tito Vilanova , who died today in Barcelona at the age of 45."

Barca sent their "deepest condolences" to Vilanova's family and said they would be opening a space in the main grandstand at the Nou Camp for people to express their condolences.

Should Pine Tar Be Legal for Pitchers?

Don't worry. We're about to throw some blame MichaelPineda's way. He deserves it for getting himself involved in yet another silly little controversy involving pine tar.

But I think it's also time for us to ask whether Major League Baseball should put an end to silly little controversies of this nature. It wouldn't take much. Just a simple rule change:

Make pine tar legal for pitchers.

Such a rule could have saved Pineda and the New York Yankees some grief a couple weeks ago, as we all remember the hubbub that arosefrom the brown, pine-tar-ish goo that was on his right hand during a dominant start against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on April 10.

Pineda claimed the stuff on his hand was just dirt, but former big league pitcher Dirk Hayhurst had the right of it in a guest column for Bleacher Report that all Pineda did with that excuse was insult everyone's intelligence. It was obviously pine tar.

And it came back in the second inning during Wednesday night's contest against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, as Pineda took the mound with a brown streak on his neck that the cameras couldn't ignore:

Administrative Professionals' Day 2014 Quotes: 15 Fun Sayings To Give Thanks

Everyone who calls a cubicle their second home or knows how to work the office coffee machine better than their own knows that office managers are the backbone of most workplace environments.  

Administrative Professionals Day is a day to acknowledge and give thanks for the efforts of your administrative assistant, receptionist office manager or other vaulable admin person. The unofficial holiday, which falls on April 23 this year, is the time to show how much you appreciate everything they do.

The day was established in 1952. At the time, it was called "National Secretaries Week" and organized by the National Secretaries Association, which is now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals.

The idea came from Mary Barrett, then president of the National Secretaries Association, and C. King Woodbridge, then president of Dictaphone Corp. The day was meant to recognize secretaries’ contributions to the workplace and attract new skilled office workers.

In addition to gifts for the administrative assistants in your office, here are 15 quotes to share on Administrative Professionals Day.

Funny

“Always be nice to secretaries. They are the real gatekeepers in the world.” —Anthony J. D'Angelo

“Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so.” -- Douglas Adams

“And so while the great ones depart to their dinner, the secretary stays, growing thinner and thinner, racking his brain to record and report what he thinks that they think that they ought to have thought.” —Arthur Bryant

“The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.” —Robert Frost

“You can fire your secretary, divorce your spouse, abandon your children. But they remain your co-authors forever.” —Ellen Goodman

“If you take a bunch of superstars and put them in a room where they don't have their assistants and entourage, it's funny to see what happens.” —Daryl Hall

“If you have a good selling idea, your secretary can write your ad for you.” -- Morris Hite

Palcohol, Powdered Alcohol: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Wine critic and avid outdoorsman Mark Phillips has a new product that could make a major splash. Philips' invention is called Palcohol, an alcoholic powder that will be sold in small packets that would equal about one shot of alcohol.

Here is what you need to know about the product:

1. It Was Approved 'in Error' by the Government

On April 8, 2014, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, approved the intoxicant. The product was expected to be in stores by the fall.

But according to CNN Money, on April 21, after a wave of negative publicity and questions from critics about the product, the ATTTB said the approval was granted "in error" and rescinded it.

CNN Money reported that Phillips' company, Arizona-based Lipsmark LLC, plans to re-apply for approval, meaning Palcohol's fate is uncertain.

2. Phillips Invented It Because It's Inconvenient to Carry Bottles

According to Palcohol's official website, the powder was created because Phillips wanted a drink after a long day of hiking or camping, but hated carrying bottles with him. The website says:

...But those activities, and many others, don't lend themselves to lugging heavy bottles of wine, beer or spirits. The only liquid he wanted to carry was water. So he thought? Wouldn't it be great to have alcohol in powder form so all one had to do is add water? Since powder is light and compact, it wouldn't be a burden to carry. Mark searched for powdered alcohol and it wasn't available. So he began his quest to create it. After years of research, experimentation and consultation with scientists around the world, he finally came up with powdered alcohol and called it Palcohol.

3. The Company Does Not Recommend You Snort It

The company is already embroiled in a controversy because of comments made on its official site before it received all of the unexpected media attention. The most poorly received of the company's statements said, according to USA Today, "Let's talk about the elephant in the room … snorting Palcohol. Yes, you can snort it. And you'll get drunk almost instantly. ... Good idea? No. It will mess you up."

Now the website says, "Can I snort it? We have seen comments about goofballs wanting to snort it. Don't do it!"

4. It Comes in 2 Alcohol and 4 Cocktail Flavors

 According to their website, Palcohol has six flavors. Two are pure unmixed alcohol flavors vodka and Puerto Rican rum, and the other four cocktails flavors come in cosmopolitan, mojito, powderita, and lemon drop.

The idea is that a person could add the powder to 5 ounces of water, or any other flavored beverage in order to get your desired taste. The ounce of powder combined with 5 ounces of a non-alcoholic liquid would have the alcohol content of a regular mixed drink.

---

5. Parents Are Concerned

Parents are already concerned that the packets will make it easier for kids to get, hide, and use alcohol. Likewise, food blog The Braiser is concerned that the packets could be easily confused as Crystal Lite or Coolaid packets by both kids and adults. Others are concerned that this will make it easier for kids or college students to binge drink and therefore get very ill.

Boston Marathon 2014: American man wins for first time since 1983 (Live updates)

On Monday, a little more than a year after the Boston Marathon bombing, the runners returned to Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill Avenue and, finally, Boylston Street.

Their ranks have swollen to nearly 36,000, more than the 27,000 who normally participate, to accommodate many of the 5,600 runners who were halted by the bombing.

And for the first time in more than three decades, an American won the Marathon: Meb Keflezighi finished in 2:08:37, which is the second-fastest time ever posted by an American man at the Marathon. (Read more about him here.)

By the time Keflezighi crossed the 26-mile marker, spectators had broken into a triumphant “USA” chant. Moments later, pumping his fist as U2′s “Beautiful Day” flowed through the speakers, he crossed the finish line and became the first American man to win the Boston Marathon since Greg A. Meyer in 1983.

Rita Jeptoo of Kenya set a course record with a time of 2:18:57, winning the women’s field for the third time (she also won in 2006 and 2013).

With sales now legal, cannabis lovers take Denver's 420 weekend to new highs

Denver, Colorado (CNN) -- Coming to the Mile High City this weekend was the perfect 65th birthday present for Karen Stevenson. She and her husband drove out of the Bible Belt to experience, for the first time, what it's like to buy and smoke weed legally.

She wore a T-shirt featuring an image of María Sabina, a late-Mexican shaman, puffing on a joint -- a shirt that, until this day, she never dared to wear outside her Cape Girardeau, Missouri, home.

"It's kind of like being a part of history," she said Saturday, while waiting for a bus in front of a marijuana-themed sandwich shop. "I used to want to go to Amsterdam. Now I don't have to."

The origin of the term 420

The Stevensons are among the tens of thousands of visitors -- by some estimates 80,000 -- who've come to Denver to mark 420 (April 20), a date that's emerged as a holiday among those steeped in cannabis culture.

Weed and a tale of two cities

Though the date has long been observed in Colorado, this is the first celebration since recreational sales of marijuana became legal here on New Year's Day. (Recreational use became legal in late 2012.)

Replete with the Denver "420 Rally" in Civic Center Park, the High Times Cannabis Cup -- an expo and a competition sponsored by the magazine -- and a 420 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre headlined by Snoop Dogg, the weekend has drawn the trappings one might expect. Dreadlocks. Tie-dye. T-shirts brandishing phrases like "Cheech & Chong for President."

Those predictable, or stereotypical, images, however, only tell part of the story.

They don't speak for the white-haired Mississippi man who looked like he'd walked out of a law firm on casual Friday. They don't reflect what drew a Crohn's disease patient from Missouri. Nor do they represent three older Texas women, one with her nails perfectly manicured in hot pink and her hair done just so, who advocate on behalf of seniors and are working to reform marijuana laws.

"We're not trying to force people to smoke pot," said Dawn Brooks, 62, of Austin, the one with the bright nails. "Cannabis is merely a plant. That's all it is. And more and more seniors are coming out of the closet."

This is a weekend that draws people of various backgrounds and with different needs and desires.

That said, for many of those who turned out Saturday, the vast majority it seemed from out-of-state, it was all about the smoking. And for some of them, it was in a frenzied way -- a mad rush to try everything because they couldn't take any of it home.

Kate, a 30-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, was waiting with her boyfriend, Scott, for a free bus ride to the Cannabis Cup expo at Denver Mart.

"It's like his Super Bowl," said Kate, who, like many people we spoke to, didn't want her last name used. "He's been giddy about it for weeks. ... Super stoked is an understatement."

Bus to Show, a nonprofit that works to reduce intoxicated driving, partnered with High Times to offer transportation this weekend. It set up a downtown location for pickups and drop-offs outside Cheba Hut, a marijuana-themed sub shop.

Besides the free shuttles to and from the expo, the organization sold out a $20-a-day hop-on, hop-off shuttle tour of what it called The Cannabis Freedom Trail. The CannaBUS, as the tour shuttles are called, have been shepherding as many as 200 people a day to various cannabis dispensaries around town.

On one tour we joined, smoke wafted out windows. Strangers shared pipes and exchanged samples of weed and wax, a concentrated form of marijuana. Canisters of buds bearing names like "tangerine haze" and "strawberry cough," were passed around to smell. Nutella pancakes came up in conversations at least three times.

Wearing a neon green wig and green Power Ranger mini-dress, Teri Starbird, 50, who lives outside Wichita, Kansas, lit up some "Bruce Banner." It is one of the contenders in this year's Cannabis Cup competition.

NBA playoffs Day 1: Rough start for home teams

msai Ujiri threw out the ceremonial first expletive just prior to the start of the NBA playoffs on Saturday. The F-bomb was a perfect way to start a postseason the swears to be entertaining. Heck, Blake Griffin eventossed a cup of water on a Golden State Warriors fan.

The opening day of the playoffs let us know just how irrelevant all that effort to stake homecourt can be, as three of the four road teams stole a Game 1. The only top seed to win was the Oklahoma City Thunder, a product of an MVP-style night from Kevin Durant. Meanwhile, the Pacersfolded, the Clippers failed to execute down the stretch and the Raptors looked more starry-eyed than their fans after the GM just went Eminem on Brooklyn.

Mexico Earthquake

Magnitude-7.2 earthquake shakes Mexican capital

ACAPULCO, Mexico — A powerful magnitude-7.2 earthquake shook central and southern Mexico on Friday, sending panicked people into the streets. Some walls cracked and fell, but there were no reports of major damage or casualties.

The magnitude-7.2 quake was registered at a depth of 24km (15 miles),according to the US Geological Survey.

Its epicentre was in the western state of Guerrero, near the seaside resort of Acapulco

There are no reports of casualties or significant damage, but frightened residents across the Mexican capital fled their homes as the tremor began.

The earthquake was felt in several southern and western Mexican states at 09:27 local time (14:27 GMT).

Windows were broken and trees fell in Chilpancingo, capital of Guerrero.

In Acapulco, where many tourists were enjoying the Easter holiday, there were scenes of panic.

"People were turning over chairs in their desperation to get out, grabbing children, trampling people,'' 59-year-old Enedina Ramirez Perez told the AP news agency.

Like many tourists, she was having breakfast when the quake struck.

Mexico lies on top of three continental plates and is regularly shaken by tremors.

In 1985, at least 10,000 people were killed in Mexico City by a magnitude-8.1 earthquake.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake at about 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT; 1430 GMT) was centered on a long-dormant fault line northwest of the Pacific resort of Acapulco, where many Mexicans are vacationing for the Easter holiday.

It was felt across at least a half-dozen states and Mexico’s capital, where it collapsed several walls and left large cracks in some facades. Debris covered sidewalks around the city.

Around the region, there were reports of isolated and minor damage, such as fallen fences, trees and broken windows. Chilpancingo, capital of the southern state of Guerrero, where the quake was centered, reported a power outage, but service was restored after 15 minutes.

In Acapulco, 59-year-old Enedina Ramirez Perez was having breakfast, enjoying the holiday with about 20 family members, when her hotel started to shake.

“People were turning over chairs in their desperation to get out, grabbing children, trampling people,” the Mexico City woman said. “The hotel security was excellent and started calming people down. They got everyone to leave quietly.”

The quake struck 170 miles (273 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, where people fled high-rises and took to the streets, many in still in their bathrobes and pajamas on their day off.

“I started to hear the walls creak and I said, ‘Let’s go,’” said Rodolfo Duarte, 32, who fled his third-floor apartment.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said there were small power outages from fallen transformers but officials were working to restore the service.

Finish Line

Finish Line USA

At Finish Line we pride ourselves on being the "The Lube Experts" for the bicycle industry. From the start, way back in 1988, Finish Line has formulated all of its own products. With feedback from professional cyclists, their mechanics, and specialty bike shops around the world, Finish Line is able to make sure its products are performing at a level that will not disappoint even the most discerning of cyclists.

Finish Line has everything a cyclist needs for taking care of their bike and making sure it performs at its peak potential. These products range from bicycle chain lubricants to drivetrain degreasers, from bike washes, specialty brushes and chain cleaning baths, to fluorinated bearing greases and specialty suspension and brake fluids.

Check out our growing line of bicycle lubricants and care products. Don't miss our 'tech tips' section and instructional videos on our YouTube channel. Join in on our social media options, we promise to not over-whelm you while providing interesting industry information, insights and up-to-date bike maintenance tips.

At Finish Line our passion is to make products that will enhance the performance and extend the life of your bicycle! May all your rides be smooth and fast.

Tech Tips

Bike Fit and Comfort Braking Performance Bottom Bracket Creaking Bottom Brackets Lubricating Your Cables Lubing Your Derailleurs

Creaking Stem Caring for Front and Rear Hubs Lubing Your Brake & Shift Levers Quick-Release Grease your Seat Post Seat Height Adjustment

Bike Fit and Comfort

Position your seat height so that when you sit on the bike and have your foot at the lowest point in the pedal stroke, there is still a slight bend in your knee. Full leg extension will cause your hips to rock when you pedal. Too much bend in your knee will keep full pedal power from getting to the pedals. Incorrect positioning will lead to discomfort and leg cramps over long rides. Position the seat forward or back so your knee is directly over the pedal when you have your foot and pedal in the 3 o’clock position. Handlebars should be approximately shoulder width wide and be positioned at about the same level as your seat. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows when riding to absorb shock. Also, a change in stem length may be helpful. Your local bike shop has a selection of different sized stems to get that perfect fit. To avoid hand numbness over long rides, keep your wrists straight and change hand positions occasionally. Keep a firm, but relaxed grip and try a set of bar-ends for additional positioning options.

Braking Performance

Glazed, hardened, dirty, or misaligned brake pads account for nearly all loss of braking power problems. Keep the surface of your brake pads clean and fresh by using sandpaper or steel wool to scuff away any debris, and hardened glaze. Check the alignment. The pad should be toed in about 1/8" to first make contact with the rim at it's front half. Additionally, the pad should contact the center of the rim. The pad should never rub the tire or hang off the rim. In general, clean and inspect your brake pads every month. Brake pads are inexpensive and relatively easy to replace. You'll be amazed at the difference new brake pads make. Regularly clean your rims with Multi Bike Degreaser. Your pads will work better and last longer.

Bottom Bracket

Bottom brackets (B.B.s) are the bearing and spindle assemblies that your pedal crank arms spin upon. Because of their low and central location, they are constantly being exposed to the worst of contaminants. Many B.B.s feature sealed bearing assemblies. However it does help to keep an eye on their outer shields and keep them as clean as possible by wiping away any crud with a rag. Do not spray pressurized water at the shields.