New bike installation

jhon

Stupidly, I decided to order a new bike online which saved me œ70.. last night it arrived... with me having to install the handle bars, seat posts, pedals and wheels... not too bad to be honest

But are there anything I have to look out for before I start riding it in case everything falls out when i am going full pelt in traffic?

giant_man

Yes see if it fits you!!!!

I wouldn't suggest anyone ordering online I'm afraid.

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SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.

gkerr4

it'll be fine - double check that things are tight, stem and handlebar mounts, seatpost and the saddle clamped on the seatpost. Check the wheels are on tight - if they are qr skewers just makes sure they are bordering on hard work to close. check brakes are installed correct - even if you didn't put them on, thats the sort of checks that a shop would do. check the brake blocks are nice and square on the rim with a little toe-in added. cables - are they all oiled and not too tight / excess slack in them. just give it a general check over and then spend some time getting the fit of the bike right for you.

Garybee

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by giant man</i>

Yes see if it fits you!!!!

I wouldn't suggest anyone ordering online I'm afraid.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

He has already bought it.

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Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

Down the Road

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jhon</i>

Stupidly, I decided to order a new bike online which saved me œ70.. last night it arrived... with me having to install the handle bars, seat posts, pedals and wheels... not too bad to be honest

But are there anything I have to look out for before I start riding it in case everything falls out when i am going full pelt in traffic?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Are Wheels true and correct spoke tension.

Has Bottom bracket been installed to the correct tension

Has the headset been inserted correctly and cups aligned correctly

Are all bolts tensioned to their correct torque values.

Brake Toe in set correctly

Rear cassette lock ring tension corrected?

B Screw setting on rear mech

Rear Mech limits adjusted

Front mech height and limits adjusted

Wheel bearing preload correct

Shifters in correct place

Bar Tape applied correctly

Cranks fitted correctly and tensioned as per manufacturer's specs.

Etc.

Now you know why it takes a bike shop about 1.5 hours to build a bike properly and why the œ70 you saved is not really worth it.

gkerr4

I'm fairly sure my lbs didn't bother checking any of the above and I would bet that a lot of others won't either.

imo - there is too much emphasis on "pay the extra for the service" around here - cos the service isn't always there either!

msb123

some people should pay the extra though - if the op was confident assembling the bike he wouldn't have had to ask.

jhon

OK, like I said, I didn't know it was going to arrive in it's half assembled form.. if I did, I would have gladly paid the œ70.

Down the Road

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gkerr4</i>

I'm fairly sure my lbs didn't bother checking any of the above and I would bet that a lot of others won't either.

imo - there is too much emphasis on "pay the extra for the service" around here - cos the service isn't always there either!
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That's the standard check, If LBS not doing that then their PDI is at fault