New bike installation

jhon
jhon Posts: 37
edited June 2007 in Road beginners
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?

Comments

  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Yes see if it fits you!!!!

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


    SIZE IS EVERYTHING! or at least that's what my LBS tells me.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    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
    Garybee Posts: 815
    <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.

    Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

    Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.
  • <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.
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    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
    msb123 Posts: 274
    some people should pay the extra though - if the op was confident assembling the bike he wouldn't have had to ask.
  • jhon
    jhon Posts: 37
    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.
  • <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!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    That's the standard check, If LBS not doing that then their PDI is at fault
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting