Beginner Issues

skitz
skitz Posts: 44
edited July 2007 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi all..I'm new here and new to the world of MTB...so please be gentle with me! :wink:

I just got a GT Avalanche 2.0 Disc and have a few questions about gears and brakes:

1. In the smallest chainring I can shift between all the sprokets no probs, but the chain still makes a bit of a noise..I think it's rubbing against the middle chainring..anything I can do about that? is it a problem?

2. The disc rotors on the rear brake rub against the calipers at the moment when the wheel rotates. I've tried to bend the rotors slightly (as I've seen on several web sites). This seems to fix the problem temporarily but it usually comes back. I'm a bit wary of putting too much effort into the bending, but I can be rougher if that will help?
Tekro don't have any instructions in the manual for adjusting the brakes. I tried loosening the bolt on the side (torx fitting) but this had no effect. Bearing in mind the bike is pretty new and I've not been able to use it much because of the rain, will this go away once the brakes are 'bedded in'?

Appreciate any help you can give me!! :)

Best wishes,
Stu

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    as the bike is so new any issuse should be sorted by the shop not you.

    please have a read of parktool, linky in sig, as it has some great articles on setting up grears and brakes. amongst many other articals.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    Brakes
    As Nick said, get the shop to sort it for you

    Gears
    When selecting gears you should always be aiming for the stragihtest chainline possible. Middle to middle, inside to inside, outside to outside. If you are riding on both of the smallest cogs or both of the largest, then your chain is travelling diagonally. You will get noise, you will possibly get it catching on the middle ring, and you will wear the chain out more quickly.

    There is enough overlap on the gear ratios to not have to put the chain at such an angle.
    __________________________________________________________
    <font>What we need is a new, national <b>White Bicycle Plan</b></font>
  • skitz
    skitz Posts: 44
    Thanks for your advice, guys! :)

    problem with taking it back to the shop is that I got it online..so a serious pain in the a$$ to get it back to them for adjustments. If I have any serious or persistent problems I'll take it to a local bike shop and stump up some cash for the peace-of-mind....however....

    Good news is that I took it out for about an hour of riding round the local streets today after tweaking the brake rotor again. It seems to be much better now. If I listen very carefully in a quiet room I can just about hear a faint 'whoosh' as the rotor brushes one of the pads every so slightly occasionally...but I think I can live with this...things can only improve as the pad wears down anyway I guess!

    Gearing seems to be ok as well..although I learned all about 'cross-chaining' when the chain jumped off the big ring and into the plastic guard...lesson learned..shift chainrings in the 'middle' gears- sound about right?

    Anyway, had loads of fun experimenting and mucking around and looking forward to getting onto some trails real soon.

    Thanks again!!!!! :D

    Stu

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