Hello! Relative newbie!

daveysue

Hello guys and gals, I'm a relative newbie for cycling. It's something I want to get back into to lose some weight after I quit smoking. I used to be quite fit (kung fu and kettle bells), but a sedate ex gf and in all honesty myself being lazy the weight has piled on
Anyway I really want to start commuting to work again, I live about 7 miles from the office. I have literally just bought a Boardman comp. Basically because I didnt want to spend too much initially and its for work. I know that halfords have a fairly ropey track record, well the "mechanics" do anyway. I took the bike out for a 37 mile ride today, and the front disc was squeaking when my weight was over the right hand side of the bike (especially when accelerating). Is this just a case of waiting for things to settle down? I did read a rather amusing albeit alarming thread on here about the bar ends, is this something i need to concern myself with? My old bike is a super reliable Giant XTC Road series (nexus 7 hub) is pretty much self maintained, what should i be doing regularly to ensure the boardman is kept in tip top condition (specifically thinking gears and discs).

Apologies if this is a bit long, just lots of questions

Initialised

Check caliper alignment. I think noise when you lean is normal especially on carbon forks as they flex a bit when cornering.

wandsworth

I have a Boarman Comp, and it's proved to be a great bike once I got it properly set up. If you did 37 miles and that was the only issue then it's probably OK but I would suggest getting your local bike shop to give the bike a once-over just to be sure it's set up properly.

As for maintenance, at the very least clean it every few weeks (every couple of weeks in winter), especially gears and chain, with grime remover, and lube up the chain afresh. It's amazing what a difference that makes. Also the Comp is white so it shows the dirt ...

daveysue

Thanks guys, appreciate the responses. My biking friend suggested i should buy a tool to monitor chain wear, a small gauge to indicate when the chain needs replacing. Oh he also suggested some marathon plus tyres. I took the bike out for a quick blast along the local cycle path, and apart from a few noisey gears (especially the highest gear, fastest) the bike is great. As much as I love the slinky tyres, I'd be curious as to the biggest tyre size i could fit onto the bike.

I dont want to slow the bike down too much. Years ago I used to own a claud butler mountain bike which i fitted with 2.3 inch tyres on, it was like darth vader was sat on the handle bars when i used it on a cycle path!

MichaelW

Cables stretch over the first few rides so the noise may disappear as the brake blocks separate more.

Don't forget to bed in your brakes. The procedure should be searchable on bikeradar.

The stock tyres are OK for commuting, I would leave them be until the end of summer unless you get a slew of flats. Marathon Plus are quite a bit heavier and best suited to urban commutes and bikes where changing the wheel is a PITA. I opted for the std Marathon and a flat every year or 2 rather than the PLUS and no flats.

rubertoe

I can assure you that marathon plus's are no guarantee not to flat.

when my M+ finally die and the rear is pretty close i am going to give the duranos a go (and the probably revert back to gatorskins).

mr_eddy

I agree the noise is probably just the pads wearing in, after another 100 miles or so it should be better.

A few tips that I have picked up in my years commuting:

1. Cleaning - A weekly clean not only is a good for the soul but it also gives you the chance to check for simple stuff like making sure all the allen bolts and nuts are tight, new bikes tend to neat things tightening up after the first 100 miles or so as components get bedded in. Also worth checking any cables as again after a 100 miles or so cables may have naturally streched to a different position so some slight tweaking may be required on the rear mech for example.

2. Lube - after a clean lube the chain with suitable stuff, I use dry lube in the summer and wet lube in the winter. Remember to wipe of any excess by running the chain through a old cloth, if you just leave it on there you end up with a big build up which is just as bad as no lube, you will end up skipping gears and getting grit and grime sticking the the chain.

3. Tyres - Most important thing is correct pressures, as a general rule I aim to get my tyres to 90% of the psi max (written on tyre side wall), any less and you risk pinch punctures and any more tends to be too harsh a ride. As others have said dont worry too much about tyre choice, the tyres that came with the bike will be fine. If you do want to upgrade wait until they are worn then upgrade according to requirements (light thin tires good for speed but bad for punctures whereas thicker rubber will be more sturdy but harder to get up to speed).

4. If you plan to commute I would recommend several pairs of padded lycra shorts, they are cheap from amazon and make such a difference. By having multiple pairs you can always have a pair in the wash as wearing shorts for multiple days encourages saddle sores etc.

5. Clear tape - When I have had a new bike in the past the first thing I did was to put clear tape (helicopter style tape) on the areas of the frame where cables tend to rub, if not you will end up with worn paint.

Enjoy the bike.

daveysue

Thanks guys, once again appreciate the responses. I have to admit, I've never heard of bedding in discs, so thank you. I have to admit i was surprised by the disc brakes. But not in the way i was expecting, they are effective don't get me wrong. But not the "wow" factor, which others have led me to believe (which i guess is people coming straight from caliper bakes). The drum brakes on the XTC perform to roughly the same standard.

And again thank you for the feedback on the marathon plus tyres. Last thing i want to do is fritter away money needlessly. I just loathe punctures ( not that anybody likes them!) so if i can be pointed in a direction which reduces them is fantastic. I will make sure i keep the pressure nice and high

Oh I used to be quite regimented with cleaning my car, and yes it gives you an ideal opportunity to check the tyres, air pressure, oil and washer fluid levels. So doing that with the bike will be great. In my haste for a bargain i picked up a topeak v type carrier bar. I'm not sure its really suitable for my needs (i think its for a full suspension bike). So think i may stick it on ebay and look for another one. Oh and thank you for the clear tape tip!