Done about 30 miles in my new bike now and have noticed some minor problems with it which I hope is just teething issues.
1) It will not go into the high gears, if it is a car it would only go into 4th and not 5th but the rest change very smoothly.
2) I did some minor off roading today (on a gravel track and grass) and one of my rear brake pads has come loose, I assume it was never tightened properly.
Is it worth taking the bike back for adjustment or can I do this myself? I am sure I can sort the brake pad out but I have no idea how to adjust the gears easily.
|
|
PS I really enjoy riding my bike and have been using it a little bit as transport too.
|
Peasy easy fix Rattle. First check that the gear cable is still firmly attached. Look down at the rear "changer" There will be two little adjuster screws which control the range of movement. Simply let out the one which allows "outward" movement a couple of turns.
If you want loads of tips have a nosey on "bikeradar"
|
|
Thanks I will check that out tomorrow when I go down to my lockup.
|
Don't give it more than half a turn at a time.
Adjust it too much and the chain can drop off the last cog and jam between the gears and the frame - voice of experience.
|
Bikerader is one place Cycle Chat is another (similar history to HJ and this place).
All bikes need a shakedown check after 100 or so miles. I had exactly the same problems with my then new second Brommie last year. Cables stretch as they run in, HD is spot on on sorting the gear issue.
Just re-tighten the loose brake shoe making sure it's correctly aligned to the rim then check every nut from front to back; there's lkely to be more than one that has worked loose.
|
Thanks, better find that damn wrench then!
Must say apart from this I have been impressed, the saddle is uncomfortable but I shall get some cyceling clothes to help with that. I am very impressed with how the simple fawlk suspension copes with all the bumps I can ride at 10mph on rough terrain without any problems.
I am also thinking of maybe upgrading my tyres or putting some slime on too as I am a bit worried about getting a puncture. I don't want to ring the bycicle AA saying "a punctured bycicle on a hillside desolate".
But the frame and everything seems decent so I will probably slowly start upgrading things and probably in a couple of years time buy my first serious bycicle. Its not just exercise it gets me away from computers and I think about things.
|
I think about things.
Beer ? :-)
Ted
|
Beer works on a Saturday night because I have Sunday off. I am pretty much sort of on call the rest of the week so no beer. I do sometimes drink during the week but its rare. Looking forward to a drinking session on Friday, it won't be anything like 10 pints though.
|
I certainly hope not, dear boy.
I'm sure I saw your liver being pursued by two dogs up Manchester Road the other weekend !
Ted
|
|
Don't let my mate see this, he won't be happy you describing his girlfriend and sister as dogs!!
|
>>
>> I am also thinking of maybe upgrading my tyres or putting some slime on too
>> as I am a bit worried about getting a puncture. I don't want to ring
>> the bycicle AA saying "a punctured bycicle on a hillside desolate".
>>
I've just sold my old faithful (on Ebay). It had Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres and I hadn't had a puncture in 4 years of commuting on road and gravel track. They have a kevlar belt under the tread which is supposed to affect the handling if you worry about such things.
|
I think Rattle has got a good bike for the money, but it makes no sense to me to do much in the way of upgrading a £160 Raleigh.
Sure, put decent tyres on if the others wear, but put the rest of the budget towards buying a new bike in a year or two.
£5 a week saved for two years would put Rattle into really nice machine territory.
|
|
Spending a fortune on a bike won't make it any better-you need to work on your fitness-not throw money at a bike.
|
>> Spending a fortune on a bike won't make it any better
I would rephrase that as 'you don't need to spend a fortune on a bike to make it better' - it's possible to buy better components eg. just a comfier saddle, but whether it's worth it of course is another matter. My commuter bike was £160 a few years ago and so far I've only changed the brake blocks and the rear tyre (which is now slightly smaller than the front!).
>> you need to work on
>> your fitness-not throw money at a bike.
If the bike is more fun/comfortable to ride, or less likely to leave you stranded if you invest in better (ie. more puncture resistant) tyres, then you might be more likely to use it.
|
Rattle don't bother with new tyres etc - thats you worrying about something again before it has happened!! Snap out of it!!
Just carry a spare tube in your rucksack.
|
>> Just carry a spare tube in your rucksack.
And make sure you know how to use it!
The earlier comment about wrenches was probably a throwaway but a decent bike toolkit, paritculary the basics for roadside repairs is a must.
|
The tutorials here are pretty good.
bicycletutor.com/
|
And don't forget your tuning fork, steel plectrum and tiny spanner for tuning your wheel spokes Shakerattleandroll...
There's much more to the velocipede than there is to the steam carriage young man.
|
Rattle.......................do you wear Lycra?
Pat:)
|
...Rattle.......................do you wear Lycra?...
Pat,
I'm afraid you've revealed your ignorance of cycling matters.
Only the road racing whippets wear Lycra.
As a cross-country man, Rattlo will be clad in loose fitting longish shorts and a T-shirt advertising an imagined American brand of clothing.
|
Hmmmph, no fun there then.
Highlight of a female lorry drivers day is when a leather clad rear end overtakes them or when they overtake a lycra clad cyclist!
Pat
|
Rattle,
if you've a Lidl nearby, then they are doing their cycling gear on Monday (22nd). There are some pretty good jackets, tops, trousers, there's a repair kit and bag that would be very helpful- you could even pick up some not-bad shoes if needed.
I've used their stuff (and Aldi) for a few years now and for everyday cycling kit it cant be beat. I'll be picking up some clothing bits and bobs, probably a new jacket, plus a repair kitbag for the Kona I've been doing some commuting on recently.
acr
|
...Highlight of a female lorry drivers day...
And the highlight of a male driver's day is presumably his transport caff breakfast.
Would be for me, anyway.
|
Well there's the difference between male a female iih, men think about their food and women.........:)
Pat
|
there's bike gear available in Lidl from today, in case anyone's interested.
Cycle computer for £4 works very nicely...
www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//lidl_uk/hs.xsl/offerdate.htm?offerdate=8872&idcheck=true&ar2=&ERR=IDNOTFOUND
|
Minor bike problems already - RattleandSmoke
