I Just Bought a Bike Online. Now What?

This is a question that we get from a lot of clients here at BfG.  Some bike brands are selling consumer direct, and with Amazon, Competitive Cyclist, Performance, Toys R Us, Target and Wal-Mart being such easy and affordable options for people looking to buy a new bike, a lot of folks get that big bike box delivered and as excited as they are to get it, that excitement quickly shifts to fear once the box gets opened and they see what's in front of them.  Our first piece of advice?  RELAX!  You definitely have some work to do, but it's absolutely within your capabilities (provided you have an opposable thumb and the right tools).

So what should you do if you find yourself with a brand new bike and a bit of insecurity about assembling it?  Well our first response is to book an appointment with Beers For Gears and let us do all the work for you!  In a lot of cases, we have taught people what they need to know to be able to do it themselves.  But if you are really motivated to do it yourself, here are the basics.  And if you see something we missed, feel free to chime in via the comments below.  Note that this is the down & dirty version.  This list will get your bike rideable, but definitely have it checked out by a professional at some time in the very near future.

Step One - Unbox

Bikes are assembled overseas and are packaged in a way that will ensure they make it to you with little to no damage.  Think about it.  That bike started in an assembly factory, got put in the box, then put on a truck, then loaded into a shipping container with a couple of thousand others.  It then sailed for 25+ days on the ocean only to be unloaded and re-loaded onto a truck, put into a warehouse, then loaded up and shipped to another warehouse before finally getting loaded back onto a delivery truck where it was probably thrown on your front door by a guy in a delivery outfit who was not happy about lifting it out of the back.  You see why there is lots of packaging?

So tear off all the foam, cardboard and anything else that looks like it doesn't need to be there when riding.  A lot of this stuff is recyclable, so please put it in the appropriate container.  There should be a box with accessories in it (pedals, reflectors, stem, brakes, it all depends).  Be sure to pull everything out of that box and set it all aside.

 

Step Two - Grease

The biggest oversight that people make is not greasing the seatpost and stem.  Ungreased parts will corrode together, essentially welding your seatpost and/or handlebar in place.  Use something like a Park Polylube to put a thin layer on the inside of the seatpost and the inside of your steerer tube (provided you have a quill-type stem.  That's the one that the doesn't wrap around the steerer).  While you are at it, grease the threads of the holes where the pedals will thread in so they don't seize together as well.

 

Step Three - Install the wheels and inflate the tires.

The rear wheels is typically already installed so that's half the battle!  On the front, if it is a bolt-on wheel center it in the dropouts and tighten the nuts. On a bolt-on wheel, you will likely have some "lawyer tabs" that look like washers with tabs on them that need to be installed.  These go around the axle and the tabs should stick into existing holes in the fork.  If you don't put these on correctly, be ready to visit the emergency room.

On a quick release front wheel, but a bit ofr grease on the skewer, slide it through the axle and put on the wheel.  Note that a properly installed Q/R will be on the non drive side (the side without the chain) and pointing up or back when in the closed position.

 

Step Four - Adjust brakes

Depending on the type of brakes that come on your bike, you will need to adjust them accordingly.  Bottom line is that you need to make sure the pads line up with the rim (when they are contacting the rim after you squeeze the levers) and that they are toed-in slightly.

 

Step Five  - Adjust shifting

If your bike has more than one chainring in the front and more than one gear/cog in the back you will want to adjust your derailleurs to ensure you can use all those gears.  There are LOTS of tutorials on the interwebs.  Just search "adjust derailleurs" and you will find hours of videos.

 

Step Six - Install any remaining parts

This includes saddle (seat), pedals (pay attention to left vs. right and how they are threaded), reflectors, pads, and anything else that came in that parts box.

 

Step Seven - RTFM

That stands for Read the Friendly (or insert another F-word of choice) Manual.  There are lots of tips on how to check for different issues and safety checks in there.  Don't overlook it!

Step Eight - GO RIDE!!!!!!!!

And then pay attention to anything that feels or sounds weird.  Cables stretch, spokes settle in, tires get seated.  If something seems weird, fix it!

Bottom line is don't let the overwhelming idea of building a bike up get in the way of you puling the trigger on buying one.  You can do it!  And if you can't, just bring it to us.  We promise not to charge double if you tried working on it first.

The Case for Mass Market Bikes

"Mass market bikes suck!"

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that line I could probably start my own bike company.  It was a common mantra amongst my colleagues when I worked in the bike industry and it's definitely a mindset owned by a lot of cyclists I talk to.  Head over to pinkbike.com and scroll through any Mongoose, GT or IronHorse thread.  You'll see what I mean.

For clarification purposes, a "Mass Bike" is one that is purchased at a big box retailer (i.e. Wal-Mart, Target, Toys R Us, etc.) and NOT through a specialty bike shop (i.e. a shop that carries Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant or any of the other "specialty" brands).  They are typically priced below $250 and are either wheeled out of the store or carried home in the box.

Something like this:

We have been taking in a good amount of "Mass Bikes" and after talking to our latest client, I thought I'd chime in with a thought.

Mass Market Bikes are awesome.

While they typically weigh a lot more and the parts aren't as nice and aren't put together properly at the store, if you are shopping for a new bike, don't overlook one as a viable option.  As you may have read in another post, one of the big motivators to start Beers For Gears was the fact that most people just don't ride a ton and as a result, don't need to spend a ton of money on a yearly tuneup.  That same thinking applies to buying a bike.  If you are just getting into riding or you just want something to cruise around 1-2 times a week why spend multiple hundreds of dollars on a bike you just aren't going to use?

Now that being said, make sure your bike is set up and running properly.  That is the biggest thing that gets in the way of enjoying the ride and owning it for a long time.  No matter if you own a mass bike or a "bike shop bike", a poorly maintained or maladjusted bike is hard to ride and wears down faster.  We have actually spent less time tuning up Mass bikes than bike shop bikes.  Reason being, they are often ridden less and as a result are less worn out.


Here's couple of instances where it might make more sense to buy a mass bike over a bike shop bike:
1.  You are looking for a kids bike - My kids ride mass bikes.  Because they are four years old and will grow out of them.  We are already on bike #2 for both of them
2.  You are new to cycling - Don't drop a ton of money on something when you are just starting out.  If you were going fishing for the first time and needed a new pole, would you pick up a $30 rod and reel or a $300 one?    
3.  You only ride short distances - You don't need an epic bike if you aren't doing an epic ride.
4.  You don't ride that often - See the paragraph above.
5.  It's a temporary bike - Self explanatory
6.  You live near the ocean - See #4.  If you own a bike that spends most of its time near salt water, congrats.  You own a temporary bike.

In full transparency, I don't ride a mass bike; I ride a bike shop bike.  I used to ride a ton (and hope to again soon) and like having the better quality, lighter weight stuff.  But I clean and lube and maintain it regularly, just like I woud if it were a mass bike.

Whether you ride a bike shop bike or a mass bike though, one thing is important to remember... keep the rubber side down.  Happy riding!

Why We Exist

If you made it this far, you are contemplating bringing your bike in for a tuneup.  I'll start by saying we'd be honored to work on your bike!

Beers For Gears started as a pet project for me.  My day job has me working a lot (but never more than I want to!) and I needed an outlet.  I've been out of the bike industry for a couple of years now and I miss the relaxation of spending time tuning up my bikes and the satisfaction that comes with having a well-performing bike (read: quiet the brakes don't rub and all the gears work).  Plus, I still have all my tools and a sweet work space in the basement.

My old workspace, New one looks even better! 

In looking around at available options for people, it became clear that in order to get your bike tuned up around here, you need to part with at least $60.  Having worked in bicycle retail and service for a few years, I can confidently say that most people don't need $60 worth of work done to their bike every year.  Most folks need air in the tires, the chain lubed, gears adjusted and a quick wipe-down.  Gee, just the stuff I love to do, and I have to say am pretty good at doing!

One thing I have also gotten pretty good at doing is finding new beers that I like.  And that has been fun!

So I decided to put those two things together.  I wanted to offer a resource for people who need simple maintenance done to their bike(s) and I also wanted to stock my beer fridge.

Therein lies the beauty of Beers for Gears.  You bring me your bike.  I fix it.  You compensate me in cash, beer or some combination of the two.   I have rates, and I can negotiate as well.  It's a pretty sweet gig.

A GREAT way to compensate me for my work

Beers for Gears is here to help people who don't want to go to a bike shop and get work done.  They are the people who prefer to support a neighborhood guy who gets the job done just as well.  The kind of guy who you would trust to work on your bike and then still throw back a beer with.  That's me.  I'm here to help.  And I'm good at both (working on bikes and drinking beer)

Most of my marketing will be done via Facebook, so if you haven't already, head over to our page and like us.  There you can set up appointments, comment on the work that has been done and see what we have been up to.  Feel free to subscribe to this blog as well.  I'll share repair and maintenance tips every now and again.

Looking forward to helping you keep the rubber side down.

RZ