This is my first real bike and have a few questions. Mainly about scuff marks and shifting. First, are scuff marks on the rims, just a necessary hazard? Because I already have one. It's not in the part of the rim that the breaks are. It's lower. Second, shifting guidelines. I noticed today that certain shift configurations I hear a slight buzzing sound when I peddle. Thanks in advance.
Turns out the scuff marks were only the stickers that they put on the rims. I just peeled them off. But I have another question. Several screws on the chain guide (what do you call this) aren't flush. Would a bike shop really screw this up? These screws I'm sure were machine lathed, and if you don't get them perfect you can easily cross thread them.
You have 8 speeds in the rear so if you go with weird configurations like largest in front and rear it will not be pleasant. Most of the time keep the chain in a straight line.
Figured that out. Got any input on the screw situation. Is it normal for screws to not be flush but having the majority of the threads on the screws show.
I think you might be talking about the adjustment screws for either the front or rear derailleurs. If the bike shop left them like that then they are fine.
You can probably slightly adjust you're front derailleur to eliminate the sound. If you can't figure out how to do it check with the bike shop to see if it's possible and if so how to do it. http://www.ehow.com/video_5774032_trim-front-bicycle-d_railleur-gears.html
Yeah that's it. Derailleurs are the things the chain goes through right? So these screws are supposed to be adjustable then?
Dude, I just watched that video and he might as well been talking rocket science to me. I have absolutely no idea what he was saying LOLOLOL
That is great part about buying from a dealer. They take care of all that. Just ride it then take it in after the cables stretch to get it tuned again.
Got a question, my front wheel looks out of alignment, it seems minor because the rim is not hitting the break pads. I was thinking about buying a spoke wrench and tightening the loose spokes. I would like to avoid having to buy a truing stand if possible. Any advice on this?
What... it really sounds like you should take the bike in to the dealer and have them take a quick look. The derailleur, brakes, and wheel true adjustments are all very minor fixes for a bike mechanic. Down the road it would really benefit you to learn how these simple adjustments work, but with a new bike you really should have the dealer earn their margin and make sure all the correct adjustments are made. If you didn't buy it from a dealer I'd still suggest having the closest dealer take a look... for a minimal charge you will get the bike running right and develop a relationship with a dealer for future needs.
The rim not being aligned could be something as simple as the wheel not seated properly on the fork, or the brakes/pads could be misaligned. You'd probably be best to take it to where you bought it or developing a relationship with the local bike shop. REI does a lot of small things for free, and Bike Barn is usually run by nice people too.
I just flew over my handlebars today. I was probably vertical before my weight landed pulled me backover and my hand caught the asphalt and I slid to a stop and fell over. Damn this bike is dangerous. Especially for a guy like me I can't seem to grasp the concept of how fast I am going and how quickly something can go wrong.
Yah, they are suppose to be adjustable, but don't mess around with them unless you are willing to take the time to learn how (or willing to take it back to the shop). From experience I can tell you I've royally screwed up my shifting by being overzealous on trying to adjust things myself. But its a good way to learn. As for the buzzing, typically you aren't supposed to be cross chained. Where the front gear is in the big and the rear is in the small or vice versa. You'll almost always get some type of buzzing or rubbing that way.
i figured out why the chain was rattling. when i shift my front 3 gears my shifter has dead gears, meaning i have only 3 gears but my shifter has 5 shift positions and if i shift to say 4th position on my shifter my chain is in limbo. dont know if i caused that or not
I think I follow what you mean. Say you are shifting from the front middle to the front big gear. Does it go too far and start rubbing and you have to tap the downshift for the derailleur to align properly? If that is what you mean, some shifters have that adjustment built in on purpose. If you push the shifter all the way to move to the front big gear and your rear is in one of the biggers cogs, you'll have to tap to make that adjustment. If your rear is in the small, it should line up without needing that tap. If can you shift past the front big ring and the chain comes off, then yah it's aligned way off.
You should look into joining a bicycle club that has organized group rides. They're a great resource for beginners and should teach you the basics (and more) on how to ride. You'll also feel a lot safer riding on public roads with a group, a safety in numbers type of thing. Get a cyclocomputer , it will tell you exactly how fast you are going. They're not expensive and easy to install.
