Picking up a new bike - What to check?

[SteveS Cup]

Hi guys,

So I'll be picking up my new bike tomorrow evening from Halfords and wondered if there's anything I should check before leaving which I may not of thought of.

So my checklist consists of Brakes and Gears! Once I get it home I'll make sure everything is tight! But anything important???

How long will it be until the gear cables stretch and need adjusting?

I've never had hydraulic brakes... do they need bedding in? Once bedded in will they need bleeding???

Help would be appreciated!

[Engineer1]

Check everything that should be tight is tight so check your pedals, etc and that everything that should have some play does.

[Mars]

SteveS Cup said:

Hi guys,

So I'll be picking up my new bike tomorrow evening from Halfords and wondered if there's anything I should check before leaving which I may not of thought of.

So my checklist consists of Brakes and Gears! Once I get it home I'll make sure everything is tight! But anything important???

How long will it be until the gear cables stretch and need adjusting?

I've never had hydraulic brakes... do they need bedding in? Once bedded in will they need bleeding???

Help would be appreciated!

As long as nothing falls off, or makes unatural noises, you should be OK. Generally things come to light withn minutes, hours and days. I adjusted a few things for personal taste on mine, including:

Handlebars for height/rotation
Brake centre (to stop rubbing)
Tyre pressures (I'm heavy and like tyres hard)
Seat height.

I have hydraulics too. I've never need to adjust them - they have a beautiful feel - no resistance at all until the brake pads touch the disc and then beautifully-modulated pressure.

[SteveS Cup]

Cool, nice one guys.

I won't be riding it home as I'll be going straight from work (it happens that I have a courtesy car atm which is 10x bigger than my own car so I'm thinking the bike should go straight in without even taking the front wheel off!).

So when I get home I'll make sure everything is tight etc.

I just hope the gears stay nice and lined up for a while!!!!!

[itsnotarace]

SteveS Cup said:

I just hope the gears stay nice and lined up for a while!!!!!

Are you capable of turning a barrel adjuster in small increments?

[SteveS Cup]

If I'm honest I have no idea how to adjust the gears... I was hoping to find a YouTube vid nearer the time!

[Beyond Rational]

Make sure you get the instruction manuals that you should with the bike. Get them to explain the fork to you if not sure.

Halfords will do a free adjustment check in the future (6 weeks, I think), so that is an option.

Then go home read the manuals and do the checks as stated, it's just good practice.

[curlie467]

I learnt how to do it via a video, you must learn to do it yourself and be able to look after the bike without being reliant on bike shops or other people, nothing worse than not being able to ride because you cant do something.
They are simple to work on.
Like others have said, just check everything is tight, with bedding in brakes, some recommend doing about 20 hard stops from about 15 mph and that should do it but to be honest, all i ever do is just ride the thing and they get better and better the more you ride.
Take some time in getting the seat in the right position and getting yourself comfortable, look at online guides regarding levers and handlebars so it all feels nice.

[SteveS Cup]

Thanks guys, I intend to look after it myself mostly, Halfords have offered me a 3 year care plan for half price so I'm going to take it up.

I won't lie, I'm not the most compitent with spanners, never have been, I'm very keen though! My brother and dad is / was mechanics so I'm forunate that they know which end of the screw driver to use!

[henrycrun]

mmm. Check front forks are the right way round

[Flippin' Kipper]

henrycrun said:

mmm. Check front forks are the right way round

Was going to say that

May be worth whipping the pedals off and greasing the threads if they are not done already.

[shalmaneser]

Flippin' Kipper said:

Was going to say that

May be worth whipping the pedals off and greasing the threads if they are not done already.

really should have been done.

[Flippin' Kipper]

shalmaneser said:

Flippin' Kipper said:

Was going to say that

May be worth whipping the pedals off and greasing the threads if they are not done already.

really should have been done.

Yes... but this is Halfords, who knows what they do.

A Boardman.

[shouldbworking]

After having the experience of checking over someones newly purchased hybrid from halfords I would say :

Everything.

particularly I guess i'd be looking for properly tensioned spokes so you dont buckle a wheel first time out.. not from halfords but I have done this. Also bottom bracket and chainring bolts.

[anonymous-user]

Once took a road bike out for a test ride.

20 metres, and the bars slipped round in the stem clamp. Back to the shop, tightened.

100 metres, first turn. Turn the bars and the front wheel keeps pointing forwards. Back to the shop, other end of the stem tightened.

Liked the bike (!) so bought it.

Two weeks later I was riding back from a long ride and the chain was jumping all over the front rings. I suspected a stretched cable. Got home and had a look. Three of the five bolts on the spider were still there, all very loose. The other two had long since fallen out.

A week after that on a long descent and almighty whine suddenly came from the rear wheel. Managed to stop to find that one of the brake shoes had rotated 90 degrees. Loose bolt, would you believe?

So yeah, check everything.

[SteveS Cup]

Wow! OK, the guy who I dealt with at Halfords was very "in to" his bikes and answered every question I had which gave me confidence in their ability and knowledge with bikes... I'll probably go over all the major bits and apply a bit of grease etc.

Please tell me the forks is a ph piss take of halfords!?

[Comfortably Dumb]

SteveS Cup said:

Wow! OK, the guy who I dealt with at Halfords was very "in to" his bikes and answered every question I had which gave me confidence in their ability and knowledge with bikes... I'll probably go over all the major bits and apply a bit of grease etc.

Please tell me the forks is a ph piss take of halfords!?

But can you be sure that this is the guy that will assemble your bike? I'd check everything.

[anonymous-user]

The bike will have been delivered to the shop 90% built, back wheel on, gears indexed. All they do is fit front wheel / handle bars / saddle / peddles. I'd check handle bars mainly as my last bike from local high st shop left them loose which could have been nasty!

[BOR]

SteveS Cup said:

Please tell me the forks is a ph piss take of halfords!?

Not Halfords, BUT......

I leave work last week, and see a girl struggling with her stem/bars.

"Would you like to use my tool (fnarr, fnarr, knowworrimean eh?)."
"I've got the tools, I just don't know how what to do"

To cut a long story short, she had just bought this bike and the bars were rotated downwards, and whilst the fork was pointing in the right direction, the stem had been rotated around backwards , presumably to reduce space during transport. So yes, it can happen.

[lingus75]

Some of the lads who work in Halfords are real enthusiasts. Admittedly, you will get some muppets but most of the ones I have encountered are pretty good.

I would say check all bikes, whether from Halfords or not as you will be the one crashing if its not right.