Constructing a childs bike

[dizietsma]

My 6 year olds bike arrived today. I had to put on the pedals, seat, the handlebar and the front wheel and after 2 hours I'm a man sobbing into my beer as the job I promised my wife was child's play has turned into a nightmare of epic proportions.

There's only one gear and that was already assembled. The back wheel was already assembled with the chain on. Those two bits were easy as someone else had done them

The front wheel I had to let the air out of to get past the brakes. No sweat. The brakes are sticking but no problem as I have that one sussed. The seat and it's stalk went on fine. Lets get ready to RUMBLE.....

Or lets get ready to fumble and then tumble

I can get one pedal on but not the other. I spent 45 minutes trying to get the thread to catch on R pedal after L pedal went on in 2 seconds. At this stage I am blaming manufacturing of course, not the assembler.

Then the handlebars would go on but not tighten with the standard wedge - nut routine. My brand new bike is rapidly looking like something approaching a 5 year old vintage off ebay with all the scratches it has got as I try to beat it into submission.

What a fubbing bustard. Here it is -

http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/blowfish.htm

Looks so innocent doesn't it? Maybe I should have gone for a girly

http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/princess-16-.htm

Even I could have glued those tassles on!

So I am taking it down the bike shop tomorrow to see what the professionals can do. Oh man, I can build an entire PC up from all the components yet cannot bolt 3 bits of metal together.

Anyway, I'm over it now, 4 beers later and just about to play Titan Quest I'm back in my element as a sad computer geek. Learn from my mistake, it's a tough world out there, don't even bother......




.

 

[the maddman]

The threads on one pedal are right hand threads. Did you try turning the pedal the "wrong" way?

 

[Humus]

I can get one pedal on but not the other. I spent 45 minutes trying to get the thread to catch on R pedal after L pedal went on in 2 seconds. At this stage I am blaming manufacturing of course, not the assembler.

I hope you realize that one pedal is threaded the other way. One pedal screws on clockwise, like you would expect, the other screws on counterclockwise, which can be highly confusing the first time you assemble a bike. But it's for a reason, you don't want the pedal to slowly loosen when you're riding the bike, so they are threaded the way that when you apply a force on the pedal you're essentially tightening it. This is usually explained in the assembly manual.

 

[epicstruggle]

This is usually explained in the assembly manual.

Never read the manual..... never!

 

[dizietsma]

The threads on the other way round .. oh my God! Nooooo...


I suppose it makes sense.

The manual, that would be that collection of paper sheets with black characters on it would it?

I am Dumb and Dumbers third brother ...

 

[StefanS]

The front wheel I had to let the air out of to get past the brakes. No sweat. The brakes are sticking but no problem as I have that one sussed. The seat and it's stalk went on fine. Lets get ready to RUMBLE......

You never fixed a bike before have you? There's no need to let the air out to attach the front wheel. Just unhook the brakes (don't open the screw holding the brake cable, just unhook the small clamp holding the brake shoes together), that will leave enough room to get the tire past the brakes.

 

[dizietsma]

You never fixed a bike before have you? There's no need to let the air out to attach the front wheel. Just unhook the brakes (don't open the screw holding the brake cable, just unhook the small clamp holding the brake shoes together), that will leave enough room to get the tire past the brakes.

No, I certainly haven't ! If it needs anything more than air putting in the tyres I just get a new one.

The nice man at the shop said he would do it for £10 so sorted. While I was there I saw a nice Marin Novarto or some such which I will buy when I go and pick up my daughters. It will be pre-made of course!!

 

[Sxotty]

Let me give you the answer to your problems.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/

Repairing bikes is really quite, quite easy. I do all of my maintenance myself. I build my own wheels etc...

I don't always enjoy fiddling with suspension, but have done all that so far as well. I think I may send a fork off though as I don't have all the specialty tools to take it apart.

 

[Vadi]

Don't forget to check all screws on the bike because they tend to unthread a bit after the first rides and need to "settle". Check if the brake pads are correctly mounted.
Also

 

[dizietsma]

Thanks for the tips guys. Turns out my daughters bike did have an allen key ater all, it was just under a sticker. Shame the manual was not for her bike but for bikes in general.

That idot in the youtube video .. he'll never get to work at that rate, he needs to be able to ride ina straight line without wobbling so much he ends op on rocks and stuff.

 

[Simon F]

Don't forget to check all screws on the bike because they tend to unthread a bit after the first rides and need to "settle". .......
Also...

Clearly he didn't check... his saddle's fallen off!

 

[dizietsma]

Got my brand new bike home, all £500 of Marin Novato bike which is not the worlds best and will probably not give Bradley Wiggins any sleepless nights but it is the best bike I have ever had by far.

The brakes even slow you down! Anyhow just got it home and had it outside the front of the house and while looking for an Allen key asked my dear wife to make sure nobody half inched it. So I'm in the shed and she wonders in with an Allen key saying "Is this it" No and f*cking why are you not looking after my new bike like I asked you to?

So a domestic argument follows and she storms off in the car. So I finish adjusting my new pride and joy and then in my pique slam the garage door down only to find it bouncing off the seat of my new bike

Oh no! Check the bike out, phew lucky, just a scuff mark. Try to close the garage door and the thing has bust as the bounce made the wire that lets it go down slowly spring off the drum and get wedged behind it. I spent 45 minutes with a screwdriver but you know what my mechanical skills are like, so I ring up the garage door repairers who will charge me £90/$180 to fix it. He doesn't take cards so I have to get to an ATM for cash but the Astra is blocking the garage door so nobody can pinch the stuff out of it and our other car is out with the wife. Who is not answering calls...

This is supposed to be my holiday I'm on, and it's going really crappily.

Top tip, never argue with you wife over something not that important. I am polishing up my apology as we speak....

 

[Simon F]

Try to close the garage door and the thing has bust as the bounce made the wire that lets it go down slowly spring off the drum and get wedged behind it.

Yes. that happens to mine about twice a year (less now that we've got rid of our infestation of builders). You need to use a screwdriver as a lever to turn the spring at the top to slacken the wire so you can get it lined up correctly. The annoying bit is making sure the other side stays lined up as well.


PS: Working brakes are a good thing to have on a bike!