How many rides before first service

[RabbitFood]

Hi all

I hae been out on my bike 8 times now and was woundering how long I need to give it before its first service, I have an Allez 09. This is my first bike of this kind and altho it feels that it is all still working fine to me I do need to get the breaks and gears checked dont i?

My LBS will do the simple check for £25 so its not a problem as very cheap.

Also last question and dont shoot me down remeber im new, but when I want to change from the small front gear to the big gear it will only do this once the back gear is on the smalledy cog is that right or do my gears need looking at?

Thanks
Rabbit

 

[ianrauk]

A LBS will usually give a new bike a free first service.
Check with them that is the case.
Usually after a month just to check over the cables as on new bikes they usually stetch.

As to your second question, see above..

 

[grhm]

As Ian says, the LBS ought to give a free first service once thing have settled in - new cables can stretch and need adjusting.

As to the gear changing, if you saying you can only change from the small to large chainring (gears at front) when you're in the smallest cog at the back - that sounds wrong - I'd take it into the LBS and ask if they can fix it - should be a 5min job and a good LBS will do it free to keep you happy and coming back.

 

[RabbitFood]

Yes that is what I was saying and i thought it was wrong but you never know I am new to road bikes only ever been on MTB.

Ill get bike shop to check it for me, thanks

Rabbit

 

[fossyant]

Also start reading up on how to maintain and clean your bike - it will save you a small fortune.

 

[RabbitFood]

yes started reading up on that last week, will pick the LBS bike shop brains at the weekend too hehe

 

[marinyork]

I disagree that £25 is either very cheap or cheap in the sense that they should really be offering it for free as you bought it off them.

 

[punkypossum]

My lbs said to bring it back after about 150 miles....

 

[RabbitFood]

I might not have said this clearly, i know my english is crap. I got my bike from the net so have not been in my LBS yet so cant really ask them to do for nothing and anyway £25 to make sure that it is running right is not much to ask, I am going on a bike course matenice day in a few weeks as well.

Thanks Rabbit

 

[marinyork]

Depends how expensive the parts are. At my LBS the shop would replace the gear cables, tweak and play around with the gears and breaks for less than £25, rather than stare at the bike and say that'll be £25 please. I don't believe in so called safety checks, only services that physically include something and it is stated very explicitly.

 

[RabbitFood]

so what adivice to a newbiee who to be honest could not tell the differece between a bike before and after it was serived its very hard to tell i bet?

maye joining a club will be my best bet

 

[marinyork]

I'd not advise anybody to join a club unless it was clearly suitable, others here would. It is entirely upto you.

My tips would be to get on the bike maintenance course.

If you go to the shop question them about what you get for the service and get them to write down that they will tweak the gear cabling so it works (I find it quite hard to tweak the rear gearing) and tweak the brakes. Make sure they write it down and get them to give you a copy. If they start being vague and evasive walk out the shop and never go back.

 

[Mike Rudkin]

If you go to the shop question them about what you get for the service and get them to write down that they will tweak the gear cabling so it works (I find it quite hard to tweak the rear gearing) and tweak the brakes. Make sure they write it down and get them to give you a copy. If they start being vague and evasive walk out the shop and never go back.

I've bought 3 bikes from my LBS-they know I am quite capable of doing my own maintenance and checking theirs-but I don't make a point of it !
I have built up a good relationship with them,and now get discounts and a few freebies (like a skewer to attach my wife's MTB to my Cycleops trainer so she can check out her knew knee B4 we try a trip)

 

[marinyork]

I've bought 3 bikes from my LBS-they know I am quite capable of doing my own maintenance and checking theirs-but I don't make a point of it !
I have built up a good relationship with them,and now get discounts and a few freebies (like a skewer to attach my wife's MTB to my Cycleops trainer so she can check out her knew knee B4 we try a trip)

Similarly I have a good enough relationship with my LBS. I tried several other LBSs before them and they were liars, snobs and charlatans. This problem arises mostly with "services", what people expect and what shops offer vary wildly both in terms of price and what you get. You really have to pin shops down to what you're getting. If people turn upto to a random LBS and ask for a service and then it still comes back with the same problems, don't be surprised is all I'm saying. It is not rude at all to spell out areas of concern. I've made these mistakes myself and had shops being arsey about it.

My LBS always writes down what they are going to do, their choice and I am very happy with it. They also don't believe in "services". I believe those that do offer services should state very explicitly what you do and don't get.

 

[Banjo]

Hi Rabbit food. Im also on a steep lerarning curve with bikes. I found this video about adjusting the rear gears usefull.

http://bikehacks.com/shimano-gear-adjustment-video-tutorial/