My new bike has arrived...and newbie questions

[Andrea]

Seen I bombarded you guys with so many questions about Specialized bikes recently, I though I let you know about the outcome as well.

Last weekend my Specialized Allez Triple (Size 54 cm, with a shorter stem for the handle bars) arrived.
I took it out for a little ride on Sunday and it was great!! I haven't ridden a bike in years and never really been on out a road bike before. But it was all a lot easier than I expected. Despite that London traffic.

I covered 8.5 miles to a train station further down the line towards my work and because the next train home was 45 min away, I went all the way back again (still the train would have been faster ).

I am really happy about this good start to a long and happy relationship with my bike, but I do have a couple of questions before I start using it on my (part)commute to work on a regular basis.

1. I am after a bike insurance. To add it to my home insurance would cost me about 10 pounds per month (for 700 pounds worth of bike and equipment). I was hoping to get it a bit cheaper somewhere else - any suggestions?

2. A stupid question about my pump :
I bought a Topeak Master Blaster Mini DX pump (http://www.wheelies.co.uk/products-Mini-DX-Hand-Pump_1167.htm) which is supposed to fit the Presta valves on my bike. For some reason I can't figure out how, though. Looking at the valve and the bit of the pump that should connect to it, it doesn't look like a good fit to me.
I know that there are adapters out there for that kind of thing but reading the description about the pump on the internet, it sounds as if there's no adapter needed.
Does anyone know what the problem might be?

3. The third question regards the end of the gear cable that runs to my front derailleur. It sticks out so that on each rotation it scrapes along my crank (does that make sense?). The seal at the end already fell off.
I guess it is just a matter of loosening the screw and pointing it into another direction, but I am a bit worried that I might alter something about the gear shifting which I couldn't put right anymore.
And which direction should it point anyway? It can't point downwards because of the cogwheel, inside is the tyre, upside isn't ideal either. Do I just shorten it? Or should I simply ignore it?
I know it is only a minor thing but if I could set it right, why not.

Alright, that's it for now. Thanks.

 

[Sittingduck]

Congrats on your new purchase Andrea - Was checking out that bike a couple of days ago - looks lush.

Have you thought about joining the LCC (they're doing a special offer 15 months for the price of 12) membership is £32 and I believe they have a deal with an insurance firm to get some deals... in the lit' I received with my membership they said that a guidline price is around 10% of the value of the bike. £120 sounds pretty steep to me.

You also get a nice green sticker and subscription to the bi-monthly mag. It's just a though of course and I'm sure you could shop around for the cheaper insurance without this

Here's the link:
http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=146

Cheers
SD

 

[Danny]

Congratulations on the new bike - sounds like you made a good choice.

1. I would shop around for a home insurance policy which has more reasonable cover for bikes as your's sounds very expensive, but I guess that could be through living in London. Alternatively you can get reasonable bike insurance through the CTC.

2. If you lift the silver lever on the back of the pump that should clamp it onto the valve an enable you got inflate it.

3. It sounds like the cable is too long. You can just cut the end to make it shorter, but you need to use proper wire cutters. You'll have to get a new end for the cable, though I generally don't bother. If you bought the bike from a LBS store you should get them to do it.

 

[fossyant]

I'd consider changing house insurance at some point..... get one that covers bikes up to £1000 - if you need more, take out an extension..... my contents and an 'extension' for one bike and a couple of 'specific items' cost me £20 a month all in... CIS are very good !!

 

[jimboalee]

Your pump might be sent out from the factory in the 'Schrader' mode.

If you unscrew the silvered knurled nut, the plunger inside the head can be reversed to change it to 'Presta' mode.
The photo is my Zefal, but these types of pumps are very similar.
Hope this helps.

 

[HLaB]

Congrats on the new bike I hope you enjoy it.

I used to have bike insurance as part of my home insurance through Tesco, they seemed quite reasonably priced and their excess was low (£15 I think) there upper limit though is £700 so I've since moved to M&S.
With the pump remember to loosen the little metal bit on the end of the valve, place the pump head on top of it and the apply the thumb lock (lift the silver lever) and pump away.
I've had a few times when I've left too much of the cable showing and it catches my cranks too. It can usually be bent slightly so that this doesn't happen. PS you'll want to get a new end cap for the cable to stop it fraying and becoming untidy.

 

[HLaB]

Your pump might be sent out from the factory in the 'Schrader' mode.

If you unscrew the silvered knurled nut, the plunger inside the head can be reversed to change it to 'Presta' mode.
The photo is my Zefal, but these types of pumps are very similar.
Hope this helps.

According to the link Andrea posted its got a smart valve, so she won't have to go through this hassle.

 

[jimboalee]

And being a young lady, you will recognise where I bought the waterproof packet for my PRK.

Those are 'Help for Heroes' armbands lads!

 

[Priscilla Parsley]

I'd consider changing house insurance at some point..... get one that covers bikes up to £1000 - if you need more, take out an extension..... my contents and an 'extension' for one bike and a couple of 'specific items' cost me £20 a month all in... CIS are very good !!

I agree with shopping around for house insurance, i am with M&S and both our bikes are covered under the personal posessions (away from home) extra, a while back some scrote kicked in our communal door and swiped Elvis' bike, M&S paid up covered all wheel upgrades and bits and bobs no questions asked, which is nice and they were not concerned that the bike wasn't locked in a communal space which could have been tricky, not that i would reccomend that though, so very nice de-stressing service.

 

[HLaB]

I agree with shopping around for house insurance, i am with M&S and both our bikes are covered under the personal posessions (away from home) extra, a while back some scrote kicked in our communal door and swiped Elvis' bike, M&S paid up covered all wheel upgrades and bits and bobs no questions asked, which is nice and they were not concerned that the bike wasn't locked in a communal space which could have been tricky, not that i would reccomend that though, so very nice de-stressing service.

I've never claimed, touch wood (taps the head) but its reassuring to hear your experience.

 

[Andrea]

Thanks for all our answers.

I will shop around for my home insurance once my current one expires - my current one has a very reasonable basic rate but anything you add extra costs quite a lot, I only recently left student life to join the working population and I forgot that I actually might own something that is worth some money.
In the meantime I consider getting insurance with ETA as they offer stealth and public liability insurance for my bike for 72 pounds a year. Any experiences with them?

Thanks for the advice with the pump, it's working now .

And the cable I will just bend to get it out of the way and try to find a new seal or similar for it.

Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to take my bike out last week at all, so I look forward to a little trip today and will hopefully start going to the train station to get to work beginning from next week (all subject to the bike company sending out a missing hook for my pannier bag).

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Hello and welcome to the mad house! next time you are passing your LBS Local Bike Shop, get them to nip off a couple of cm's of cable and put a cable crimp on to stop the end fraying.

the pump needs to be pushed down quite firmly onto the presta, careful not to bend/snap the valve, then lift the lever on the head, and flick the handle to the HPX mark, which will inflate the tyres faster.

 

[Andrea]

...and flick the handle to the HPX mark, which will inflate the tyres faster.

HPX what? I don't think the pump has that kind of fancy thing.

I will probably go and see the people from my LBS on Tuesday, the cable started fraying.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

On the handle there should be an HPX mark, if you twist the handle to put the little sticky out bit lined up with the HPX mark (it'll say HPX) on the handle, which should have a slightly raised protrusion you can inflate your tyre quicker. Just put it back to the normal position so you can depress the pump to lock it into the frame.