New Bike - Shoes hit fron wheel!

[dodgy]

With those kind of spannering skills you could probably get a job at Halfords

 

[sleuthey]

Thanks Norm, Im going to have a go this afternoon.
I have attached a close up image and have identified the Allen Screws you mentioned on the stem and top of the headset spindle.
Ill make sure the bike is upside down when I tackle it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

POINT OF ORDER HERE PLEASE CC'ers

Festival DiddlyDodds, Rouge Penguin - not quite the best attitude to somebody with a genuine question is it? Things that may be obvious to the more experienced might not be to others. People who come here for advice (especially relative forum newbies) should expect some kind of sensible answers, not attempts to belittle ... P&L's the place for that

 

[asterix]

Sometimes it takes a second eye to spot these things so its a good job we have forums like this to enable that.

Fair comment. I know nowt about such bikes and I would call myself a reasonable mechanic on my own bikes.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Thanks Norm, Im going to have a go this afternoon.
I have attached a close up image and have identified the Allen Screws you mentioned on the stem and top of the headset spindle.
Ill make sure the bike is upside down when I tackle it.

No, keep the bike the right way-up, just don't lift the front end when everythings loose!

You slacken the top cap, and then the 2 bolts clamping the stem to the steerer tube, gently rotate and when everythings in the right place, use the bolt in the top-cap to gently compress the stem and washers. A bit of fiddling here is required, because you need just enough tension so that when ypou tighten the stem bolts everything rotates freely without graunching or free-play. Small adjustments of the cap will then find the right position.

Good luck!

 

[cyberknight]

No, keep the bike the right way-up, just don't lift the front end when everythings loose!

You slacken the top cap, and then the 2 bolts clamping the stem to the steerer tube, gently rotate and when everythings in the right place, use the bolt in the top-cap to gently compress the stem and washers. A bit of fiddling here is required, because you need just enough tension so that when ypou tighten the stem bolts everything rotates freely without graunching or free-play. Small adjustments of the cap will then find the right position.

Good luck!

+1

And if you can get someone to help, it is easy enough to do on your own but its a lot easier to get someone to hold something and stand back and check the wheels and handlebars are all straight when your done.

 

[Norm]

+1

And if you can get someone to help, it is easy enough to do on your own but its a lot easier to get someone to hold something and stand back and check the wheels and handlebars are all straight when your done.

+2 to FF and +1 to cyberknight.... is that +3 overall?

Do it with the bike on its wheels and don't lift the frame, or lift the bars when you are doing it. If you can get Mrs Sleuthey to keep a good grip on things (fnaar) whilst you are working, then so much the better.

 

[sleuthey]

Lets hope the Plonkers at Billy Smarts Festival dont want it back because its now been put right!

The use of an assistant was a good idea buit the actual job was much easier that I thought. I thought I was going to have to take the wheel off which is why I was going to do it upside down however it was simply a case of disconnecting the brakes. I did not slacken off the steering collumn by much to reduce the risk of loose BBs.

See attached pic.


Cheers.

 

[som3blok3]

I've seen people do this because of the whole disc brakes are dangerous with quick release thing.

I'm intrigued by that line GrasB. I ride disc brakes with quick release wheels, wouldn't want to crash and die tomorrow, please enlighten a newbie, why's it bad?

 

[Norm]

It's not bad, bloke.

Some people perceive it as being bad and perceive the risk being reduced by doing something which is, imo, significantly risky.

I know of not one incident of a QR opening whilst riding and, even if it did happen, there are lugs on the forks to stop the axle dropping out.

If anyone is that worried about it, just set the QR so that the lever is behind the forks. That, at least, won't screw with the geometry of the bike and the safety of the braking action.

 

[GrasB]

The short version is what Norm said, the long version is - When you apply the brake a force is generated that tries to rotate the wheel around the brake pads. Because disc brakes are quite close to the hub & behind the fork the force generated ends up being almost straight down. Now there is a school of thought which thinks that this leads to the quick release skewer to come undone*. Now if you have the brake calliper in front of the fork not behind it you change the force from a downwards one to an upwards one which is 'safe'. Interesting thing is this the only QR skewers I've had problems with coming undone on rides have also exhibited this behaviour on bikes with rim brakes (because the rotation force is close to the tyre edge the force is more-or-less straight back into the bike which means that there's metal of the dropout in the way). I've found that replacing the, cheap unbranded, skewers with reputable brands (Shimano, FFWD, Hope, Planet-X, etc) have solved the issue. My conclusion - disc brakes aren't the problem it's bad QR design.

*Oddly no one yet has managed to give me a good explanation as to why a downwards force translate into the release of the QR leaver, they've only made a case as to why the wheel can be ripped out of the dropout, which is a different problem & something I've not seen reported!

 

[sleuthey]

Toe overlap shouldn't be a problem for you now, looks like you've got alot more space.Just make sure the brake pads arne't rubbing against the tyre and it should be ok!

Just done 6 miles (still a bit cold for a long ride) and it rides very well. Not one scuff of the wheel. Very pleased with my purchase afterall.

 

[som3blok3]

Norm and GrasB, I thank you.

Put into black and white it makes sense, as you say though, it would all depend on the QR quality. Tightness would also be a factor I guess? Anyways, I've got nice tight Shimano QRs so I should be ok.

Enjoy the bike sleuthey!!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just done 6 miles (still a bit cold for a long ride) and it rides very well. Not one scuff of the wheel. Very pleased with my purchase afterall.

Result!