Brand new bike. Do I need to take it to the LBS?

[Funtboy]

Hi all,

I've just taken delivery of a brand new bike (Cannondale Quick SL2) and it came part-assembled. I assembled the rest (Seat, front wheel, handlebars, pedals) and took it for a quick ride up and down the street. It seems to work fine and all I had to to do was fiddle with the front mech cable to eliminate chain rub in the highest gear.

I then looked at the box which has warning signs all over it telling me that the bike should be assembled by a "dealer" (LBS). Should I be worried? All the complicated hard bits are already installed and seem to work fine. I am no expert but the bits that needed assembling were pretty easy to sort out. Dunno what to do.

Also can I assume that it is lubed and ready to go. It seems to be but as I said,I am no expert.

Many thanks in advance...

 

[baldycyclist]

I would give each and every nut and bolt a little check and then I would probably be a happy bunny.....
...the warnings are just their bit of side stepping any liability,,,don't worry too much

nice bike though

 

[derrick]

+1

 

[MrJamie]

Depends how confident you are in your own checking skills i guess

 

[Funtboy]

Cheers lads. I just rode it 7 miles and didn't fall apart. Am happy with the bits I screwed on and the other bits are a bit scary and technical. Will do what you said though...

 

[smokeysmoo]

Don't forget to tweak everything after a few miles. Make sure everything is still tight and don't forget all the cables will stretch with use and will need adjusting accordingly.

Remember YouTube is your friend, (as is CycleChat) when it comes to anything you're not completely comfortable doing

 

[oldfatfool]

Make sure the Brake blocks are sat on the rims and not touching the tyres when they are applied.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Don't check it, the gospel according to The Simpsons tells us the results could be hilarious

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0HRATmyYoY&feature=youtube_gdata_player


__________________________________________________________________________________
Sent from.... Ippo Rock City

 

[craigwend]

Take it to a LBS after 6 weeks (or equivelant riding) for a first short service,
they should notice anything majorly untaward, just in case ...

& will tweek any normal cable stretch in the first few weeks, etc

 

[Funtboy]

Cheers. Will take it to the LBS in about a months time...

 

[screenman]

I take it that you are using a torque wrench set the correct setting for each bolt.

 

[Profpointy]

I take it that you are using a torque wrench set the correct setting for each bolt.

Now now, don't be mean...

To the op, for the avoidance of doubt, virtuallly no-one actually uses a torque wrench on a bike ( possibly more important with carbon fibre apparentl) also, most bike bolts are fairly small so whilst they need to be done up enough, don't do a king kong on them.

 

[screenman]

Most people might not use one but I would say to a less experience mechanic they are more important than to a highly skilled one. I would also say that most highly skilled mechanics do indeed use a torque wrench.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I bought a torque wrench when I had a cf framed bike. I found it useful as I have very little mechanical sympathy and used to over tighten bolts regularly

Even though my current bikes are not cf I have retained the torque wrench.

My CAAD10 has a carbon steerer and I still find it useful for the stem bolts TBH

 

[byegad]

Depends how confident you are in your own checking skills i guess

Exactly. I've had a number of bikes from dealers and direct in the post. The only issues, in 11 bikes, were on a bike assembled by a numpty dealer. I ended up stripping and rebuilding it myself using the manufacturers 'Instructions to dealers' in the handbook. I made a note to never use that dealer again, and won't/can't. He went bust the next year,