Decathlon Bikes - Worn Cones :o(

[Alembicbassman]

My Decathlon Rockrider 5.2 is 1 year old and has probably done about 1000 miles (mostly on road). I have just stripped the hubs for a bearing regrease. Both sets of cones showed wear, the front needs replacing. It'd cost me £3 in petrol to get to the store to drop the wheel off and another £3 to get it back, so I ordered the parts myself. Axle, cones and bearings £6.60 delivered.

The bearings appear to have been set too tight so that when the QR skewers are closed it has caused excessive wear.

The Hubs are Joytech - cheap, but set correctly shouldn't have worn. I will pop in and see the customer service desk next time I'm in there. Decathlon have 2 years warranty on parts.

It's worth checking new bikes for correct cone adjustment I think. They seem poorly set up from the factory.

 

[simon.r]

It's worth checking new bikes for correct cone adjustment I think. They seem poorly set up from the factory.

Yes. And while you're at it check everything else as well!

I've only ever bought one bike from Decathlon (a few years ago) and the brake blocks were in the wrong way round! From bitter experience it's worth almost stripping a new bike down and making sure that headsets / hubs are greased and adjusted correctly, brakes are correcty aliogned etc etc etc. You could even be as anal as I am and remove the bottom bracket and re-fit it after applying coppa-slip, but that may be over the top!

 

[fossyant]

TBH, if you can get parts then you have hit the bonus. It's a cheap bike, and needs some attention early with hubs. Decathlon bikes are OK, but the cheap ones still need some looking after - I've tried to fix a few ''lived outside kids bikes" and its at the end of reasonable - the Decathlon Bikes are great, but if you see how some are abused - i.e. live outside with no oil or any care...FFS - it really scares me.

BUT I've got a fair few sheds working for friends, Don't expect a quick fix. TBH the Decathlon bikes I've seen in a mess could have easily been a £500 bike - simple none maintenance has caused them to be crap.

Spent about an hour or two this weekend fixing a little lads BMX so it actually stopped.. (in-laws caravan)

One multi allen key, some spray grease, and a fair bit of my time. The full bike fix KIT is coming down next time... i.e. all my bike tools.

I find it really scary how some folk let their kids ride bikes that can't stop. We all mess up, especially kids, so their bikes must be able to stop.

I always regularly put my adult weight on stopping my kids bikes. I've snapped pedals before now... = new ones.

 

[screenman]

I think if you buy a bike from a "General store" then you are extremely lucky if it has been properly assembled.

 

[subaqua]

I think if you buy a bike from a "General store" then you are extremely lucky if it has been properly assembled.

same as if you buy one from a car accesory shop then. or even a bike shop that is not Odd ( almost) .

tghe cycle guys at lakeside and surrey quays are all qualified bicycle mechanics and have the certs on display

 

[screenman]

They might have passed a simple test or attended a course, however this does not always mean that the working environment or time scales allocated lets them do the job properly.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Would a free service include a wheel bearing re-grease and re-set?

Usually it's just a quick check and adjustment of cables, brakes, tyre pressures and gears, which you can do yourself by reading the manual that comes with the bike.

I guess 90% of people that buy Decathlon bikes hardly do any kind of maintenance other than pumping up the tyres.

 

[subaqua]

They might have passed a simple test or attended a course, however this does not always mean that the working environment or time scales allocated lets them do the job properly.

bit like people who replace car windscreens then, based on the two experiences i have had with autoglass and RAC windscreens

 

[screenman]

I would agree with you there, I would not let those two touch one of my vehicles in a month of Sundays. Yesterday I had 4 ex AW guys who have started on their own here for repair training. The best fitters have left those companies and started their own. As for using the two names above for repair, now if I offered you £50 or say £200 which would you take. Morla of the story do not let a replacement company repair your screen.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Oh well, word from the cycle dept at Decathlon, cones are wear and tear items - not covered by warranty.

Wheel bearings are not checked prior to sale and are not part of the free service

 

[screenman]

subaqua, I would like more of your feelings about the two you mention, for a report I am providing for some industry people.