Finally Got My New Bike!!!!!!!

[dantheman]

Hooray!- finally i got my new bike and wont have to ride that darn "toy" anymore...
After advise from some of you on here (thankyou very much), I ordered myself a dawes discovery 601 (2007 model) and have ridden it just once to work this morning. This is the first bike ive ever bought myself from new, and so far am over the moon. Im really unfit as of yet but already shaved 5-10 mins of my ride time on the old MTB (and wasnt even half as tired)...

As for the bike itself, i have 3 questions that i could do with help with:-

1. the bike came with no dustcap in the centre of the crank arm on the cog side- is this normal or should i have been supplied one??

2. I bought a 21" frame (and glad of it as its obviously right for me) and it came with 4 spacers underneath the handlebars. they feel a little too high, and was wondering how to lower it- ie do i just take a couple out and refit or what- not playing with this untill im sure as dont want to make it unsafe!.

3. I tried to adjust the angle/height on the adjustible ahead stem, but could not loosten the allen nuts on the side to do this, i have already loosened the locking clamp underneath.- is there a knack to doing this- is it left/right hand thread, or does only one side turn etc.

I will let update you all on my progression soon, but so far im chuffed- i think this was definitely what i needed to get me cycling all the way to work each day, rather than wimping out and getting the train, which is now the slower option.. Maybe eventually i will even get fit and lose some weight!!

Thanks all!!

 

[summerdays]

Even if the weight doesn't appear to shift ... take note of the changing body shape... I haven't lost that much weight by cycling but definately have less flabby bits... more toned now. Make sure you are drinking enough in this hot weather with the exercise.

Good luck with the bike ... I'm not mechanical so I can't help with your questions.

 

[John the Monkey]

1. the bike came with no dustcap in the centre of the crank arm on the cog side- is this normal or should i have been supplied one??

If there's one on the other side, I'd imagine it should have a pair - speak to the shop you bought it from.

2. I bought a 21" frame (and glad of it as its obviously right for me) and it came with 4 spacers underneath the handlebars. they feel a little too high, and was wondering how to lower it- ie do i just take a couple out and refit or what- not playing with this untill im sure as dont want to make it unsafe!.

More or less - on the SCR2.0, the procedure is to undo (and remove) the top cap, loosen the pinch bolts on the stem enough to lift the stem off. you then remove the spacers you want to (remember to work in small increments here, i.e. move smaller spacers in preference to larger, and probably one at a time to give your body chance to adjust).

The stem then goes back on, and the spacer you removed from underneath goes above it. Put the top cap back on, and tighten until there's no play in the headset (rocking the frame back and forth with front brake on doesn't produce a "knocking" sound/feel). Then straighten the stem and tighten up the pinch bolts on it.

Note that the spacer you took from below the stem has to go back on above the stem, so the top cap can compress the stem & spacer stack properly.

3. I tried to adjust the angle/height on the adjustible ahead stem, but could not loosten the allen nuts on the side to do this, i have already loosened the locking clamp underneath.- is there a knack to doing this- is it left/right hand thread, or does only one side turn etc.

Can't help you here - might be worth looking in the bike's manual, if it came with one?

Glad you're liking your new bike!

 

[dantheman]

john the monkey: Note that the spacer you took from below the stem has to go back on above the stem, so the top cap can compress the stem & spacer stack properly.

- this is what i was unsure of, i thought it would go on top...

thanks..
-will contact the shop soon.

 

[Tynan]

shop should certainly have offered you a free service after a few weeks, quite a few things will need checking, adjusting on a new bike, things stretch and come a bit loose sometimes

get them to do it all then is my advice, sometimes things that are actually right take a while to get used to, stick with it until then unless it's clearly wrong

 

[fossyant]

Crank dust cap - you won't have one if it's a hollowtech type - i.e. a hollow Bottom bracket - note no crank arm bolt in the drive side crank.