My First DIY MTB Build



Originally Posted by alfeng .


THAT particular Shimano crank is a good choice ...

  • I'm still not sure about the 170mm length unless you are about 5'4" +/- tall, BTW ...

As far as the BB, you can just wipe it out with a rag or paper towel & put some fresh grease on the threads.

Presuming you don't have a Hollowtech II BB tool, TRY screwing the BB cups in with your bare hands before either buying a tool or bringing the bike to your bike shop to have them install the cups.
My currently height is 167cm. I did order a Hollowtech II BB tool the other day when I got the cranks. Should be here from ChainReactionCycles (UK) in about 5 days I guess.
 
Quote:Originally Posted by Smokez87 .
My currently height is 167cm. I did order a Hollowtech II BB tool the other day when I got the cranks. Should be here from ChainReactionCycles (UK) in about 5 days I guess.


Okay, then, on the 170mm cranks ...

And, while I have found that the Hollowtech II BB tool isn't always necessary, sometimes it probably would have made installation/removal easier ... and so, it would certainly be BETTER for you/me/anyone to have it; so, no loss ...

  • heck, I keep meaning to buy a replacement Hollowtech II BB tool just for the potential convenience.

FYI. That "Metro" fork is really sub-standard, IMO. It is designed for bike path riding.

BTW. What are the "cps bolts" which you are referring to?
 
I was referring to the actual bolts that hold the adapter and caliper on it.


yeah I realized those forks are sub-standard when i brought them home. It was more of an impulse by on my part because I wanted to get my bike ridable on my part. I guess.

Oh well, I'd just have to keep it as a spare then. No one would want it even if I tried selling it.
 
Quote:Originally Posted by Smokez87 . I was referring to the actual bolts that hold the adapter and caliper on it.


yeah I realized those forks are sub-standard when i brought them home. It was more of an impulse by on my part because I wanted to get my bike ridable on my part. I guess.

Oh well, I'd just have to keep it as a spare then. No one would want it even if I tried selling it.


Did the shop from whom you bought the "Metro" fork decline to offer you a store credit?
 
I would give them another day-or-two ...

AND/OR (f the shop isn't too far away & you can do other business in the area), plan a trip there with the fork & receipt in hand for a face-to-face request.
 
I Haven't had the time to go down to the store yet, most probably go down tomorrow if they are open.

However, they have not replied my email. When I first did a sales enquiry they replied within 24 hours.
 
Quote:Originally Posted by Smokez87 . I Haven't had the time to go down to the store yet, most probably go down tomorrow if they are open.

However, they have not replied my email. When I first did a sales enquiry they replied within 24 hours.


I hope they give you either a refund or a store credit ... preferably the former, of course ...

Good luck!
 
Hi ! I just updated my blog on the latest updated on my build and look forward to hearing your comments.

http://mydiymtb.blogspot.com.au/2012...-exchange.html

Cheers!


P.s. They gave me store credit. :)
 
FYI. You EITHER need another spacer OR you still need to shorten your steerer by about 2mm ...

When you look into the stem without the top cap in place, the top of the steerer should be a 2mm-to-3mm below the top of the stem ...

OR, in those instances where an extra spacer sits atop the stem, there should be 2mm-to-3mm gap between the top of the steerer and the top of the last spacer ...

While the top cap is mostly cosmetic AFTER the fork-and-stem are installed, it needs to be able to snug up the stack AND its edges will subsequently be flush with the top of the stem when properly installed ... the top cap's final "fit" will be the same as if you simply put it atop the stem when it is sittng on a table top.

BECAUSE, if there isn't a gap, then you won't be able to snug up the stack & the fork will wobble within the headset & premature bearing wear will occur + the possibility of eventually damaging the headtube.

IMO, the (¿)easiest(?) way to install a fork (particularly a suspension fork) is when the frame is inverted & the head tube is vertcal ... let gravity assist the installation rather than rely solely on the top cap.

As far as where to locate the brake levers & whether you should shorten the handlebars, that is a matter of personal preference BASED ON the type of terrain you ride on + (to a lesser extent) your upper body strength, etc.

So, I recommend that you start with the brakes & shifters as close to the inner bend as possible & the grips on the uncut bars (this might be stating the obvious -- install the grips with plain WATER ... to remove, you would slightly lift the grip's edge AND THEN drip/seep some water between the grip & handlebars ... wiggle ... continue to add more water until the grip can be wiggled off) ...

Also, PUT a 'coin' whose circumference is the same as the OD of the handlebar on each end of the handlebar ... this is a safety issue which prevents the end of the handlebar from becoming a "plug cutter" in your leg-or-torso in a worse-case-scenario accident ...

AS YOU RIDE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS/WEEKS/MONTHS, you will find that the brakes-and-shifters are either too far inboard, or eventually just right. Continue to adjust as necessary.

Similarly, you will also find that when your hands are on the grips that you may not be using the outer most portion -- take note of where you are NOT placing your hands, wrap that portion with some tape, ride for a few more days/weeks with the tape in place to confirm that you won't be putting your hands in that wide location ... remove the grips (as described above) & trim the excess amount of handlebar from each side.

Of course, it may only take one-or-two rides to determine the most comfortable lever position & handlebar width which works for YOU ...

I do suggest that you leave the handlebars ~1cm longer on each side than you placed your hands.

The stem length/height will affect comfortable placement & width, too.

BTW. YOU need to buy a FLAT ******* File so that you can 'clean up' the top edge of your steerer + the ends of your handlebars if-and-after you trim them ...

The easiest, IMO, way to ensure a square edge is to wrap the "tube"/whatever with some masking tape ... if the edges of the tape meet when you wrap the object & you "file"-or-cut down to the tape, then the edge will be "square" ... if the edges of the tape don't meet when you wrap the tape, then the resultant edge probably won't be square.

---------------------

I'm glad your LBS gave you a store credit.
 
[COLOR= rgb(24, 24, 24)]THAT particular Shimano crank is a good choice ... [/COLOR]
56.jpg
 
Just updated my blog, hope to get some feed back from you guys.

http://mydiymtb.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/bottom-bracket-installed.html

cheers!
 
Don't worry about the brake cables too much. They're brake cables. Just make sure to set them up right and get cable housing.
 
Hi guys, just updated my blog on my build. The build is now complete. Thank you for your help and support. The blog, will not be shutting down. I will still continue posting on it, with my experience on my new ride (commuting, problems with the bike, adventuring, maintenance) http://mydiymtb.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/the-first-ride.html Do show your support by subscribing to the blog. Cheers!
 
Cool I'm going down to my local bike shop to get the spacers this Wednesday, and a couple of other things such as break pads, tubes, tyre's and chain. I did check out the price of spacers they are definitely affordable, not sure if the local bike shop keeps them in stock. Just need to put in the order for my BB and Cranks and I'll be good to go hopefully.

___________________

Lunettes De Soleil Pas Chères
 
Originally Posted by dsfdsfdsa .

Cool I'm going down to my local bike shop to get the spacers this Wednesday, and a couple of other things such as break pads, tubes, tyre's and chain. I did check out the price of spacers they are definitely affordable, not sure if the local bike shop keeps them in stock. Just need to put in the order for my BB and Cranks and I'll be good to go hopefully.

___________________

Lunettes De Soleil Pas Chères
Yeah spacers are really cheap, but make sure you get spares haha can never be sure how many you need. Unless you measure it very carefully.

I ended up going to my LBS twice for spacers..
 

Similar threads