New bike not working properly

[TheGiraffe]

So my new and first road bike I bought from BikesDirect came today, I was pretty excited when I unpacked it from the box and put it together. I was able to install the front brakes, steam, seat post,saddle, handle bars, and front wheel. This is the bike: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/road_bikes/mirage_sl.htm Sadly the front and rear gearing systems are not working properly. The rear gearing system won’t go to the largest gear, and it skips when moving to other gears. It’s also hard for it to move the shift handle. The front rail system doesn’t move, it stays on the smaller front gear. The cable to the front rail wasn’t anchored on tight and was loose. I tightened it but it still doesn’t move or anything. So yeah..went from pretty excited to very disappointed that I can’t try my new and first road bike. I plan to call a few local bike shops, is this something that should be fixed easily and somewhat cheaply?

 

[danfoz]

Nice bike.

From the sounds of it a very simple adjustment for a bike, and one commonly needed for a newly shipped bike.

It's pretty simple if you are mechanically minded and on the rear involves possibly adjusting one or both of the two "limit" screws (that control how far the derailleur moves on either extremity of the movement i.e. into the highest or lowest gear) and a barrel adjuster (which controls the indexing, the movement between the gears), on the front similar. It should take an experienced bike shop mechanic around 10 minutes.

Here are some short vids explaining:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtMe3psRsPw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_bGcuezsIo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by TheGiraffe .

So my new and first road bike I bought from BikesDirect came today, I was pretty excited when I unpacked it from the box and put it together. I was able to install the front brakes, steam, seat post,saddle, handle bars, and front wheel. Sadly the front and rear gearing systems are not working properly

With the assembly you describe it would be a regular miracle if they did. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

The LBS usually charge the very minimum for adjusting the deraileurs. Something like 5 euro around here and after my last endevour on adjusting the deraileur screws (I managed to destroy both screws of the front deraileur) it seems like a good deal. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

Some thoughts:

If you proceed on adjusting the limit screws of the deraileurs be -very- careful with the screwdriver you are using. The adjusting screws seem to ge kinda "soft" and I managed to destroy the ones on a Shimano 2300 system even with a vey well fitting screwdriver. First the head of the screws got damaged and then the thread seemed to get a bit damaged as well. This could lead to a more costly repair as it would potenitally harm the thread inside the deraileur.

When doing the assembly of certain components (such as the stem) you might want to have a torque wrench so you apply the correct NM torque when securing these components. A LBS can do that for you too.

Good luck! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[alfeng]

YOU should be able to make the adjustments as a DIY project ...

Before you (try to) adjust the STOPS on the derailleurs, you should check to ensure that the cable tension is correct ...

YOU need to figure out how to remove the tension on the shifters ...

• press the smaller paddle which is behind the brake lever on both shifters several times (9 times on the right shifter & at least 3 times on the left shifter -- you cannot press the inner paddle too many times on a Shimano shifter... however, you CAN press the larger, combined levers too many times) this will allow the chain to be moved to the smallest cog on the rear
• and the inner chainring on the crankset

[*] remove the slack in the cable
[*] secure the derailleur cable
[*] test


If you still have a problem, then check the YouTube videos.

FWIW. When 'I' adjust a front derailleur's stops, I only turn the screw 1/4 turn at a time ... THAT allows me to backtrack more easily if I overshoot the correct adjustment.

 

[jpr95]

Pics (wide shots and close-ups) of the assembled bike would be helpful. No telling how the OP routed the cables.

 

[TheGiraffe]

I decided to take it to a professional. They only wanted $24 to fix the problems.

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by TheGiraffe .

I decided to take it to a professional. They only wanted $24 to fix the problems.

Yeah but "all" the problems yeah? Like re-fastening stems and stuff...
Just for the deraileur calibration it seems expensive... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif

 

[alienator]

I decided to take it to a professional. They only wanted $24 to fix the problems.

Good solution. One downfall of Bikes Direct bikes is that they often need some assembly touch up when they arrive. Given the cost of BD's bikes and the pretty good level of components for that cost, paying someone else to buff up the assembly still leaves you ahead in the cost game.

 

[oldbobcat]

Originally Posted by alienator .


One downfall of Bikes Direct bikes is that they often need some assembly touch up when they arrive.

That's pretty much the situation with all bikes lately. Out-of-true wheels is the big one, followed by mis-positioned front derailleurs, bent rear derailleur hangers, and kinked cables. Correcting all this is just another of the services you get when you buy from a dealer.

This is also provided with our assembly of Bikes Direct bikes, at a fair price. Beats tuning old dirty bikes any day.