Building a bike for the first time and need help. I’m taking the brakes, wheels and seatpost from a 2009 Felt HT and building up a Cotic Soul with new forks, gears, chainset and probably new handlebars.
Can’t seem to find any exhaustive guides online – can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks.

Ok,unscrew old components,screw onto new frame,replace anything that doesn’t fit,OK?

parktool.com has most jobs covered.

Try Park Tools site. They have pretty good guides for setting up everything.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help

Thanks everyone – park tools looks perfect.

I thought mine was exhaustive,it’s tired me out.

If you need a paper version Park do a book.

Also there’s a magazine in WH Smiths on Bike Maintenance. I think it’s a rehash of the WMB/MBUK maintenance articles, but it might be useful if you can’t get the internet near your bike workshop(!)

I think thejesmonddingo was being flippant, but after a few goes of trying to follow what’s in a book I do what he says. Good luck, don’t forget to post the results up!

headset
forks
stem + bars + controls
bb + cranks + pedals
drivetrain
wheels
brakes
grips
seatpost.

Loosely attach all bits, then without riding it first, go along on a group ride with people you’ve never met. By the end of the ride they should have fixed everything for you 😉

I was being flippant,but any skills I’ve acquired in bike building have been done this way.The Park Tool site is a great help though.
Ian

if there’s a bike recycling/charity place near you they often run workshop classes – my girlfriend did one the other week and did a strip/clean/rebuild of her bike, could be worthwhile if you are unsure of anything

Some tips.

1. Take your time. You will probably find out that you are missing something vital at some point in the build, leaving you with two bikes in bits. So don’t try for a ‘build on Saturday, ride on Sunday’ scenario, as you will end up running around trying to find a bike shop that is open.

2. Use the proper tools where required (see 3. below)

3. If you get stuck, stay calm – resist the urge to take the biggest hammer in the toolbox/mole-grips/blowtorch/dynamite to a bit you are struggling with. It will save you the walk of shame to the LBS with a part hanging off your bike that looks like it has been chewed by a robotic dog.

4. Enjoy it – it’s easy really.

It’s maybe worth taking a few photos as you dismantle stuff?

that way if you’re a bit unsure of something and how it fits etc. they can help

When taking stuff apart, like the headset, lay out all the bits in the order they came off.

bigyinn – you forgot to intersperse that with ‘tea’ (or ‘beer’). OP – lots easier if you’ve got a workstand or something to hold the frame at a decent working height. If you can borrow a workstand fit the seatpost first and use that to hold the bike – don’t clamp the frame!

a part hanging off your bike that looks like it has been chewed by a robotic dog

😆

I always do a build in two sweeps.

Sweep 1 – Put it all together, don’t bother too much about lining things up perfectly or torquing the bolts/allen keys. Just get the thing put together.

Sweep 2 – In a systematic fashion line the bits up and tighten with a torque wrench. Thread the cables and index the gears.

Since this is your first build I’d also recommend

Sweep 3 – Go over all the critical bolts again with the torque wrench.

Thanks for all the tips. Will definitely post a photo once it’s complete.

gazc – I’m in Brighton and there’s a great place called Crank run by knowledgeable volunteers so will bear them in mind.

Thanks again.

I’m in Brighton too if you need a hand. Been building and fixing bikes for 16 or so years now!!

JRTG – awesome thanks. I’m planning to rope in my usual riding friends but we’re mostly useless at anything more than a flat so might just drop you a mail if I get stuck. Otherwise look out for a tall gangly guy on a (hopefully) solid looking black Soul.

Loosely attach all bits, then without riding it first, go along on a group ride with people you’ve never met. By the end of the ride they should have fixed everything for you

LOL, you joke, but I’ve seen situations like this before! I mean we’ve all changed a crucial component the night before a big ride, only to have to adjust or fettle with it part way round the ride, but I’ve seen people (with no mechanical know how at all) turn up on their freshly self built bike with nothing working! Which is forgivable from a newbie I suppose…

Few years ago in Morzine though, me and a mate went on strike after 4 days into a fortnight’s holiday, we spent 2-3 hours each night of the first 4 fixing other people’s bikes for them as they didn’t know how! Miraculously after we downed tools, they all learnt pretty sharpish…

No worries, drop me a mail if you get stuck!