I love diy bike builds they are so satisfying to the point some times id rather go play in the gaurage than ride the things i build 😆
I do pretty much all of my own bike mechanicin' except for truing wheels. I also had the LBS press in my Works slack headset as it was a Ti frame, and also had them service my suspension once.
The main advantage is that you can usually do the fix or fit the part yourself without having to make 2 trips to the bike shop and be without the bike for a while.
The bike is always running perfect when the weather is crap or I don't have time to ride. But something always needs attention when the weather is nice, and leaving the bike in the shop for a few days = missed riding.
Started doing things on my car myself as I felt a few times I had taken it to a garage and they hadn't done what I had asked or solved the problems.
In future I spent the labour costs I would have given the garage on my own tools and taught myself with help from a few friends and the internet.
Teaching myself push bikes now, pretty simple compared to gearboxes and similar, but can be fiddly with all the small parts. Not done anything like wheel building, but fitting/bleeding brakes, fitting new drivetrain, pedals etc etc. Not tried indexing gears yet!
I spent the best part of my childhood tinkering with bikes, old frames, wheels found in skips, parts aquired from a friends dad who worked at Raleigh , our garage was always full of parts and part builds
Before that meccano , lego and Bayco fed my hunger for building things
All my school reports said I would become a mechanic or something as I excelled in Motor Vehicle engineering and Metalwork- so I became a supermarket manager!!
Anyhow I only got back into bikes about two years ago but that childhood of tinkering gave me a good grounding when I started spannering again, and thank god cotter pins are a thing of the past !! I used to kill them every ride once I did a few jumps and my cranks would end up at 5 to 6
I have to add one thing..
Tubeless..
I spent one very frustrating evening trying to seat beads on rims..
I've bailed and gone to tubes for the time being, MrSchmancy is off to my LBS for that most frustrating of "mechanical" of issues.
I so can't be bothered.
I'm doing a frame swap on my orange five which should be a good way to learn. Already done crank swaps etc but all off then all back on again should teach me quite a bit while also being relatively easy as I'll know where all the bits came from.
I have got to the point where my first part build will now move forward using the power of leg and pedal unfortunately I am completely screwed regarding the rear mech and possibly chain length. 1st I couldn't get t into the big ring at the back now I can't get it to move to any of the first 3 rings. Not sure if. Have made the chain t short now but a completely flummoxed and a little frustrated. So close but no cigar folks!
John you're getting into a tizzy. Step back, take a breath, chill out for a mo.
This is a doddle. Go back to first principles and start over.
Chain length is here: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing
Splice some links back into your chain if you've made it too short.
Rear derailleur setup is here: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur
Follow the instructions step by step. After the first couple of times it takes 5 minutes.
Basic bike assembly is very straightforwards. You don't see bike mechanics driving around in Ferraris do you?
ps I have three important words of advice for anyone starting out mechanicing. I will say this only once.
[b]Don't overtighten stuff.[/b]
[b]Don't overtighten stuff.[/b]
[b]Don't overtighten stuff.[/b]
(got that?)
So make sure things are really tight? Yes?
Thanks for the links, I have them saved for the weekend. As it happens I have managed to get on a basic maintenance course next week for a fiver as its subsidised by Sustrans. Am taking the offending article with me to make sure it's fit to ride.
