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1st Bike, help with dropouts?

2K views 33 replies 8 participants last post by  0uTkAsT 
#1 ·
Actually not any issues in ur end, just not knowing is all, been there done that. Their designed that way. Just spread the forks apart while axles over the drop outs till the wheel goes on. No worries nothing wrong with u or bike. Enjoy the new bike!
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#2 ·
Hi all, I'm brand new to bikes and the forum. I just got a 2014 Gravity Deadeye and I can't seem to get the front wheel on. Since it's my first bike I thought maybe I was just retarded and doing something wrong, but the more I look at pictures online to troubleshoot I'm thinking the fork might be bent?

The inner nuts on the hub (I'm assuming that lock the hub to the inner wheel?) came pre-installed and the dropouts on the fork will not go on over them. Is this a matter of adjustment or should the dropouts slide right on to the wheel?







Visually, the fork looks bent inwards pretty significantly at the bottom, but again, I'm not sure if it is supposed to be or not:





Any help is appreciated! I was really hoping to ride it over the long weekend.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the super fast response! I tried what you said and went full gorilla on the fork and was finally able to get the wheel on!

Next problem I'm running in to, maybe you can shed some light on... I can't get the seat post into the frame far enough! It appears that the nut welded inside the rear frame tube for the water bottle mounting location prevents my seat post from going in the tube far enough. I'm 5'7" and need my seat down just a few inches from the top tube in order to mount the saddle properly. Right now (pictured) this is as far as I can get the seat post into the frame which is a full 6" or so higher than I'd like it to be. Is the only solution to cut the seat post? Is that even an option (i.e. safe?)



Thanks again for any and all help!! I feel like the biggest noob ever.
 
#4 ·
Another issue is with the Tektro Novela mechanical disc brakes. The rear is fine and adjusted with no rubbing without issues. The front, however, rubs badly no matter how it's adjusted. I searched the forum and found this:

http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-co...tro-novela-mechanical-disc-brakes-700355.html

Tried the business card trick, didn't work. With the brakes adjusted all the way out in every direction the top most portion of the outside brake pad contacts the rotor. And, adjusted all the way out, there isn't enough clamping force and the bike can be pushed while holding the brake lever down all the way.

I am almost tempted to return the bike for a refund. I have spent five and a half hours on the bike this evening and even our two Walmart bikes didn't have this many issues right out of the box.

Any words of advice to talk me out of returning it?
 
#5 ·
Is your rotor bent? If so, just use an adjustable wrench to bend it back out. Watch a few videos first there is a technique to it.. I've bought new ones that were slightly warped before, it happens. If the top of the pad is touching all the time you can just ride it til it wears off, or file it down slightly. I had to do that with every bb5 pad I put on when I used those.

About the seat tube, if you want to use the bottle holder screws, you might have to cut the seat post a few inches. I use a pipe cutter from home depot for seat posts and forks.

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#6 ·
Thanks for the feedback! The rotor doesn't visually appear bent... it seems more like the outside brake pad is out of adjustment, but I can't seem to get it adjusted properly and have it stay that way. When I did get it adjusted to where it doesn't rub after re-installing the caliper, it goes right back to rubbing again after I squeeze and release the brake lever for the first time.

I did some more digging on Google and found this thread: Anyone had any experience with Tektro disk brakes? | CycleChat Cycling Forum After work tomorrow I will try some of the suggestions listed there and report back. There is a bike shop a few miles from my house, but A) I don't have a bike carrier for my car yet and B) I'd rather not pay to have someone either do something I could've done or tell me the bike is a turd and they can't fix it either, so I want to exhaust all other options first.

On the seat post debacle, at least I know someone else has had to cut theirs. I planned on using the bottle holder screws back there and I have a pipe cutter so I may go that route if I can get everything else squared away and feel confident I'm not going to return it.
 
#8 ·
Try to see directly inside the caliper and watch the disc.. If it's hitting on rotation in a certain spot it's bent slightly. Not a big deal, welcome to disc brakes lol.. If it's constantly rubbing, you should be able to see what part of the pad is touching, so take the pad out and file that down slightly. That should do it. Like I said, you could just ride it and it'll burn off on its own, but i used to file it because it was just easier.

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#10 ·
Update: rotor doesn't have any visual wobble, and I can start to see where the pad is wearing on the outermost portion of the rotor. The wear is uniform the whole way around the outside edge of the outside rotor surface, confirming what I thought about the uneven brake pad and the rotor not being bent. I'll try and snap a picture tomorrow.

I'm just excited to take it out this weekend. Maybe a little break-in is all it needs, gotta chop that seat post first though. Come to think of it, maybe it's maiden voyage will be directly to the bike shop which is about 12 miles away, round trip. That will give me six miles of city riding to decide whether or not it's worth paying the LBS to do a final checkup/adjustment.
 
#11 ·
On your seatpost adjustment.
The seat should be raised so that your knee is slightly bent when your foot is at the bottom of the peddle stroke while you are riding. You may want to go a little lower than that, but it isn't meant to allow you to place your feet on the ground when sitting on the seat.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I bought a 17" frame which (according to BD) should be the right size for me. At risk of making myself sound like a midget retard, I'm 5'7" and stocky even for my height... short legs, long torso, big shoulders. I'll play around with the seat some but I know I am going to inevitably have to cut it down. As low as it gets right now, I can't mount the saddle without jumping on it. I plan to leave plenty of seat post for adjustment.

On that note, I talked to a LBS today and I'm going to take it in to them this weekend. They said they'll help me adjust the brakes, check everything over, and size the seat and handlebars properly for me for $30. Can't beat that.
 
#16 ·
As low as it gets right now, I can't mount the saddle without jumping on it. I plan to leave plenty of seat post for adjustment.
.
If the seat height is adjusted properly, there is no way you should be able to touch the ground when you are sitting in the saddle. If you can touch the ground (even on your tip toes) when your butt is on the seat, you are going to cramp up and you will not be able to pedal efficiently.
 
#14 ·
You shouldn't worry about touching the ground while on the seat that's not the issue.. The issue is whether or not your leg is straightening out enough when you pedal. A lot of people drop the seat too low because they're afraid to mount the bike while rolling and then their knees and legs start to cramp because they're too low.

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#18 ·
you might have better luck by leaning the bike toward you while turning the bars away from you. This will effectively lower the seat and allow your body to get positioned correctly. You also may want to put the pedal on the opposite side of your body at 6:00 and you should be able to push off from there...this is all technique and you really should not lower the seat as you have described.
 
#19 ·
Thanks guys for all the help. I tried it as-is and had a really hard time getting on it even leaning the bike and pushing up off the pedals. I trimmed 2" off the bottom of the seat post and tried again. It was still uncomfortably high but I was able to get on and ride. The position just didn't feel correct like all of my weight was being supported by my wrists and lower back. I trimmed one more inch off the bottom and now it seems just right. Its way higher than I would've put it myself had I not read your suggestions, but my knees are barely bent at all on the downstroke as someone mentioned above so I think I've got it right. My back and wrists don't feel like they're getting beat up on any more either. Thank you for all the suggestions!!

The bike makes sort of a rattly noise when pedalling and the brakes, although not really rubbing, are very spongy and don't stop very well. I think I'm going to stop trying to jack around with it myself and take it to the LBS.
 
#20 ·
The further out the inner pad is, the stronger the braking will be. What I do is set the inner pad all the way out, grip the brake, the tighten the caliper. Then back the inner pad out until it doesn't rub. You can so use a business card, but i find it unnecessary.

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#22 ·
Can anyone describe to me how the handlebars are supposed to be set up? I just got told my handlebars are all whack, but I don't know any better and I thought they were fine. The brake levers came pre-installed so I just lined the levers up with where I'd be able to reach them easily and apparently that's not correct. Are they on backwards or something?





Thanks guys
 
#28 ·
Just rotate them up. The angle that they are depends on your preference, but the way you have them they're like angled down or up slightly.. Yours are way down. So just loosen your stem and brake levers and adjust them go where they're comfortable with the rise pointing upward.

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#29 ·
Wait, is your left hand the rear brake? It should be the right.. Left should he front. Unless you ride motorcycles and get confused easily lol.. So yeah I think you have to flip them around so that your right hand is the rear brake. That is a complete mess haha not trying to make fun :)

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