Buying a bike online means that it will be delivered to you partly assembled. In this blog we are going to look at assembling a bike so that it is safe and comfortable to ride. Stay relaxed, take your time and learn how to assemble a bike the Cycle Maintenance Academy way. You might even enjoy it!
If your bike comes in a very large box, over 120cm, then both the wheels will be in place.
Have a look at the box. The inspection holes should be at the top and there might be other information such as where the front and back of the bike is and where to open it.
Step 1 of how to assemble a bike
Open the box. Check for any staples and remove them if necessary to avoid damaging the bike or cutting yourself.
Remove the bike and the accessories.
Remove all the packaging including any plastic guards on the wheel nuts and near the freewheel or cassette.
There may be a plastic spoke guard behind the cassette/freewheel. If you tug it and it doesn’t come away easily then this isn’t part of the packaging.
Step 2
Stand in front of the bike, grip the front wheel with your knees and your feet.
If the bike has a quill stem, first remove the plastic cover on the top of the stem.
Hold the bar with one hand and, using a 6 millimetre allen key loosen the bolt on the top of the stem.
For threadless stems, use a 4 or 5 millimetre allen key to loosen the two bolts on the side.
Turn the handlebars forward to the correct position. Make sure that the cables are not wrapped around the headtube.
Step 3
Now tighten the bolt on the top of the quill stem .
and refit the plastic cap
On the threadless stem tighten the two bolts on the side.
Apply a small amount of grease to the pedal threads and fit them into the cranks.
The right hand pedal screws in clockwise and the left hand anticlockwise.
Pump the tyres.
Now adjust the saddle, stem and handlebars. Our videos here will guide you through this.
Check that all the bolts are tight. If you have a torque wrench, tighten to the correct torque. Some components might have the torque imprinted on them. If you need the correct torque for the rest of the bolts click HERE to find the full list.
Step 4
To find and record the frame number, put some cardboard or rags on the floor, grasp the seat tube with one hand and the fork with the other and turn the bike upside down.
The frame number is usually under the bottom bracket shell.
Grasp the seat tube in one hand and the fork blade in the other and flip the bike over again so that it is the right way up.
Check and adjust the brakes if required. Check out this video about brake adjustment, if you need help with this task.
If you have a bike stand, put the bike on it.
Check the gears and adjust them if necessary. Watch our video on how to index gears in 7 simple steps if you’re not sure how to do this.
Step 5 of how to assemble a bike
Take the bike off the stand. You now know how to assemble a bike.
Test ride the bike and further adjust if necessary.
Don’t neglect the final tweaks. A bit longer spent on getting the saddle height correct or the handlebars pointing forward could save time later.
If your bike comes in a very large box, over 120cm, then both the wheels will be in place.