*** Building Custom Bicycle ***
Tools That Will Help You Build A Bicycle Online
If you know how to build a bicycle, you can combine your favorite bicycle components into one custom bike just for you! For many bicycle enthusiasts, purchasing a bicycle can be a frustrating experience. You love one thing about one bicycle, but you love another thing about a different bicycle, and you wish you could just combine all of your favorite bicycle features into one bike. The following is a set of simplified instructions on how to build a bicycle:
How To Build a Bicycle
Headset
Use a large bolt, some washers, and a nut to install the cups and press everything firmly into place. Tighten the top cap until you feel there’s no wobbling when you move it a little bit the handle-bars forward, after that, tighten the stem. If you’re confused regarding this step of how to build a bicycle, here’s a detailed list of this step.
Fork
Put the headset together, grease the bearings, and put your stem and any spacers you intend to use on the fork and make a mark at the very top of the stem, on the fork. This mark is where you’ll cut the steering tube if necessary. If you have a threaded stem, no cutting is required. Just use spacers to get the desired height. Take the fork out and cut it approximately 3 mm below your mark. Drive the star-fangled nut by threading it on the bolt and using a hammer to tap it in the tube approximately 1 cm. Put the top cap and stem back together.
Bottom Bracket
Grease the threads and insert the bottom bracket. The drive side is threaded in reverse, so don’t forget it goes on backward. Once inserted, tighten the drive side and then the non-drive side. Remember not to install the cranks at this point, first make sure it’s properly tight. If this is the first time you are learning how to build a bicycle, be patient and ask for help when you need it.
Cranks
Put the cranks on the bicycle. Some people believe you should never grease cranks and some people believe you should, so go with what you prefer.
I’d go with greasing simply because when you try to remove them and they are completely dry, it’s very hard and you might even have to hit them with a hammer to take them out of the bottom bracket. Either way, tighten the cranks as much as you can. If the bolts come loose tighten them quickly before any accident occurs.- a loose crank can be catastrophic when you are riding.
Seat Post
Grease the portion of the frame you will be inserting the seat post into. Insert the seat clamp and then the seat post. You can put the seat on at this point, but you can put the seat on at the end if you wish. Greasing is important because in the future it can get rusty and be very hard to remove or adjust.
Pedals
Grease the threads on the pedals and once again remember – the non-drive side is reverse threaded. Install and tighten with a wrench. At this point, some people need to install a cable guide on the bottom of the bottom bracket. If you need a cable guide, this is the time to install it.
Derailleur
Some bicycles have front and rear derailleurs, and some have only a rear derailleur. Make sure you want your cables going from the derailleur to the desired level at the handlebars, install them before installing the chain, otherwise, you’d have to cut it more than once to assemble the chain, this will also make it easier to adjust the desired length of the chain.
Brakes
Even if you don’t know how to build a bicycle, you know how important the braking system is. Choose the brake type you want to use and read the specific steps for installation. Braking systems can vary so much that it’s safer to read the installation instructions that come with the brakes.
Being disc or V-brakes you should be very careful and sure when you install them. They should be tight and smooth in their moving parts. In any of the two types, you should make sure the pads are fairly close to the rim or disc but not touching the surfaces.
Chain
Use the largest gear in the back and the front and make sure you have just enough chain to spin smoothly. At this point, the rear derailleur should be fairly tight and bent straight forward. This will ensure you have the perfect chain length. Take into consideration that if you bust your chain you can still cut a little bit of it and still fit it in your sprockets. Drive the pin through with a chain tool and use the inner step to loosen the link just a little bit.
Cables
Cut the cable housing for your brakes and shifters, make sure you have enough length so it doesn’t bind and interfere with the braking system.
Make them a little longer than what you feel you need to. This is because if you fall (hopefully not) and your handlebars twist on your frame, your cables won’t be so tight that they might break, this will give them a little bit of room to take the impact without breaking in half.
Testing the Bicycle
Test your built bicycle in a very safe environment, especially if this is the first attempt and you’re learning how to build a bicycle. An empty parking lot is the perfect place. Use places like this whenever you perform any bicycle repair too, so you make sure your bike is ready to hit the trails.
Did you know...?
Even if you build a bicycle from scratch, you can still buy ready-made group sets from many bike part stores.
A group set contains the cranks, chain, cassette, and derailleurs which are frequently the most difficult bike parts to attach.
If you aren't too confident of your ability to build a bike from scratch, buy a ready-made group set to save yourself some time and trouble. These sets are really helpful because you'll make sure they will fit with each other, and everything will be perfectly aligned too.
Where to Buy Bicycle Repair Tools?
If you are interested in buying bicycle repair tools, such as wrenches, lubrication guns, and chain tools, you can buy them in one of these trusted online stores:
Summary
Building a bicycle can be a difficult task, but it can also be very rewarding once you get the hang of it. If you're very unfamiliar with tools, bicycles, or even working with your hands, you may want help in 'building your first bicycle. With practice, you will improve, and in the end, you'll have the exact bicycle of your dreams! For a list of parts and tools, you will need to visit the following website.
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